I get about 10% of my speaking engagements from speakers bureaus (I’m not exclusive with any of them), and the other 90% from companies and organizations who call me directly. What helps greatly is having products “out there” that people see: usually these are books (but I have other products as well). I find that every time I come out with a new book (or product), interest in my speaking goes up.

Question: do you have a new book (or product) in the works?

From what I have read on your blog (its one of my favourite) you have loads of ideas that a coporate would like to hear, so it’s a mix of 1) how your agency sees you, 2) how you have packaged your talk, and how well it comes across.

Speaker agencies sell what is going to get them more work, and what they think will fit the client’s brief. They are also really lazy, so I am guessing that your agency doesn’t get what you have to offer.

Your ideas definately don’t give me the sense that you are being priced out of the market. rather raise your talk to where you feel you can charge $2000 for it – companies have more than enough dosh to pay for worthwhile cultural understandings – in fact the higher your price the more they value what you have to say (its rediculous).

I am guessing that the best thing for you to do is 1) get a clearer sense of how your talks can help corporates (I hate how functionalist this sounds, but that is unfortunately how it seems to work), 2) refine your delivery by doing as many unpaid gigs as possible – ie Rotary Clubs, and the lecture circuit as is suggested above. Once you are really comfortable with your presentation selling it is a synch. You will also probably find that your agency has a showcase day where they get different speakers to demonstrate a piece of their talk for their clients (if they dont then get a new agency) – do as many of those as you possibly can. It gets your face as a speaker out there.

Another point is that it might be best for you not to have a single agency – I find that one agency doesn’t get enough work, but accumulated there is plenty (I dont know if things can work that way in your speaking market).

Another useful network connection is to get hold of the National Speaker’s Association in your area. They are helluva cheesy (they are bit like an Amway convention), but they deal with exactly the concerns you have raised regarding agents, pricing, etc. They are also a great networking resource for agents and speakers.

There is a book on the topic called “Speak and Grow Rich” by Dottie and Lily Walters – I found some good ideas in there.

Of course the idea of putting a link at the top of your blog is the best – you are appealing to what is effectively your fan base.

Don’t know if this relates to where you are at,
anhow, best of luck!

http://www.flickr.com/photos/gmcmullen/sets/72157601094697515/

from grassroots events sometimes big things come ; }