by Scott Lorenz | Author Advice, Blog, Book Marketing, Book Promotion, Book Publicity, Television, ZOOM
By Scott Lorenz
Westwind Communications
Ever notice how some people look great on a Zoom call? What’s their secret? In today’s era of COVID-19, media interviews that were once conducted in a TV studio are now performed on Zoom, Skype, or Facetime. This presents more opportunities for interviews because you don’t have to go to a studio but there are challenges as well. Are you ready for your up-close TV interview on ZOOM?
My personal Zoom experiences and discussions with several experts in this visual field have allowed me to come up with a quick list of tips to help you crush your next Zoom call. Without further ado, here they are:
Dress Appropriately
You don’t have to dress up as much as you usually do. However, your attire should not be down more than one level from what you typically wear in the office. If you normally wear a suit and tie, for example, opt for a nice blouse or button-up shirt.
Jess Todtfeld, former producer and media trainer also recommends you avoid white, black, and red, ensure your clothing is wrinkle-free, remove distracting jewelry, and dress as simply as possible. “TV viewers should focus on your face and what you say, not your clothes,” he says.
You are the face of your company, your school, your brand. If you normally wear makeup to work, then you’ll need to wear it on a TV interview too.
Jess created a new video course on Udemy focusing on looking and sounding good for any online interview. He goes into much detail on doing the best job possible whether it’s for a media interview or a new job. Check it out at: https://bit.ly/ZOOM_Tips_JT
Invest in Reliable Internet Connection
Chances are you’ve seen someone freeze on the screen during a Zoom session. To reduce the risk of this happening to you, a reliable internet connection is a must. If you’re in the middle of an interview and your connection freezes, a TV station will stop the interview and go to someone else. A hardline wired connection to your computer vs. WIFI can prevent this issue. In the event you must use WIFI, request that others in your home or office stay off it during your interview.
Be Mindful of Your Background
Your background during a Zoom call is important. Do your best to make it visually appealing. Add fresh flowers, a potted plant, a painting, or your book cover enlarged on an easel. Remember that people will be able to read book titles so there’s a good chance they’ll notice dust, dirty clothes, and other imperfections in the background. Don’t sit in front of horizontal blinds as this confuses the camera and may cause pixelation of the image. (Vertical blinds are ok) Refrain from virtual backgrounds that come with ZOOM as they create distortion around your head and body. If you must use one due to a home office in a bedroom or hallway, then buy a portable green screen so you can choose a beautiful virtual background that’s free from distortions. You’ll look professional and feel good too.
Do you have a ZOOM Room?
TV and radio studios have acoustically padded walls, ceilings and are carpeted. The sound is absorbed and is not ricocheting around giving that ‘hollow’ effect. If your ZOOM Room is like a racquetball court then you need a new location or to figure out how to deaden the sound bounce with carpet, acoustic tiles, etc. Wearing a lapel microphone helps too. This should be needless say but, keep dogs, kids, and the neighbor’s lawnmower out of sound range.
Pay Attention to the Lighting
It’s essential that your face is well lit throughout the entire interview. If you’re in a dark room, use a circle light or lamp with a warm glow. Ideally, you’d be in a bright room with minimal windows. Excessive light may cause the camera lens to adjust when you don’t want it to. The cost is $50-100. I love mine and it’s really helpful on dark dreary days, late night or early morning interviews or when your spouse may need the living room light for reading!
Ensure the Camera is at ‘just a smidge below’ Eye Level
The camera should always be ‘just a smidge below’ eye level with you. Try your best to look at the camera instead of the screen at all times. Don’t let your eyes wander as this may cause others to believe you’re disinterested or disengaged in the interview. Put a little post-it notes near the camera lens on your camera to remind you to ‘look at the camera’ not the screen.
If you are using the camera on an iPhone or other smartphone, place it on a tripod and be sure to turn off the notifications and the ringer or everyone on the call will hear them.
Use the Skype App
For best results when using SKYPE use the SKYPE App and not your browser. The reality is that the browser accessed version won’t run at optimal speeds and there’s a good chance your screen may freeze. Download the app on your phone or tablet and test it out in advance to make sure it works well.
