I was a celebrity speaking agent in the college and university market for over seven years. During that time, I have received hundreds of requests from authors to speak. My standard response was always “Authors write, but they don’t speak!”
This motto was obviously from the old school of conference agents! Today hundreds of authors are promoting their books through lectures on college campuses. The student population has become so diverse in age, race, and interests that the days of reserving only UFO speakers, RAP music stars, and cult heroes are fading.
The college reading circuit is a natural place to start promoting your books. Students take pride in being involved in shaping and starting trends. I enjoyed being able to help impact thousands of students by promoting new speakers on current or trending topics.
Students and teachers are continually looking for experts who can inform, enlighten and entertain! But to be successful in this market, you’ll need to introduce yourself and your topic over the phone, through your website, and through your emails. Be prepared to follow up on these releases with written material. Submit or email a current biography and a video or DVD of yourself speaking.
Your video should be no longer than 10 minutes and the first few seconds MUST be dynamic or you’ll be turned off and not even given a second chance. It does not need to be professionally produced if YOU are a good speaker. However, be creative and keep in mind that every meeting planner, college or professional, reviews hundreds of speaker videos, so MAKE YOURS STAND OUT!
Next, a biography or “biography” is not a SUMMARY! This sheet of paper should look professional. Print it on pretty paper. Your name should be in bold at the top of the page. Biographies are often called “intro sheets.” You may want to start your bio with “INTRODUCING… (your name)” at the top of the page. The rest of the bio should contain a couple of paragraphs on why YOU would make an interesting and credible speaker on your topic. The biography should be read like a story. Highlight the importance of your topic and why you are a better choice than anyone else! Your biography must be written in the third person. Make it a fun read. If you can afford to have a graphic artist improve your one-page bio, DO IT! With cute and creative promotional materials, you might stand out from someone with a bigger name.
You should also include a photo, a background sheet on the topic, your book (or detailed information about your book), and as many great references as possible! If you don’t have written references… GET SOME! Call and ask your best friends to write references if necessary, but you must have a stranger singing your praises! Even if you haven’t spoken in public, ask a client to write about how good they are at their profession. This is a very competitive market, and you will need a hook to get noticed.
To start the marketing process, you need to identify the groups that might be interested in hearing you speak. You can contact the deans of all the colleges and universities in your area to pitch the idea. Check with the assistant or secretary to see if the dean has ever brought in speakers. If the answer is yes, request a phone appointment. Once you get on the phone or get their email addresses, ASK QUESTIONS! Ask what they look for in a speaker, what types of speakers perform best at that particular university, and what they personally look for in a speaker. Once you get the person to open up and tell you what he wants, you’ll know exactly how to position yourself as a speaker. DO NOT talk all the time if you actually call them on the phone. This is the biggest way to get rejected.
Whether they bring speakers or not, ASK FOR REFERENCE TO OTHER POTENTIAL CONFERENCE VENUES! This can be a great way to make your next call, whether it’s to someone across the country or to someone in the nearest city or state. An excellent introduction is “His colleague on the West Coast, Dr. Smith, suggested he call you…” When a personal name is mentioned, new prospects tend to be cordial and listen to advances. So start over: “Do you pay for the speakers?” “What time of year is best for your speakers?” “Do you do marketing in the community or just at the university (or within your department)?” “Is your department investigating in this area?” “Would you like to learn more about this?” “Can I forward some information?” Once you commit to sending information, do it now. And be sure to follow up a day or two after they’ve received your information. Ask whether or not your show would fit into your schedule in any month it is available.
If you’ve been told that speakers are paid, be honest about your fee. The rate is always PLUS EXPENSES! Expenses will include roundtrip airfare, ground transportation to and from the city, lodging, and food. Don’t try to make spending money, because it will never be set aside again. If you try to use this person as a reference in the future and increase the expenses… guess what they will remember? That 1,000 people attended, received a standing ovation, or PAID THE EXPENSES. You guessed it!
Some departments are more likely to hire paid speakers than others. If all you want to do is break even, aim for management. They will normally bring in experts and will not give fees. The advantage of this is that you can give 20 free speeches…at 20 MAJOR BOOK MARKETS ON ONE ALL EXPENSES PAID BOOK TOUR! If you can help publishers in this way, they will be able to spend time promoting you in those markets. Plus, your book is likely to sell more copies, and you might be asked to write another book!
The best place to receive an honorarium is through the Student Activities Offices. Each is assigned a conference budget. This is obviously the most competitive of all the markets. If you want to compete, here are some tips.
First, call the college in your area and ask to see a copy of their NACA (National Association for Campus Activities) directory. Type in the information for the schools you want to target and you’ll find the names of the people in charge of reserving speakers. You may want to mass mail or just market to a few selected cities. Next, call the Director of Student Activities and/or the Coordinator of Student Conferences to tell them who you are and what you are proposing. These people are BUSY. If you get them over the phone, you’re in luck. The best way to get their attention if you don’t connect by phone is to send eye-catching promotional material plus a dynamic video or DVD of you speaking via email and postal mail. Follow this up with a call or two or three. If you make an emotional connection with them on the first call and they decide to hire you, you may find them hooked. If not, you may need to continue sending press clippings about your book and develop a relationship with them.
When you book it, make sure you get a firm commitment in writing. They can usually be faxed to you within the next two days, and must ALWAYS be signed by your counselor. Otherwise, it is not considered an official contract and can be broken at any time. If you insist on a firm commitment in writing, you will rarely have a cancellation! Next, both parties must sign a mutually agreeable contract.
When you hire for the next engagement and get paid for it, ask for a deposit back with the contract within three weeks. Most state universities can’t do this, but it will help your cash flow if they can! If you are speaking for expenses only, you will need to be paid after the event by submitting your receipts.
The schedule of their events is usually as follows: press conference on arrival, dinner at 5:30 pm, speech at 7:00 pm, book signing and conference reception. Most engagements are at night. The exceptions are usually colleges that schedule events during the day. Other details you should get in writing are your fees and expenses, the date, the location of the event, the sponsoring organization, and the subject matter. If everything is in writing, there will be little room for disagreement after the fact.
Also, be sure to get the day, night and cell phone numbers of the person sponsoring you and details about the hotel. Make sure he or she knows your flight arrangements and meets you at the airport. This person is also responsible for taking you back to the airport the next day. This is the reason to get cell phone numbers. Don’t you remember sleeping late while you were in college?
When you’ve booked a conference, remember that touring authors must be colorful, enthusiastic, and willing to answer dozens of questions. If you feel the need to improve your speaking skills, you can try videotaping a couple of test speeches to improve your presentation. If you are passionate and knowledgeable about your subject, it will be noticed and you will be well received! Additionally, students LOVE speakers who show an interest in helping students succeed as well. The most popular and well-received speakers stay long after the speech is over, answering questions and giving advice. Make sure to spend quality time with the individual thing to reserve. This is the person who can give you a letter of recommendation, suggest referrals to other campuses, or maybe even offer you the name of an agent you work with.
Promoting your books to the college market has several advantages. First of all, there is FREE ADVERTISING! The walkthroughs will draw the attention of tomorrow’s leaders to your name and increase their sensitivity to your issues. The students want to draw a crowd for their speakers and will promote the event on campus and within the community. The trip to the city and the event are all expenses paid by the college or university. And lastly, if you enjoy the experience, it could result in a financially rewarding new career!