It’s worth speaking at speaker events Is it worth speaking at PSA events or NSA meetings? After all, few people have a business speaking just to speakers. So other than alerting people to our expertise can it do anything for our business itself? You bet...! Lesley Everett spoke recently at the Canadian Association for Professional Speakers annual convention. Lesley said: “I know some members don’t think that it’s worth speaking to PSA or NSA audience, as they are never going to buy us! But our brand reputation is on show 24/7 without us realising it. As a direct result of an audience member at CAPS recommending me to a client, I’ve just been booked for full international fee plus business class for 2 gigs in India and 1 in Honolulu. There is very good reason for us to be aware of our brand within PSA.” So well done to Lesley and let’s hope other members can follow her lead. Speaking at speaker events clearly does pay.
Local chapter contacts East of England Terry O’Halloran – tpo@ohal.org
North East Juliette Lee – juliette@juliettelee.co.uk
London Carole Spiers – cs@carolespiers.com
North West Chris Davidson – info@activepresence.co.uk
Midlands Mike Pagan – speaking@mikepagan.com
Scotland Kenny Harris – kennyharris@headsurfing.com Ireland Veronica Canning – info@academyforleaders.com
National & international events 4th - 6th April 2008 National Speakers Association of Southern Africa Convention Durban www.nsasouthafrica.co.za/convention 2008 19th April 2008 PSA National Meeting Motorcycle Museum, Birmingham 6th May 2008 North West Chapter Meeting 13th May 2008 Midlands Chapter Mastermind Group - Members Only 14th May 2008 North East Chapter Meeting 17th May 2008 London Chapter Meeting
10th June 2008 Midlands Chapter Mastermind Group - Members Only Midlands Chapter Meeting
14th-15th December 2008 PSA Middle East Convention Abu Dhabi www.psame.org
14th June 2008 North East Chapter Meeting
18th-21st July 2008 NSA Convention Phoenix, Arizona
2nd - 5th August 2008 NSA Convention New York www.nsaspeaker.org 5th- 6th September 2008 German Speakers Association Convention Salzburg, Austria www.germanspeakers.org 7th-9th November 2008 PSA Convention Forest of Arden
12th-14th November 2009 PSA Convention London
Spring 2008 £5
speakeasy Magazine of the Professional Speakers Association
Enlighten and entertain... Is it that time already? I’ve been your President for several months, and it hardly seems a moment since the 2008 Convention. I’d like to welcome Graham Jones as the new Editor of this highly-informative missive in my stead. I’d also like to thank all of you for your kind messages of support and offers of help since I took over as President. Rest assured that I shall call in each and every favour that has been offered, and several that weren’t. So - where now for the PSA? We’re becoming a mature organisation, and need to start punching our weight, and helping you become the best speakers in the world. No false modesty from us. As I write, we have finalised the programme and speakers for our Convention at the Forest of Arden Country Club in early November. It promises to be a fabulous event, and will be talked about for years to come. There’s a booking form in this issue (Page 11) and a chance to book at a discount. I’d take it if I were you, since you won’t get a better-value offer all year. My theme for the year, as you no doubt recall, is “Enlighten and Entertain”, since that’s what I believe that we do. That’s very much the theme for the Convention, and I can promise you some jaw-dropping entertainment, and information that will make your speaking business grow faster than ever before. It’s amazing how one piece of advice can transform your business. I was lucky
enough to spend some time in December at the Convention of the Canadian Association of Professional Speakers Convention in Halifax, Nova Scotia. I was overwhelmed by their welcome, their generosity of spirit, and their willingness to share information. I was given a tip by someone I met there - Mark LeBlanc, current President of the National Speakers Association. I have used that tip every day since, and it has increased both the number and value of my bookings. What was the advice? Well, if you come to the Convention, I’ll whisper it to you (or drop me an email - I’m happy to tell you, but you need to make a bit of an effort). But not only am I looking forward to a great Convention, there’s also the National Meetings, and the regular Chapter events organised by our unsung heroes, the chapter presidents and their teams. If you’re serious about speaking (and you must be if you’re reading this), you need to get along to those events - you might get a nugget of advice that will change your business too. I hope to see as many of you as possible this year, and I’m always happy to talk on the phone (020 8220 6919) or by email (alan@alanstevens.net). My job for the year is to serve you and this great organisation. I look forward to doing just that. Best wishes, Alan Stevens, PSA President
The next issue of Speakeasy will be issued in the Summer. Copy deadline is 20th June 2008. All submissions in plain text (500 words) plus a suitable photograph and brief biography to Graham Jones, graham@grahamjones.co.uk.