Opt for Wireless or Wired Earbuds
Speakers on your computer are ok. But, if you want best results, get wireless or wired earbuds. They can enhance your sound quality and help you sound great on camera. If you use wireless earbuds, don’t forget to charge them completely before the interview.
Have a Glass of Water Handy
You can enjoy a number of benefits if you keep a glass of water by your side during your interview. Since talking a lot and being nervous can lead to dry mouth and throat, water can help you keep your vocal cords moist. It can also serve as a prop so if you’re asked a tricky question, you can take a sip of the water and give yourself some extra time to think of a good answer.
Don’t Forget Pen and Paper
With a pen and paper nearby, you’ll be able to jot down the reporter’s name, questions you may have, and anything that you’d like to remember after the interview. If you take notes on your computer, you’ll distract the interviewer so doing so the old-fashioned way is ideal.
Practice, Practice, Practice
Make sure you know how to work ZOOM, SKYPE, and Facetime and are comfortable with all of the options. Practice using all of these with friends and family. Don’t let your big interview on national TV be a flop because of some technical issue you could have avoided.
The Bottom Line: By following these tips, you can nail your virtual Zoom interview and meet your goals from the comfort of your own home or office.
Book publicist Scott Lorenz is President of Westwind Communications, a public relations and marketing firm that has a special knack for working with authors to help them get all the publicity they deserve and more. Lorenz works with bestselling authors and self-published authors promoting all types of books, whether it’s their first book or their 15th book. He’s handled publicity for books by CEOs, CIA Officers, Navy SEALS, Homemakers, Fitness Gurus, Doctors, Lawyers and Adventurers. His clients have been featured by Good Morning America, FOX & Friends, CNN, ABC News, New York Times, Nightline, TIME, PBS, LA Times, USA Today, Washington Post, Woman’s World, & Howard Stern to name a few.
Learn more about Westwind Communications’ book marketing approach at https://www.WestwindBookMarketing.com or contact Lorenz at [email protected] or 734-667-2090 or fill out the form below. Follow Lorenz on Twitter @aBookPublicist. Want help titling a book? Check out Scott Lorenz’s new award winning, bestselling book: Book Title Generator- A Proven System in Naming Your Book www.BookTitleGenerator.net.
Would you like help promoting your book?
If so, tell us a little about your book. What is the title? Do you have a publisher? What is the publish date? How many pages is your book? What is the cost? Do you have web site? What is your specific goal I.E., to make money, raise awareness, get the attention of an agent or publisher, sell the story to a movie or TV studio or something else?
Submit the form below with this information and we’ll get back to you as soon as possible. Thank you!
by Scott Lorenz | Audiobooks, Author Advice, Book Publishing, Book Title Generator, How to title a book, Promoting a Book, Writing a Book
By Scott Lorenz
Westwind Communications
Alliteration is a very useful literary tool. Alliteration is simply defined as the occurrence of the same letter or sound at the beginning of adjacent or closely connected words and also the repetition of an initial consonant sound, as in “a peck of pickled peppers.”
Alliteration is one of many tips and techniques covered in my new book designed to help authors title their books called BOOK TITLE GENERATOR.
Incorporating alliteration into your book title can help people remember your work and it will stick out in people’s minds.
Here are a few examples of books with alliteration in their titles:
- The Teeny Tiny Teacher by Stephanie Calmenson
- The Magical, Mystical, Marvelous Coat by Catherine Ann Cullen
- Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck
- A Tale of Two Cities by Charles Dickens
- The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald
- Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen
- Sense and Sensibility by Jane Austen
- Love’s Labor’s Lost by William Shakespeare
- The Pickwick Papers by Charles Dickens
- The Princess and the Pea by Hans Christian Andersen
- Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury
- Caesar and Cleopatra by George Bernard Shaw
- The Wonderful Wizard of Oz by L. Frank Baum
- Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy by John le Carré
- The Wind in the Willows by Kenneth Grahame
Roger Parker of Personal Branding says, “Sometimes the most important lessons in personal branding are the simplest ones, like using alliteration, or repeated “hard” sounds, to make the title of your brand-building book stand out and be easy to remember.” You want readers, fans, and your potential audience to enjoy your book’s title. Alliteration can help that title roll off the tongue nicely. If your book’s title is memorable and fun or easy to say, people will talk about it. The alliteration will stand out in conversation or in the review section of a website.
