I'm looking on the forum for any VAs who work with speakers. (I'd mentioned that I had a chance that came out of the blue to work with an event planner a month or two ago but it didn't work out.)

My background is in freelance writing so I'd like to repurpose content for speakers as well as offer research and admin services. I'm also currently working with a VA Coach, and I'm really excited.

Even though I'm new, I'm good about sharing information and offering support.

Thanks so much,
Jan

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Jan Udlock
Freelance writer, Virtual Assistant,

Hi Jan,

I work with speakers. What would you like to know?

I do not work with the content of the speeches although writing services are part of my portfolio.

I am currently working on a speaker one-page document which will help promote the speaker. I don't plan events or book engagements since my speakers are contacted directly for those events. But once I am aware of the event, I promote that on social media quite extensively.

I also show speakers what they can do to promote their events while they are at the venue, i.e., how to use twitter, hashtags and post photos.

Most speakers I work with offer other services such as coaching. They also offer products such as DVDs, webinars and teleclasses so I work on promoting those services in addition to the speaking engagments.

There are other responsibilities as well but that's the gist.

Janine

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Write that Winning RFP The Job of Ur VA Dreams http://bit.ly/ZJfatV

Thanks, Janine. As usual, you are a wealth of information! I'm putting together my services and working on the content on my website, too.

Jan

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Jan Udlock
Freelance writer, Virtual Assistant,

Oh, Janine, I just remembered my actual question: I'd like to know if any of your speakers can recommend a good book on developing the public speaking business. I've been looking around on Amazon and it's hard to find a recent book that can talk about the product development side of their business.

Thank you,
jan

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Jan Udlock
Freelance writer, Virtual Assistant,

Hi Jan,

If you keyword, 'Start a Motivational Speaking Business' into Amazon, there are a few entries you can view. There is more on the web and lots of tutorials and programs and books there as well.

Keyword using fewer words and more selections appear.

Sorry, I don't have a book on speaking to offer you but I think you can learn heaps from the web and YouTube. Also try your library. Not sure if you have a smart phone but you may also be able to download books using Overdrive or whatever your local library uses.

Janine

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Write that Winning RFP The Job of Ur VA Dreams http://bit.ly/ZJfatV

Hi Janine,
I'm a bit of an information junkie, and I already put some books on hold at the library. And I've been noodling around on the net looking at "repurposing" and there's tons of information.

I've signed up to be part of some LinkedIn speaker groups. And I've searched #speaker to find thought leaders in the field. But I wanted to read an actual speaker book to see what are their "pain points" - what are they needing from a VA? how can I help them increase their credibility on the web.

I should definitely look at tutorials - I don't think to watch videos or YouTube but I need to broaden my experience.

Thanks, again.
j

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Jan Udlock
Freelance writer, Virtual Assistant,

Jan,

My father, who I now work for virtually, is a speaker and has been speaking for 25+ years. He is a huge part of the National Speakers Association and probably could recommend books or resources for people looking to start a speaking career. He's traveling at the moment, but I will check with him and see what suggestions he has.

I have attended the NSA annual convention since I was 8 (they have a youth program that runs beside the "adult" convention), so I know lots of speakers and a little bit about some of their businesses. From my knowledge of the business aspect of many speakers' careers is that they will all likely need different things since they all have different speaking niches. Some speakers are on the road traveling weekly and some may not travel as much. Some primarily work with individuals or small groups, others primarily work with large groups or corporations. Some are up to date and embrace technology, others are not as technically savvy (and may choose not to be). I do know that many of them use VAs because a lot of speakers have an office in their home and may or may not have an assistant that works with them...but goodness knows they probably need one...more so they can focus on the speaking rather than the "business" and administrative aspect of their speaking business.

Not all speakers are "motivational" speakers...and I think that might be one of my pet peeves is that people assume my dad is a motivational speaker when I tell them he's a speaker. I think there are much fewer motivational speakers out there than people think, it's just that they are the ones that generally get all of the "recognition" because of their platform. (Kinda the way not all attorneys are litigators and in the court room...)

For my dad, the most beneficial thing I do for him is to keep track of the little things he needs to do - update training manuals for seminars, update ebooks that correspond with upcoming webinars/workshops, etc. - so he can focus on the "higher level thinking" things that he is so good at, even though that's not what he necessarily hired me to do. He hired me to handle the 3 newsletters he sends out on a once a week rotation, to help him build a new membership based website and become the manager of that website and member services, to market the website and blogs, and to facilitate the webinars he conducts at least monthly. He has another girl in his office that handles all of his speaking engagements - scheduling, fee arrangements, travel arrangements, getting materials where they need to go, etc.

Hopefully that will give you some insight as to what speakers need and might look for in a VA and also a little more insight into the world of speakers...it can be a crazy place!

Good luck!

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Jill Scott
VA/Consultant

Hi,

As an event and meeting planner as well as a leadership support specialist, I have been working with speakers for 20 years. A great place to learn about speaking is Toastmasters International. My best advice would be that there are a tremendous amount of details to attend to, so be sure to foster relationships with planners and speaker bureaus.

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Rachael Alford Want to expand your business by providing crowdfunding design or support?

Yes, definitely Toastmasters International. I've been with them for a total of 4 years. There are no strangers in TM; just friends (AND NETWORKING OPPORTUNITIES) who haven't yet met.

Originally Posted by Blessedmomof5

Oh, Janine, I just remembered my actual question: I'd like to know if any of your speakers can recommend a good book on developing the public speaking business. I've been looking around on Amazon and it's hard to find a recent book that can talk about the product development side of their business. Thank you, jan

I don't have a book per se to recommend, but because of the caliber of speaker I work with she gets TONS of requests for info on "breaking in" to the business so we have created a link to her tips of the trade. If you are interested, just message me!