Ask Not What Your Speakers Bureau Can Do for YOU…!

All speakers want to know what a speakers’ bureau can do for them, but have you ever thought of what you can do for them? How can you help bureaus you have a relationship with to sell you more effectively?

The speaker-bureau relationship is potentially a lucrative two-way street. With just a little planning, you can greatly increase the odds of getting more business for yourself and your bureaus. Here are some tips from my friend, the prolific author and speaker, Jeff Davidson, MBA, CMC (Certified Management Consultant) You will find my comments too!!

1. Plug your bureau.

When you’re booked through a speakers’ bureau, alter the close of your speaker’s bio for the meeting planner’s conference brochure or program announcement. For example, “Jeff Davidson appears courtesy of XYZ Bureau,” or “Jeff is represented by the XYZ bureau.” The meeting planner may cut this sentence, but you’ve got nothing to lose and quite a bit to gain if it’s included.

2. List your bureau on your handouts.

Include the name, address, phone, and fax number of your bureau on all of your handouts in place of your own contact information. Such handouts can function like benevolent time-bombs. Months or years later, don’t be surprised if your bureau gets a call because of the bread that you cast upon the waters. (Fripp’s favorite agent is Brian Palmer who runs National Speakers’ Bureau in Illinois. She once got a booking because somebody kept her handout for 2 years, then pulled it out, and called him.)

3. Report back to them promptly.

Bring a stamped U.S. Priority Mail pack with you, addressed to your bureau. After your presentation, you can quickly send them photocopies of any business cards, evaluations, and other information you collected.

Better yet, fax the copies immediately to the bureau. You might think, “Why not wait until I’m back in my office?” Don’t! Seize the day. Give your bureau the chance to follow up with these key contacts quickly.

4. Phone them after each presentation.

As soon as you can, give your bureau a call and brief them on how the presentation was received (especially when you were sensational). Your briefing represents valuable information if the bureau wants to send a quick follow-up congratulatory letter to the meeting planner. During this call, be sure to offer vital information on any hot prospects who approached you before or after your speech.

SOME FRIPP ADDITIONS

I agree with all of Jeff Davidson’s advice, and want to add some more of my own.

* Keep in touch with bureaus but don’t overwhelm them. Don’t call their 800 number in the morning when they are in a sales mode.

* Send referrals to the bureaus if your clients ask you to recommend other speakers.

* Check the bureaus’ websites from time to time to be sure the information they have on you is up to date. Be sure they have your fee schedule and promotional materials. (These days, I am using e-mail more to communicate with the bureaus and ask if they need more brochures.)

* Have an agent-friendly website for them to link to.

MY PERSONAL EXPERIENCES WITH BUREAUS

When you first start your career, you have to do your own marketing. Remember that speakers’ bureaus are not in the business of discovering and nurturing you until you are established. Most of my initial bureau relationships started with my meeting bureau staff members personally at the National Speakers Association meetings.

My next level of interaction with bureaus was when their clients phoned them to say they’d seen me at a conference and wanted to hire me. “Can you get us Patricia Fripp?” they’d ask. Then the bureaus came looking for me.

Now that many speakers have their own well-marketed websites, more and more clients are finding speakers directly. However, from a clients’ point of view, the speakers’ bureaus are often one-stop shopping. Clients are buying the opinion of someone they trust to steer them to the right speaker for their event.

Make sure you’re high on their list. Become the one speaker in a hundred who works to create a more perfect union with your bureau, and you’ll be among those with a full calendar.

Posted in Fripp Articles, Speaking Professionally by Patricia Fripp, CSP, CPAE.