It starts with having a passion which translates to value in the business world

I often get asked a wide range of questions after I come off stage from my keynote appearances around the world. In connecting with other top business speakers here are some common themes on how the most prominent speakers rose to the top

• Have a passion for what you are speaking about. If you are going to command an audience and deliver value at a business conference or corporate offsite you need to energize which is a hallmark trait of inspirational speakers

* Write a lot. Just because you aren't yet a best selling author doesn't mean that you shouldn't spend time writing about the topics which you have a differentiated and valuable point of view on

* Build your personal brand: A speakers bureau will never create opportunities for you to speak if you don't have a personal brand that is in demand. You need to consistently share valuable content which proves you can win over an audience with a unique point of view

• Create your niche. To drive my differentiation amongst a sea of expert speakers I've had to develop a clear niche as a leading expert speaker on Gen Y, Millennials, and Gen Z. In order to differentiate your positioning, you need to adapt and establish your unique territory. Some potential areas could be employee engagement, blockchain technologies, the future of CPGs, the future of the automotive industry, etc. Speakers CEOs and speaker bureaus tend to favor are ones that can deliver on clear business objectives for their audience.

* Acquire the right experience (even if for free). Let's just you work for one of the world's top companies who has been tasked with booking a speaker for your event. You are very likely going to want to book a bestselling author, or a speakers celebrities retweet. However, if they are out of your price range you will want a speaker with the right customer experience which is something you will need to acquire to build your credibility.

• Tell a story: I believe that the best speakers are ones that tell the audience a story. They have very little charts in their presentation and very few words on their slides. IOnsread the best speakers focus on engaging audiences with stores that pay off a broad point of view and that are packed with actionable and practical tips along the way.

It's taken me 20 years to gain the right level of credibility and to cement myself as a leader amongst the top motivational speakers and leadership speakers in the U.S. Please know that this will take time and in the meantime, you should certainly pursue as many pro bono speaking engagements as possible.