Caryn Speaks Easy

Time Is On My Side

2011-06-08T11:18:00.005-05:00

"By the time we've made it, we've had it." - Malcolm Forbes

I recently enjoyed a vacation with my family. We had a wonderful time together at the beach. However, there was so much to do when I came back that it made me question the decision to go on vacation in the first place.

There has to be an easier way, right?

Pamela Slim shows me that you can keep from losing your mind. Check out her blog post, 10 ways to maintain your sanity while hustling your startup.

You don't have to be in the startup phase of your business to benefit from this blog. Check it out and get time BACK on your side.

Everyday Super HARO

2011-05-18T08:18:00.005-05:00

"I'm just your average ordinary everyday superhero." - Smash Mouth

Meeting and event planners don't hire speakers. They hire experts. So how do you become the expert?

Publicity helps. Being quoted in the New York Times goes a long way toward establishing yourself as the expert. If you don't have the budget to hire a professional PR firm, there are other options. You can do it yourself. One of the most effective and economical (it's free) tools out there is HARO.

HARO = Help A Reporter Out
HARO is a great resource for reporters looking for subject matter experts to quote or ask questions for articles. The process is simple. You can have your own PR in 3 easy steps.

1. Sign up: Go to the website and enter your name and email address.
2. Get information: read the email notifications you receive daily.
3. Submit your pitch: find a query you're a match for and respond.

Step 3 is the most difficult. Most people want to give their entire life story in a query response. You need to keep it simple and concise. Give a little information about yourself including your experience. Address the specific request. Include your web site but don't expect the reporter to check it out. They are on a deadline and will usually read what you send. I suggest the following template. Just tweak it to fit the query you're responding to.

Template*
Good Morning,
My name is ___ and I am an author, speaker and expert on ___.(use the topic you're pitching) I have over ___ years of experience and am the author of ___, the book on ___ and how it impacts ___. I hold degrees in ___ and focus on ___.

My strategies have been featured on OR I have been interviewed by ___. OR I have worked with: (corporate examples like Coca Cola)

For your article on: QUERY SUBJECT LINE

If you have any questions or need additional information, you can reach me at ___ or emailaddress.com.

Sincerely,
The Expert
mywebsite.com

You have nothing to lose. This is a great free service. Who knows. Before long you too could be an everyday Super HARO.

*Template created by Michael Hart, PR Expert.

Do Unto Others

2011-05-11T10:25:00.003-05:00

"I'm a true believer in karma. You get what you give, whether
it's good or bad." - Sandra Bullock

Alabama recently experienced one of the most devastating disasters in the state's history. Wednesday April 27, there were 312 tornadoes that ripped through the state causing damage and claiming lives. I have lived here all my life and have never seen anything like it.

The damage was shocking, but the after math was even more surprising. Buildings are gone. There were injuries and fatalities. There was no power or water. Trees blocked roads and access to assistance. However, in the middle of the chaos, there was hope.

People came together to help each other out. Neighbors helping neighbors. People who lost almost everything, reaching out to those who lost more. Disaster created need and the community came together to respond. Every agency, non-profit and church mobilized and acted immediately. Donations poured in. Shelters went up. Food, clothing and other supplies were handed out.

It will take years to rebuild what was lost in the storm but we'll get there. Thank you to everyone who has volunteered or helped out a neighbor. I believe it will come back to you....hopefully, when you need it the most.

What you bring to the table

2011-04-20T13:38:00.007-05:00

"Never, ever, ever get in the front of the room without something to sell in the back of the room." - Monica Cornetti

There are many articles, videos and blog posts on how to sell product in the back of the room. Don't believe me? Google the phrase "selling product in the back of the room." However, today we aren't going to discuss the HOW. Today we are going to discuss the WHAT and WHY.

WHY?
You're a professional speaker. By definition, you get paid to speak. Why do you need to spend time creating product for the back of the room? You're busy. You don't have time to write a book. You travel 200+ days a year. You couldn't possibly record an audio product. That stuff is complicated and you don't have the right equipment.

If you really believe that, you have just limited your income forever.

Product is an important part of establishing your expertise. Authors are perceived as subject matter experts. You can get additional speaking engagements and revenue by being published. If you create an introduction CD to go with your book, you have a package. Add consulting to that and you have just increased your average sale.

If you have great content, you're doing your audience a disservice by not offering them additional information. I can't absorb everything you teach in 45 minutes. I might need to hear or see the message again to get that 1 critical learning point. You don't have a CD? Now what am I supposed to do? You have just irritated and disappointed a potential fan.

WHAT?
So what does product mean to your business? If you don't have product to sell in the back of the room, you are leaving money on the table. There are speakers who make more money in product sales than fees. You might be happy with less than double, but you'll never know if you don't try.

There are many products to offer. You don't have to offer them all. Pick what works for you and try that. You hate to write? Focus on CDs. You love step by step assistance? Create a workbook. Make the process simpler by going with a platform you enjoy.

It doesn't have to be a complicated or expensive. There are free resources available now for almost everything. Once you decide on a platform, research the tools. Most resources can be created for minimal cost. Free Conference Call.com is a great resource. You can record a phone call and download the file to your computer.....for FREE. It doesn't get any cheaper than that.

If you need help, ask me. I post resource information and other marketing tips on my Facebook page. You might also consider attending training that will walk you through the process like BEvents. If you need help, its out there.

The next time you're in the front of the room, look at the table in the back. No matter what's there, you should see opportunity.

Three is a Magic Number

2011-04-06T09:37:00.004-05:00

"Action is the foundational key to all success. " - Pablo Picasso

The social media question I hear the most is, "How do I grow my network? How do I get more friends, likes and connections?"

The answer is simple. Three is a magic number.

You must focus on a single platform at a time. So pick the one that works the best for you and start there. The process is the same for any of the platforms.

You want to reach out to 3 people you don't know or want to know better every day.
Spend 30 minutes on the site looking around. You want to post a question, comment, or discussion 3 days a week.
Repeat the process for 3 weeks.

You can increase the amount of time you spend growing your network if you like, but 3 is the foundation. If you apply this process, you will see growth.

The process is the same for each platform but the details vary a little. If you want to grow your Twitter followers, you will retweet 3 other posts. On Facebook, you should comment on 3 posts of new connections. Discussions are the most powerful tool on Linked In. You will start or comment on (you guessed it) 3 discussions. If you want to add readers, comment on 3 blogs that compliment your area of expertise.

Social media is a powerful tool to grow your business. Connections equal dollars. However, you can waste a tremendous amount of time on social networking sites without any benefit. By having a plan of action, you reduce the amount of time you waste and increase growth. After all, 3 is a magic number.