Professional Speakers Association 0845 3700 504 www.professionalspeakers.org
Magazine of the Professional Speakers Association
Editorial ramblings Well, here I am, installed as Editor of Speakeasy; I have my editor’s green eyeshade perched on my head, my Clark Kent glasses, and my sleeves are rolled up ready to tackle all that hot metal in the print works. What’s that? It’s all done by computer these days? Oh heck...they must have made progress since I last stepped inside a newsroom. So, here’s hoping I can bring to this magazine as much enlightenment and entertainment as Alan Stevens has brought us in the past. Thank you Alan for handing over to me a magazine that is in fine fettle and of such value to our members; I hope I can continue to provide a useful publication. I notice, on my rounds of various PSA meetings that it’s not just the world of print that has made progress. Our members are making significant strides as well. People who only joined a few months back, for instance, and who were only starting out on their career have
become platform regulars and are making much more advancement than they originally envisaged. Why is that, I asked a few of them recently. Because of the PSA, they said in unison.
Membership Update
One of the special things you notice at PSA Chapter meetings, National meetings and at the Convention is the notion of sharing. Everyone appears to want to help each other. Guests attending our meetings for the first time often comment how positive and vibrant our meetings are. All the knowledge you need to help your business is somewhere within the PSA.
We’ve changed the way we handle membership applications
So, as Editor of Speakeasy can I make a request? Can you share some of your knowledge through this august publication? All I need is 500 words on a topic that is aimed at colleagues - think about what you get asked at meetings and write about that. Here’s looking forward to a massive postbag....! Graham Jones Editor
Speakeasy is the magazine of the Professional Speakers Association 8 Wyaston Gardens, Meadow Road, Ashbourne, Derbyshire, DE6 1HH Tel: +44 (0)845 3700 504 Fax: +44 (0)845 3700 503 Email: info@professionalspeakers.org Web: www.professionalspeakers.org
2
As the PSA continues to grow and thrive it is essential we ensure that we are rigorous in the way we handle applications for membership and for promotion to Fellow. After all, you wouldn’t want to be part of an organisation which was rather laissez-faire in the way it handled membership, would you? So, over the past year Paul Bridle has led a steering group on PSA membership which has now agreed on several new ways in which applications will be handled. The idea behind the changes is to ensure that our membership accurately reflects the profession we are in - and that we have a process in place which is seen to be both fair and open.
Speakeasy Editor
The PSA Board
Graham Jones graham@grahamjones.co.uk
President: Alan Stevens FPSA
Design
Treasurer: Will Kintish FPSA
Deep Creativity info@deepcreativity.co.uk
IFFPS Representative: Lesley Everett FPSA
Published by
Guardian Director: Graham Davies FPSA
Professional Speakers Association info@professionalspeakers.org
Guardian Director: Frances Edmonds FPSA
Advertising enquiries
Fellows’ Representative: Reg Athwal FPSA
For advertising rates, call 0845 3700 504 or email info@professionalspeakers.org
Graham Jones
Vice President: Roger Harrop FPSA
Anyone applying to be a Fellow also has to undergo “peer review”. If the Membership Committee thinks the individual is suitable for Fellowship, all existing Fellows are asked for their views on the person. Only if there is general agreement amongst Fellows that the applicant is suitable is the Board asked to make a decision. Another change is that anyone applying for Member or Fellow must now be sponsored by two existing Members or Fellows of the PSA. In all cases, applicants must have been observed by at least one sponsor in a professional speaking engagement - i.e. not a “showcase”. What this means is that we now have a “test” to make sure that we only accept those who are actively engaged in professional speaking rather than people wishing to become speakers.