According to Mike Ball, author of ‘Banjos, Boats and Butt Dialing’, alliteration can be a very effective tool for a humorist. Ball explains, “I rarely use it for serious subjects but judiciously used, alliteration is an author’s best friend. Since humor is all about timing, alliteration forces the reader to participate in the timing you are trying to set up. That’s why my book title ‘Banjos, Boats and Butt Dialing’ gets people to laugh before they crack the cover.”
As J.R.R. Tolkien observed, alliteration “depends not on letters but on sounds.” Thus, the phrase know-nothing is alliterative, but climate change is not.”
Domey Malasarn from the website “The Literary Lab” feels that alliteration can belong in titles as well as within your book. “I have used it on occasion myself in places where I thought it was helpful. For example, if I had a sentence like ‘Alfred was furious.’ I might revise it to “Alfred was angry.” because to me it pairs the subject of the sentence with his emotion a little more powerfully.”
Puja Lalwani of Buzzle explains, “The importance of alliteration should not be undermined as just another literary device that is beyond comprehension. It is highly useful and most invaluable, whether just to drive a point home, make for a fun read, or as a marketing tool that will leave your product etched in the mind of the consumer.”
On the website, helium.com, Stella McIntyre perfectly outlines the benefits of using alliteration across various mediums. “Although most commonly used in literature, most particularly poetry, alliteration can also be found in non-fiction writing: leaflets, newspaper headlines, advertising and merchandising. Its effect is twofold. Firstly, it draws attention to and emphasizes a phrase and secondly, it can create connotations that significantly add to the understanding and enjoyment of a writer’s meaning.”
The Bottom Line: Alliteration in book titles will help people remember your book title because it will help your work stand out and engage your reader.
Book publicist Scott Lorenz is President of Westwind Communications, a public relations and marketing firm that has a special knack for working with authors to help them get all the publicity they deserve and more. Lorenz works with bestselling authors and self-published authors promoting all types of books, whether it’s their first book or their 15th book. He’s handled publicity for books by CEOs, CIA Officers, Navy SEALS, Homemakers, Fitness Gurus, Doctors, Lawyers and Adventurers. His clients have been featured by Good Morning America, FOX & Friends, CNN, ABC News, New York Times, Nightline, TIME, PBS, LA Times, USA Today, Washington Post, Woman’s World, & Howard Stern to name a few.
Learn more about Westwind Communications’ book marketing approach at https://www.WestwindBookMarketing.com or contact Lorenz at [email protected] or 734-667-2090 or fill out the form below. Follow Lorenz on Twitter @aBookPublicist. Want help titling a book? Check out Scott Lorenz’s new award winning, bestselling book: Book Title Generator- A Proven System in Naming Your Book www.BookTitleGenerator.net.
Would you like help promoting your book?
If so, tell us a little about your book. What is the title? Do you have a publisher? What is the publish date? How many pages is your book? What is the cost? Do you have web site? What is your specific goal I.E., to make money, raise awareness, get the attention of an agent or publisher, sell the story to a movie or TV studio or something else?
Submit the form below with this information and we’ll get back to you as soon as possible. Thank you!
by Scott Lorenz | Author Advice, Blog, Book Publicity, Interviews, Radio, Radio Interview Tips
By Scott Lorenz
Westwind Communications
You’ve landed the radio interview and it’s time to get ready to actually do it. Now what? As a book marketing expert and book publicist, I have booked my clients on thousands of radio and podcast interviews. Here’s a list of tips I give to my clients prior to their interviews. Keep this helpful list of interview tips nearby and you’ll be glad you did!
1. Go to a quiet room in your home or office; be sure staff and/or family know you are on a radio interview and cannot be interrupted.
2. Since many interviews are on ZOOM, SKYPE as well as the phone, turn off other phones, cell phones and anything else that could create background noise including air conditioners, the radio… and the kids!
3. Have a glass of water nearby; there’s nothing worse than dry mouth on a radio interview.
4. Be on time. Call the station exactly at the time they tell you or be at your phone waiting if the station is going to call you.
5. Use a landline phone for best quality. If it is not possible to reach a landline, then use a cell phone in a stationary location and not while you are rolling down the road! Do not use Bluetooth over the speaker system in your car.
