#193 - Why Broad Topics Don't Book Stages
From Grow Your Public Speaking Business by Wendi McNeill
May 3, 2026 · 8 min · Episode 193
About this episode
In this episode, Wendi McNeill discusses why broad topics hinder speakers from getting booked and how specificity can change that.
Why Broad Topics Don't Book Stages ... And What to Say Instead I've been thinking about Africa lately. Growing up, my parents ran mission trips, and what I watched them do every single time was get specific. This village. This well. This need. That specificity is what got things done. And it's exactly what gets speakers booked. In this episode, I'm talking about why broad topics keep talented speakers from getting hired and the simple, specific shift that changes everything. In this episode: Why event planners need specificity, not generality The difference between a topic that floats and one that stops the scroll How to identify who you're really for and what problem you solve Why "marketer first, speaker second" starts with your topic The doable momentum move you can make on your message this week Free Resource: Ready to pitch your message to real stages? Grab my free list of 50 Events Looking for Speakers. Real opportunities actively seeking speakers right now, and the best way to step into our world. https://charlijane.com/call-for-speakers Ready to go deeper? Come join us inside Charli Jane Speakers Club, where we help you nail your message AND give you AI-powered tools to…
People in this episode
Host: Wendi McNeill
Topics covered
- public speaking
- specificity in topics
- event planning
- marketing strategies
- speaker opportunities
Keywords
- public speaking
- broad topics
- specificity
- event planners
- marketing
- speaking opportunities
- message pitching
Mentioned in this episode
Organizations: Charli Jane Speakers Club, Charli Jane
Places: Africa
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- #192 - Does Your Speaker Bio Pass the 60-Second Hireable Test? · April 19, 2026 · 8 min
- #191 - Your Speaker Page Is Costing You Bookings — Here's the Fix · April 5, 2026 · 8 min
- #190 Talk Title Formulas That Meeting Planners Actually Book · March 15, 2026 · 12 min
- #189 - The 7 Things Meeting Planners Look for in 60 Seconds (So Your One-Sheet Gets More Replies) · March 1, 2026 · 14 min
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