DOTTIE WALTERS' SPEAK & GROW RICH
Monthly E-News

February 2006

Dottie Walters' Speak and Grow Rich - February 26, 2006
eNews for Professional Speakers, Authors, and Consultants
From the Publishers of Sharing Ideas Newsmagazine
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In this issue...
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1. New Speakers Bureau Feature and Great Upcoming Event -
    Dottie Walters, CSP
2. Speakers Bureaus Speak Up - Norma Thompson Hollis
3. 10 Simple Steps to Creating a Speaker Kit that Books Your Schedule
    Solid - Kathi Dunn
4. Upcoming Events with Dottie Walters
5. More resources for Speakers, Authors, and Consultants
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"An optimist sees an opportunity in every calamity;
a pessimist sees a calamity in every opportunity." - Winston Churchill
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New Speakers Bureau Feature and Great Upcoming Event
by Dottie Walters, CSP
Walters Speaker Services
http://www.walters-intl.com

With this issue we begin a new feature. We are asking the Bureaus to tell you how they like to be approached and, of course, what they really do not like. Norma Thompson Hollis has graciously asked for permission to write the first column based on the experiences of her bureau, Speakers Etcetera.
   
Most Bureaus, including ours, receive a number of phone calls every day from people who often just say "BOOK ME!" I tell them that we need some information from them first. We ask them, "What is your area of expertise?" and "What are your specific topics?"
   
We receive some amazing answers. One speaker replied "Just tell me what subject is HOT right now and that is what I will speak on." My feeling is that we would soon be out of business if we told our Meeting Planner clients that the speaker knew nothing about the subject they wanted, but that they should book him/her anyway.
   
We ask the meeting planners to give us all the details they have about the subject they want. Then, if we do not already have a speaker who fits their requirements, we call on our friends in the Bureau Business. In this case we split our commission with the other Bureau.
   
I would like to take this opportunity to introduce a few of our esteemed presenters for the 2006 Magnificent Marketing Symposium to be held on June 22-25 at the Sheraton Universal Hotel in Universal City, California. Whether this is your first time attending, or if you have never missed a single Symposium, there is always a wealth of new and exciting ideas to bolster your speaking career.
   
This year’s event will be emceed by celebrated trial lawyer and author of Negotiate Like the Pros, John Patrick Dolan. James Malinchak will show you how to make BIG money speaking at colleges. Carol Desmond shows you how to secure and protect your intellectual property through trademarks. Jill Lublin, author of the national bestseller, Geurilla Publicity, will share with you her secrets for creating a high profile media presence without breaking your budget. Frank Furness will teach everything you need to know to move your speaking onto the international stage. Bill O’ Hanlon will show you how to get your book written, published, and noticed in record time. Additional presenters whom you may recognize include Tom Antion, Tami Depalma, Kathi Dunn, Dave Larner, Gayl Murphy, James Ziegler, and Susan Kendrick.

Mark your calendars now for this extraordinary event,
or better yet, call 626-335-8069 to reserve your place today.

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Speakers Bureaus Speak Up
by Norma Thompson Hollis
Speakers Etc.
http://BlackSpeakersOnline.com
http://SpeakersEtc.com

I absolutely love this business. What other business provides the opportunity to meet so many positive people with powerful messages?  As a bureau owner I meet more speakers than I can remember. Since my company not only represents speakers but also trains them, speakers flock to me with their stories, hopes, products, ambitions and joint venture opportunities. I love it when speakers come to me prepared. This means they have a brand, a clear message, a well-thought out presentation and professional marketing materials that appropriately represent them. Whether the speaker is a beginner or a long-term professional, when they come to me focused on what they are trying to accomplish as a speaker it is music to my ears.  
    
However, in the past 10 years of coaching speakers I have found that less than 10% complete the process that will take them to the professional speaker level.  Those entering the profession are stunned when they realize that becoming a professional speaker is not just about standing in front of a crowd and sharing what you know.  It is also about crafting an entertaining presentation, spending money for professional marketing materials, taking the time to know the industry and being realistic with expectations of a bureau.  I have two pet peeves regarding how speakers view bureaus. 

First, speakers should not expect the bureau to work miracles for them. A bureau can only position a speaker based on the quality of the materials that are sent to the bureau. If the quality of what you send paints you as a $5,000 speaker, don’t expect the bureau to book you for $10,000. It’s not going to happen. The bureau’s responsibility is to send to the client all of the speakers who are appropriate for a booking. When this is done the client is the one who makes the decision. There are no guarantees. So don’t expect the bureau to over-represent you and don’t expect guarantees. 