6. Disable call waiting: dial *70 and then call the studio number. This disables call waiting for the duration of the phone call. As soon as you hang up, it will be reactivated.
7. Do not use a speakerphone! It’s ALL about good sound quality.
8. Be self-assured. Remember, you know your topic inside and out. Be confident in your ability.
9. Smile, smile, smile, whether on radio or TV – SMILE. You’ll feel better, and for TV you’ll look better too.
10. Put some pizzazz and energy into your voice. Try standing while you speak to liven things up a little.
11. Research the show and tailor your message accordingly. Just Google the host’s name and station and check out their web site. Is it a national audience or a small town in Ohio? What is their format? Is it News/Talk, NPR or Classic Rock or something else? You need to know.
12. KNOW exactly how much time you will have on the air as a guest, three minutes or 30 minutes…so you can tailor your answers to the time allotted.
13. Practice your sound bites—out loud before the interview. Communicate your main points succinctly. Practice this out loud.
14. Be informative and entertaining without directly pushing your book, product or service. Make the audience “want more.”
15. A kind word about the host can go a long way. It’s good manners and good business.
16. A person’s name is sweet music to them so commit to memory or jot down the name of the host and use it throughout the interview. When taking calls, use the names of callers too.
17. CALL TO ACTION. Have ONLY ONE such as “Buy my book at BookTitleGenerator.net” That’s it. Don’t mention your Twitter handle, Facebook, Pinterest, Instagram people will barely remember your name or book title. Don’t make it impossible.
18. Be careful not to slide into technobabble, jargon or acronyms that few know about.
19. Never talk down to your audience.
20. Be respectful of the host because everybody starts someplace. Today they’re interviewing you from a college radio station; in a few years they could be a nationally syndicated host.
21. Don’t Oversell. Remember you are on the air to provide useful information to the listening audience. If you are an author or selling something, limit yourself to TWO mentions of the book, product or service. You must make it interesting without the commercialism. It takes finesse but you can do it. Often times the host will do this for you and you won’t need to mention it.
22. Think of a radio interview as an intimate conversation with a friend and not a conversation with thousands.
23. Radio interviews require verbal answers, not head nodding or uh-huhs. Hand gestures don’t count in radio either.
24. Radio will often use interviews live and later cut them up for use throughout the day giving you more airplay. So, keep your answer to a 10 to 20 second sound bite. You can say a lot in that amount of time and then you don’t sound like you are babbling on. Don’t go on more than a minute without taking a break.
25. Don’t just answer questions. Tell listeners something you want them to know, something they wouldn’t know unless they were tuned in, with the promise of more of the same when they buy your book.
26. Have three key messages. Short, not sermons. Sometimes the host opens the door, other times you have to answer a question and segue to a key message. A compelling message will have the host asking for more. Usually, people can get in two key messages; the pros can get three.
27. Lazy hosts open with a lame: “Thanks for being here.” Boom! Give a :15-:20 sec summary message. If the host introduces you with a question, be polite, deliver your summary message, then answer the question. “Thanks, (use name), for the opportunity to talk about…. Now, to your question (name)…”
28. Maintain a Positive Attitude. BE GENUINE OR TRANSPARENT. Don’t fake enthusiasm or sincerity. If you’re in a bad mood cancel the interview. Don’t pretend to know stuff you don’t.
29. Re-read the press release or pitch that got the booking since the host is going to be using that as a starting point. Often a book publicist such as I, will tie into a breaking news event that relates to your expertise. Be aware of that tie-in.
30. After the interview write a thank-you note. Since so few people do this, you’ll really stand out from the crowd. And most importantly, you may get invited back.
31. Whether the interview is live or taped-live, if you stumble, or flub up just keep going. Often what you perceived as a mistake, the listeners won’t even notice.
32. Ask for an MP3 of the recording before the interview. Often if you ask ahead of time the producer will record the interview and then you can use it on your web site. If that’s not available, get the link to the station’s recording and Tweet about to your followers and promote it on your Facebook page. Be sure to listen to it later and critique your performance.
33. Listen for the testimonial. Sometimes the host will say something complimentary, “You have a fascinating story Mr. Jones.” Use it in your marketing. Or you can actually ask for a testimonial. Often that MP3 will arrive with a note from the host saying how much they enjoyed the interview, or that “Scott Lorenz was a great interview, he really kept our audience engaged,” or “the phones rang off the hook when Scott Lorenz was being interviewed.” You can use those testimonials in future pitches and on your web site, blog etc.
