Author – Barrett Cordero – As seen in Forbes
In the keynote speaking industry, you either operate as a freelance speaker or have a representative. While speakers can be successful both ways, at some time in your career you’ll wonder, “Should I have representation?” I know because I have worked with both freelance speakers and speakers with representation as a member of the industry, and people ask for my advice all the time.
You might have representation now and think it might be better to go freelance, or maybe you have been freelance for years and would like to find someone to take care of the small details. Whatever your situation, here are a few things you should consider when making that decision.
What does it cost?
Representation costs. You’re either paying a part- or full-time assistant to take care of your flight details, presentation prep, inquiry/customer communications, and marketing/content generation, or you’re paying a commission to a global speakers bureau for the same services.
How much representation costs depends on how you are represented. Most speakers bureaus or agencies earn a commission from a speaker’s fee. A few agencies charge a monthly fee to have you on their roster. Of course, if you personally hire someone (employed or contracted), you will have to pay wages — and potentially other benefits.
When considering what you want, it’s beneficial to do some cost-analysis factoring in ROI.
When should you get representation?
The truth is this: If your message doesn’t resonate when you’re selling yourself, it’s unlikely to resonate when someone is representing you. While a few representatives might invest the time into improving your presentation, most want a finished product they can sell — not a work in progress.
What does representation entail?
Representation can mean many things. Different speakers have different needs. Before you start searching for someone to represent you, consider what you really need.
For some speakers, representation could just be legal counsel for contracts, while for others it could be someone to take care of travel arrangements and event logistics. Some might want a full agency behind them to provide the whole shebang: contracts, finance, event management, marketing, and sales. Others might want just one person to handle that work.
What types of representation are there?
There are three ways you can be represented in the keynote speaking industry: speakers bureau, talent management firm, or self-representation.
Speakers bureaus, the industry in which I currently work, vary in size and focus but provide the full shebang mentioned above. Bureaus tend to specialize in certain types of speakers, so investigate their websites first before reaching out.
For example, a bureau could focus on booking speakers with businesses or universities, or maybe its speakers are in a similar field: politicians, business titans or celebrities. Bureaus tend to have a select number of exclusives they promote but also work with freelance speakers on a nonexclusive basis.
Talent management firms, on the other hand, represent a small number of exclusive speakers only. These firms are usually run by agents with years of speakers bureau experience; however, they lack the visibility that larger speakers bureaus have.
Finally, there is self-representation. Self-representation doesn’t always mean you are answering the phone yourself (though there are some who do and are very successful at it). Representing yourself can also mean you have your own consulting business and have hired a few people to take care of the speaking event details while you are out on the road consulting.
When you consider representation, consider these four things: What is the cost? Are you getting enough work for representation to make sense? What kind of services do you want? What type of representation do you need?
Once you have the answers to these questions, you’ll know if it makes sense to answer the phone yourself or pay someone to do it for you.