"When you're late, you tell people you don't care. I didn't agree with it at the moment. But then I started really just disciplining myself. And it is hard work for me every single day to be early."

Welcome back to The Speaker Lab Podcast! In this Alumni Spotlight episode, host Dan Irvin brings on Michael Hidalgo — a keynote speaker who helps teams actually talk to each other. His core idea is deceptively simple: words are vehicles, and what the receiver unpacks may not be what you loaded them up with. But what makes this episode fire is the business side of Michael's story — and the habits that are fueling a serious run right now.

Start with the headline: Michael just landed his highest-paid gig yet off a single email. Except it wasn't really a single email. He did the homework — researched the organization, understood the need, sent a tailored pitch — and then heard nothing for two months. Instead of chasing with "did you get my email?", he followed up twice by adding value: an article relevant to their challenge, a lesson he learned from a client. Seventy-three days later, the planner wrote back with four words: "Are you still available?" Booked on the spot — and now they want his consulting, too.

Then there's the keynote that produced six hot leads. Michael put a Calendly QR code on his final slide with a $50-value team assessment offer. By the time he walked off stage, four CEOs had already booked calls. He stayed for dinner with another contact who introduced him to two more executives. Two proposals went out that week. And every one of those consulting opportunities came from the speaking — the keynote was the tip of the spear.

Whether you're figuring out how to follow up without being annoying or wondering what separates speakers who get rebooked from speakers who get forgotten, this one is a masterclass in the business behind the business!

You'll learn:

Why Michael's biggest booking came 73 days after his initial pitch — and what he did in the silence that made it happen
How to follow up with event planners by adding value instead of asking "did you get my email?"
The QR code + free assessment strategy that generated six hot leads from a single keynote
Why speaking is the tip of the spear for consulting revenue — and how to build that pipeline from stage
What "be fun and easy to work with" actually looks like in practice (hint: show up early and set up chairs)
The pre-talk ritual Michael never skips: handwriting an abbreviated outline, connecting with the tech team, checking in with the planner, and glide-handing the room
How to pivot mid-call when an event planner says "this isn't what we want" — without getting defensive or losing the gig
Why the two magic phrases "tell me more about that" and "help me understand" buy you time and keep conversations alive
The difference between value addition and value extraction — and why givers get remembered
Why the gig is actually won before you ever send the first email
And much, much more!

"How can I leave someone with something that is going to make them either personally or professionally better? How can I give something to them? I promise you that will pay dividends."

Give more than you take? That's the whole business plan. Grab a free 15-minute Speaker Business Assessment at thespeakerlab.com/SBA and build a system that turns generosity into bookings.

Episode Resources:

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