Secondly, speakers should research the bureau before contacting them. Many bureaus have a niche market. When you intend to approach a bureau, make sure it is a bureau that supports what you have to offer. It is clear that some speakers merely print labels from Dottie’s list of bureaus and blindly send them out. If you are a speaker who has done this, ask yourself – how many bureaus called you back? Chances are if a bureau did call you back, it is a bureau that is just starting or is a bureau that fits your niche market. Those of us in the business a few years generally do not have time to call back on unsolicited speaker material. This is very obvious to us at Black Speakers Online when we receive unsolicited materials from a non-black speaker with no cover letter to explain why they have sent their materials to us. So if you are a speaker moving forward in the business, do your homework. You will find that the time you spend understanding the industry, how bureaus work and the bureaus most appropriate for you will pay off handsomely in the long run. Good luck!

Norma Thompson Hollis is Founder and President of Black Speakers Online, a speakers bureau that represents African American speakers from various fees, topics and geographic areas. Black Speakers Online is a division of Speakers Etcetera, a training company that assists speakers in all areas of development. Norma can be reached at 310/671-7136, by email at Norma@BlackSpeakersOnline.com. Meet Norma and many other top speakers bureau at the 2006 Magnificent Marketing Symposium.
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10 Simple Steps to Creating a Speaker Kit that Books Your Schedule Solid
by Kathi Dunn
Dunn+Associates Design for Speakers, Authors and Experts
http://www.SpeakerKitTips.com

Do you want to pack your schedule with higher-paying bookings? Do you want to become the #1 most-wanted speaker among meeting planners and speakers bureaus? Creating professional stand-out-from-the-crowd promotional materials for your speaking business is key to opening doors and building the right impression.

Whether you book yourself or you use a speakers bureau, these 10 Simple Steps will get you noticed, increase your bookings, and boost your income:

1. Start with phenomenal photos. Take the time to get quality photos with a professional who has experience photographing people, especially speakers. Schedule ample time in the photo studio for a variety of photos in various poses and clothing for multiple uses.

2. Use a seasoned professional copywriter. An experienced writer who knows the speaking industry will write copy that is aimed at the meeting planner and their audience, and will focus on solving their problem. Great copy will be loaded with the benefits and features of your expertise.

3. Hire an experienced, specialized designer. Be sure to select a designer or design firm who knows the speaking industry and all its nuances. To increase the effectiveness of your kit, a professional designer should ask:

    What is your message?
    Who is your target audience?
    Who is your competition and what sets you apart?
    Where and how will you sell yourself?
    Are there any existing tie-ins or future plans to consider?
 
A well thought-out speaker kit design will incorporate all of these considerations prior to its development. Your designer will think about the subliminal emotion of color and typography, and how that affects your audience. Strategic design is a very powerful marketing tool.

4. Build your brand. Start with a logo which is a compact image of exactly who you are, what you do, and why you're the best at doing it. A logo is often the public's first visual contact with your company and therefore establishes that all-important first impression - your brand. Carry that brand into everything you do - your speaker's kit, all of your printed materials, and online - to create a consistent and memorable image. To see some examples of strong logos, go to www.BrandLogos.com.

5. Dare to be different. Certainly, there are standards you must conform to in terms of creating promotional  materials that function well and can be easily stored for reference by bureaus and meeting planners. At the same time, think outside the box of ways to make a splash so your presentation kit stays on top of the heap. Remember, your kit is often viewed in a boardroom with many people. Hold your folder up and see what kind of impact it makes from across the room. Does it have visual punch? Most importantly, think about what the buyers want! For inspiration, visit www.BestSpeakerKits.com.

6. You get one chance to make a first impression - the all-important folder. The visually powerful folder neatly houses all the functional components you need to market yourself. Think of the front of the presentation folder as the first impression which represents you and your message. In ten seconds or less, a prospective meeting planner is either turned on or turned off by the immediate visual impact of your folder.  Be sure that all the pieces you include deliver a cohesive unified look - your brand. This can be accomplished by establishing a consistent theme in your color palette, font choices and overall design, etc. Be sure to select a compelling photo of yourself which makes an emotional connection to the viewer.

7. The one-and-only one-sheet. This is one of the most important pieces you will need. If you can do nothing more, do the one sheet! It can act as a stand-alone promotional piece, be used as a leave-behind, a handout, an e-mailed response piece, or downloadable from your website. Be sure your one-sheet is specific to the topic the buyer has asked for! It's not about YOU-it's about what you can do for them! For detailed information on the key elements of a one sheet, check out www.SpeakerKitTips.com.

8. Complete your kit specific to the target audience's request. A basic speaker kit can be simple: a folder, one-sheet, biz card, letterhead, audio or video demo, and fee menu. Or it can be as elaborate as a multi-paneled folder with content sheets, extended bio, client list, letters of recommendation, educational materials list, testimonials, reprints of your articles, your book or other product. Ask those who represent you what they need. Some want only a one-sheet. Others rely solely on a live-streaming video clip. Technology is quickly changing the form of a standard speaker kit. Remember, meeting planners and bureaus are busy! Keep your kit simple, clean, and specific. Always customize the contents of your kit based on the specific request!

9. Don't forget your think-outside-the-box support materials. You will need a mailing label for large envelopes which houses your materials, a #10 envelope (for business letters, invoices, etc.), letterhead (for invoices, customized content sheets, etc.), second sheets, note cards and postcards. Coordinate your print materials with your website (logo, fonts, colors, background textures) to drive home your brand. After you've finished your knock-their-socks-off printed kit, create to generate a full-color set of PDF versions which can be emailed instantly for immediate response so you're also ahead of the pack in more ways than one!

10. Know how to get your kit from concept to print. For a winning kit, you will need strong ideas, innovative design and excellent technical execution. Thanks to low-cost, short-run digital printing, you can now deliver a high-end look, and fast turnaround. Be sure you have your speaker kit artwork on disk when you're on the road so you can run into Kinko's on a moments' notice. An experienced professional designer will ensure quality results and a cost-effective process by acting as your liaison who speaks the same language as prepress, service bureaus, printers, and manufacturers. If you don't know how to do this, it's important to have someone do this for you or help walk you through the maze. Best of all, a professional designer takes care of all those niggling details, freeing you to do what you are really good at, which is running your successful speaking business.

Want more info? Visit http://www.SpeakerKitTips.com or call Hobie at (715) 634-4857 for a free 15-minute consultation to learn how to make your speaker kit sizzle. Kathi Dunn will be presenting "Proven Promotional Tools the World's Top Speakers Use to Land Profitable Gigs and Build Cash-Producing Empires" at Dottie Walters' Magnificent Marketing Symposium, June 22-25, 2006 in LA.
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DON'T MISS the 2006 Magnificent Marketing Symposium for Speakers Authors and Consultants. Featuring Tom Antion, James Malinchak, Dottie Walters, James Ziegler, Frank Furness, Kathi Dunn plus many more of the Speaking Industry's TOP Marketers. A MUST for Speakers, Authors, and Consultants at every level!
June 22-25, 2006, Universal Sheraton-Hollywood CA 
To register and to find out more please visit:
call (626)335 -8069 for your free brochure.
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Subscribe to Sharing Ideas the #1 Magazine for Professional Speakers Authors and Consultants. Don't miss all the latest cutting edge information for today's speaking industry!  Subscription includes the latest Electronic DIRECTORY OF SPEAKERS BUREAUS and Dottie's 2 Hour Audio CD on How to be Booked By Speakers Bureaus!
http://speakandgrowrich.com/sharing_ideas_overview.htm
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NOW AVAILABLE! : 2 hour audio CD "How to Find and Keep Commercial Sponsors"
by Dottie Walters and Robin Raymer.
Learn how you can add many more streams of income to your speaking and writing career by finding commercial sponsors.
$95.00 + Shipping. Includes workbook. To order: 626-335-8069 or
Purchase Your Copy Now ====================================
Upcoming Events with Dottie Walters
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Upcoming Speak and Grow Rich Master Weekend Schedule:
March 11-12, 2006 Glendora, Ca
May 20-21, 2006 Glendora, Ca
http://www.speakandgrowrich.com/productinfo.aspx?productid=36&categoryid=0&startpage=1
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More resources for Speakers, Authors and Consultants
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Want to create your own information product based on your area of expertise?
Let the Speaker's One-Stop help! We will guide you through the process from A to Z.
F-R-E-E consultation. http://speakersonestop.com or contact Ian Rich
at (323)459-9159 or ianrich@aol.com.
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Call (800) 994-5800 for a F-R-E-E website consultation. http://www.tmcla.com/speakers
(Creators of http://Speakandgrowrich.com)
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Best wishes for your success!
Dottie Walters, CSP
International Speaker, Author, Consultant
Author Highest Rated book In THE Speaking WORLD, SPEAK & GROW RICH
Publisher/Editor: SHARING IDEAS newsmagazine, 25th year of publication
President/CEO, Walters International Speakers Bureau
Publisher, International Directory of Speakers Bureaus
Founder, International Association of Speakers Bureau Owners, IASB
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