Crafting Lasting Alliances with Speakers Bureaus

It's the quintessential vision that flickers in the minds of speakers everywhere: the allure of being picked up by a speakers bureau. Especially in the digital age, where bureaus boast amazingly crafted websites filled with a roster of illustrious names, it's easy to fall for the illusion that once you have a spot on their list, speaking engagements will cascade your way effortlessly.

However, you guessed it. This is far from reality. The journey with a bureau partner is less about passively (and magically) receiving speaking opportunities and more akin to a strategic alliance that requires your proactive involvement.

Understanding the mutual investment is about recognizing that your success is interdependent, and only the combined efforts of both parties can lead to outstanding outcomes, both on and off the stage.

The Bureau Partner’s Investment in You

Bureau partners are more than mere facilitators; they can be your champions. Their investment in you goes beyond the mere logistics of booking engagements. Instead, they put much time and effort into understanding your unique strengths, your speaking style, and the specific value you bring to various audiences. This allows them to effectively match you with events that align with your expertise, ensuring that both your reputation and their credibility are enhanced.

Your Investment in the Bureau Partner

On your part, investing in a bureau partner involves actively working to understand the bureau's clientele and market focus, tailoring your topics and presentations to meet these needs. It means being responsive, professional, and easy to work with, which not only makes their job easier but also increases your desirability as a speaker, leading to more and bigger opportunities.

Bureau relationships don't flourish overnight. Instead, they are built on a foundation of trust, repeated interactions, successful engagements, and a growing understanding of mutual goals and capabilities. Patience in this context is about acknowledging that this trust has to be built over time. It takes time for your bureau partner to understand your specific niche, style, and how you fit into their roster. After all, they are managing a huge portfolio of speakers.

While patience is your ally, persistence is the engine that drives this progress, which means staying visible and at the top of your bureau partner's mind. However, this balance between patience and persistence is delicate. Over-persistence can be overwhelming for bureau partners, while excessive patience may lead to missed opportunities. The key is to maintain a proactive yet respectful approach. Keep demonstrating your value and relevance without putting undue pressure on the bureau to deliver instant results.

Timing is everything. Don’t rush to contact bureau partners because it's imperative that you are ready for such a partnership. This is about honing your speaking skills, having a clear value proposition, coming with an esteemed portfolio of past clients, ?and ensuring every aspect of your professional persona is refined—from your content to your personal brand.

Look, don't take this personally. I bet you are a speaking superstar. However, the truth is, it’s your marketability that makes you attractive to bureau partners. If you're not easily marketable (because you are not experienced enough, lack clarity in your offerings, or your collateral isn't together), it's a sign that you're not ready to reach out. In fact, in many cases, you shouldn't have to reach out. If your marketability is on point, bureau partners will take notice and find you. They have a keen eye for talent that stands out, and once they approach you, you need to make sure that you can "help them help you."

This means …

• Up-to-date website: Current, informative, and user-friendly on both desktop and mobile, with a clear value proposition, speaking topics, and unique selling points.
• Speaker Demo Video: Professionally edited reel that highlights your speaking style, engagement with the audience, and key message takeaways.
• Extended Footage: 5-10 minutes of unedited footage from recent presentations, as well as a full-length presentation for in-depth review.
• Clear Offerings: Well-defined titles and comprehensive descriptions for your presentations, including target audience, key takeaways, and benefits of your presentation.
• Additional Products: Any information about supplementary products, such as books, courses, games, webinars, etc.
• Resources: Up-to-date headshots, a compelling biography, a captivating introduction for event hosts, or any technical or logistical requirements.
• References: Names and testimonials from past clients and references that can vouch for your speaking abilities.
• Case Studies or Success Stories: Specific examples of how your presentations have positively impacted audiences or organizations.
• Fees and Conditions: Clearly outlined fee structure (in-person and virtual), for different event formats, additional costs for travel, materials, or customizations.
• Social Media: Active profiles aligned with your brand, showcasing your thought leadership and engagement with your audience.
• Outstanding Stage Craft: Of course!

