Promote Your Book by Becoming a Keynote Speaker

In today's guest post, author Ellen Brazer shares her success in landing speaking engagements and offers tips for authors seeking to promote themselves and their books through speaking.

Congratulations! You’ve written a book. Take a moment to pat yourself on the back for your great accomplishment. As you probably have realized, finishing your book means you are only half way up Mt. Everest. To arrive at the summit you have to find a way to get people reading what you wrote. There are many ways to make this happen, as you know from following the invaluable advice on the Savvy Book Marketer blog.  Here is another idea for you: become a keynote speaker at events where you can sign and sell books.

I have done this with astounding success in Florida, where I live. In the past few months I have spoken to over 1,600 people. My book, Clouds Across the Sun, is a historical novel with a Jewish theme. I have been the keynote speaker at The Jewish Museum, Temple Sisterhoods, Brandeis Alumni, bookstores, libraries, women’s clubs, and author luncheons for Hadassah, National Council of Jewish Women, and several Jewish Heritage Clubs. I also spoke at the Jewish Book Council in New York and have been invited to Denver, Colorado and Westchester, New York. Twelve major events are already booked into 2011.

Here is the formula that worked for me:

1. Identify your niche market - who will want to read your book. It’s not rocket science, I promise. But it can be daunting. My book has a Jewish theme and so I wrote to every Jewish club, organization, synagogue, woman’s group I could find. I focused on Florida, to minimize travel expenses. Whatever your book is about, fiction or non-fiction, it has a specific market and it is your job to identify that market.

2. Always address your letter to a specific person. The Internet will give you websites and most websites list names and email addresses. Don’t forget, you can always use the telephone to ask for an email address and a name if there is none listed.

3. Write a great letter. You are a writer – that’s what you do – and this letter needs to be fabulous. You only need one letter, although you may have to tweak it depending on the organization you have targeted. You may have a different tone with a men’s group than with a women’s group.

Begin the letter by mentioning something you admire about the organization or making a personal comment like: I hope you are having a great summer. Tell them your name, the name of the book and its genre. Be sure to list any speaking engagement that you have had. Here is a line I always use: I am contacting you in the hope that you will consider inviting me to speak.

It's a good idea to add your most important review quote to the letter. Here is mine: "Clouds Across the Sun is a story that touched my soul, and reminded me how all humanity is connected. Filled with passion and hope, it is the kind of book you can’t put down."  –Da Chen, New York Times bestselling author of Brothers and Wandering Warriors.

Next add the summary and make it short and sweet. I close with: "I would be honored to come and speak to your group. I will be happy to send you a review copy of my book - just let me know. You can see more reviews, learn about me, and read book excerpts at http://ellenbrazer.com."  

4.  If they request a book, send it. This is money well worth spending if it means a speaking opportunity.

5. Respond quickly when the invitation is offered.

6. Become a great speaker! We are all storytellers. Practice, practice, practice. If you are interesting, spontaneous, and even a little funny, people who hear you will invite you to speak to their organizations. If you are terrified at the thought of talking to a group, take heart. Most people are. Join a Toastmaster’s club. They will help you over this hurdle.

7. Have fun. This is the best part, fan appreciation!

Ellen Brazer is the award-winning author of Hearts of Fire and Clouds Across the Sun. You can visit her website or join Ellen on her blog to learn more about becoming a shameless self-promotor.

Comments

[Stefan]

What a great idea! Thanks for the encouraging words and even excerpts you use. Have to try this out in the parent to be niche...

[Janice F Baca]

Thank you for a wonderful post! I'm excited about my new venture and my speaking opportunities!

[Robertandlisa1995]

Do you charge for your speaking engagements? If you would want to, how would that be dealt with in the initial contact letter, or would it? If not, how would the issue of speaker fees be brought to the table? Thanks.

[Dana Lynn Smith]

Hi Lisa,

Many local speaking engagements are free, with the author having the opportunity to sell their book, but it's always great to get paid and sell your books! Some organizations (including some libraries) do have a budget to pay speakers. One approach is to consider whether it's likely the organization has a speaker budget before you contact them and word your letter accordingly.

Can any other speakers out there share their insights into how this is best handled?

