BOOK MARIA TO SPEAK

Why You Should Book Maria for Your Event

With over two decades of experience in the professional speaking industry, Maria Franzoni brings unparalleled insights and expertise that transform how audiences understand the business of speaking.

As a former international speaker bureau owner and agent, Maria has shaped the careers of leading speakers worldwide, guiding them to become more bookable and impactful.

Known for her direct, no nonsense approach, Maria delivers actionable strategies to achieve exceptional results. From understanding what makes the most booked speakers successful to navigating industry challenges, Maria’s talks are both practical and inspiring, providing audiences with a rare, behind-the-scenes look at what it takes to succeed in today’s competitive speaking landscape.

"In her very senior experience Maria gave hope and showed a path to a changed and still interesting speaking world. Was rated as one of the most interesting contributions to the conference."

Katja Schleicher, Speaker/ expert on all things sustainable communication

Speaking Topics

What the 1% most booked speakers do (and you can too)

Former international Speaker Bureau owner and agent, Maria Franzoni analysed years of speaker bureau data, curious to see if the 80/20 rule applied to speaker bookings. What she found was striking - just 1% of the roster generated 80% of bookings and over 50% of revenue. Determined to uncover what set the 1% apart, Maria developed the Bookability Formula - a clear proven framework for any speaker who wants to become commercially and consistently bookable. In this session Maria shares examples of what the 1% most booked speakers do.

Show me the Money! How to find paid speaking opportunities

Getting booked is often one of the biggest challenges facing speakers, but if you know how to go about it, it’s easy and fun. Honestly, it is.

Having worked in the speaking industry for 25 years, for 23 of those years in International Speaker Bureaus representing some of the biggest names on the speaker circuit, Maria knows who and where the bookers are.

In this session she not only shows the audience that opportunities are all around us but also shares how to ask for them.

Run your Speaking Business like an International Speaker Bureau

Speaker Bureaus attract big budget enquiries, achieve multiple bookings with clients and they get paid upfront. Who doesn't want a bit of that?

You’d think that with Google and with so many directories where a booker can simply put in their requirements that most bureaus would be out of business, but they are not, they are thriving.

In this session Maria shares the 10 things bureaus do that you can do too and that will that will help you to attract top quality clients, make it easy for them to work with you and stay relevant in the market.

How to get Listed and work with Speaker Bureaus

As a speaker, at some point you will consider working with Speaker Bureaus to help you grow your fees and your business. Speaker Bureaus can get you higher fees, get you booked by the right clients and take the admin off your shoulders. When the relationship works your business will really fly.

Sounds great, but how do you make it happen? In this session Maria shares the dos and don’ts of working with bureaus and what it takes to get booked again and again and again.

Book a call to discuss your event

FAQs

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MAGNIFICENT.

If I would have to use only one word, that is how I would describe Maria: her energy, her talk and her expertise. No fluff, powerful, straightforward, clear and actionable content. She was a closing speaker at our event last Saturday and she made it perfect!

I highly recommend Maria as she not only inspired all of us, but also effortlessly helped to set up an actionable plan for the year!! - Olga Geidane, President PSA Yorkshire

Maria a guiding light in what can be a very confusing and hard profession. Her knowledge is incredible and her ability to relay what speakers need to know, hear and understand is second to none. She clearly loves what she does and truly cares about all her clients.

Working with Maria is a must – simple - Elliot Kay, Co-Founder of Speaker Express"

Maria is a true expert in the professional speaking industry and has a wealth of knowledge about how to survive (and thrive) as a speaker. She is generous with her support of speakers, both those who are new to the profession and those who have, er, been doing the rounds for a while! But, most importantly, she is genuinely committed to their long-term success and business growth. She knows nearly everyone and absolutely everything and is a rockstar coach to have in your corner. If you're looking to grow your speaking success, talk to Maria. - Allister Frost, Change Optimist

Maria gave a great talk with many honest insights about the speaker industry as a special guest at the Virtual Speakers Association. Trustworthy and profession EDIT aria understands what it takes to succeed. -Jessica Breitenfeld, Head of Education - VSA International

Maria was willing not only to share thoughts and tips but gave us tangible examples of implementation as we went along. Yes, she even gave us homework! - Jason Sandler, President Professional Speakers Association of Southern Africa

Resources

Now that you have booked Maria, here are some resources to help you make the event flow smoothly.

Maria's Headshots

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Short, medium and long bios for promotional use

Short Bio

(48 words)

Maria Franzoni is the creator of The Bookability Formula and a former international speaker bureau owner with over 25 years in the industry. She helps speakers get booked and paid by teaching the tactics top bureaus use, turning expertise into income with practical, proven, and commercially focused strategies.

Medium Bio

(75 words)

Maria Franzoni is the author of *The Bookability Formula* and has over two decades of experience as an international speaker bureau owner and agent. She helps speakers become more bookable by sharing the strategies used by the top 1% of most booked speakers. With deep industry insight and a commercially focused approach, Maria supports experts in securing high-value engagements, improving their positioning and marketing, and growing their speaking businesses with clarity, confidence, and real-world results.

Long Bio

(101 words)

Maria Franzoni is the author of The Bookability Formula and a recognised expert in the speaking industry, with experience as an agent, international speaker bureau owner, and mentor since 1998. She has worked with some of the world’s most celebrated speakers and shaped the careers of many others. Maria teaches speakers how to become more relevant, known, and bookable by sharing the strategies used by the top 1%. Her programmes simplify the business of speaking, focusing on positioning, marketing, and sales. With a practical, results-driven approach, Maria helps speakers achieve sustainable growth, higher fees, and long-term success in a competitive market.

Intro Script

Please use the below to bring Maria out on stage.

Our speaker today is a highly respected authority in the speaking industry with over 23 years of experience as an international speaker bureau owner and agent. She has worked with some of the world’s most celebrated names and helped shape the careers of countless experts and thought leaders.

She uses her industry knowledge to help speakers and bureau agents to succeed. She teaches the proven tactics and strategies that ensure speakers are not only booked but rebooked, while giving bookers the tools to grow their bureaus.

Today, she will be sharing insider insights on what the most booked speakers do to thrive in this competitive industry and how you can adopt these strategies to transform your own approach.

Please join me in welcoming the creator of The Bookability Formula, and one of the speaking industry’s most trusted experts, Maria Franzoni (Fran-zoh-knee)

Technical Requirements

To provide an engaging and smooth experience for your audience, here are the
preferred technical requirements for Maria Franzoni's presentations:

Presentation Format: Maria uses PowerPoint for her presentations and will
send the final file in advance. She will also bring a backup copy on a dongle.
Multimedia: Maria integrates videos and music into her presentations, so
please ensure sound capability for video playback.
Microphone: For optimal audio, Maria prefers a lapel or head microphone,
depending on room size and setup.
Control: A clicker is requested to advance slides.
Comfort Monitor: If available, a comfort monitor is helpful, though not
essential.
Timer Display: Maria likes to keep an eye on the time; a visible clock or timer is ideal.

Thank you for helping create a professional and well-prepared environment for the
best audience experience.