How to Become a School Speaker – No Degree Required!
Become a
SCHOOL SPEAKER
How to get your own programs into schools & make a career as a school speaker
I’m Demi – school speaker, teachers, founder & author
I’ve been working in schools for 15 years, and a school speaker for 7. I’ve learnt that you don’t need a degree to become a school speaker and make a difference – you just need the right set up,
Becoming a school speaker is a rewarding career that allows you to inspire and educate students. Whether you’re passionate about health, resilience, or other educational topics, here’s a step-by-step guide to getting started.
1. Write your program content – just the headlines for now!
You don’t need your program content to be completely finished in order to start reaching out to schools.
To start reaching out & booking schools, it’s enough to have an outline of the main points/topics you’ll cover in your presentation.
Don’t let an unfinished program stop you from doing the rest of the steps to get into schools.
In reality, you will probably be working on all the steps in this blog simultaneously.
I’ve had people in my HIGH IMPACT course book their first school, and finish off their presentation in the weeks leading up to the booking.
When writing your program content, keep in mind:
- Prioritse your intro (first 3-5 minutes) as making a good first impression is crucial for student engagement
- Focus on topics that are both relevant and curriculum-aligned
- Use interactive elements like activities, quizzes, or videos to keep students engage
DemiSpaccavento
High school teacher, founder of Bright Girl Health, menstrual health educator, author
2. Have Programs Approved by Teachers & Relevant Health Professionals
You may not have a degree – but someone else does!
What takes more time and money?
Option 1. Enrolling in and completing a 3-4 year degree before you begin school speaking
Option 2. Connecting with someone who already has that degree, and asking them to help you write, or approve what you’ve already written
The answer is option 2.
You can gain credibility and trust by having your program content approved by:
– Teachers
– Psychologists
– Health practitioners
– School principals
– Any other expert in the field of your subject matter
These experts can help you by:
– Writing program content that needs an expert’s touch
– Reading through and “approving” what you’ve already written
– Connecting you with resources you need to improve your program quality
3. Create a Website & Info PDFs
A professional online presence is absolutely vital to schools finding you, and trusting you to educate their students.
Ensure you have a website that includes:
- Headlines – strategically written headlines to capture attention (learn how to write these here)
- Your branding (more than just colours and logo)
- Testimonial videos
- A page that outlines your services (the “who, what, where, when and how” teachers will need to know)
- Contact forms so teachers can easily email you
- Full website checklist is available in the HIGH IMPACT training
You should also create downloadable PDFs with key information about your offerings, program content & pricing.
There are templates for this in HIGH IMPACT.
HIGH IMPACT - ONLINE TRAINING
Course: 3 modules over 3 months (small group)
Module length: 8 hours p/module (live online)
1-on-1: Individualised 1-on-1 strategy session at a time of your choice
Delivery: Online – live video training on Google Meet (recording available)
BOOK MORE SCHOOLS IN MONTHS, NOT YEARS
- 1-on-1 personalised strategy sessions
- 3 modules of small group training with Demi Spaccavento
- A community of business owners for support
- Templates for all emails to teachers, booking forms, spreadsheets, price guides +
- Unlimited access to download & rewatch all sessions
- Make invaluable industry connections
4. Start emailing teachers
Teachers do a lot of their work via email, so reaching out to a school via email is a great way to begin the booking process.
To be ready to start emailing schools you’ll need:
- An email address with an @[your business].com domain. Don’t use an @gmail.com account – it’s not as professional
- An email signature – This is your way to make a good first impression via email (include your name, title, professional headshot, and the links for your website and social media)
Once you’re ready to start sending, you can send outreach emails:
– Directly to teachers (if you have their email address)
– To the school office email, which can be found on the school’s website.
I have free templates for sending outreach emails to schools.
Here are my school outreach templates: download email templates
5. Practice your presentation until you can do it on autopilot
Doing something for the first time creates nerves.
You can beat these nerves by practicing your presentation over and over and over and over…
This means that the first time you deliver it in a school won’t actually be the first time you’ve delivered it.
You’ll be less nervous and more confident.
6. Do a Pilot School (Get Experience & Photos/Videos!)
You’ll need photos and video testimonials for your website, and you can get these by running a pilot program.
Ask a school to be part of your pilot program:
- Offer a discounted session to a school for their feedback
- Capture photos and videos (with permission) to build a portfolio and social proof
During your pilot presentation:
- Take someone along to get photos and video of the day for your website (don’t forget consent forms for any students whose faces appear in images)
- Test what works and what doesn’t (duration of program, jokes, slides, activities, etc.)
- Get written feedback from students or teachers (have a printed survey ready to go!)
- Make changes for the future based on what was successful and not
Fast-track your school bookings
It took me years to establish the business processes to do school speaking full time.
But now that I have the blueprint, I teach it to others, and they’re able to get momentum in schools in months, not years.
I invite you to be a part of the next intake of HIGH IMPACT training, where you’ll get my blueprint for a successful school-based business.
CHANGE YOUNG LIVES.
CHANGE YOUR LIFE.
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