Getting Linked In In 5 Easy Steps

2011-03-31T16:29:00.007-05:00

Step 1: Complete your profile.

No one wants to be the friend of someone they don't know. Make it easy for them. Complete your profile. There is a bar graph right on the profile page that tells you how complete you are and what steps you need to take to be 100% complete. What could be easier than that? A few things to keep in mind.

Ask for recommendations. You have happy clients. Ask them to recommend you. Nothing says more about you than third party endorsement.
Add your contact information. Make it easy for people to find you, your web site, phone number, email.
Complete your past education and experience. People want to know that you know what you're talking about. Been doing it 30 years? Tell me about it.
Keep your summary short and direct. Most people won't read 13 pages of summary. Assume you get 3 sentences and make them work for you. Be wordy in the experience NOT the summary.

Step 2: Join Groups

You can join up to 50 groups. There is no reason not to join 10 immediately. It is the quickest way to connect with other people.

Assert your expertise with your groups. Are you a member of NSA or ASTD? Join the groups and show it.
Connect with people who already love you. Your sorority or Toastmaster buddies already know and love you. Some of them might be able to hire you.
Join groups your potential clients are in. Did the majority of your work come from banks last year? Join financial groups.
Do you need more connections? Join Top Linked. It is the easiest and fastest way to get connected to more professionals.

Step 3: Get Connected

You have to connect to other people. Once you are a member of a group, you share common ground. Go through the groups one at a time and invite the other members. Sounds simple but most people don't do it. Your goal is 500 connections in the first 30 days. If you join Top Linked and personally invite a few from groups everyday, you'll be amazed at how easy it is to reach this goal.

Step 4: Become the Expert

No one hires speakers. They hire experts. Establish yourself as the expert. Comment on a discussion. Answer a question. Post a news article, preferably one you wrote. After you have joined a few groups, check out the discussions. Throw your .02 in. This is how people will come to recognize you and your expertise. Remember those discussions go out to all the members of the group. You can show 19,000 people that you are the one who has the answers.

Step 5: Do it

It only works if you actually do it. It won't take long. You can accomplish this in 20 minutes a day. You don't even have to do it everyday. Try it 4 days a week. Once you get the process down, you'll breeze right through it. The object is to keep it simple and manageable. Don't inflict too much process on the steps.

You can do it. We'll help.

Can you hear me now?

2011-03-23T18:48:00.004-05:00

"Every choice you make has an end result." - Zig Ziglar

A colleague of mine called me earlier this week. She was very upset from a phone call and wanted to discuss it.

A salesman called her to let her know her name came up at least a dozen times at a recent NSA Conference. The salesman went on to ask if my colleague would like to purchase a booth at the National Convention. Then the salesman proceeded to ask her if she had any experience working with professional speakers.....3 times.

I find this amazing. Why would her name be mentioned at professional speaker's conference if she didn't work with speakers? Why would she be interested in a booth at the conference if she didn't work with speakers? And why.....oh why.....wouldn't the salesman take a few minutes to look her up on line and find out BEFORE calling and asking her to spend money?

There is no excuse for a cold sales call these days. Thanks to Google, Facebook, Twitter and Youtube, you can find out more than you ever needed to know about most people. At the very least you can find out what service is listed on their web site.

Nothing makes a better impression with a potential new client than knowing about them and what they do. It leads to better questions, which get better answers and more sales. So in this day and time, why wouldn't you do your research before picking up the phone? My colleague was so offended by this salesman's line of questions and lack of knowledge, she would never buy anything from him. If he had taken the time to even glance at her web site he would know she has an impressive (and lengthy) list of professional speaker clients.

NSA has amazing conferences and there is tremendous potential there for speaker vendors. Too bad this negative experience might keep others from having a positive one at the next conference.

No offense to Shakespeare

2011-03-15T14:53:00.011-05:00

"What's in a name? That which we call a rose By any other name would smell as sweet." - William Shakespeare

No offense to Shakespeare, but I disagree.

The name matters and looks are important....when it comes to your marketing material. Marketing material should be polished and professional. Often, you only have seconds to capture a potential clients interest. If the title of your presentation is boring or your marketing materials aren't polished.....time's up.

Let's take a closer look at one sheets. Most professional speakers and trainers have a one sheet. This is a summation of your expertise, topics, and experience in an attractive and easy to email package. Every good one sheet should have the following 7 elements.

1. Source file of head shot or other photo
You need a professional head shot. There are economical options available. This is the first thing most people see so it should be a good representation of who you are. Do you want to speak to large groups? Include a photo of you in front of a large crowd.

2. Source file of logo
Does your logo work? Can someone glance at it and understand what you do? If the answer is no, then it might be time to update your logo.

3. List of topics - no more than 5
You want to establish expertise and you can't be the expert on 20 different topics. Try to limit the topics listed to 5. If you have more, then you might consider consolidating.

4. Short description of each topic
You should include a short description of each topic. Try to avoid jargon or complicated language. If your client doesn't understand the description, they probably won't select the topic (or you).

5. Testimonials - 3-5
Every speaker has been told they are great so try to include specifics for your testimonials. Any ROI statement or action item is ideal. "You are the greatest speaker ever" will do in a pinch but nothing beats, "after hearing ___, I implemented ____ and got ____. Best money I spent. Ever".

6. List of previous clients
This is a good way to let your potential clients know you have some experience. Just getting started? Skip it until you have a decent list or start volunteering.

7. Bio and experience
The most common mistake speakers make is the bio. Most people make it all about themselves. What? Isn't a bio supposed to be about you? Nope. The bio should give information about you but is really about what's in it for the client. Focus on your end user and you'll get it.

I love the graphic designer I work with. Kimb does amazing work and has one sheet experience.

Still not convinced? Take a look at the difference a good one sheet can make. The one sheets included in this blog include the same information. Which one would you want to represent you?

Sorry Shakespeare, but I'll take the rose.

Doing as I say

2011-03-08T12:47:00.003-06:00

"Do as we say, and not as we do." - Giovanni Boccaccio

I was on the phone earlier today with a potential new client. He called me based on the referral of a colleague. After chatting a while, he confessed, "I almost didn't call you after checking out your blog." I gasped, "OH NO!"

Talk about a reality check. I preach about process. It's all about the process. Everything you do should be process driven. Your blog should drive people to your Facebook page and the Facebook page should drive people back to your blog.

Well that only works when you actually write in your blog. Yes, it's true. I have neglected writing in my blog. It has been months since I posted. Now I would have a fit if a client of mine had done this but I am guilty.