There still exists the pervasive myth among speakers that once aligned with a bureau partner, the path forward is one of effortless success: engagements roll in, you show up, deliver, and reap the rewards. This narrative is enticing but dangerously misleading because the truth is far from this passive fantasy. A bureau partner is not a golden ticket to overnight fame or a vending machine dispensing lucrative engagements at the push of a button. It's the beginning of a professional journey that demands continuous engagement and dedication.

Hence, the real work begins once you have been invited to be part of their roster. Proactive speakers approach this partnership with an understanding of its reciprocal nature. They work hand-in-hand with the bureau before, during, and after events. They understand that their role extends beyond the stage, encompassing marketing, content creation, and network engagement. It requires exactly this consistent, active involvement that can set you apart from the multitude of speakers. It's a path less traveled but one that leads to a partnership where you don't just become another speaker in the bureau's roster; you become a co-creator of success.

This means …

• Prompt Communication: Always respond quickly to bureau inquiries, never delay, as they need to get back to their prospects promptly.
• Pre-Event Engagement: Participate in pre-event calls or meetings to finalize details and help reassure clients of your commitment.
• Update During Travel: Keep your bureau partner informed of your whereabouts when traveling to events, ensuring peace of mind.
• Update From Event: Share how it is going, how it went, and what your audience and client thought about your presentation.
• Social Media Promotion: Actively promote engagements before, during, and after across your platforms, highlighting your bureau partner’s contribution.
• Acknowledgment at Events: Publicly thank your bureau partner during events to show your appreciation and reinforce the partnership.
• Post-Event Debriefs: Offer feedback and share insights from the audience and clients to help your bureau partner tailor future offerings and strategies.
• Networking Introductions: Introduce your bureau partner to potential clients or industry contacts, adding value to their network.
• Client Retention Efforts: Engage in follow-up activities with past clients at the bureau's direction to foster repeat business.

Acknowledging the delicate nature of your partnership underscores the recognition of the relationship's value and its inherent fragility, which is not a weakness but rather a testament to its significance. This is about actively fostering an environment of mutual respect and, of course, avoiding any pitfalls.

With this understanding in mind, never underestimate the tight-knit nature of the speakers bureau community. Word of mouth is potent, and information—both positive and negative—travels swiftly between. So, as you peruse the crucial "never ever" missteps to avoid, bear in mind that maintaining a positive reputation with one bureau is essential as it reverberates through the collective industry.

This means …

Never ever, never ever, never ever ...

• sidestep your bureau partner by reaching out directly to their client without clear consent.
• disregard any of the bureau's guidelines for interaction with clients.
• engage in spin-off business without involving your bureau partner, regardless of how much time has passed.
• bypass your bureau partner to negotiate directly with a client.
• make promises to clients that you haven't cleared with your bureau partner first.
• compromise on fee integrity by offering different rates to different bureaus or to clients you work with directly; always adhere to a uniform fee structure.
• demand rigid adherence to your terms without considering the benefits of adaptability in fees, content, and scheduling.
• miss deadlines for submissions, contract signing, or other steps for an engagement.
• withhold information about changes in your professional status or personal life that could affect your speaking engagements.
• surprise the bureau with last-minute changes to your presentation or event logistics.
• underdeliver on a speaking engagement, compromising the bureau's reputation and your own.
• add a bureau partner to your newsletter without their explicit consent.
• spam them with emails or messages on social media.
• ask a bureau for a one-time gig simply because you're in the area.
• share any client information provided by your bureau partner with other speakers or third parties.
• conceal a failed engagement or negative feedback from an event from your bureau partner.
• fail to disclose potential conflicts of interest to your bureau partner.
• speak negatively about your bureau partner to clients or other speakers.
• criticize a bureau's other speakers or suggest they should be replaced with you.
• use their marketing materials or branding if it hasn’t been approved by the bureau.
• bring unapproved guests to an engagement.
• forget to express gratitude for the bureau's efforts.

