What is a Speakers Bureau?
A Speakers Bureau is a coordinated effort by an organization to distribute the organization’s information, goals and needs. It is an ongoing public relations effort that includes research, strategic market planning, writing, coaching, promotion, monitoring, and evaluation.

What is the purpose of the Speakers Bureau?
A speakers bureau should be considered a continuous program in a library or other non-profit organization aimed at:

• Educating the community about the library.

• Motivating people to donate money or other tangible goods or services.

• Explaining a special endeavor of the group.

• Announcing events or new projects.

• Training and recruiting new volunteers.

• Educating the organization's membership.

This public relations effort is also particularly helpful during a crisis, creating a face-to-face outlet to reach key audiences with the organization's messages as well as to dispel misconceptions about the critical situation.

Speakers can provide more personal contact than a news release that may or may not carry the planned message. The library representative also can respond to specific audience questions, permitting members of the community to hear the message without media interpretation and clarifying fine points.

Key Elements

1. Selecting the Speakers

2. Selecting the Target Audiences

3. Selecting The Message

After recognizing how a speakers bureau is used, the library must determine what specific messages are appropriate to communicate. It is a good idea to begin by posing these questions:

1. What sets your library apart from others?

2. What are you trying to accomplish?

3. What is the primary reason for the bureau's existence (contributions, education, membership)?

4. Whom do you wish to reach?

5. What is the future of your agency?

6. What type of results do you expect?

Topics for Speakers

The library should have a stock presentation explaining the mission of the organization, its program offering, who benefits from or uses these services, and the types of volunteer opportunities that exist. This approach clearly advises the community of the basics regarding the organization and lets an audience know how they can best support your library.

Another planned presentation is a speech focusing on the three or four major goals of the organization for the fiscal year. For example, is a new building being planned or a program introduced? Is there a special need for donor support or a major volunteer recruiting effort under way?

Perhaps an annual theme serves as a primary cause around which the whole organization is rallying. A theme-based speech frequently offers better audience recall, similar to consumers remembering an advertising campaign or slogan.

The library may have a set of topics it considers appropriate for any group. For example programs on developing a lifelong reading plan, or how to find books for particular interests, may have broad-based appeal.

Finally, the library may have a key message it wants to communicate to a particular demographic group, such as senior citizens or school children. In such a case, special presentations may be developed to target this group and utilize an approach applicable to this key audience.

Clearly, a speakers bureau needs several presentations. Because creating an effective program is a time-consuming task, topics must be prioritized. Speeches developed first should have the greatest relevance to the organization or be of the most value to achieving the nonprofit's goals.

Clarity of Purpose

Each topic should be examined to determine the best approach for the individual speech. Is the purpose of the speech to persuade, to inform, or to entertain? Although the primary purpose of a speech is established, multiple purposes may result. For example, the primary goal of a speech may be to make the audience aware of your library, thus informing the audience of its existence and what it offers. The speech may also encourage an audience to donate to the charity's fund-raising efforts, thereby utilizing persuasion. It is even possible to use humorous anecdotes to make key points, providing entertainment value as well.

How to Support Your Speakers

Train your spokespeople before important speeches. Supporting materials will be needed, not only to be professional, but to ensure that everyone speaking for your organization tells the same story.

Elements of a spokesperson package could include:

Excerpts included here from Using Public Relations Strategies to Promote Your Nonprofit Organization
by Ruth Ellen Kinzey.  See resource list at end of Section III.

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