I've been busy.
I'm working on a new web site.
I have a lot going on.

There's no excuse. I work with professional speakers all over the country who spend all day training and still have time to network through Meetups, get out a newsletter, write a blog, post a LinkedIn discussion and comment on Facebook.

The process is what drives sales and clients. If you neglect the process, any part of the process, communication breakdown is inevitable. Why should a client trust me with the task of maintaining their social media if I neglect my own?

I am committed to the process for each and every client. I am now also committed to the process for myself. You will definitely be hearing from me again...soon.

Stop the bleeding

2010-05-26T10:16:00.003-05:00

"Any fact that needs to be disclosed should be put out now or as quickly as possible, because otherwise the bleeding will not end. " - Henry A. Kissinger

It has taken BP a month to realize there is a problem. How long will it be before you stop the bleeding?

Most professional speakers are small business owners who wear many hats. You are in charge of your marketing, sales, social media maintenance, BOR, product creation, accounting, scheduling, transportation, reservations and oh yes.....actually speaking.

It is easy to get lost or bogged down in the details. The best way to prevent that is to have a plan and stick to it. It sounds simple but I know it isn't. (I had to be reminded that I need to post a blog entry.) The primary function of your plan should be to make you money. Every action you take should generate income, collect income or lay the groundwork to make more income. Again, this sounds simple but it is easy to forget.

Most professional speakers have a Facebook page. Most professional speakers don't make any money with it. It has to be profitable if it is going to take your time. Facebook is great if you generate additional connections, create leads, promote your next program. Anything that establishes expertise or positive exposure is a sound time investment. Even personal (don't go nuts) details can be beneficial if they show your personality and create a bond with your connections. I might reach out to you if I know you're a Beatles fan or you love dogs.

I say that to say this....if it doesn't make you money.....think twice before you do it. Stop the bleeding. If you know you have a stack of cards from your last presentation you need to follow up with, then do it. You won't book any speaking engagements if you don't follow up with the leads you have. Stay on plan and focus on the process. If you continue to grow your list and follow up, the booking engagements will come....and last time I checked.....those generate income.

What do you speak about?

2010-04-14T21:38:00.000-05:00

"An expert is somebody who is more than 50 miles from home, has no responsibility for implementing the advice he gives, and shows slides." Edwin Meese

What do you speak about?

Most new speakers would answer, "Whatever you will pay to hear." While the attitude is great, the answer is not. You have to make a few decisions. It is too easy to locate a good speaker these days. People no longer want to hire a speaker. They want to hire THE EXPERT. Are you THE EXPERT?

You cannot afford to be a Jack of all trades and a master of none. While there are some truly talented speaking professionals, most of the successful ones focus on a single concept. Some will take it a step further and focus on a single concept for a single industry. Finding your niche is a sure way to find your target audience and establish yourself as THE EXPERT.

You also have to know what you speak on and be able to verbalize it. Sound silly? You would be amazed at how many professional speakers can't answer that question. You must be clear and concise. If it takes you more than 6 minutes to explain it or you use trendy jargon, you've already lost me. I'm off some where in my head singing show tunes. Your description should get AND keep my attention. If you do it right, I will be able to repeat the information later.

Most of the time it comes down to strategic planning. Decide which topic works best for you and how you want to present the concept to an audience. If you're a speaker, the information is in you. Now all you have to do is get it out.

Any Other Name

2010-03-24T10:12:00.003-05:00

"What's in a name? That which we call a rose by any other name would smell as sweet. " - William Shakespeare

No offense to Shakespeare, but I disagree. It is ALL about the name.

In today's high paced, low attention span world, you only have a second to capture some one's attention. We are inundated with emails, phone calls, commercials, ads, solicitations, billboards, social media updates, texts and mail. If you want to get and keep some one's attention, you have to reach out and grab them.

Let's take a look at titles. As a professional speaker, you are called upon to create and name your own presentations. This can be a challenge. Do you think people want to hear about Leadership or How to recover from a monumental mistake? Do you think your audience prefers Communication Skills or How to eat crow and like it (trademarked title Dawn Jones). What about Project Management or Why your project is doomed. In order to train or speak effectively, first you require an audience. The best way to achieve that is with the title. I can't tell you how much time I've spent consulting on nothing more than brainstorming presentation or book titles. It is your first impression.

Let's take a look at emails. Most folks send out an ezine or other form of email blast. What is your open rate? If it's less than 20%, you might want to consider reworking the subject line.
The subject line should be concise and inviting. Using a six word question works wonders. What is your fan page missing? This might get your attention. How about Secrets of a social media princess. You might also consider Mistakes that can kill your business. (Mistakes and secrets are tremendous attention grabbers.) If you want your email to be read, it all starts in the subject line.

Take a look at your titles. Examine your email blasts or even job title. There are many ways to grab some one's attention, but more ways to lose it.

When Michael Hart Speaks

2010-03-17T12:49:00.003-05:00

"Whoever controls the media, the images, controls the culture." Allen Ginsberg

The media can be very fickle. Whether newspapers, magazines, radio or television, what they consider newsworthy today is outdated tomorrow. Much of this is due to the rapid news cycle world we live in. However, in the case of business related news, this cycle spins much slower because business news is rarely breaking.

But the key point to learn before we start is this:

Unlike breaking news where the shelf life might be days, even hours, business news can be pertinent for day's even weeks. However a story that gets no "legs" today may very well be a hot subject tomorrow. This happens for a variety of reasons ranging from a slow news day to changes in the industry that affect the local story. Sometimes a reporter may just have a bad day or simply not need the story.

There are stories that a reporter might decline one week and show up at your office in hopes of getting the full story the next week. However, things change and you can become a hot source overnight.

Press releases are not magic. They rarely do all the heavy lifting. You will have to contact the reporters/producers you send it to. Some PR folk will tell you to fax blast your release or put it up on a dozen news wires. Of course if you send 1000 releases across the country you cannot possibly contact everyone. BIG HOWEVER - You might want to consider focusing on local or regional exposure, not creating a national media campaign.

Remember that it shouldn't be about getting tons of press releases into the market with the hopes you get some coverage. You should specialize in getting publicity that can be converted into measurable profit gains. Let the guru's teach you how to get publicity that strokes your ego.

Regardless of how many PR pros you talk to - press releases are not an exact science. There is some flexibility and despite what they say - creativity. There are however several absolutes. By studying and following the format you will greatly increase the chances your releases will get you the attention you desire.

