The Six-Figure Speaker: Formula for a Six-Figure Income As a Professional Speaker (Paperback)

by Cathleen Fillmore (Author)
Key Phrases: meeting planners, referral strategy, speaking industry, Speaker Cathleen Fillmore, Chris Widener, Sarah Fitting (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description
"The Six-Figure Speaker" shows professional speakers a variety of ways to earn a high six figure income doing what they love to do. Cathleen Fillmore openly shares what she's learned operating a bureau and working with individual speakers over the years. She's also interviewed some of the world's top paid speakers and discovered that not one has taken a strictly conventional route to success. They talk candidly about what has worked for them and what pitfalls speakers need to avoid. Cathleen has held nothing back in her straight talk with speakers on how they can create their own formula for six-figure success in the professional speaking arena. She suggests a few different routes to take and some to absolutely avoid on the way to the top. There is information in this book that you won't find anywhere else.

Product Details

• Paperback: 166 pages
• Publisher: Robert Reed Publishers (January 2008)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1931741921
• ISBN-13: 978-1931741927
• Product Dimensions: 8.8 x 6 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 10.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #63,631 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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  #68 in	Books > Reference > Business Skills > Public Speaking

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

11 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars "Solid Gold" public speaking marketing, December 6, 2007

By	Reader Views "www.readerviews.com" (Austin, Texas) - See all my reviews

Reviewed by Tyler R. Tichelaar for Reader Views (12/07)

First, let me say this book is not for beginners. It's not filled with tips on how to be an effective speaker. It has nothing to do with how to project your voice, how to organize a speech, or how to overcome shyness. This book is for the public speaker ready to take it to the next level, the speaker who is ready to go out and speak professionally to organizations and make large sums of money, starting at $2,500. If you're that person, read this book. If you're shy, read another book first. If you're still learning to be a public speaker, but you're passionate about it, read this book so you can take your career to the next level. This is the book every public speaker should use as a roadmap toward career success.

That said--one fault of the book is it is not a how-to manual. It doesn't provide a step-by-step listing of how to create your public-speaking career. But it overcomes that small fault by the wide variety of information and viewpoints it provides. The book contains 31 short articles about speaking professionally. These articles are predominantly by Cathleen Fillmore, but she has several guest speakers who write articles or are the focus of the articles as well.

The book is less about public speaking than about how to market yourself as a public speaker and how to get paid what you deserve. The individual chapters or essays cover everything from how to market yourself as a public speaker using a website, to figuring out how much to charge for your speeches, and turning down speaking engagements if they are not right for you. What I found most informative was the information about speaker bureaus that will help you find speaking engagements if you sign up with them. The book contains many examples of how to use speaker bureaus to your advantage, and also how to maintain a positive relationship with a bureau. As the president of the Speakers Gold bureau, Cathleen Fillmore is the type of authority you want to provide you this advice.

Overall, "The Six-Figure Speaker" opened my eyes to the possibilities as a professional speaker. As an author myself who is often asked to give presentations, I found it extraordinarily helpful in providing motivation and direction for a speaking career. I highly recommend it to anyone interested in becoming a public speaker. The book is worth it just for all the resources to other websites and books. I also appreciated the section for notes in the back--I took plenty while reading. Go out and buy "The Six Figure Speaker." Don't be a public speaker without it!

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Thought it was going to be a rip-off of another book on the subject but ended up LOVING it!!!!, February 17, 2008

By	FunnyBaldMan (Michigan) - See all my reviews

To be totally honest I thought this book was going to be a total rip-off of Jane Atkinson's book The Wealthy Speaker. The cover, etc. looked a little too similar to me. I thought I'd order it to check it out to be sure and I'm THRILLED I did.

Are you a speaker just starting out or a seasoned pro? I'm sure if you are in either group you'll enjoy this book. She covers putting your one sheet together, dealing with bureaus, etc. It's NOT a copy of Jane's book and a wonderful addition to any speaker's library. Jane's book offers more of a step by step plan to get from where you are to being the "Wealthy Speaker" but, I think Cathleen offers a lot of other useful information that's not in Jane's book. From websites to one sheets, bureaus to referrals, repeat clients to getting new clients, it's ALL in here. As another reviewer wrote "it has nothing to do with how to project your voice, how to organize a speech, or how to overcome shyness. " I do think it's a book that was designed for people that are already in the business BUT... I think it's also for those even thinking about getting into the business. Be the end of this book you'll know what a ride you are in for, how the business works, etc. It's good to have a jump start.

This book is VERY under-priced. Buy it NOW before Cathleen comes to her senses and charges what it's really worth.

It's time to read this book again with my highlighter in hand.

John Pullum
Corporate Entertainer, Motivational Keynote Speaker
www.John-Pullum.com

5.0 out of 5 stars Practacal Advice in digestable chunks, October 29, 2008

By	Steven Savage "Steve Savage" (California) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This book uses the model of having short essays by or about certain speakers and their advice. Each essay focuses on a given subject and they're roughly grouped together.

What this turns into is a very useful book where little is wasted - each essay is useful in its own way, and if there's something you can't use, it doesn't dominate the book.

The advice itself is pure gold - practacal, spelled out, and focused. In fact, even if you're not a speaker, or only tangentally interested in speaking as part of a career, this book has a lot of good and solid business and personal advice. Once you read it, it's worth noting good advice for anyone else you know, because a lot of it applies to any situation.

If there's a flaw, its that many of the essays are rah-rah types, pretty much what you'd expect from and about speakers. So I'd cut it some slack.

Definitely a worthwhile read for any one even remotely involved in speaking.