The Best Way to Get Speaking Gigs from Bureaus

I'll say this in the nicest way that I can...

Ignore bureaus.

I promise you, they don't want you...

...until you don't need them.

Any gig that comes from an agent or a bureau is gravy. It's bonus money. It's not something that should ever be counted upon.

Now, I don't know about you, but I like gravy. I like a nice surprise in my inbox when an agent does all the heavy lifting and drops a job in my lap. And I like money.

So, I have nothing against working with speakers agents or speakers bureaus. When they email me, I answer. In fact, if there's a strategy that can make that email inbox ding even more, then I'm all for it.

And there is.

But does it involve doing cold outreach?

Nope.

That's not a strategy. That's desperation. And bureaus do NOT respond well to desperation. It's hard to trust desperation.

Instead, the strategy involves taking your focus OFF of the bureaus (aka ignoring them) and putting all your focus into booking your own dang self.

When you're booked and busy - better still - when you start to take gigs AWAY from a bureau...

SUDDENLY YOU HAVE THEIR ATTENTION!

So what's the best way to get speaking gigs from speakers bureaus? The answer is hidden right there in the question. You get speaking gigs FROM speakers bureaus.

And now that you're on their radar and they're sending you gigs...take 'em.

That's when the second part of the strategy kicks in.

Play nice.

Be easy to work with. Get them what they need and get it to them when they ask for it. Even before if you can. Do an amazing job for the bureau's client. Know your place and that the client is indeed THE BUREAU'S CLIENT. Send a fair commission for any follow-up work you generate from the gig. Never talk trash about a bureau. And finally, do the right thing - even when it seems like no one is looking. Trust is hard to earn, but easy to lose.

So, in a nutshell...here's my complete bureau strategy.

1. Ignore the bureaus entirely and book the hell out of myself.
2. WHEN the bureaus DO reach out TO ME, accept the "nice surprise" listings, features, and gigs and then play nice every step of the way so that I'll get even more nice surprises - but I won't count on them.

Want to learn how to book the heck out of yourself?

Come to the NextStageSummit.com!