If you want to know more about press releases or marketing, please check out:
http://michaelhartspeaks.com/Michaels_Free_Tips.html

When Michael Hart speaks you should be listening. But only if you want to grow your business

Technology For Today

2010-03-11T16:45:00.002-06:00

"Technology gives us the facilities that lessen the barriers of time and distance." Emily G. Balch

The industry isn’t the same as it used to be. The good old days meant that as a speaker all you needed was a phone and a rolodex. Those days are gone. You can’t just keep up. You have to stay one step ahead. There are some great technological advances, that if embraced can actually save time, energy and money. Let’s examine three basic, cost effective options.

Webinars

The term webinar is short for web-based seminar and is a presentation, lecture, workshop or seminar that is transmitted over the Web. The webinar is the most interactive and allows the most participation between the audience and presenter.

It allows much more flexibility to the instructor because it makes it easier to touch more audiences in a single day. A webinar presenter can give multiple presentations while a live speaker is limited to one or two. The audience is only restricted by technology versus location.

The audience can ask questions without disrupting the presentation. The speaker can take the pulse of the audience by posting a text question and actually change the outcome of the presentation by appropriately reading and responding to the participants. Plus it is hard to beat giving a program in your bunny slippers from the comfort of your own home.

There are great benefits for the meeting planner as well. Because everything is virtual, there are no travel, airfare, hotel or meal expenses to pay for the instructor. A lot of speakers offer these types of programs for reduced rates for the convenience of delivery from the comfort of their living room. The participation rates can increase because none of the attendants have to worry about travel expenses either.

The meeting planner doesn’t have to secure a venue. The savings in meals and room rental alone can have a tremendous impact. The webinar service itself is also reasonable. Most come with a cafeteria style menu where you can select, and pay for, what suits your needs. Because everything can be downloaded by the individual participants, this method of education is completely green. The meeting planner doesn’t have to spend time, money or resources printing handouts. Plus, if you miss it, that’s ok. These sessions are archived online for fast and easy retrieval.

Teleseminars

Teleseminars are telephone based presentations. They are extremely similar to webinars but lack the interaction that so many customers desire. My company had a recent request from a large industry association to host a series of teleseminars. This is new for this particular association and the participation numbers are high for a teleseminar so I asked the planner about the change. She let me know that attendance at their recent annual conference was down due to budget restrictions on travel. By offering a teleseminar series, they can bring the necessary education to all of their members regardless of location for a fraction of the price of booking speakers for a multiple day conference.

Podcasts

Podcasts are normally a series of audio files that are available on line. There is usually no interaction between the facilitator and the audience. However, all technology has its place. There is an extremely successful health and wellness speaker that has grown his empire over the last year fifteen minutes at a time. He gets up every day, seven days a week, and loads a fifteen minute podcast on ITunes. He has done this for a year and now has a following of over 16,000 people all over the world. Pretty cool, huh?

The main thing to remember with any technology is that is works for you if you know how to work with it. Select the platform that works best for you and get started.

It's all about the process

2010-02-09T21:27:00.002-06:00

"I put my heart and my soul into my work, and have lost my mind in the process." - Vincent Van Gogh

Anyone who has known or worked with me for any length of time, has heard me say, "It's all about the process." It is. Marketing is a process. Everything you do should be part of the overall process that moves you forward. It takes many pieces to make a puzzle. Are you putting your puzzle together or jumping back and forth between puzzles? Sure, you might get it eventually. But why would you want to lose your mind in the process?

You can't do everything. You can't. Embrace this concept. Not everything will work for you and you won't be great at everything. The key is realizing what does work for you and focusing on that. Facebook might not be for you. Linked In might drive you crazy. Writing a blog might cause you to have heart palpitations. Figure out what works for you...and do that.

The first obstacle is mapping out a strategic plan. It doesn't have to be complicated, but you need a plan. You need to understand how you are going to move forward, what actions should be taken and develop strategy to accomplish your goal. If strategic planning stresses you out, get some help.

Once your plan is in place, break it down into small manageable pieces. Go further by breaking each piece into steps over a period of time. For example if your master plan includes Facebook, don't try to master it in a day. Give yourself enough time to grasp how it works without killing yourself by doing it 5 hours a day. Respect the process.

Repetition is your friend. Very few sales are made on the first call. Most people don't lose all their weight the first week. Plan, take action, repeat. Spaced repetition is underrated.

It will take a little time if you do it in steps but you won't lose your mind in the process.

Remarkablogger Michael Martine

2010-02-04T11:59:00.001-06:00

http://remarkablogger.com/2010/02/04/open-discussion-what-are-you-measuring/

Top 10 Subject Line Words That Get Opens

2010-01-31T18:35:00.000-06:00

http://www.webpronews.com/topnews/2009/07/06/top-10-subject-line-words-that-get-opens

Get Linked In in 30 minutes

2010-01-24T15:33:00.002-06:00

"Do or do not. There is no try." Master Yoda

In order for your social media strategy to be successful, you have to do it. Let's start with Linked In. We'll take it in 5 easy steps.

Linked In

Step 1: Complete your profile.

- Ask for recommendations. You have happy clients. Ask them to recommend

you. Nothing says more about you than third party endorsement.

- Add your contact information. Make it easy for people to find you, your web

site, phone number, email.

- Complete your past education and experience. I want to know that you know

what you're talking about. Been doing it 30 years? Tell me about it.

- Keep your summary short and direct. Most people won't read 13 pages of

summary. Assume you get 3 sentences and make them work for you. Be

wordy in the experience NOT the summary.

Step 2: Join Groups

You can join up to 50 groups. There is no reason not to join 10 immediately. It is the quickest way to connect with other people.

- Assert your expertise with your groups. Are you a member of NSA or ASTD?

Join the groups and show it.

- Connect with people who already love you. Your sorority or Toastmaster

buddies already know and love you. Some of them might be able to hire you.

- Join groups your potential clients are in. Did the majority of your work come

from banks last year? Join financial groups.

- Do you need more connections? Join Top linked. It is the easiest and fastest

way to get connected to more professionals.

Step 3: Get Connected

You have to connect to other people. Once you are a member of a group, you share common ground. Go through the groups one at a time and invite the other members. Sounds simple but most people don't do it. Your goal is 500 connections in the first 30 days. If you join Top linked and personally invite a few from groups everyday, you'll be amazed at how easy it is to reach this goal.

Step 4: Become the Expert

Step 5: Do it

You can do it. I'll help.

Eating the elephant

2010-01-24T15:08:00.003-06:00

"Do not let what you cannot do interfere with what you can do." John Wooden

Social Media is not a trend. It is here to stay. Those who embrace it will profit while those who ignore it will perish.

Okay, so you know you need to be more active on the social media front. But where do you start? What do you do? I think the entire concept of social media can be overwhelming and the key to making it work for you is to deal with it in manageable chunks. One bite at a time is the best way to eat the elephant.

Social media is a process. Each action should lead to or drive the next action. If you have a Face Book page and don't use it, it's worthless. But on the other hand, what good is a great blog if no one is reading it? Let's start with the concept of the process.

The first step in the process is to figure out what works for you. There are hundreds of social media sites. You can't master them all. You can't. So figure out what works best to move your business forward and focus on that. If you need help to figure this out, call me. I believe everyone is entitled to my opinion.

Let's use an example called Mike. Mike speaks about publicity. He has years of experience, many articles and product. Now what? For Mike I would suggest a blog, Face Book page and Linked In profile. A lot of speakers can benefit from these 3 platforms. They are simple to use, highly ranked in a search engine and each one leads you to the next one. If you have a profile on Linked In, you can use it to announce your blog posts. Once your reader checks out your blog you can direct them to your Face Book page. Another route would be to link to your blog to your Face Book page and Linked In profile. This can increase your exposure immediately.

Now Mike's head hurts because even these 3 steps can be overwhelming. Implement this...write that....connect to them. Keep it simple. I suggest breaking each of the 3 platforms down into smaller bites. Focus on 1 at a time for 30 days. This will allow you to get used to each one before you move on to the next. It also gives you time to connect with other users before you introduce them to the next part of your process. By the end of the 30 days, you are familiar with the platform and maintaining it won't be the bear you originally thought it was.

You can build your social media empire in 20-30 minutes a few days a week. A few minutes each day doesn't sound overwhelming at all, does it? This will help make the process more manageable and make you more likely to complete it. You can do it. I'll help.

Now, let's take the first bite.

13 Ways To Get Your Blog Posts Retweeted (Day 19)

2010-01-24T14:44:00.000-06:00

13 Ways To Get Your Blog Posts Retweeted (Day 19)

A Swift Kick in the Marketing

2010-01-24T14:25:00.003-06:00

“You may never know what results come of your action, but if you do nothing there will be no result.” Mahatma Gandhi

Have you ever had one of those "aha" moments? A moment when you hear something that really reaches out and grabs you? Has one of those moments ever changed your business?

I recently attended the Bust Out speaker boot camp. I have seen many professional speakers in the last decade and am pre-programmed to critique. I found myself so engrossed in the presentations that I forgot to critique. There was a tremendous amount of marketing, technological improvements and product development information. I found myself agreeing with multiple points made by each of the key note speakers.

"You must be consistent." "You must be convenient and easy to find." "Content is king." "Get your name and message out to your potential audience on a regular basis." Yes, absolutely, a complete necessity........wait a minute. I'm not doing that for myself!

There it is. I constantly tell speakers to utilize social media, write a blog, pick up the phone and optimize email marketing. But I'm not. Why? Why wouldn't I take my own advice? Simple answer for a simple question is I should.

That was my "aha" moment and it comes to this. Time to practice what I preach. I got a swift kick in the marketing the moment I realized that all of my actions might not bring results but no actions will bring nothing.

Are you ready to take action?

What do you speak on again?

2009-09-25T10:59:00.005-05:00

"An expert is somebody who is more than 50 miles from home, has no responsibility for implementing the advice he gives, and shows slides." Edwin Meese

What do you speak on?

Most new speakers would answer, "Whatever you will pay to hear." While the attitude is great, the answer is not. You have to make a few decisions. It is too easy to locate a good speaker these days. People no longer want to hire a speaker. They want to hire THE EXPERT. Are you THE EXPERT?

You cannot afford to be a Jack of all trades and a master of none. While there are some truly talented speaking professionals, most of the successful ones focus on a single concept. Some will take it a step further and focus on a single concept for a single industry. Finding your niche is a sure way to find your target audience and establish yourself as THE EXPERT.

You also have to know what you speak on and be able to verbalize it. Sound silly? You would be amazed at how many professional speakers can't answer that question. You must be clear and concise. If it takes you more than 6 minutes to explain it or you use trendy jargon, you've already lost me. I'm off some where in my head singing show tunes. Your description should get AND keep my attention. If you do it right, I will be able to repeat the information later.

Most of the time it comes down to strategic planning. Decide which topic works best for you and how you want to present the concept to an audience. If you're a speaker, the information is in you. Now all you have to do is get it out.

The #1 Secret to Getting Discovered

2009-09-23T10:29:00.002-05:00

Scott Ginsberg posted this on his blog today. Love it. Take a minute to find out why.

http://hellomynameisscott.blogspot.com/2009/09/1-secret-to-getting-discovered-as.html

The #1 Secret to Getting Discovered

2009-09-23T10:29:00.001-05:00

Scott Ginsberg posted this on his blog today. Love it. Take a minute to find out why.

http://hellomynameisscott.blogspot.com/2009/09/1-secret-to-getting-discovered-as.html

Your Doll Collection Freaks People Out

2009-01-21T12:26:00.003-06:00

This is taken from the blog of Glenn Phillips with Real Source. Don't know Glenn? You should.

Glenn Phillips (Management, Coach, Speaker)
http://glennphillips.activerain.com/post/881147/your-doll-collection-freaks-people-out-

To view the photo that goes with this blog, please check out the link provided.

Your doll collection freaks people out!
Memorable? Actionable? Immediate?
Does your marketing material meet these three important tests?
If not, I hope you're not surprised when your material generates little action or response.
In my post, Does your marketing material FAIL... and you don't even know it? I mentioned this sign for storage units. It was such a good example it merited further discussion of how it meets the important tests.

Face it, storage units are BORING and FORGETTABLE. Even people that need them don't always think about using them.

This sign is great for many reasons that most marketing material fails.

To begin with, it is not about the storage unit... it is about the customer! No explanations of the value of storage units or where they are located or what size units they have. Customer focused! The details will come AFTER the customer is interested.

It creates a sense of urgency by getting people to think about how others may feel about them.
Emotions can be so much stronger than fact for most consumers, particularly in the initial stages of getting their attention.

This sign's emotional response creates a sense of urgency. Even if it not dolls in their house, it gets people thinking about other items.

The sign frames expectations with a starting cost. You can look at this quickly and say, "Hey, that is in my price range" even if you need a larger unit that costs more. You have a sense of price scale now. This sets the stage for memorable and actionable.

The web address and phone number make it easily actionable. The phone number is designed to be easy to remember. The web address includes the location, so it does not have to be repeated. These folks make it easier for the customer to do business!

Now, I know some will think, "Houses are different... you can't use this for selling a house." I want to be clear, I am not suggesting THIS sign for selling houses (although stagers could easily use this concept!). I am suggesting material that meets the tests. And that indeed is possible.

Remember: Memorable Actionable Immediate

There are successful people across the country that use this everyday to make money in many fields, including real estate. These successful people have gotten past the idea that the marketing material is all about them or about blasting customers with tons of information BEFORE they are really interested.

And do I suggest you sell houses with the "freak people out" approach? Of course not. But you can look at your material to be sure it meets the tests and is not just a big, boring, looks like every-other-agent infomercial that everyone will forget almost as soon as they see it.

Technology for Today

2008-10-02T15:15:00.001-05:00

"Technology gives us the facilities that lessen the barriers of time and distance." Emily G. Balch

The industry isn’t the same as it used to be. The good old days meant that as a speaker all you needed was a phone and a rolodex. Those days are gone. You can’t just keep up. You have to stay one step ahead. There are some great technological advances, that if embraced can actually save time, energy and money. Let’s examine three basic, cost effective options.

Webinars

The term webinar is short for web-based seminar and is a presentation, lecture, workshop or seminar that is transmitted over the Web. The webinar is the most interactive and allows the most participation between the audience and presenter.

It allows much more flexibility to the instructor because it makes it easier to touch more audiences in a single day. A webinar presenter can give multiple presentations while a live speaker is limited to one or two. The audience is only restricted by technology versus location.

The audience can ask questions without disrupting the presentation. The speaker can take the pulse of the audience by posting a text question and actually change the outcome of the presentation by appropriately reading and responding to the participants. Plus it is hard to beat giving a program in your bunny slippers from the comfort of your own home.

There are great benefits for the meeting planner as well. Because everything is virtual, there are no travel, airfare, hotel or meal expenses to pay for the instructor. A lot of speakers offer these types of programs for reduced rates for the convenience of delivery from the comfort of their living room. The participation rates can increase because none of the attendants have to worry about travel expenses either.

The meeting planner doesn’t have to secure a venue. The savings in meals and room rental alone can have a tremendous impact. The webinar service itself is also reasonable. Most come with a cafeteria style menu where you can select, and pay for, what suits your needs. Because everything can be downloaded by the individual participants, this method of education is completely green. The meeting planner doesn’t have to spend time, money or resources printing handouts. (Loriann White would be so proud!) Plus, if you miss it, that’s ok. These sessions are archived online for fast and easy retrieval.

Teleseminars

Teleseminars are telephone based presentations. They are extremely similar to webinars but lack the interaction that so many customers desire. My company had a recent request from a large industry association to host a series of teleseminars. This is new for this particular association and the participation numbers are high for a teleseminar so I asked the planner about the change. She let me know that attendance at their recent annual conference was down due to budget restrictions on travel. By offering a teleseminar series, they can bring the necessary education to all of their members regardless of location for a fraction of the price of booking speakers for a multiple day conference.

Podcasts

Podcasts are normally a series of audio files that are available on line. There is usually no interaction between the facilitator and the audience. However, all technology has its place. There is an extremely successful health and wellness speaker that has grown his empire over the last year fifteen minutes at a time. He gets up every day, seven days a week, and loads a fifteen minute podcast on ITunes. He has done this for a year and now has a following of over 16,000 people all over the world. Pretty cool, huh?

The main thing to remember with any technology is that is works for you if you know how to work with it. There are pros and cons to any form of education. The best thing about these technologies is the registration information you acquire when hosting a function that can be used for marketing afterward. Plus, I have never seen a webinar have too many cocktails and hit on anyone’s boss.

Green is the new black

2008-09-26T21:02:00.003-05:00

"Forty may be the new thirty, but green is definitely the new black."

Loriann White

Co-founder and President

Association for Green Meetings & Events

Loriann White knows what she is talking about. After serving the hospitality and meetings industry for over 17 years, she is the co-founder, president and chief innovation officer for Association for Green Meetings & Events, Inc. (AGME), as well as co-founder for the Atlanta Green Meetings Council.

Why do you care about what a self proclaimed "tree hugger" thinks? You should care because she is a leader in her industry and respected by her peers. In 2007-2008, Loriann served the Meeting Professionals International Georgia Chapter (GaMPI) Executive Board of Directors committee as VP, Strategic Events, overseeing all high-end education programs and events. In 2006-2007, she served as VP, Education overseeing all monthly educational programs. During her tenure, she implemented new practices to include Blue Ocean methodology, Green Meetings and Emergency Contingency Plan, On-Line Webinars on Technology and Marketing as well as securing first -ever speaker honorarium and AV Sponsorships. Under Loriann's leadership, MPI awarded GaMPI Awards of Excellence in Education at the MPI-PEC program in 2008.

In 2003, Loriann received Meeting Planner of the Year, in 2005 as GaMPI's Sponsor or the Year. In 2004, Loriann was nominated in Georgia Trend Magazine as Top 40 Under 40 and received Convention South's Top 20 Meeting Professionals to Watch in 2005 and 2007. Loriann was a finalist as MPI International Meeting Planner of the Year for 2005 and finalist as MPI Marion N. Kershner Memorial Chapter Leader of the Year in 2006. In June 2007, she received Chapter Leader of the Year award and Special Project of the Year: Green Meetings Initiative for her introduction and implementation of green practices within the chapter - produced a savings of $17,243 in print costs alone.

So Loriann is Super Woman. What does that mean to you? Having green meetings has a tremendous impact. The benefits of implementing green meetings are three-fold.

The Environmental Bottom-Line: Going green is good for the environment. By not pre-filling water glasses at each table during a three days of lunches for 2,200 attendees; approximately 510 gallons of water can be saved.

The Economic Bottom-Line: Going green can save you green. By utilizing technology for all communications, an event with 250 attendees can save you approximately $1,100 by using on-line registration; email evaluations and speaker handouts at the conclusion of the program.

The Social Bottom-Line: Going green enhances your image in the community. By donating leftover food to a local community food bank or shelter, you give back to the community while diverting waste from landfills.

If you want more information, check out the AGME website at agmeinc.org

Remember that recycling is the key to everyone's future. In a world of over 23,000 meeting planners, different is good. Standing out as unique among your peers is a good thing. Standing out by saving your company and you client money while looking out for the environment is a great thing.

It's a thankless job, but somebody has to do it

2008-09-25T08:44:00.004-05:00

"My to-do list is so long that it doesn't have an end; it has an event horizon." Craig Bruce

Meeting and event planners have the single most thankless job on the planet. Let's take a look at a day in the life of a meeting planner. For the purpose of our day, we will call our meeting planner Amber.

Amber gets started before most folks. She is in the office by 7am. She can't find her desk because it is covered with marketing material. There is propaganda from the new hotel down the street, the new restaurant that is opening sent her an invitation for their reception, the MPI chapter registration for the event next year is filled out and waiting to be mailed and in the corner are 10 media kits from speakers that include DVDs waiting to be watched.

The resort for the conference left a voice mail letting her know that they can only accommodate 300 of her 500 guests. There are 89 emails to return and her boss wants to know if she has the seating chart for the banquet on the 18th finished yet. The phone starts ringing at 8am. It is a professional speaker. Before finding out if she is busy, he launches into his pitch. His is great. He is the greatest speaker since sliced bread. He can motivate a mountain to move and the skies to open. Amber didn't even catch his name because he started talking before she started listening. Can he send a media kit? Sure, why not? She will add it to her collection of never seen DVDs. All of this occurs before 9am.

GIMME A BREAK! These folks have so much going on they barely have time to breath. Give them some space. If you are going to contact a planner directly, please keep a few simple pointers in mind.

1. This is a relationship based business. No one wants a used car salesman coming to their house and pounding on their door. Likewise, meeting and event planners get pounded on by every vendor and representative in the field. Don't be one of them.

2. Manners Matter! Make sure the person you are calling on is a good fit for both of you. Be courteous. Ask if they have time to speak with you. Respect the answer if they don't. Be clear and concise and get to the point. State your name and tell them what you can do for them. I am sure you are a great speaker but no one has time to hear you recite your resume.

3. Follow up is important. Do what you say you are going to do. If you say you will call back in a week, do it. If you are going to send an email, send it. Try to remember that you, as a speaker, are on a check list next to set up chairs and pay caterer. The easier you are to deal with, the more likely you are to get dealt with on a consistent basis. These folks are busy. If you leave a message on Monday, don't get upset if you don't get a call back on Tuesday. Wait a few days and try again.

IF the thought of trying to communicate with meeting and event planners is still overwhelming to you, don't worry. We are fluent in planner. Just give us a call and let us simplify your life.

Just because you can, doesn't mean you should

2008-07-23T12:21:00.002-05:00

"A word to the wise ain't necessary - it's the stupid ones that need the advice. " - Bill Cosby

I am certain that you are a capable speaker and an outstanding business person. You probably have a tremendous amount of experience and know exactly which direction you want to take to get to the next level.

Or maybe not.

If you aren't feeling well - you visit the doctor.
If you need legal advice - you go see an attorney.
If you have to file your taxes - you call your accountant.
You would never perform surgery on yourself, write your own will or file your own taxes. It is possible that you are an expert in one of these fields, but even then, you would probably have a colleague look it over or weigh in with their own professional opinion.

We would never consider trying to cross the line and perform expert services on or for ourselves. Why then, as a business professional, do we insist on creating our own business cards? Why would you try to get more speaking engagements by picking up a phone and cold calling out of a phone book? You are surely a technological genius, but do you really want to spend your time creating your own website?

You can be an expert in the field of engineering or a brain surgeon and have no idea how to market yourself or your company to the right audience with the best materials at the correct time. Leave it to the professionals that know how. That is what we are here for. We want to help you accomplish your goals without creating extra stress for yourself and others.

While nothing in this life is certain, if you give us the right tools and a little time, we can give you a big push in the right direction. Now go back to NASA and finish working with the other rocket scientists. Leave all the details to us.

When Michael Hart speaks

2008-07-17T11:52:00.002-05:00

"Whoever controls the media, the images, controls the culture." Allen Ginsberg

The media can be very fickle. Whether newspapers, magazines, radio or television, what they consider newsworthy today is outdated tomorrow. Much of this is due to the rapid news cycle world we live in. However, in the case of business related news, this cycle spins much slower because business news is rarely breaking.

But the key point to learn before we start is this:

Unlike breaking news where the shelf life might be days, even hours, business news can be pertinent for day's even weeks. However a story that gets no "legs" today may very well be a hot subject tomorrow. This happens for a variety of reasons ranging from a slow news day to changes in the industry that affect the local story. Sometimes a reporter may just have a bad day or simply not need the story.

There are stories that a reporter might decline one week and show up at your office in hopes of getting the full story the next week. This same reporter might have declined the same story just a week before. However, things change and you can become a hot source overnight.

Press releases are not magic. They rarely do all the heavy lifting. You will have to contact the reporters/producers you send it to. Some PR folk will tell you to fax blast your release or put it up on a dozen news wires. Of course if you send 1000 releases across the country you cannot possibly contact everyone. BIG HOWEVER - You might want to consider focusing on local or regional exposure, not creating a national media campaign.

Remember that it shouldn't be about getting tons of press releases into the market with the hopes you get some coverage. You should specialize in getting publicity that can be converted into measurable profit gains. Let the guru's teach you how to get publicity that strokes your ego.

Regardless of how many PR pros you talk to - press releases are not an exact science. There is some flexibility and despite what they say - creativity. There are however several absolutes.

By studying and following the format you will greatly increase the chances your releases will get you the attention you desire.

If you want to know more about press releases or marketing, please check out:
http://michaelhartspeaks.com/Home_Page.html

When Michael Hart speaks you should be listening. But only if you want to grow your business.

"A picture is worth a thousand words." Proverb

2008-07-14T12:52:00.004-05:00

You are your brand and creating the right brand for yourself is everything. Have you ever gotten a card that was so amazing that you kept it? You showed it off to other people and both of you oohed and ahhed together? Do you still have it?

Do people show off your business card?

The single image presented in your logo is supposed to be worth a thousand words. Is your image good enough to make it into someone's hand? Memory? The name of your company and your logo should not only represent who you are, but what you do. You only have a few seconds to create that image that you hope people will not only take with them but remember. Just do it.

Consider how difficult it is to get noticed by a potential customer. Now consider how much more challenging you are making the process when you design you mail outs yourself. You only have a few seconds to get their attention. There is a fleeting moment to go from the administrative assistant's hand to the trash or the meeting planner's desk. Do you want to risk it? If you are going to spend money to print and mail materials, don't you want them to represent you the best way possible?

There are places where you can save money and cutting corners can sometimes be an option, but never with your design work. Always invest in an excellent graphic designer because ultimately you are investing in your own future.

Tapping the Power of Social Media to Advertise to Women

2008-07-14T12:49:00.000-05:00

Tapping the Power of Social Media to Advertise to Women

Does Your Marketing Need A Flip Flop?

2008-07-02T20:19:00.004-05:00

This was originally posted by Jane Atkinson on April 21, 2008

http://speakerlauncher.com/blog/index.php

Quite often I’ll Google speaker websites to check out the competition for my clients. In today’s competitive climate, it shocks me to see that many speakers still start out their home page saying things like ‘John Doe is the best speaker you’ve ever heard. Hire John for your next meeting’.

Yeah right!

As the economy tightens, do you think that John Doe is the type of speaker that client’s desire? I have my doubts. The marketing flip flip is about putting the outcomes to the client first, and the speaker (as the solution to their problem) second.

Unless you are a celebrity or best selling author, your website should probably not be about you.
It should be about the service and solution that you offer. The exception to this would be speakers like The Passing Zone. They are jugglers and are mostly hired at meetings to entertain. They might also be better known than the average speaker, due to a stint on America’s Got Talent last year.http://www.PassingZone.com

Take a speaker like Toni Newman for instance.She’s an innovation expert. Her website is about innovation first, Toni second.http://www.toninewman.com - check it out you’ll see what I mean.
Here are a few questions to help you evaluate your marketing:

1. When arriving at your website, does the client know what you will do for them (outcomes) within the first 30 seconds?

2. Is the first 1/3 of your home page about them and their needs rather than you?

3. Are you positioned as an expert and a problem solver? Or as a ’speaker’?

If you answered ‘no’ to any of these questions consider doing a marketing flip flop to switch the order of your home page copy to be more client and outcome oriented.
It won’t take you too long to do this, and I believe it will have an impact. Try it, and write me back to let me know how it goes.

Happy marketing!

Brand New You

2008-06-29T21:43:00.002-05:00

It's all about the brand.

You're a speaker. Every decision you make should move you forward to your ultimate goal - creating who you are by doing what you do.

We have all gotten those calls. Can you speak on "Fill in the blank?" The answer is no, but you reluctantly say yes anyway. Perhaps it is difficult to say no or you just need to fill the hole in your calendar. Then you kill yourself preparing to speak on a topic that isn't right for you anyway. Now you have spent a tremendous amount of time on something that isn't moving you forward to your ultimate goal.

No one would believe that a speaker could be great at 100 different topics, but 3 is much more realistic. That is a different story. You speak on sales and specialize on large teams in a retail setting. Now we are getting some where. The more specific your niche market or niche topic, the easier it is to market you and your talents.

Let's get back to your brand. I was recently reading Off-The-Wall Marketing Ideas by Nancy Michaels and Debbie Karpowicz. They provided information on a case study about The Blaze Company, a marketing and a public relations firm in California. The owner Marci Blaze has incorporated her brand into every aspect of her company. The letterhead is stationary whose edges are burned to create a "blaze" effect. This creates an immediate visual identity for her and her company.

Let's take this a step further and look at what Blaze did during one Yuletide season. She had a thousand over sized matchbooks sent out with her logo and the message "Warmest Wishes."
By staying true to your brand, you can create new opportunities to represent your company.

So where am I going with all this?

If you specialize in sales don't waste time with presentation skills and facilitation. Figure out a better way to get your message out there with your brand. Everything you do should be unified and moving you forward with a single purpose: Promote your brand. If you want to be the best sales trainer, you can't afford to waste time speaking on anything else. By creating a unique brand a sticking to it, you can eliminate your competition. When it comes down to you and your 3 topics that all center around a single greater theme or Jack of all trades that speaks on 50 topics, the choice will be obvious.

The next time you get a call asking if you can speak on an unfamiliar topic, don't be afraid to say no and refer them to another speaker who does. Networking and partnerships are a great tool to promote your business.

Should I be telling you this? Does this speak to my brand?...

Partners in crime

2008-06-24T22:52:00.003-05:00

One of my clients recently asked me if I can provide a blogging service? My answer?
Absolutely!

Am I a blogging expert? Well, no. Not by any stretch of the imagination. But I am a networking expert and I understand what my limitations are. It took a little time to research, but I found a wonderful service that stands out in the field and has experience with speakers.

Meet the Blog Squad. I still haven't been able to read their entire website. It is so full of information that I just can't consume it all. They offer articles, newsletter and white papers. It's enough to bloggle the mind. The most interesting service that I have found so far is the Blog Directory Submission Service. For right at $100, you can have your blog listed in over 200 directories. What a cool idea!

http://www.blogsquad.biz/

Now the point that I am getting to is this: You can't be all things to all people. There are many talented and capable professionals available. Find one, create a partnership and offer the best service possible to your clients. They deserve the best and you deserve the business.

The next time a client calls with a request you know you can't fill, take a breath. If you don't have the resources, ask for the time to do the research. Remember, you want to provide the best service possible. Your client can't fault you for trying to fulfill their request. Now, time to network.

You have several options.

Let's start with Speaker Net News. It is a newsletter service that is provided at no charge and has a circulation of close to 8,000. They will let you post a question so that the entire readership can post an answer. Chances are, you will get some great responses. Your target audience is reading your question and eager to find new opportunities to network.

LinkedIn is another option. Once you are a member, you can submit a question to your contacts. You can ask that they submit it to their contacts and so on. You should get several responses and probably a few leads.

Your blog is a source. If you are connected to over 200 directories, think about the tremendous potential if you pose a query for a speaking or a consulting partner. If you have a a blog makeover by Denise and Patsi, your blog should be a force to be reckoned with.

National Speakers Association (NSA) has chapters all over the country. Go to a local meeting or send an email to the President of the chapter. Ask for a referral. Chances are the president has been doing this long enough to know a few people. NSA is always willing to lend a hand.

After you have worked your network, you should have a few options. If you are still feeling lost or just want to talk about your options call me. You never know, I might be good for a referral.

You are not alone

2008-06-22T20:18:00.002-05:00

I work with speakers and I have a confession to make.

Speakers are one of the few professionals that have as much support as they do. Do you think lawyers get together and tell each other how to better market their services? Do you think doctors coach each other on how to perform better? Do you think accountants tell each other where to look for new clients? I doubt it.

I have never seen another industry so eager to help each other out. Speakers have limitless resources. Some are free and some are not, but you can weigh and measure what works for you. There are newsletters, teleseminars, white papers, articles, ezines and association meetings. So much information and so little time!

I have just posted a resource page on my website with some of "my favorite things" most of which are free. If you speak for a living, go check it out.

If you still have questions, turn around and ask the speaker behind you. Chances are that he will be happy to help.