WINTER PARK, FL, UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, October 13, 2021 /EINPresswire.com/ — Whether transitioning from training at a company to leading an association breakout or taking the leap from speaking at free local gigs to delivering paid keynote programs at global events, almost every professional speaker in our industry eventually look for sales support. Some will hire an internal assistant to help drum up business or do it all on their own, while others will turn to experts who already command a vast network. The differences in approach lie in the amount of time, hustle, angst and money that a speaker is willing to own or outsource.
As veteran keynote speakers, we know a thing or two about support and representation. We both started off hustling for opportunities on our own—making the cold calls, crafting social media posts, pitching ourselves to speaker bureaus, saying yes to any offer that came our way—but now, over 90% of the engagements we book come from and agency. Eventually, it just made more sense to spend some money to have someone else hunt for business on our behalf. Enlisting a rock star agent or bureau, who understands your content, delivery style and personal brand is some of the best spent money. But not all bureaus or agents are the silver bullet and none of them can guarantee to get your more business. You really have to do your homework before going “all in” and committing to a specific resource.
Here are key things we look for in a speaker bureau or agency:
• Outreach
• Response Time
• Fee Integrity
• Personalized Attention
• Creative Solutions
To fully realize an agency’s potential to be a catalyst for new business, a speaker’s collateral has to be world class. Before approaching an agent or bureau for consideration, here are the coveted items they will need from the speaker to fuel their efforts:
• High quality speaker photos and headshots
• High definition video clips
• Well-developed program synopsis and learning objectives
• Sample speaker introduction
• Clean and intuitive website
To celebrate the fastest growing holiday that we made up, Spooky Wednesday the 13th, here is our personal opinion of the Top 13 Speaker Bureaus and Agents of 2021 (in no particular order):
Michelle Joyce Speakers
www.MichelleJoyce.com
Keppler Speakers
www.KepplerSpeakers.com
CMI Speakers
www.CMISpeakers.com
The Speaker Exchange Agency
www.SpeakerExchangeAgency.com
Speakers’ Spotlight
www.Speakers.com
Speak Inc
www.SpeakInc.com
Garrett Speakers International
www.GarrettSpeakers.com
Gold Stars Speakers Bureau
www.GoldStars.com
Eagles Talent Speakers Bureau
www.EaglesTalent.com
Gotham Artists
www.GothamArtists.com
Premiere Speakers Bureau
www.PremiereSpeakers.com
Washington Speakers Bureau
www.WSB.com
Big Speak
www.BigSpeak.com
About the Authors
JIM KNIGHT
Jim Knight is a former Middle School teacher and Hospitality executive, having worked as head of Learning & Development for Hard Rock International for 21 years. Since “retiring from corporate life” in 2012, Jim has become one of the Top 10 rated & booked speakers in the U.S. and has 2 best-selling books. His latest, Leadership That Rocks: Take Your Brand’s Culture to Eleven and Amp Up Results, was a #1 Amazon Best Seller in May. Complete with meaty and practical takeaways, Jim’s keynote sessions can be described as edu-taining.
BRANT MENSWAR
Brant Menswar is a best-selling author, performance coach and named one of the country’s Top 10 speakers in Motivation. His book, Black Sheep: Unleash the Extraordinary, Awe-Inspiring, Undiscovered You, expands on his ground-breaking work around values-based leadership described as “disarmingly simple and incredibly powerful.” Brant encourages audiences to discover their Black Sheep Values® and move forward with deliberate intention and develop the skills necessary to perform at the highest level.
Jim & Brant are the co-founders of Booky Call®, an innovative book discovery platform disguised as a dating app. They also have a Top 200 podcast called, Thoughts That Rock.
Jim Knight
bookstarPR
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