Working with speakers bureaus and agents is a bit like learning how to train a lion. It can take a long time, there is no room for errors, you have to know what you are doing, if you fail it could leed to a terrible tragedy, but, if you do it right, the results are spectacular. Here is a story that will help you understand.

Some years ago I answered the phone at American Speakers Bureau at the end of a long and busy day. The voice (a female with a distinct New York accent) on the other end asked: “I’m so and so (name is confidential for reasons you understand) did you get my media kit?”

Now we receive over 150 requests per month for for representation. Fortunately we have a good system for processing and tracking the flow of this information, so I quickly looked it up and told her it was not accepted, then asked, “Would you like to know why?”

She replied: “BLEEP Getting into the speaker’s bureau network is hard. I think it is easier to get into the Mafia!” As I recall I chuckled and she groaned. We started to connect. I really wanted to help her.

Well, after we engaged in a deep conversation, she decided to retain our services for revising her media kit and eventually came to our seminar.

When I was working on this chapter for my book, I had PBS on in the background and they had a Paul McCartney concert on. So I was inspired and wish to give credit to The Beatles to use this title:

“The Magical Mystery Speakers Bureau Tour”

This topic brings a very unique presentation titled “The Magical Mystery Speakers Bureau Tour”. On this ‘tour’ you will learn how to approach, connect with, and work with large and small speaker’s bureaus and be a good partner with them.

You will also learn the do’s and don’ts of:  Contracts, catalogs, media kits, web sites, exclusive and non-exclusive representation (pros and cons), co-brokering, spin-off dates, speaker showcases, and client-bureau-speaker relationships, (This generates more speakers bureaus selling high fee bookings for you.)

Every year speakers bureaus predictably book over 50,000 paid speaking engagements. This number is growing by conservative estimate at a rate of over 20% per year.

Frank Candy will reveal the behind the scenes magic and the mystery of this industry. He will share with you his over 30 years of working experience with agents, destination management companies, sports agents, talent producers, show producers, advertising agencies, corporate meeting and event planners, and independent meeting planners – the people who hire speakers.

This is an inside out and outside in look at the industry and the professionals who work in it. This should prove to be one of the most powerful and exciting sessions you will participate in, and it could be worth hundreds of thousands of dollars to you. Imagine the valuable advantage this information will give you!

Before lunch, you will receive hard copies of the operations forms used in the American Speakers Bureau Corporation offices. Plus, Frank Candy will provide copies of the actual forms uses to evaluate new speakers.

This program is dedicated to helping you become a successful public speaker, publisher, or author. Therefore, we are going to provide you with even more forms, lists, agreements, reports and checklists that you might frequently use:

• Contract check lists for basic speaking engagements with:
  • Clients
  • Keynote Speakers
  • Seminars and training programs
• Agreements
• Speaker Bureau Contracts
• Audiovisual contract riders
• Expense report systems
• Audio Taping Agreement
• Video Taping Agreement
• Broadcast Agreement for TV and for the Internet
• Pre-program questionnaire

You will receive up to date lists of travel web sites, and a packing checklist for multi-event travel. In just ten minutes or less we will show you how to go on the road for over a month with just two carry on bags. As Dr. Johnny Miller has said “There are only two kinds of luggage: Carry-on and lost!” All road warrior professional speakers have lost luggage horror stories to tell. So learn the secrets and tips from these experts of travel.

After another wonderful lunch, followed by a break to freshen up, we will meet for the afternoon session – Running the Office & Where to Begin.

You will learn what your options are. Plus, you will recieve valuable advice from some of our acomplished millionaire clients and partners.

• Legal Issues – Should you hire a Lawyer?
• Accounting and hiring a CPA – The five questions you should ask.
• Setting up your office: The basic need and how to plan for growth.
• The technical side of your office: Computers – PC or MAC? Hardware, Software, and Tupperware for organizing your office.
• Coping with the unexpected – in 2004, American Speakers Bureau survived four hurricanes – Charlie, Jean, Francis and Ivan, all in one summer! And the next summer was Hurricane Katrina in New Orleans, and the American Speakers Bureau had events booked there! How ready are you for surprises and chaos? The team will share the “best practices” that it uses in this business resulting from lessons learned by a Boy Scout, Eagle Scout and Marine.
• Your Virtual Office – Making it happen from the road and considerations for having a virtual assistant.

Plus we will have a bonus session called “Your Executive Board of Advisors” – How to find them, convince them to work with you and how to work with them.

The afternoon will conclude with a “pull it all together session”. It’s called: “Now What?” and will include an action plan for you. We will conclude at 5 p.m.