Is the marketplace ready for you?

Maybe you should be asking – AM I READY FOR THE MARKETPLACE?

The answer to both those questions is a complicated one, and worthy of much research and analysis.

Hey let’s analysis this for now.

Is your brand accurate, powerful, the right one for you? Is your marketing up to date with fresh copy?  And do you have current video demos with a relevant message that reflects your brand?

Does your brand fit a niche in the marketplace that will have demand for you as a speaker, and pay for your message?  (You may need an expert consultant in the speaking business to help answer this one.)

Are you uncomfortable selling yourself? Is it out of your comfort zone to be a self-promoting whore? How old were you when you discovered that every job, everywhere, largely consists of being a salesperson?

The art of promoting yourself (and it is an art) has several lessons to it.

1) Don’t promote yourself, promote your ideas. And make sure they work!

2) Be confident.  If you aren’t inspired by your actions or ideas, no one else will be either.

3)  Are they good ideas or wimpy ideas?  Do your ideas support your brand? (This is where you need an expert, or advisory board who knows what they are doing, and will always tell you the truth!)

4) Will your ideas, brand, and platform be worthy of a viral buzz?

5) When your ideas and promotion takes off, is your foundation strong enough to handle it?

It’s likely that many people wake up daily and want to do something different with their career.  Many people have jumped into the business of professional speaking, before looking, before hiring a coach, heck even before reading a book or several books on the subject.

So what is the answer to the question: Is the marketplace ready for you?

THE ANSWER LIES WITHIN YOU!

The author of this post and this web site is:

Captain Frank Candy
Chief Concierge and President
American Speakers Bureau Corporation
www.speakersbureau.com
10151 University Blvd. # 197
Orlando, FL 32817
407-826-4248

Every morning I wake up and pinch myself to make sure I’m not dreaming.

Does the thought of making a six or seven figure a year income appeal to you? It’s possible – many of us do it. Imagine you are at a vacation home, or a golf course, or a resort, enjoying the day with your family and friends. You receive a message from your agent at the speaker’s bureau to confirm your availability for a meeting at a four or five-star resort, in a very desirable destination, with a spa, golf, boating, fishing, horseback riding, great restaurants with world-class chefs, even amusement parks, oh – and you have to deliver a one hour speech for a company who wants to book you for big money to motivate, inspire and encourage their group. And it’s all expenses paid. Sweet!

From the Advanced Seminar:  How to Make Big Money as a Public Speaker and Entrepreneur

After introductions of everyone in the room, we will review the schedule for our event. Then we will answer any logistical questions you may have.

We will start off with the The Pillars of Success: What you need to do – a step by step model to build a profitable, professional speaker’s career, the right way. Plus we will touch on the publishing, and training business too. We will also cover the things you should postpone if you are starting out, and what to avoid no matter what stage you are at in your career.

Platform Skills Development. In this session you will learn the mechanics of delivering keynote speeches, seminars, and workshops. We cover introductions, openings, stories, segues, bridges, links, jokes, sales pitches (optional), and closer’s. We will talk about the strategies trainers use, exercises, props, the use of computer programs such as: Power Point and Astound, the great MAC vs. PC’s debate, and how to avoid “Death By Power Point.”

Each participant will be offered the opportunity to showcase their speech in a fun and non-threatening environment. Each participant will be delivering 5 to 10 minutes of their speech. (Optional for each participant.)

Your speech will be observed by Frank Candy followed by questions and suggestions offering focus and direction for potential improvement.

After the participants’ showcase. We have an open question and answer session.

The Making of Super Stars: The Successful Speaker, Author, and Trainer

The “P” Factor – How to publish your work and make money. Positioning YOU as the person of highest choice: How to position yourself as an expert, authority, professional speaker, and author.

• How to create a publishing empire:
  1. How to do a book proposal
  2. How to work with main stream publishers
  3. How to self-publish
• Seven ways to leverage intellectual property.
  A speech is not just a speech; a book is just not a book. Extend your brand AND your income by re-purposing content into multiple formats.
• The “B” Factor – creating a very powerful Brand and maintaining a Buzz in the marketplace. Real examples from over 30 years in the industry. We cover marketing kits, one sheets, DVD’s, and packaging, also many of the high tech, low tech, slow tech and no tech options available.
• The “V” Factor – How to create a Video that really works. Frank Candy is the author of “How to Create The Perfect Video Demo That Sells You.”
• The “S” Factor – How to Sell products. You will see at least six different ways your can sell products and expand your profit margins.
• The “X” Factor – The number one thing most needed to be successful. Anyone can do it, but most people fall short. We will give you the “X” Factor!
• Additional topics include:
  • Promotional head shots – color and black and white – tips from the pros
  • Your bio for print
  • Your bio for the web
  • Your extended bio – if you earned one
  • Your introduction(s)
  • The topics you are qualified to deliver
  • Your program descriptions
  • Testimonials
  • Client lists
  • Video / audio/ digital media – the real scoop
  • The universal one-sheet
  • Templates
• This session is designed to offer you better understanding of how to brand and position yourself for the future.