The result is that we now have in place a Membership Committee. This consists of Mike Pagan, Rona Cant, Jon Simonett FPSA and myself, as Chairman, with Paul Bridle providing support as a Guardian Director of the PSA.
Such individuals can, of course, apply to be an Associate. However, to do so they should use the latest application forms, downloadable from the PSA web site. In fact, all the application forms have changed - so if you have any old ones lurking in your files, it’s time to throw them away....!
All applications for Member or Fellow are now reviewed by the Membership Committee. Between us we decide whether or not an applicant has the necessary experience to hold the membership status they are applying for. We then make a recommendation to the Board of the PSA to accept or reject the applicant.
We are confident the changes we are making to the way we handle membership applications will help strengthen the PSA - and it’s external image as an organisation of true professionals.
Welcome to our new Members and Fellows We’d like to extend a warm welcome and our congratulations to the following people who have achieved Fellowship and Membership of the PSA.
Guardian Director: Paul Bridle FPSA, CSP
Chapter Liaison: Andy Lopata Website/Chapter Liaison: Lee Clarke Public Relations/Membership: Graham Jones FPSA
Fellows:
Members:
Members:
Cathy O’Dowd FPSA Derek Arden FPSA Fergus McClelland FPSA
Allan Mackintosh Bernie De Souza Bruce King Enzo Calamita
Juliette Lee Susie Santiago Terry Stuart
3
Editorial ramblings Well, here I am, installed as Editor of Speakeasy; I have my editor’s green eyeshade perched on my head, my Clark Kent glasses, and my sleeves are rolled up ready to tackle all that hot metal in the print works. What’s that? It’s all done by computer these days? Oh heck...they must have made progress since I last stepped inside a newsroom. So, here’s hoping I can bring to this magazine as much enlightenment and entertainment as Alan Stevens has brought us in the past. Thank you Alan for handing over to me a magazine that is in fine fettle and of such value to our members; I hope I can continue to provide a useful publication. I notice, on my rounds of various PSA meetings that it’s not just the world of print that has made progress. Our members are making significant strides as well. People who only joined a few months back, for instance, and who were only starting out on their career have
become platform regulars and are making much more advancement than they originally envisaged. Why is that, I asked a few of them recently. Because of the PSA, they said in unison.
Membership Update
One of the special things you notice at PSA Chapter meetings, National meetings and at the Convention is the notion of sharing. Everyone appears to want to help each other. Guests attending our meetings for the first time often comment how positive and vibrant our meetings are. All the knowledge you need to help your business is somewhere within the PSA.
We’ve changed the way we handle membership applications
So, as Editor of Speakeasy can I make a request? Can you share some of your knowledge through this august publication? All I need is 500 words on a topic that is aimed at colleagues - think about what you get asked at meetings and write about that. Here’s looking forward to a massive postbag....! Graham Jones Editor
Speakeasy is the magazine of the Professional Speakers Association 8 Wyaston Gardens, Meadow Road, Ashbourne, Derbyshire, DE6 1HH Tel: +44 (0)845 3700 504 Fax: +44 (0)845 3700 503 Email: info@professionalspeakers.org Web: www.professionalspeakers.org
2
As the PSA continues to grow and thrive it is essential we ensure that we are rigorous in the way we handle applications for membership and for promotion to Fellow. After all, you wouldn’t want to be part of an organisation which was rather laissez-faire in the way it handled membership, would you? So, over the past year Paul Bridle has led a steering group on PSA membership which has now agreed on several new ways in which applications will be handled. The idea behind the changes is to ensure that our membership accurately reflects the profession we are in - and that we have a process in place which is seen to be both fair and open.
Speakeasy Editor
The PSA Board
Graham Jones graham@grahamjones.co.uk
President: Alan Stevens FPSA
Design
Treasurer: Will Kintish FPSA
Deep Creativity info@deepcreativity.co.uk
IFFPS Representative: Lesley Everett FPSA
Published by
Guardian Director: Graham Davies FPSA
Professional Speakers Association info@professionalspeakers.org
Guardian Director: Frances Edmonds FPSA
Advertising enquiries
Fellows’ Representative: Reg Athwal FPSA
For advertising rates, call 0845 3700 504 or email info@professionalspeakers.org
Graham Jones
Vice President: Roger Harrop FPSA
Anyone applying to be a Fellow also has to undergo “peer review”. If the Membership Committee thinks the individual is suitable for Fellowship, all existing Fellows are asked for their views on the person. Only if there is general agreement amongst Fellows that the applicant is suitable is the Board asked to make a decision. Another change is that anyone applying for Member or Fellow must now be sponsored by two existing Members or Fellows of the PSA. In all cases, applicants must have been observed by at least one sponsor in a professional speaking engagement - i.e. not a “showcase”. What this means is that we now have a “test” to make sure that we only accept those who are actively engaged in professional speaking rather than people wishing to become speakers.
