Follow Up Calls To Schedule Speaking Engagements With A VA

Why Follow Up Calls Matter More Than Your Initial Pitch

Many authors send a few emails to event planners and then wonder why they never get booked. The truth is that a single outreach rarely leads to a speaking invitation, even if you are a best selling author. The real leverage sits in consistent follow up calls to schedule speaking engagements after you have introduced yourself with your book. Those calls turn your initial gift into an actual conversation, and conversations are where bookings happen.

The good news is that you do not have to make every call yourself. With a simple system and a short script, a virtual assistant can handle most of your follow up. They can confirm receipt of your book, request a brief call between you and the decision maker, and keep your pipeline organized. That way, you look like a pro, conserve your energy for high level conversations, and still benefit from personal outreach.

This article will show you how to combine book mailings with follow up calls to schedule speaking engagements in a way that feels professional, scalable, and authentic. You will learn how to build your list, what to send, how to hire a VA, and what that VA should say when they call on your behalf.

Step 1: Build A Focused List Of Target Events

Before you make follow up calls to schedule speaking engagements, you need a clear list of where you want to speak. Aim for quality over quantity. Ask yourself which conferences, associations, and private organizations bring together your ideal clients. Those might be industry events, company sales meetings, mastermind retreats, or niche trade associations.

Create a spreadsheet with fifty to one hundred targets. For each one, gather the conference name, website, mailing address, main contact person, email, and phone number. Include notes on event dates, themes, and typical audience size. This document will become the backbone of your outreach and follow up process.

A focused list makes your calls more productive because you know every event on it is a good fit. You are not asking your VA to dial random numbers. You are sending them into conversations with organizations that already serve the exact people you want to reach.

Step 2: Mail Your Book With A Short, Strategic Cover Letter

Once your list is ready, the next step is to mail your best selling book to a few contacts each week. Think of this as your introduction. The book proves your expertise, and the letter explains why you are reaching out. You are leading with value instead of asking for something in the first touch.

In your cover letter, mention the event by name and acknowledge the work they do. Then briefly explain your topic and why it is a match for their audience. Point them to a specific chapter or story in the book that illustrates your approach. For example, you might write, “I know your conference theme this year is about scaling service businesses. If you flip to chapter four, you will see a case study on that exact topic.”

Close by letting them know that someone from your team will follow up to see if they received the book and to explore whether there might be a fit for a future event. This line sets the expectation that a call is coming, which makes your assistant’s job much easier.

Step 3: Hire And Train A Virtual Assistant For Follow Up

With books in the mail, you are ready to set up the follow up system. A virtual assistant is ideal for this role. They can work a few hours a week, handle repetitive tasks, and represent you professionally on the phone. You do not need someone expensive. You need someone reliable, friendly, and comfortable making calls.

When you hire your VA, clarify that their primary job is to make follow up calls to schedule speaking engagements, not to sell your services on those calls. They are simply arranging short get to know you conversations between you and event decision makers. This keeps the role simple and reduces pressure on the VA.

Provide your VA with a list of who received books and when. Give them access to your calendar or a booking link. Share your speaker one sheet and website so they can answer basic questions. With a bit of training, they will quickly become a valuable extension of your brand.

Step 4: Use A Simple Script For Follow Up Calls To Schedule Speaking Engagements

Your VA does not need a complex script. In fact, a simple, respectful approach works best. Here is an example structure for their follow up calls to schedule speaking engagements on your behalf:

• Introduce themselves and who they represent.
• Confirm that the planner received your book.
• Mention that your calendar is filling for upcoming months.
• Ask for a short introductory call between you and the decision maker.

A sample opening might sound like this. “Hi, this is Alex calling on behalf of Rob Kosberg. I am just following up to make sure you received a copy of Rob’s best selling book that we mailed last week. His schedule is filling up for the fall, and we noticed you have your annual conference coming up. We would love to set up a short call between you and Rob to see if there is a fit for that event. Would it be possible to book a brief get to know you conversation with your event director?”

