How Do I Use the Book to Get Speaking Engagements?

By Henry DeVries, CEO of Indie Books Intl.

Want to have client attraction be revenue instead of expense? Start speaking at fundraising seminars where you split the gate.

An alternative to running the seminar yourself is to approach a trade group or association and offer to stage a fundraising seminar. They promote the event to their constituents and you agree to split the profits (typically 50/50 and you may or may not offer them 10 percent of any informational products like books and CDs that you sell in the back of the room after the event).

My client Leslie (true story, not her real name) once told me about an IT conference at the Hotel Del Coronado in San Diego she wanted to speak at, but the organizers said they would charge her $5000 as an event sponsor to let her do it.

Leslie had an informational product I helped her put together, which included fifteen interviews with IT industry leaders. Leslie sold it for $247, and I advised her to ask the conference organizers if they would like to offer this to attendees and Leslie would split the proceeds. They said they would do it, if Leslie would speak for five minutes at the conference about the product.

She paused three seconds for dignity and accepted. That five-minute speech garnered her forty-five appointments with potential clients.