In the decades since it was founded, eSpeakers has grown into one of the technological monoliths of the speaking industry. Today, over half of the speakers we’ve met already knew of eSpeakers by the time they met our team. Considering this and our interest in technology, naturally, we had to see how our team could work with theirs. Today, after seven months of collaboration, we’re proud to become the first eSpeakers certified company. 🎉
Although we’re the first in the speaking industry to earn it, this certification will hopefully be shared down the line. We like to say that “data is power,” and by sharing information about eSpeakers – through this certification and our own program (coming soon!) – we hope to educate speaking business owners on how to use the technology available. After all, the more you can use business technology, the more time you can spend doing what you love: speaking!
In the meantime, while our certification program is in the works, let’s break down what the eSpeakers certification means and how you can benefit from our training on the platform. You’ll also get a brief preview of how this certification coordinates with our own program and our plans for the future. 🙌
What does it mean to have the eSpeakers certification?
To start, you might be wondering exactly what the eSpeakers certification entails. A certification from the eSpeakers team, when given to a business within the speaking industry, essentially shows learning hours. Similarly to studying at a college or university to earn a degree, the eSpeakers certification demonstrates that our team completed the training necessary to know eSpeakers’s platform front to back. This training primary focused on our founders, Taylorr and Austin, as they head the consulting wing of our team. They’re also ninjas when it comes to maximizing eSpeakers accounts for speakers already using the platform.
Additionally, since SpeakerFlow launched in May 2019, we’ve also released technology of our own, including SpeakerFlow CRM. In the months following its release, however, we identified three necessary systems for managing a speaking business. The first, a CRM, we had covered. The second, a financial planning/accounting system, varies depending on the needs of the team using it. The third, an event management platform, was already available through eSpeakers. In light of this, if we were going to accomplish our mission of “combine cutting-edge technology with sales, marketing, and operations expertise to create the optimal business experience for professional speakers,” we had to become experts in event management, too.
In short, the eSpeakers certification began with our drive to understand their technology and how they had grown to such a massive presence in the speaking world. We also wanted to lend a hand in return! After all, between our six team members, we pride ourselves not just on our business knowledge. We also have a passion for technology, new and old. As a result, when we saw an opening in the space where we could (a) learn ourselves and (b) pass that knowledge on to others, we couldn’t resist.
Why did we become the first company to be eSpeakers certified?
That brings me to the second piece of the certification: our reason for pursuing it. Now, if you’ve met any of our founding members, you know we’re not ones to mess around. When we start a project, we always seek to exceed expectations. When we create a product or service, we don’t want to just make it by. We want to be the best! When we met the team at eSpeakers initially, it was largely this attitude that drove our desire to learn the platform in detail. In other words, if we were to effectively use it ourselves or even just appreciate it, as a tool available to us, we wanted to know everything there was to know.
As time went on, we also noticed that we weren’t the only ones with misinformation about eSpeakers. For many speakers who hadn’t used it, there was confusion as to what eSpeakers was for. Was it an event management platform? Maybe it was supposed to be a way for event planners to find you? Wait – was it used in place of a CRM? The answers to all of these are complicated, largely because there are a variety of products and services under the eSpeakers umbrella. Additionally, of the people that had heard of eSpeakers before we spoke to them, many weren’t sure how to make the most of these products or services. Some were even paying for their eSpeakers account without using it at all!
If any of these thoughts sound familiar, you understand why we had to do something about it. After all, not only were some speakers wasting money. Plenty more also didn’t know of the value they could be getting from eSpeakers’ products, including their event management system and membership directory. That’s the SpeakerFlow team nightmare right there!
How can you benefit from our eSpeakers certification?
In light of these challenges – or, rather, opportunities for us to help – how can you benefit from our eSpeakers training and certification? First and foremost, because we know the platform from front to back, if you already have an eSpeakers account, we’re here to help. One of our primary offerings, for speaking businesses of all sizes, is our Accelerator. This quick and useful program allows us to take a look at your speaking business and create a game plan for you and your team. That way, if you’re not making the most of your eSpeakers account, we can outline how to do so. If you’re unsure how your account connects with your CRM, we can break it down for you. This is a great option if you have a tight budget but know you need another pair of eyes on your processes if you’re going to improve.
On top of our Accelerator, we also offer in-depth consulting for a complete overhaul of your speaking business. Unlike the Accelerator, our consulting program allows our team to not only outline a strategy for you and your team. We’re also with you all the way through the implementation process. That way, as you make real each part of your custom strategy, we’re here to help if you get stuck. We’re also around to introduce the latest and greatest tools for speakers, like the Intel Engine and SpeakerFlow CRM, and show you how to make the most of them. From sales strategies to technology to automation, our consulting program covers you all the way. 👍
Speaking of the CRM, we’re also working directly with the eSpeakers team to build a custom, robust integration with SpeakerFlow CRM so you can flawlessly turn leads into events. Stay tuned as we work through the kinks!
What will our eSpeakers coursework include?
Lastly, besides helping speakers learn the ins and outs to eSpeakers through virtual meetings, we’re also developing an online course for the entire platform. With plans to release later this year, this collection will include tutorials for optimizing an eSpeakers Marketplace profile, using their EventCX system, and integrating your profile with your CRM, as mentioned above. We’ll also cover the basics of event management including the following:
- Creating automated task lists after you close a new speaking gig
- Tracking information in your CRM vs eSpeakers’ event management platform, EventCX
- How to maximize the use of your eSpeakers account (for individuals or teams)
- Optimizing your eSpeakers Marketplace profile, so event planners can find you there
- Using eSpeakers “Smart Trends” to track your personal stats and speaking industry trends
Again, for the time being, this coursework is still in the works. That said, with the amount of growth in the last year and the generous efforts of the eSpeakers team, we’re well on track to release it relatively soon. Sign up for our newsletter to stay up-to-date!
What does this mean for the future of SpeakerFlow?
Ultimately, our goal at SpeakerFlow is to provide high-quality information to speaking businesses of all shapes and sizes. That way, you’ll be confident in how to grow your speaking business and build your team. As a part of this goal, we also aim to be the certification body for the speaking industry. In other words, we’re around for the long haul. Whether you’re a speaker yourself or a staff member on a speaking team, we’re here to share our top technology, tips, and tricks, so you can hit the ground running in the speaking industry. In light of this goal, becoming eSpeakers certified is the first of many milestones for the SpeakerFlow team. As we grow our business throughout the next year, hopefully, we can add another bunch of tools to the list of 50+ systems we’ve mastered over the years and pass it along to you.
For the time being, thank you to the eSpeakers team for their collaboration. If you’re reading this as a member of their team, we’ve thoroughly enjoyed working with you so far, and we’re excited about the projects yet to come. Secondly, thank you to the professional speakers reading this! We are grateful to be a part of such a unique and ever-changing industry and pumped for the value we can provide for you and your team. 😊
For more information about our plans for the future to learn more about how you can collaborate within the SpeakerFlow community, schedule a discovery call with our founders or shoot us an email at [email protected].