As a book marketing firm, we’ll prepare our clients with media coaching or if need be, training with a media trainer. We’ll also submit questions to the radio host ahead of time and include those in our press kits emailed to the stations. Often the radio host will read those questions right in order. Other times they refer to our questions and include some of them. We do this to help the host in case they’ve not had a chance to read the book, and to help direct the questioning.
Make sure you know your own material inside and out and are comfortable with everything in it. You are the author of the book, or the press release and they’ll ask you, “What did you mean about this or that?” You need to have the answer. You don’t want any surprises.
The Bottom Line: RELAX, you’ll do fine. The butterflies you’re feeling are what will drive you to do your best! Just follow these helpful tips and you’ll be a radio interview star!
Book publicist Scott Lorenz is President of Westwind Communications, a public relations and marketing firm that has a special knack for working with authors to help them get all the publicity they deserve and more. Lorenz works with bestselling authors and self-published authors promoting all types of books, whether it’s their first book or their 15th book. He’s handled publicity for books by CEOs, CIA Officers, Navy SEALS, Homemakers, Fitness Gurus, Doctors, Lawyers and Adventurers. His clients have been featured by Good Morning America, FOX & Friends, CNN, ABC News, New York Times, Nightline, TIME, PBS, LA Times, USA Today, Washington Post, Woman’s World, & Howard Stern to name a few.
Learn more about Westwind Communications’ book marketing approach at https://www.WestwindBookMarketing.com or contact Lorenz at [email protected] or 734-667-2090 or fill out the form below. Follow Lorenz on Twitter @aBookPublicist. Want help titling a book? Check out Scott Lorenz’s new award winning, bestselling book: Book Title Generator- A Proven System in Naming Your Book www.BookTitleGenerator.net.
Would you like help promoting your book?
If so, tell us a little about your book. What is the title? Do you have a publisher? What is the publish date? How many pages is your book? What is the cost? Do you have web site? What is your specific goal I.E., to make money, raise awareness, get the attention of an agent or publisher, sell the story to a movie or TV studio or something else?
Submit the form below with this information and we’ll get back to you as soon as possible. Thank you!
by Scott Lorenz | Blog, Book Marketing, Book Promotion, Book Publicity, Book Publishing, Book Title Generator
By Scott Lorenz
Westwind Book Marketing
Book Title Generator is the one book every author should read before publishing their book.
There’s an old saying that fisherman use—“You have to hook ‘em before you can cook ‘em.” The same holds true for book titles! Picture yourself walking through a bookstore where book spines resemble wallpaper or scrolling through endless titles on Amazon or other bookselling websites. All too often those few words in a book title are the difference between further interest, and a sale, or getting left out in the cold.
That’s why I wrote a book laying out a proven strategy for crafting a buyer grabbing title. Book Title Generator makes sure the painstaking work writing a book will get that all-important final touch, a winning title worthy of publication. I created a multi-prong strategy by urging the use of high-tech tools, researching bestsellers by genre and choosing the vital “title keywords” which get a book ranked on search engines and Amazon.
Having seen and experienced the pitfalls of book marketing, I wanted Book Title Generator to usher one through the reality maze of numbers, alliterations, idioms, keywords and everything else I know must be considered in your quest for the perfect book title. I chronicled how a number of famous books began with poor titles and how, with a new title, they rose to prominence.
As a student and lover of book titles with three decades of book marketing experience, I wanted to impress on the reader the vital aspects of shepherding your book towards bestseller status. I designed Book Title Generator for authors and publishers as a surefire method to uncover that coveted, memorable, and winning book title!
