| Four Reasons Why Every Speaker Should Hire a PR | | | | now appropriate to raise your speaking fee. Many |
| Firm | | | | speakers decide to raise their fee because they feel |
| How many speakers do you know who have | | | | like they deserve more, but if you brand yourself |
| engaged the services of a public relations firm? | | | | successfully, you can raise your fee because you are |
| Chances are you may not know many. What | | | | worth more. Donald Trump was recently paid a hefty |
| professional speakers don't realize is that hiring a public | | | | fee for a two-hour lecture in New York City. He was |
| relations company can become extremely beneficial | | | | able to command such a high fee because he is a |
| and can produce a surprisingly high return on | | | | brand and an expert in his field. There are many real |
| investment. The amount of revenue which can be | | | | estate and entrepreneurial experts who can probably |
| generated as a result of the activities of a public | | | | give the same caliber speech as "The Donald", but |
| relations firm can easily outweigh that of advertising. | | | | they can't command a high fee because they are not |
| Why? Because public relations is more reputable than | | | | as well-known. |
| traditional advertising. A consumer is more likely to | | | | Sell More Product |
| purchase a product or service because they read a | | | | Another advantage of public relations is to help sell |
| third party revue, not because they saw an | | | | products. Many speakers are also authors who have |
| advertisement. When a consumer reads a review, it is | | | | published one or more books. Getting your name into |
| normally unbiased and comes from a trustworthy | | | | the media will generate sales of your products. If a |
| source. | | | | consumer reads an article about a certain topic and |
| Furthermore, public relations is less expensive than | | | | then learns that the expert has also written a book |
| advertising. The cost of sending a press release to a | | | | about the topic, chances are, the consumer will rush to |
| magazine editor is a lot less than creating a direct mail | | | | the nearest book store to purchase the book. Don't |
| campaign or purchasing a display advertisement in a | | | | think that this only applies to books. George Foreman |
| trade publication. Some people are notorious for | | | | wasn't selling books, he was selling grills, and although |
| developing elaborate direct mail campaigns, only to | | | | he was known for selling through his infomercials, one |
| experience minimal results. Public relations is a far | | | | of the reasons he was able to sell so many is |
| better way to spend your hard earned money, | | | | because the product was reviewed in the press and |
| especially when some of your competitors could | | | | was given a very high rating and was considered an |
| afford to spend a lot more than you can, but the | | | | upscale product. |
| difference is, you will see results! | | | | Have People Call You |
| Create Your Brand | | | | When you are new to the business of professional |
| There are many benefits of public relations campaigns, | | | | speaking, it is very difficult to acquire speaking |
| the first being branding. Speakers need to think of | | | | engagements. After about a year of public relations, |
| themselves as brands. Donald Trump is a brand. | | | | you will be surprised to see that people will be calling |
| George Foreman is a brand. Paris Hilton is a brand. | | | | you and asking you to speak at an event, rather than |
| They became brands because they were in the public | | | | the other way around. I know people who cold call |
| eye for an extended period of time and they became | | | | 25-30 corporations per day asking them to be booked |
| household names. Sure, it helps to have a successful | | | | at their next conference and I explain to them how |
| boxing career or be the heir to a multi-million dollar | | | | great it would feel if they can stop initiating the call. |
| fortune, but younger speakers can use public relations | | | | Instead of spending numerous hours trying to convince |
| to begin branding themselves. Think of yourself as a | | | | event planners that you are the right person for their |
| corporation. Your corporation would hire a public | | | | engagement, why not have event planners call you. |
| relations firm to inform the public of their existence. | | | | So now hopefully you are convinced that is necessary |
| This process is the same for speakers, authors, and | | | | to develop a strategic public relations campaign if your |
| celebrities. Branding is one of the most important | | | | goal is to become a top-rated speaker. There are |
| aspects of marketing and proper public relations can | | | | thousands of people vying for the same positions, so it |
| be the first step to creating a successful brand. | | | | is essential that you set yourself apart from the crowd. |
| Increase Your Fee | | | | Before contacting an agency, develop a clear set of |
| Once you begin developing your brand as a speaker, | | | | goals and objectives and make sure the firm has a |
| you will become more known in your industry and will | | | | comprehensive understanding of them. Create the |
| soon be referred to as an expert. At this point, it is | | | | Buzz! |