Trust from a bureau partner is an acknowledgment that they see you as capable of not just meeting but exceeding the expectations of their clients and the audiences you address. This level of trust is indeed a precious gift, one that creates an opportunity for you to reciprocate.

This means...

• Be a Team Player: Teamwork goes beyond your interactions with your sales agent; it extends to every member of the bureau's team. Acknowledge and appreciate the efforts of their event coordinators, marketing staff, tech teams, etc. Each member plays a critical role in your success.
• Celebrate Successes Together: Every win, whether it's a successful event or a positive client testimonial, is an easy and welcomed way of celebrating the trust they've placed in you. Providing endorsements, testimonials, and public acknowledgments of their efforts not only boosts their profile but also demonstrates your collaborative spirit.
• Go beyond the business transaction: A handwritten thank you note, a thoughtful gift, or a genuine inquiry about their family life or interest in their hobbies can resonate deeply. These gestures transform a transactional relationship into a personal connection, showing that you value not just the partnership but the people behind it.
• Collaborate on Content: Work with the bureau to develop content such as social media content, marketing campaigns, blog posts, whitepapers, webinars, or industry reports that can position both of you as thought leaders.
• Provide Visibility: Feature your bureau partner prominently in your own marketing materials, website, and speaking engagements. This reciprocal visibility reinforces the partnership and shows that you are proud to be represented by them.
• Invite Them to Events: Extend invitations for bureau team members to attend your speaking events, offering them the opportunity to see you in action and to network with attendees. But also understand that their schedules don't allow them to hang out at events constantly. Invite them enthusiastically yet accept their decisions respectfully.
• Educate and Train: Maybe your expertise is also valuable for the bureau’s staff. Offer to provide training or workshops for the bureau's team on industry trends, speaker insights, or other relevant topics that can enhance their operations. But the same applies here: be mindful of their busy schedules, recognizing that their primary focus is on selling, planning, and executing events.
• Respect Their Space: Give them the breathing room they need. Avoid inundating their already bustling inboxes with non-urgent communications or pressing requests. Allow the quality of your interactions, not the quantity, to build the relationship.
• Gift Them with Opportunities: If clients seek your recommendation for speakers on topics, referring them to your bureau partner is a powerful way of gifting them back. It shows that you value the bureau's diverse portfolio and trust their ability to provide quality speakers for a range of topics.

Personally, I hold the relationships I've fostered with bureaus in the highest regard. Don't get this wrong. However, I believe that each speaking opportunity a client presents to me is a privilege, but when a bureau partner extends their trust, selecting you to represent their brand and serve their clients and audiences, it elevates the commitment to an entirely new level. And this commitment isn't simply about meeting expectations; it's about transcending them. To over-deliver is to forge an unforgettable experience that resonates beyond the event itself. It's to perform in such a way that your bureau partners are not just satisfied, but they are jubilant, their expectations not just met but exceeded manifold.

However, also remember, when a bureau does contribute to your speaking business, treat it as the icing on the cake—a delightful addition that enhances your business but isn't the only flavor to savor. This perspective encourages you to continue honing your craft, marketing yourself, and staying proactive in your speaking career development. It also positions you as a partner who brings value to the bureau rather than a dependent.

PS: If you have pearls of wisdom to add, the floor is open; your contributions are not just welcome—they’re eagerly anticipated by fellow speakers and readers who are navigating these same waters.

About the Author: Sylvie di Giusto has made trust a cornerstone of her own leadership throughout her 20-year corporate career and continues to do so in her role as a sought-after international keynote speaker for more than a decade. Today, extraordinary leaders and professionals at many of the world's most respected organizations and government agencies—from American Express to American Airlines, Hilton to Nespresso, Microsoft to Prudential, and even the U.S. Air Force—trust Sylvie's insights to make intentional choices that grow their brands and bottom lines. And so do many bureau partners she is incredibly proud of and grateful for. For more information visit sylviedigiusto.com.