The Business of Being an Author: Speaking Tours




Take the Show on the Road

What I have learned along the journey is that, in order to be a successful author you have to 1) believe in yourself and 2) operate like a business. Simply writing good books is not enough. Way before I finished my first book, I devised a plan. I started the process of thinking about ways to market my book so that I would have a greater impact and achieve global success. I was somewhat confident that I had wrote a great book however I was not as confident about how many people would actually be interested in reading it.

As a self published author, I was responsible for every aspect of my book from the writing process to booking paid speaking gigs, I just needed one person to bite, you know, book me for an event and I knew my God given abilities along with preparation and prayer would take care of the rest. Speaking of God, He did me one better...

Stay Ready

In 2012, well before my first book was published I signed a deal with National Heritage Academies (NHA) to do a 10 School Speaking Tour covering their locations in New York, North Carolina, Pennsylvania etc. to name a few. I almost turned down this opportunity because it was too early and my book was not published. However, always remember, when God calls you, we have an obligation to move!!! The agreement was that I would travel the country on behalf of NHA and speak to students, 6th through 8th grade - rural, suburban and students of color about going to college. I was paid around $10,000. To this day, I am still amazed that people actually get paid to speak. Although $10,000 is what I am regularly paid now for one speaking engagement, it was never about the money. For me, I have always focused on the "outcome" not the "income." Changing people's lives is all that matters.

Demand drove up the cost. Plus, I learned early in the process that "Speakers who speak for free" get taken advantage of. Know your worth. Know your value.


#SpeakingTip
People don't pay to hear you speak, they pay to hear your story!!!

They say if you can make it in New York, you can make it anywhere. It is safe to say, I went down to New York said what I had to say and changed many lives. However, I have changed and saved many lives in many other cities and states as well. New York is cool but I've always believed, if you can make it in Grand Rapids, Mich. you can make it anywhere!!!

Still, no team, no agent, no publicist, or manager, I made my own connections around the country from that 10 school tour and social media, Facebook to be specific. I did this by being personable, approachable, open and charismatic. And guess what? I have not stop traveling. Why? Because I believe that while you are in demand you must take advantage because that window of opportunity won't last forever. I learned on the road that for whatever reasons, other people in other cities and states value you more than say your hometown does. It's okay. I love my city...in spite of.

100 Urban School Tour

Now operating and conducting myself as both an author and businessman, my next move, which turned out to be my best move changed the game...and my tax bracket. I noticed at the previous schools I visited, regardless of the city, there was one common theme for many of the students of color: I was the first and only black speaker that ever visited their school to hangout with them and encourage them. On my plane rides back home, I thought to myself, 10 schools is not enough. More young people, especially our black boys, need to see people who look like them that also know their struggle. One day I posted on LinkedIn and Facebook my intentions to visit 100 Urban Schools and I believe I got a call, DM or inbox message from at least one school in every city in the U.S. - Some schools had the resources while other schools didn't. For the ones that didn't have the resources and could not initially afford for me to visit their school (All 100 schools on the tour had to purchase a minimum of 100 books for their students in order to be eligible for my reduced speaking fee), many parents and teachers joined together and found the money, raised the money in various ways...because for them, their students was important enough to them.

Chase purpose...the money and the success will follow!!!

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