After another terrific catered, networking lunch at noon, and free time to get freshened up, be ready for a very powerful afternoon.

For the afternoon, and then on into the evening, we will discuss one of the most important parts of this business –

Where the Paid Bookings Are and How to Get Them.

Frank Candy will share his secrets and reveal for you over 32 different speaking markets, and how to get booked in them. The team will explain where the bookings are and how to access them.

They will share specific details about the many speaking circuits and the differences, nuances, and challenges associated with using them.

You will learn about how to do business with big corporations, small businesses, franchises, entrepreneurial groups, sports and athletic organizations, the U.S. Government, and other governments from around the world. Plus all of the ’specialty’ markets.

There is a special section on how to connect with get on the short list of the decision makers. You will learn how to handle important conference calls and telephone prospect interviews to book the business.

We will help you answer: How much should you charge? How should you negotiate fees? How do you evaluate a project or opportunity for the intangible value?

The second day is wrapped up with “What Makes a Great Web Site and Blog“. Frank Candy has been using the Internet for many years. In the early ’80’s Frank was a Human Resource Liaison for the Department of Defense passing around rocket scientist’s resumes on the Internet when it was just for use by the government and universities. American Speakers Bureau had one of the first web sites for the industry and has maintained a top rating in the search engines for nearly a decade.

He was the co-founder for I-MEG. The Internet Marketing E-commerce Group. He will explain the technical issues in plain English, and give you checklists. (What you really need, and what you don’t need.) These tips and strategies can save you thousands of dollars in basic start up costs, plus even more in the future. Topics covered include:

• Web Sites and Blogs - the legal end of doing it right the first time, what you must know and do, and how to get started or fix what you have.
• Web Marketing – Here are the real facts. Plus, this changes often, so we maintain a members only web site with updates for you to refer to after the seminar.
• Your domain names – Choose a good one, it’s your Brand
• Content – Make it relevant, make it current, make it count.
• SEO – Search Engine Optimization
• How to pick good keywords, where to put them, plus
• Keyword Selection
• Keyword Placement
• Keyword Density
• Keyword Prominence
• Blog’s – To blog or not to blog, three tips and three warnings.
• Design – K.I.S.S. Killer Internet Sites Suck (Keep It Simple Stupid!)
• Navigation – Don’t Make Me Think!
• ISP – What is an Internet Service Provider? Facts you need to know.
• What about AOL?
• Web 2.0
• Social Networking Sites

Video: So many formats! How do you get the best video format when you have so many competing criteria, such as:

• Compatibility
• File size (different formats)
• Video quality
• Editing software that runs on your computer

The team will provide you with a plan to do video right for maximum systems compatibility.

Audio – There are a bunch of formats for the web. The team will assist you in understanding the options.

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? We were. The team will share the “best practices” that it uses in business resulting from lessons learned and the steps you can take to secure your future.
• 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.

Good question from Charles in Chicago – thanks.  The three biggest reasons a speaker gets hired is:

1) The speaker, expert, author, top producer, or cultural icon, has a reputation for delivering the message the clients wants and needs.

2) They have created a brand and “media system” that resonates with the decision makers that want, or need to hire a professional speaker, expert, author, top producer, or cultural icon.

3) They had a system in place to close the deal.

The first one is obvious, and is built over time, one speech, or one seminar at a time. The second one is very creative and 100% relevant – and the third one is either you doing the phone and email work to close the deal, or hiring a staff of people to work in your office, or working with a professional speakers bureau like American Speakers Bureau to get it done for you.

One of the ways to shake things up is to take a long break or a sabbatical. Everyone has their own version for doing this, for some, it is a trip around the world, for others it’s a long drive in a camper, car or motorcycle. A houseboat works well too.  So does the front and back porch. I call it ‘Porchville’ I have done all of them, so here is my advice: the answer to what works lies within you.  Figure out what is going to clear our your head, shake things up and go do IT.

Frank Candy
American Speakers Bureau

Are You Interested in a Lucrative Career as a Public Speaker, Author, or Trainer?

At the American Speakers Bureau Career Institute you will learn how to make it happen for you.

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.