This script is polite, clear, and easy to deliver. The VA is not pushing for an instant yes. They are asking for a simple next step. Event planners are far more likely to agree to a fifteen minute call than to commit to a keynote over the phone. Once you are on that call, your expertise and your book can do the rest.

Step 5: Track Outcomes And Refine Your System

To turn this into a real asset, you need basic tracking. Ask your VA to record the results of each call in your spreadsheet or CRM. They should note whether the book arrived, whether they spoke to the right person, whether an appointment was scheduled, and any relevant comments. Over time, you will see which types of events respond best and which seasons are most active.

Use this data to adjust how many books you send each week and when you send them. If you find that associations book speakers six to nine months out, time your mailings and calls accordingly. If certain industries respond better to email than phone calls, add that channel into the mix. Your process will get smoother and more effective with each cycle.

As your calendar fills, you can increase your speaking fees, prioritize higher value events, and perhaps add a second VA if needed. What began as a simple follow up system becomes a stable source of speaking invitations.

Should You Ever Make The Follow Up Calls Yourself

Some speakers choose to make their own follow up calls, especially when the potential fee is very high. For example, a performer who commands twenty five thousand dollars per keynote might prefer to handle these conversations personally. Their unique background or name recognition can carry extra weight with event planners.

If you enjoy direct outreach and feel comfortable on the phone, you can certainly make calls yourself. However, even in that case, a VA can still pre qualify contacts, confirm book delivery, and handle scheduling logistics. You step in only when a planner is ready for a more detailed conversation. This balance keeps you focused on your highest value activities.

The key is to design a system that fits your personality and stage of business. Some authors love the personal touch and want to be involved early. Others want a team driven process that operates mostly without them until a meeting is set. Both can work as long as follow up remains consistent.

Avoiding Common Mistakes With Follow Up

One of the biggest mistakes is stopping too soon. If you send five or ten books, make a handful of calls, and hear crickets, it is easy to assume the system does not work. In reality, you are still at the very beginning. You have just planted your first seeds. A real process looks like sending books every week, making follow up calls every week, and compounding your efforts over months, not days.

Another mistake is underestimating the value of a “no.” Sometimes a planner will say they already have their speaker lineup for this year. Instead of dropping the relationship, ask when they usually start selecting speakers and whether you can circle back then. Make a note of this in your tracking sheet. When you follow up at the right time next cycle, they will remember your professionalism and persistence.

Finally, avoid sounding desperate on calls. Your VA should never beg for a spot or imply that your business depends on this one event. You and your book bring real value to their audience. The goal is to find out whether that value and their needs match at this time.

Multiplying The ROI Of Each Speaking Engagement

When your follow up calls to schedule speaking engagements bear fruit, you want to make the most of every opportunity. That means doing more than delivering a great talk and leaving. Think in terms of how you will capture leads, make offers, and deepen relationships at each event. Your book helps here too, as you can give copies to attendees or include them in the event’s registration package.

Consider how you will invite attendees into your broader ecosystem after the talk. That might be a free resource from your book, a strategy session, a group program, or a high ticket consulting engagement. When your talk leads to five or ten new clients, the value of that stage multiplies dramatically, even if the initial fee was modest.

This is why a consistent follow up and booking system is so powerful. It is not only about filling your calendar. It is about creating a steady flow of right fit audiences who are ready to take the next step with you after they hear you speak.

Putting Your Follow Up System In Motion

You do not need a big team or complex software to get started. Begin by building your target list and mailing a small batch of books each week. Then bring on a part time virtual assistant and train them on the simple script provided here. Ask them to spend an hour or so each week making follow up calls to schedule speaking engagements and logging the results.

Within a few weeks, you will start to see patterns and opportunities. Some calls will lead to immediate appointments. Others will set the stage for future events. Each touch builds your reputation as a generous expert and a reliable speaker. As you refine the process, you will feel more in control of your speaking career and less dependent on chance invitations.

If you would like help designing your book, your funnel, and your speaking strategy as one cohesive system, consider working with a team that has guided hundreds of authors through the same journey. You do not have to figure it out on your own.