As the owner of an all women speakers bureau for the past seven years, I have received many speaker introduction packages.

Out of respect for your wallet, I would like to offer you my opinion on what is important and what is not in terms of your marketing materials. Of course, I disclaim what I’m about to say with this: as with any introduction you make, it is always best to learn about the company you are approaching and educate yourself on what they might wish to see in particular.

So in a nutshell, here it is for me: e-mail submissions and online bureau (and client) friendly kids are perfect.

I personally am (equally) happiest when I receive e-mail introductions or links to a speaker’s online kit. While mailed packages would definitely have been the standard, we are now in the digital age. Once in awhile, a speaker will send me a folder with various pieces inside, including their bio, a glossy photo, some postcards promoting their services, a DVD, several sheets of client testimonials. This package is attractive, yes. And it is expensive, yes! But I simply don’t need it nor want a pile of packages to file or recycle.

Your e-mail introduction is best laid out in this way:

Body of email:

– Your greeting, along with a brief paragraph (no more than a few sentences) telling who you are
– A list of your attachments
– A link to video of you speaking, 3 minute clip maximum is sufficient (You Tube links showing you speaking are just fine these days. I don’t believe it is worth it for you to spend thousands on video production)
– Your contact information

Attachments:

Your Full Biography – A one page description of who you are, what your speaking expertise is, your most popular speaking topics, and your fee. You may also add a shortlist of the top clients and conferences you have spoken to. Your bio should reflect what makes you stand out, your special achievements, etc.. Spend time branding yourself, as this is the absolute meat of your marketing materials.

Photos – A picture of yourself as well as your book cover if you have one. In terms of a photo, headshots are fine. But other dynamic photos are great too, especially if that photo shows context for what you do (so if you are building schools in Africa, a picture of you in Africa with the students beside the building is nice). Your introduction e-mail, though, should just have one photo attachment. It is worthwhile to get a few different, high quality photos of yourself in general, as you will send these out over and over. And you might opt for one kind of photo depending on the individual or organization you are contacting.

Should you be directing your target contact to a page on your website with bureau/client friendly information, your e-mail introduction should still offer your greeting along with a brief and compelling bio to get your audience interested. Then your e-mail should provide a link that takes them to your information online. This information should include: your full bio, your photo, your top presentation titles, fee range (not always provided online), a video link of you speaking, testimonials, short client list. I always think it is nice to add your contact information so that I know where a speaker resides and how I can best reach them.

The great news about the above is that you don’t need to spend a great deal on print production. Focus your effort on developing concise information that makes you stand out and make it easy to access!

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The Truth About Getting Booked: Brand First!

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