SeminarSavvy.com

By Guest Author Mary McKay, TurnkeySpeaker.com

Wouldn’t it be great if your speaking calendar was full of paid speaking engagements that others generated for you? 

If you are one of very few speakers who get all of your engagements from bureaus, web inquiries or call-ins, do what ever it takes to keep those coming. But even the fortunate, high-profile few need to stay current, sharp and proactive to generate continued interest from bureaus.  If you’re a general who won the war, your paid engagements will decrease after the next war. If your bestseller is new, enjoy it while it lasts! Out of sight; out of mind. 

The majority of prospective, new and even seasoned speakers have to create and continue marketing campaigns through either direct mail campaigns, the media, Internet marketing or prospecting.

Here are eight (8) sources for bookings:

1. Speaker bureaus. The most prominent ones belong to a worldwide trade association of speaker agencies and bureaus called, The International Association of Speakers Bureaus. There are approximately 110 member bureaus listed at the time of this writing. Check them out at http://www.iasbweb.org
2. Special interests bureaus, sometimes called agencies. They may be either small or large, but they usually represent speakers in the same industry such as the health care field who have full time medical careers and are asked to speak only occasionally. You may find those that support certain religious beliefs or the interests of other special groups.
3. Speaker management company. A speaker management company generally handles all inquiries and bookings exclusively for speakers, meaning they answer incoming calls, web inquiries, e-mails and letters regarding a speaker. No matter where the lead originates, they get a percentage of that speaker’s speaking fee or in some cases a monthly retainer for their administrative support. This is great for professionals who are still involved in their field of expertise (such as medical personnel, politicians and journalists still on the job) and do not want to be bothered by answering inquiries. But generally speaking the management company does not prospect or solicit for engagements.  
4. Agencies. I call these speaker boutiques. They are usually closed to others and represent the interests of only a few speakers. One example is actually the office of nine motivational speakers who refer each other and have all of their administrative needs handled at one location.   
5. Independent agents. They’re great if you can find one, but there aren’t many. I used to call my company “an agency of selected speakers.” I represented three speakers exclusively and intermittently placed others. Some independent agents grow into bureaus. Some independent agents represent only one speaker. 
6. Employees as representatives. If you have the space to have a desk, computer and phone, this is a great way to ensure that someone represents you in the manner you desire. These employees may be either in the office of a speaker or may operate virtually. 
7. Your significant other. Many speakers are fortunate enough to have someone in their lives who believe in them to the degree that they begin to help in some capacity in organizing and managing the business. Who better understands your expertise? Your significant other may have even fallen in love with you because of your public stature, reputation and passion for what you do.
8. Yourself. It’s a great way to learn what works and what doesn’t. It will also keep you humble. Unfortunately, this is where many speakers’ dreams die. Because the process hasn’t been systematized, disappointing results, rejection and financial demands dilute prospecting and positioning efforts. You’ll have more than one dividend to putting in the hours daily position yourself and prospect for leads. When you can no longer do it, hire someone to qualify leads for you. Gradually delegate additional booking responsibilities.
    
   Most speakers begin by booking themselves. My recommendation is to identify an in-house candidate, script her/him, hold her/him accountable and pay a commission for performance. 

Even if you have a great public relations campaign or a viral marketing campaign, do not wait for your phone to ring.  Take action now!

* * * Learn More — Educational Teleseminar * * *

“What Every Public Speaker Ought to Know About Securing PAID Speaking Engagements!”

Learn detailed strategies to position yourself as a professional speaker, prospect for speaking engagements, and profit from teaching others what you know.

Wednesday, May 20, 2009
8 pm EDT / 7 pm CDT / 5 pm PDT

http://tinyurl.com/pmay2c

And yes, a replay will be available! Sign up here for access:

http://tinyurl.com/pmay2c

Whether you’re trying to figure out what keywords to bid on, what topics to write about when posting articles online, or merely what words to use when promoting your seminars, it’s key to put yourself in your prospects’ shoes.

Be your ideal customer for a minute … and think about:

• What do you really want? 
• What solutions are you seeking? 
• What dreams are you pursuing? 
• What problems are you desperate to solve?

The answers you come up with provide valuable clues about how to hook your prospects … and even position your event.

Some of your prospects might not know the proper terminology for what you offer and/or what they need. For example, I recently consulted with an expert who is new to the seminar business. She expressed relief at finally finding my website because she hadn’t known what keywords to use when trying to find someone who could help her. Listening to her describe her needs and what keywords she had used to try finding me gave me insight into other ways I can describe and market my services, products and events.

Other prospects may not recognize how big their need really is or what they need to solve their problems. Many promoters who contact me are concerned about how to improve their marketing materials, but don’t realize that their mailing list is just as critical to their success. If I talked only about creating a mailing list, my promotions would hold little interest for my prospects. But if I focus on what my prospects think they need, I stand a better chance of capturing their interest.

Talking to prospective customers can help you pinpoint the words and phrases they use when talking about their problems and desired solutions. Regurgitate their words when writing your copy to ensure your language resonates with them.

Want more ideas for writing killer seminar copy? Check out my home study course, How to Successfully Market Seminars and Workshops.