The professional speaking business is loaded with misinformation and misconceptions. The biggest may be that the business is all about marketing.  While sales and marketing is critical, you MUST have a GREAT product to get great results. Many new speakers are being told you don’t have to be good to get booked, and that’s an outright lie. Corporations aren’t stupid, and they’re not going to pay thousands of dollars per hour for an amateur speaker posing as a professional. Make sure you’re good before you start marketing.