Working with the Speakers Bureau: a Cheat Sheet

Working with the Speakers Bureau: A Cheat Sheet

Whatever stage you’re at in your planning process, the Penguin Random House Speakers Bureau is here to help make your author visit as smooth as possible from start to finish. We want to be your starting pointing in helping to create an extraordinary program for your students.

Need suggestions? We recognize the time, effort, and challenges that go into producing a successful FYE program, and we’ll make the process as easy as possible for you. We’ve worked with hundreds of FYE programs over the years, and we know that hosting the author of the common reading selection on campus can be one of the most rewarding elements. We can help you develop a list of potential speakers; determine which authors are available; investigate fees to ensure the visit meets your budget; and advise whether an author’s availability suits your schedule. We believe an author visit is an integral part of the adoption process and therefore there is absolutely no cost or commitment involved in this “discovery phase.”

Need speaker availability and fees? If you have a list of possible books you are considering, we’ll be happy to look into the availability and speaking fees for all authors on your list. Even if your list includes authors not on our roster, we have great relationships across the industry and can help you navigate the world of speakers bureaus and gather information on your behalf.

Have you already selected your book? If you already have an author in mind, we will help you quickly find out if the speaker is within your budget and available for the date of your event. If for some reason they are not, we can help you find alternatives suitable for your program.

We have selected a book and the author is available for speaking! What next?

• Books: We can help you coordinate a book purchase with your campus bookseller, or a local bookstore, or help you place an order directly through Penguin Random House for a discounted bulk order.

• Logistics: We handle booking travel, creating an itinerary for the campus visit, and working with the author to tailor the content of the lecture for your campus. One of our 16 full-time lecture agents will be personally assigned to your event, serving as a dedicated liaison between you and the author during the entire planning process, guaranteeing a successful, worry-free event.

Helpful hints:

• If you are already in contact with Penguin Random House’s Academic Marketing department about a book, you do not need to start from scratch when booking the author. We work in tandem with our colleagues in Academic Marketing and will ensure the process is easy for you.

• Most standard author visits include a keynote speech, Q&A session, and book signing. It is very important that any activities beyond this be discussed from the beginning of the planning process to ensure a memorable event for your students while also respecting the author’s professional and personal schedules.

• Even if the author is not available for a multiple-day visit on campus, your programming can still be extended beyond the keynote speech. We are happy to help you find innovative and creative ways to further highlight the book’s themes and messages on your campus.

• Just call us! Even if you’re not sure where to start with your inquiry, we will help you or quickly find someone who can.