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Business Associations and Hiring Resources by Scott S. Smith

Many regional and national organizations bring together buyers for speaking engagements at regional and national showcases:

  • Hospitality and Sales Marketing Association

  • American Society of Association Executives

  • Society of Human Resource Management

  • Insurance Conference Planners Association

  • Meeting Professionals International

  • The International Association of Speakers Bureaus

  • The National Association of Campus Activities

    • At nonshowcase meetings, have an exhibit table to make contacts. You can also place ads in newsletters and use direct mail to members.

    ssential

    Be aware that meeting planners at companies usually do not make the final decision about whether to hire a speaker. The planner's boss may be the one that does this or it could be someone else. But you want to market to the planners because getting them enthusiastic about you may influence the decision.

    Douglas Publications, at www.salesmansguide.com, publishes four printed and CD-Rom directories about organizations and companies that hire speakers: Corporate Meeting Planners; Medical Meeting & Event Planners; Association Meeting & Event Planners; Religious Meeting & Event Planners.

    There are 7,500 organizations listed in a reference book that can be found at many libraries: The National Trade and Professional Associations of the United States.

    The largest online speaker-matching service is www.speakermatch.com, which has over 1,000 speakers and 3,000 organization members who hire them.

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