You have decided to launch your new speaking career, but how do you market yourself?

Remember, you now have to become a marketing person as well! Even if you are

represented by an agency, association, whatever, in the end you’re responsible for booking yourself.

If you're just starting a speaking career and don't know how to start marketing yourself, here are a few tips.

1. You are a walking billboard!

Keep in mind that where ever you go you are a marketing yourself. How you look, act, whatever is being watched and measured by potential customers.

Always dress for success. This business casual thing can get you in trouble quick. Remember, you can always dress down not up at a venue. If your audience is in a casual state, ask them if they would mind id you removed your jacket and tie. But be careful here.

Personally I don’t ever dress down – NEVER! I may make humor about it as I call it my Guido look. It always gets a laugh and puts them at ease.

2. Join speaking organizations and network as much as you can!

The Professional Speakers Guild - is an international organization of speakers, trainers, authors and other communications and meeting professionals who have come together to pursue common goals, share their experience, raise industry standards, and improve their ability to achieve satisfying and rewarding careers through the process of providing added value to their clients. Affordable membership without strict previous speaking requirements.

The National Speakers Association – is the leading educational and networking organization for professional speakers! NSA is a national not-for-profit association with thousands of members across the United States. Costly fees and stringent requirements to join. This organization should be set as a goal to reach.

Toastmasters -This organization affords speakers the opportunity to hone and perfect their skills. They hold regular meetings and have chapters all over the United States. Minimal costs local chapters, a great place to hone your skills.

The American Seminar Leaders' Association -is an international association of seminar leaders and coaches who seek to enhance their professional skills and market their products and services more effectively. We assist individuals in assimilating their knowledge and skills into a seminar format. ASLA has trained over 5,000 members from all professions and each becomes an expert in their field. A little pricey for what you get.

2. Create a Portfolio - As a speaker, your promotional kit is your primary marketing tool. It houses everything speaker bureaus and meeting planners expect to see when deciding who to hire for a particular event. Through years of experience in working with top speakers, we've developed a unique speakers promotional kit which Generally they should include, presentation folder specific to your content, bureau-friendly components as a content sheet, bio, testimonials, educational materials, sample client list, a demo video; business card; and letterhead.

3. Get with your Local Library

Libraries in most major cities have access to outstanding resources where you can find places

where you'll be paid to speak.

The value of a library is they have a wealth of expensive directories such as:

Directories, American Business Disk CD-Rom Directory of Different Businesses, Media Week Directory (Annual), Different radio, cable TV Stations, Addresses, Yellow Pages

4. Local Chamber of Commerce

They're in the position to hire speakers and if you join the Chamber of Commerce, you'll meet people in the position to hire you.

5. Develop a web site!

This today is a critical element of your marketing strategy. When your byline appears in articles, make it easy for people interested in your topic to contact you online!

Create titles that will get the immediate attention of buyers, audience and list them on your web!

Add voice .wav file to your intro and if you can a short video of you in action.

6. Product Marketing - It has been proven that product sales from your speaking engagements will bring in the money. Many professional speakers will tell you that their major source of income, upwards of 60%, comes from after market products offered on their web site. CD’s, DVD’s, ebooks, etc. Many people cannot make it to seminars but they will purchase your seminars via the aforementioned media.

Marketing yourself is not easy and can get costly, but weigh the alternative, no marketing no business. Follow the ABC Rule, “Always Be Closing!” Finally, remember you are a walking billboard, how you present yourself will reflect on your business.