Some of the biggest opportunities come from doing the opposite of everyone else in the industry.
In the world of real estate speakers, especially in the association space, Matthew Rathbun is a great example.
He stopped doing free gigs for exposure, stopped doing cold outreach to associations and event organizers, and went ‘all in’ on creating content for agents first.
Here are the results:
* Thriving YouTube channel with 5k subs
* Runs roughly 3-4 webinars and 4 in-person sessions per month
* Booked nearly a year in advance(He’s also speaking at the BEATS conference, April 19-22nd in OKC, which I’m attending).
That’s on top of his ‘day job’ as Executive VP of a multi-office brokerage with 200+ agents. He’s been named Instructor of the Year at multiple levels, and also consulted for associations and franchises on speaker selection and previously served as an education director.
Which means he has direct experience on both sides of the booking process.
So here are the…
Non-Obvious Insights from our Conversation:
Event Organizers Want to See the ‘Real’ You
“Before I would ever recommend a speaker, I go look at their YouTube channel. If they don’t have one, it’s almost a ‘Eh, maybe not this person.’ I’ll go to Instagram. I want to see video of them sharing the real version of them, not the stage version that we all have.” - Matthew Rathbun
I’m betting as event organizers and education directors get younger, that shift becomes the default.
Long-form YouTube videos show your real personality…FAR more than a tightly edited speaker reel. So while capturing footage of you speaking on stage is important, for many event organizers, it’s no longer the first thing they check.
They also want to know if you can potentially help ‘put butts in seats.’ If you have a brand, a niche topic, an audience…you become part of the value proposition of the event. A reason for agents to register.
Does that mean you need a household name and millions of views? No. MicroFamous, from my book to my Done-for-You service, is based on the idea that…
It’s better to dominate a niche than be the 17th runner up in a bigger space.
Multiple speakers I’ve talked to have said the same thing. It’s way easier to get booked when you specialize in a niche topic.
Content Creates Attraction. Cold Outreach Rarely Does.
On connecting with event organizers, Matthew says,
“If it’s somebody who’s not paying attention to my type of content online already, introducing them as a cold call isn’t going to get the energy I need.”
Matthew is playing the attraction game. His YouTube channel, podcast and newsletter work together to create a warm audience. Agents already understand what he’s about, so there’s already a connection when he walks onstage.
Event organizers come to him, which puts him in a very different (and powerful) position.
“I posted a video basically saying, “Hey MLS’s, the reason we’re having these aggregator wars is because the MLS hasn’t innovated…Sure enough, an association director said, ‘Can we reshare this?’ I’m like, Hell yeah!”
When decision makers share your content organically, you attract speaking opportunities without direct outreach.
Ready to launch your own show, build real influence and dominate your niche?
Check out our Done-for-You Content Production & Strategy
We turn raw footage into professional YouTube videos, podcasts and email newsletters. All with zero overwhelm, guaranteed.
From Michael Maher and Lars Hedenborg to Jeff Cohn and Marki Lemons Ryhal, we’ve been the content team behind many of your fellow real estate coaches, speakers and authors. Click here to learn more at GetMicroFamous.com.
Many Speakers Have a Massive Blindspot…the ‘Connective Tissue’ Around Their Key Topic
“If you’re speaking about AI, that’s great. But if you don’t understand basic marketing concepts and basic business planning principles, the AI is just a fun toy you can play [with]. So it doesn’t make it more meaningful.”
Matthew shared an eye-popping story from a recent event. The speaker, who specialized in AI, got an audience question about fair housing and using AI to write ads.
The speaker’s response? ‘Don’t worry, the AI won’t let you create anything dangerous.’
Matthew knew from experience that was incorrect. AI doesn’t have reliable guardrails like that yet.
When Matthew vets speakers, he vets them not just for expertise in their primary topic, but for whether theyunderstand what their topic connects to. An AI speaker who doesn’t know fair housing is a liability.
Want to go deeper? Click on the audio file for the full chat, or search Real Estate Thought Leaders on Apple Podcasts and Spotify.
Steal This:
Matthew gave a killer tip. When you get booked, say, ‘Hey, I’m going to build an extra class in here. The fee stays the same, but you’re going to have another instructor in case someone cancels.’
Schedule conflicts or last-minute issues with speakers can put event organizers in a jam. That extra ‘backup’ class positions you to be the hero.
Quick Links & Resources
Matthew’s podcast Meet the Moment (Co-hosted with Kimberly Allard)
The conversation was a blast, turns out we both have homeschooling in common…always fun to stumble across random commonalities like that! Matthew was a fantastic interview guest so if you’d like to feature him and want a direct intro, hit Reply and I’m happy to make the connection!
-Matt
Agency Founder & Author of MicroFamous
PS Here’s how we can help…
Done-for-You Content Production & Strategy - We turn raw footage into professional YouTube videos, podcasts and email newsletters. All with zero overwhelm, guaranteed.
From Michael Maher and Lars Hedenborg to Jeff Cohn and Marki Lemons Ryhal, we’ve been the content team behind many of your fellow real estate coaches, speakers and authors.
We start every client engagement by developing your ‘Signature Talk’ - So you have a message you’re excited to take to stages, guest interviews and all your content.
Then we launch your flagship video show - supported by audio podcast and email newsletter, delivered with pro-level quality and relentless consistency. We promote with short video clips and social posts on any platform where you’re active.
Each month we give you research-based video title and topic ideas, scripts, outlines, even slides. Plus all the support you need to stay consistent, from email updates to strategy calls.
So if you’re not putting out the quality of content…consistently…to become the thought leader you’re meant to be, let’s talk. Click here to learn more and schedule a Free Brainstorm Call.
