How to create a speaker showreel that will get you booked

In my last email newsletter I shared what you can do if you don’t have any video footage. If you missed it, don’t worry you can catch up here.

This week I’m talking showreels – in fact as you read this, I’m attending the PSA Netherlands meeting opening their event talking about, you guessed it, showreels.

I’m not a broadcaster or videographer, my view on reels is based on my personal experience, I’m a former booker/speaker agent, and a good reel for me was my best friend. I didn’t have to send anything else if a speaker provided me with a great showreel.

Co-founder of Coffee Republic and serial entrepreneur and author, Sahar Hashemi says: “The great thing about a showreel is that you can control your brand and give exactly the message that you want.” She’s absolutely right.

A showreel done well will help you to

• get known
• get booked
• get paid

But what makes a showreel good?

A good showreel is like a movie trailer, a taste of what is to come. Just like a movie trailer it should leave the viewer wanting to see more. It should give enough information for the viewer to book you and pay you, in the same way a movie trailer gives you enough information to decide to rent a movie.

So, what does a booker need to see in your showreel to make the decision to book you?

They need to see who you are, your personality as well as your expertise, what you talk about and what the outcomes will be if they book you. Most importantly the content of the reel should be relevant to the booker, so you need to be very clear about who your booker is before you do anything. Start by clearly defining your target market so that every clip and every piece of the reel speaks directly to that target market; to the booker.

If you want a bit more information on reels you can view our guide on how to create a great speaker showreel here.

And if you’d like an example of a great reel, this is my current favourite from Andrew Davis: