by Jackie Lapin
Today, the fastest and most effective way to create the massive visibility that sells books is through speaking, radio shows/podcasts, and virtual summits. You need to be in the places where people can connect with you and your message.
Finding them and getting booked are among the things that authors often dislike, resist, or don’t find the time for. But once you develop some simple steps and get into the swing of being your own best advocate, you’ll enjoy a steady stream of appearances that will invite you back time after time!
Here are some suggestions to get you started.
Speaking Engagements
The first step in this process is to actually commit time to locating opportunities and pitching the bookers. Block at least three hours each week in your calendar just for this purpose. If you can’t do the time, you can’t earn the dime!
Identify at least three different topics on which you can speak. They could be derivations of the same one for different audiences or three entirely different subjects that all lead to what you are marketing. This gives bookers flexibility and you more chances to get a “yes.”
If you are concerned about your presentation skills, you have three paths: Start testing your primary signature talk locally on small audiences, working to perfect it. Join a local Toastmasters chapter where you can safely learn and grow into a speaker within a welcoming community. Get connected with one of the brilliant speaker trainings around. You can find a great list at Speakertunity.com/resources. This may be a little more costly, but it’s the quickest path to proficiency
Create a stellar speaker one-sheet. This document features your profile, photo, testimonials, and brief descriptions of your presentations, packaged in an attractive manner. It gives a speaker booker a capsule summary of why you would be great for his/her audience.
Now you want to get out in the world. Some obvious—but often overlooked—ways to find engagements are to ask your friends and your clients if they belong to or know of organizations that might like to have you present. Explore local chambers of commerce, women’s groups, service organizations, Unity or Centers for Spiritual Living, networking groups. Most of these are easy to find on Google by typing the organization + your city.
If you wish to do conferences, check around in your industry, or once again, Google! Last, there is a website called Events in America you can explore for aligned events.
You can also create your own events, pair up with other leaders in your field to host joint events, or negotiate with people you know who are already hosting their own events. Sometimes you may be able to get free stage time, sometimes you may need to pay for it. You may also split your revenue with the organizer or even propose a stage swap—where each of you speaks on the other’s stage.
Radio Shows and Podcasts
Today, a vast array of audio possibilities exist. With the advent of internet radio, and more recently, the explosion of podcasts, there’s almost an infinite number. These two options bring highly targeted audiences interested in the subject matter so you can zero in with impact, while with most broadcasts, you may not know on whom your message will land.
So first, you will want to put together a great 1- to 1.5-page pitch letter that makes you sound irresistible! You’ll want to tell the host or producer exactly how you will impact the audience—how you will help them change, heal, or move forward in life more successfully.
To find these opportunities:
- Discover broadcast opportunities by searching online for radio stations and local shows in your market. If the website doesn’t give the names of producers (which are often not the host), pick up the phone and call the station.
- For internet, you can search by subject matter or go to selected radio networks. Some networks focus on a specific genre, such as health or business, but others have different “channels” where you can find shows covering your topic area.
- With podcasts, the easiest to access are iTunes and iHeartRadio, where you can track down the show in your genre by subject matter. You can often find a link to the host’s website, where you can either secure an email or submit via online form. You may also see podcasts your colleagues are appearing on when the promotional posts show up in your email inbox or on social media. Follow up with those.
Virtual Summits
Virtual summits are one of the most successful ways to build your opt-in list, get new clients, drive people into a specific program, and develop joint-venture partnerships. These events, of course, encompass both tele-summits (on the phone) and video summits, presented online. They are usually produced by a host who assembles a group of experts on a related subject matter that is so enticing that people will immediately submit their name and email to gain access to the interviews. Every guest presenter involved co-promotes to his or her list and social media.
To get on the “summit circuit” you need to find aligned summit hosts for whom your topic resonates, you will often need a great free online lead-generation offer, and you must be willing to co-promote.
These are not easy to locate before they are booked solid with guest presenters, but watch for the ones that show up in your email box, as many of these hosts do one or more events each year. This will give you a head start on reaching out for the next one. Also, put the word out to your friends and colleagues that you are looking to get on summits. They may get invited and connect you with the host as well.
The Easy Way to Find Your Booking Opportunities
There is an easy way to find all of these. It’s called SpeakerTunity.com
SpeakerTunity™ provides three individual subscription services that monthly deliver to your desk direct contacts so you can book yourself for speaking engagements, radio shows and podcasts, and virtual summits across North America. It’s simple, easy, time-saving, and inexpensive.
Just go to SpeakerTunity.com for any or all: SpeakerTunity™ Speaker Leads, SpeakerTunity Radio™, and SpeakerTunity Summits™.
Jackie Lapin, the founder of SpeakerTunity™, providing direct contacts for transformational leaders, authors, and experts to book themselves on stages, radio shows, podcasts, and virtual summits across North America. SpeakerTunity’s affordable solution takes all the research headaches out of locating opportunities. You can also access her free ebook at 10SpeakerSecrets.com