Book Title Generator
http://www.BookTitleGenerator.net Watch the book trailer here: https://bit.ly/BookTitleGeneratorTrailer
“Book Title Generator is an indispensable, first-rate adjunct to the art of writing—and selling—your book.” —Dr. Grady Harp, Amazon Top 50 Hall of Fame Reviewer, 5 Stars
“I get HUNDREDS of books a year from hopeful authors. The title has to catch my attention or I pass. If I were an author I’d read Book Title Generator.” —Chris Cordani, Executive Producer, Money Matters on WABC-AM, New York, 5 Stars
“Authors owe it to themselves to ‘turn-every-stone’ to make sure they have the best possible book title. It’s critical to the success of any book… unless you are already famous… then it doesn’t matter.” —Mike Ball, Erma Bombeck Award-Winning Author, 5 Stars
The Bottom Line: Do not name your book before studying Book Title Generator.” Take advantage of my hard-won knowledge by knowing all the rules in what is now a high-tech game. Get one over on the competition by starting out ahead.
Book publicist Scott Lorenz is President of Westwind Communications, a public relations and marketing firm that has a special knack for working with authors to help them get all the publicity they deserve and more. Lorenz works with bestselling authors and self-published authors promoting all types of books, whether it’s their first book or their 15th book. He’s handled publicity for books by CEOs, CIA Officers, Navy SEALS, Homemakers, Fitness Gurus, Doctors, Lawyers and Adventurers. His clients have been featured by Good Morning America, FOX & Friends, CNN, ABC News, New York Times, Nightline, TIME, PBS, LA Times, USA Today, Washington Post, Woman’s World, & Howard Stern to name a few.
Learn more about Westwind Communications’ book marketing approach at https://www.WestwindBookMarketing.com or contact Lorenz at [email protected] or 734-667-2090 or fill out the form below. Follow Lorenz on Twitter @aBookPublicist. Want help titling a book? Check out Scott Lorenz’s new award winning, bestselling book: Book Title Generator- A Proven System in Naming Your Book www.BookTitleGenerator.net.
Would you like help promoting your book?
If so, tell us a little about your book. What is the title? Do you have a publisher? What is the publish date? How many pages is your book? What is the cost? Do you have web site? What is your specific goal I.E., to make money, raise awareness, get the attention of an agent or publisher, sell the story to a movie or TV studio or something else?
Submit the form below with this information and we’ll get back to you as soon as possible. Thank you!
by Scott Lorenz | Author Advice, Book Marketing, Book Promotion, List of Speaking Opportunities, Speaker Services, Speaking Gigs
Want to become a sought-after speaker? Then get cracking on this list and tell the world what you talk about and line up some speaking gigs. DO IT TODAY.
By Scott Lorenz
Westwind Communications
During the pandemic speaking gigs were canceled by the thousands. Now they are back. There’s also a hybrid opportunity with speakers getting booked in Virtual Conferences as well as in-person. Being a book publicist, I am often asked to help authors get speaking gigs. But, it’s a specialty in itself and outside our wheelhouse. Authors can make a lot of money speaking, sometimes more than selling books. Generally, it’s the book that creates the demand which demonstrates the expertise that people want to hear. Some of my clients earn anywhere from $2,500 to $10,000 per speech routinely. It’s getting on the circuit that’s difficult.
I’ve compiled a list of people and companies in this business that authors can engage with, who represent potential speakers. For many of these entities, their client is the company or organization looking for a speaker and not you. They want a good fit and someone who’ll deliver a terrific speech. As hockey great Wayne Gretzky said, “You can’t score unless you shoot!”
Here’s the list:
All American Speakers – https://www.allamericanspeakers.com/category/Authors
All American Speakers assists meeting professionals, event producers, corporate groups, universities, nonprofits and associations in booking speakers and entertainment. The database “houses booking information on everyone on the speaker circuit, regardless of their agency/bureau affiliation.”
Endless Speaker Leads – https://www.endlessspeakerleads.com/learn-more
Jess Todtfeld author of Media Secrets: A Media Training Crash Course, has curated some of the biggest resources for speakers in one place. Using online videos, Todtfeld explains how to find conferences and the contacts who are the decision-makers. Todtfeld suggests authors and experts add speaking as a profit center to help drive more book sales and drive more business. Says Todtfeld, “If you can get more leads, you can make more connections and get more offers to have you as a speaker.” Watch an interview Jess conducted with Christa Haberstock of the SeeAgency about getting a speaker’s agent. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BO_V5vUpI4Y
American Program Bureau – https://www.apbspeakers.com/topics/
American Program Bureau books renowned literature speakers, including best-selling authors, historians and poets. The website has easy-to-browse categories and sub-topics to easily find speakers for any conference. I used this firm back when I was in college at UNLV to book speakers for the University. A great company with an incredible roster and reach.