Dana

[Ellen Brazer]

Hi: I don't charge for speaking engagements. I will be speaking in Denver, Maryland and Westchester, New York and when I do I will have all my expenses paid, flight, hotel, transportation and they will order books prior to my appearance. My goal is to sell books. I want to get the word out so I am not asking to be paid. I have been given an honorarium in the past. It is usually about $100. Most of the time, after the initial contact, they will ask if you have a speaking fee. Good luck. Ellen Brazer

[Tweed Scott]

My book changed my business model. Initially I knew I would market my book in the back of the room at local civic groups & organizations. What changed for me was when someone came up after a presentation and asked what I would charge to speak to another organization. Before you give a number, ask questions. Who will you be speaking to? How many people will be there? What is the venue? What are the organizers expectations and what goal are they trying to achieve? That will give you an idea of what the market will bear. Also ask them what they typically budget for that event. That will provide great insight also will keep you from leaving money on the table + you get to market your books too.

[Kathleen Gage]

Excellent topic. I have been a professional speaker since 1994. In the last 16 plus years I have done both the no fee and fee engagements.

There are a number of ways you can position your speaking. Definitely the free engagements in which you can sell BOR - back of the room. It is best to negotiate this upfront with the meeting planner - whether it is a chamber, nonprofit association, community organization, etc.

As you move into the paid engagements find out ahead of time what the organization has paid other speakers. Often this is simply a matter of a little bit of research to find out who they have hired for previous events such as conferences and conventions.

You can then visit the speakers website to see if they have their fees listed on their site. Some do, some don’t.

Do a Google search to see if the previous speakers are listed with a bureau and what their fee range is.

Avoid the mistake of thinking by charging less you will more easily secure an engagement. The opposite could be true.

If a company budgets $5,000 for a speaker and someone comes in at $500 the lower priced speaker may not be viewed as a seasoned speaker (even if they are).

Some determinations on fee are how you are perceived by the meeting planner, what your area of specialty and expertise is and how professional you are in your initial approach.

Downturn economies can be a great opportunity to build your speaking business. You can host your own showcase presentations or have associations sponsor an event for you. If you are well positioned in your market why not invite current clients, chamber members and other association members who are a fit for your speaking.

After 9/11 I hosted a lot of free engagements and my business grew during a time that others were going for the paid only engagements.

Another area to consider is the handout you will have during your presentation where you list your other services. Be careful not to do this at a paid engagement unless you know the meeting planner is okay with you marketing this way.

The rules for what you can do at a paid engagement are very different than a free engagement.

You can also use evaluation forms to find out the level of interest by participants for you to present to their company.

Make sure your current and potential clients understand all you do and all services offered. Long term relationships with your clients can offer tremendous amounts of work and the opportunity to work deep as well as wide.

Few speakers make their living by simply doing keynotes. Most speakers, train, consult, coach, do keynotes, etc.  
Don’t be afraid to ask for the business. Too many speakers are hesitant to ask for referrals or to work deep with an existing client.

Satisfied clients are happy to help and waiting to serve you. Make it part of your business conversation to ask for referral business.

Most of all, if you don't yet have a book published begin immediately to write one. As Ellen so clearly explained, a book is your ticket into many speaking opportunities.

[Dana Lynn Smith]

Thank you to Ellen, Tweed and Kathleen for your insight on the issue of charging for speaking engagements!

For those who want to learn more about making money as a speaker, Kathleen Gage offers a home study program: How to Become a Professional Six-Figure Speaker at http://bit.ly/cqYvil

Dana

[Doreen Pendgracs]

I'm slow in jumping into the conversation, but let me add that every author should be a member of Toastmasters International. TM helped me develop my speaking skills to a level at which I am not only giving writer's workshops for honorariums, but also being hired to do keynote presentations and daylong workshops on the topic of my book on volunteerism.

Even authors who do not plan to give workshops and paid presentations will acquire better speaking skills that they will be able to use during their book launches. Works for me!

[Dana Lynn Smith]

Excellent point Doreen. Toastmasters is a wonderful way to gain speaking skills.

[keynote speaker]

I am very interested in reading and listening lots of motivational items because I want to become motivational speaker. Keynote speaker can engage the audience and share best experiences, practices without boring audience.