Charli Jane Speaker Club – https://charlijane.com/charli-jane-speakers-club/
Charli Jane actively seeks speaking opportunities and lists them on their members-only website. Charli Jane’s service is different from a speaker bureaus in that YOU reach out to the people looking for a speaker. They charge a nominal monthly fee but they also do the heavy lifting by compiling a list of 200+ speaking opportunities a month. Then you reach out to the best prospects. If it’s a good fit you get booked.
Christian Speakers Services – https://www.christianspeakersservices.com/
The organization serves event planners and ministry leaders. Everyone on the speaker’s roster has been vetted. You must complete an application to be represented by the organization.
ExpertClick – https://www.expertclick.com/
Many speakers and authors turn to Expert Click to send news releases and to expand their online platform. Their proprietary news release distribution service pushes out ten ways including via Google News. Authors can get found based on 30+ key words that meeting planners are searching for. They pull the author’s blog on an RSS feed and syndicate them into the press rooms, thereby getting more exposure, distribution of content and ‘Google Juice. According to CEO Mitch Davis, “We have 150+ speakers and authors who use us including Patricia Fripp, Alan Weiss and Jeffrey Gitomer. We were featured in Tim Ferris’s book Four Hour Work Week, and PRWeek called us ‘a dating service of PR,’ The New York Times called us ‘dial-an-expert.’ I use it and recommend it. When you join at this discount link you can save $100: https://www.ExpertClick.com/Discount/Scott_Lorenz
Espeakers – https://www.espeakers.com/
The eSpeakers Marketplace brings the world’s greatest speakers together in one place and makes it easy for buyers to filter by topic, price range, and availability. Their platform takes the hassle out of booking and scheduling for both meeting planners and speakers. They offer a cloud-based, multiuser calendar suite; (they’re sort of like the Airbnb for speakers). They also connect speakers to over 50+ speaker directories saving hours of tedious administrative duties. It’s no wonder they are the preferred choice for many top speakers.
GigSalad – https://www.gigsalad.com/
A service that books entertainment and speakers for parties, productions and events of all kinds. This platform books10,000+ performers and presenters across the U.S. and Canada. The website’s search tool allows potential clients to view authors, categorized by genre and location.
HarperCollins Speakers Bureau – https://www.harpercollinsspeakersbureau.com/
The HarperCollins Speakers Bureau is only accessible to authors published by HarperCollins, Thomas Nelson and Zondervan. It works with corporations, universities, schools, associations, libraries, clubs, hospitals, foundations, and other professional groups and societies in the U.S. and around the world.
Harry Walker Agency – https://www.harrywalker.com/
The Harry Walker Agency works with thousands of meeting planners in need of speakers. The agency belongs to the International Association of Speakers Bureaus (IASB) and has largest breadth and highest caliber of speakers in the world.
International Association of Speakers Bureaus (IASB) – https://www.iasbweb.org/default.aspx
IASB is the only trade association that exclusively represents speakers bureaus and agencies. Meeting professionals that request assistance in locating a speaker are referred to the Bureau Directory on the IASB website. IASB encourages meeting professionals to seek out member bureaus when searching for speakers.
Lyceum Agency – https://www.lyceumagency.com/
The Lyceum Agency represents authors and academics for speeches, lectures and readings on a variety on subjects. Access to an impressive list of speakers is available on the website.
Nancy Vogl Speakers Bureau – http://www.nancyvoglspeakers.com/
A “boutique bureau” that books professional speakers in leadership, diversity and sales, futurists, health and wellness professionals and those sending a message of hope and inspiration. It’s located in Traverse City, Michigan.
National Speakers Association (NSA) – https://nsaspeaker.org/
NSA has a network of 3,400+ speakers and has the tools, techniques and professional connections to help you share your message effectively. Whether you speak at their annual conference, chapter meetings or other events, NSA is eager to help you grow your business.
National Speakers Bureau – https://nationalspeakers.com/
National Speakers Bureau has achieved over 40 years of success! Clients are primarily corporations and business associations. Speakers are searchable on their website according to topic and fee. **Only a small fraction of received speaker inquiries result in a correct fit.
Professional Convention Management Association (PCMA) – https://www.pcma.org/
Professional Convention Management Association calls itself “the definitive authority in education, business networking and community engagement for leaders in the global meetings, convention and business events industry.” PCMA has more than 6,500 members and 50,000 customers.
redBrick Agency – https://redbrickagency.com/applause/
The redBrick Agency works with corporations, conventions, arts and lecture venues, libraries, performing arts centers, schools, colleges and universities. The agency represents authors and all kinds of speakers.
Speakers’ Spotlight – https://www.speakers.ca/
Speakers’ Spotlight has arranged more than 20,000 speaking engagements in over 30 countries. The agency finds speakers for leading corporations, associations, government agencies, colleges and universities, school boards, health care organizations and charities.
Steven Barclay Agency – https://www.barclayagency.com/
The Steven Barclay Agency serves colleges, universities, schools, performing arts centers, corporations, associations, and for private events.
TED – https://www.ted.com/
Collectively, TED speakers have won every major prize awarded for excellence, including the Nobel, Pritzker, Pulitzer, Oscar, Grammy, Emmy, Tony and MacArthur “genius” grant. TED also seeks out emerging artists, scientists and thinkers, introducing them to the TED community.
To speak at TED – https://www.ted.com/about/conferences/speaking-at-ted
TEDx – https://www.ted.com/about/programs-initiatives/tedx-program
A TEDx event is a local gathering where live TED-like talks and videos previously recorded at TED conferences are shared with the community. TEDx events are fully planned and coordinated independently, on a community-by-community basis.
The Tuesday Agency – https://tuesdayagency.com/about/
The Tuesday Agency is a full-service lecture agency representing elite authors, journalists, historians, artists and scholars. Based in Iowa City, “The Tuesday Agency is dedicated to the literary arts and to thoughtful dialogue.”
Thumbtack – https://www.thumbtack.com/
This platform’s motto is “From house painting to personal training, we bring you the right pros for every project on your list.” Although presentations are more obscure than other professional services offered, this platform does book motivational speakers. Special attention: Lifestyle coaches and authors sending a positive message.
“If authors want to get speaking gigs they need to figure out where the leads are and have an easy system for following up on them,” says Jess Todtfeld, creator of EndlessSpeakerLeads.com, a guide to finding and connecting with events and those who book them.
SPEAKERHUB – https://speakerhub.com/
Believes in the power of live presentations and personal connections, which is why they created SpeakerHub. They are not a speaker agency but the fastest-growing community of professional, independent, or amateur public speakers and trainers who’d like to be found by companies, event organizers and schools. They welcome anyone with expertise in any field who is open to speaking at conferences, events or schools as a paid or pro bono presenter.
Use this service ONLY if you are LOOKING for a speaker for your conference: ProfNet Speaker Service by CISION https://profnet.prnewswire.com/ProfNetHome/Speaker-service-experts.aspx
Just fill out the form at this link with all the pertinent event information and they’ll distribute your profile via their extensive network of professional communicators and experts. Conference organizers can submit a request for speakers, moderators and panelists for upcoming conferences, webinars, meetings and other such events. There is no cost to submit a request.
The Bottom Line: Want to become a sought-after speaker? Then get cracking on this list and tell the world what you talk about and line up some speaking gigs. DO IT TODAY.
Book publicist Scott Lorenz is President of Westwind Communications, a public relations and marketing firm that has a special knack for working with authors to help them get all the publicity they deserve and more. Lorenz works with bestselling authors and self-published authors promoting all types of books, whether it’s their first book or their 15th book. He’s handled publicity for books by CEOs, CIA Officers, Navy SEALS, Homemakers, Fitness Gurus, Doctors, Lawyers and Adventurers. His clients have been featured by Good Morning America, FOX & Friends, CNN, ABC News, New York Times, Nightline, TIME, PBS, LA Times, USA Today, Washington Post, Woman’s World, & Howard Stern to name a few.
Learn more about Westwind Communications’ book marketing approach at https://www.WestwindBookMarketing.com or contact Lorenz at [email protected] or 734-667-2090 or fill out the form below. Follow Lorenz on Twitter @aBookPublicist. Want help titling a book? Check out Scott Lorenz’s new award winning, bestselling book: Book Title Generator- A Proven System in Naming Your Book www.BookTitleGenerator.net.
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