The result is that we now have in place a Membership Committee. This consists of Mike Pagan, Rona Cant, Jon Simonett FPSA and myself, as Chairman, with Paul Bridle providing support as a Guardian Director of the PSA.
Such individuals can, of course, apply to be an Associate. However, to do so they should use the latest application forms, downloadable from the PSA web site. In fact, all the application forms have changed - so if you have any old ones lurking in your files, it’s time to throw them away....!
All applications for Member or Fellow are now reviewed by the Membership Committee. Between us we decide whether or not an applicant has the necessary experience to hold the membership status they are applying for. We then make a recommendation to the Board of the PSA to accept or reject the applicant.
We are confident the changes we are making to the way we handle membership applications will help strengthen the PSA - and it’s external image as an organisation of true professionals.
Welcome to our new Members and Fellows We’d like to extend a warm welcome and our congratulations to the following people who have achieved Fellowship and Membership of the PSA.
Guardian Director: Paul Bridle FPSA, CSP
Chapter Liaison: Andy Lopata Website/Chapter Liaison: Lee Clarke Public Relations/Membership: Graham Jones FPSA
Fellows:
Members:
Members:
Cathy O’Dowd FPSA Derek Arden FPSA Fergus McClelland FPSA
Allan Mackintosh Bernie De Souza Bruce King Enzo Calamita
Juliette Lee Susie Santiago Terry Stuart
3
Andy Lopata
Phil Jesson
Making Membership Count
Speaking to CEO audiences
Among the benefits and opportunities that the PSA can offer, the knowledge that membership is going to be a key factor in driving our speaking careers and businesses forward is of prime importance to members.
Several members of the PSA already speak regularly to Chief Executive audiences, for instance at meetings of the Academy for Chief Executives (ACE) or Vistage. One of them recently told me that his business had, over the past few years, seen £1m of income, directly as a result of speaking to ACE audiences. So, it’s no surprise that other PSA members often ask me what’s the best way to ensure that they can get gigs speaking to CEO audiences.
I am passionate about making sure that people get the most from their membership of any association. Eight years with the UK networking organisation Business Referral Exchange, five as Managing Director, taught me the importance of ensuring that any organisation is constantly focused on ensuring that its members recognise and realise the value of belonging and that’s where my business focus is now. My role on the PSA Board involves working with Chapter Presidents and Members to make sure that such value is being delivered, whether it’s in Chapter meetings, or through other services PSA can deliver. We need to ensure that there is plenty of two-way communication between the Board, the Chapters and our members. My previous experience helps me to recognise the importance of members feeling a connection to the Board and ensuring that we all have a voice. I will be attending each Chapter in the UK and Ireland at least once in the next year, and hopefully a lot more. Alan Stevens has also made the same commitment during his year as President, meaning that there will be a strong Board presence at Chapter Meetings this year. We will be there to listen and to answer questions about what the PSA offers members and what we can do for you and for each other.
In addition, I have set up two online forums to enhance communication between the Board of the PSA and the membership as a whole. The Presidents Forum gives Chapter Presidents the chance to share best practice, discuss new ideas and make sure that the killer ideas that make the difference in one part of the PSA can influence what happens elsewhere. Talking to Chapter Presidents individually, it is clear that there are so many good ideas being implemented in individual Chapters, it would be a shame not to share those experiences and that knowledge. The Presidents now have the opportunity to learn from each other, debate the best ideas and take them back to their local meetings. I have also invited over twenty members from across the PSA to join the Members’ Panel. A range of people, many nominated by Chapter Presidents, have joined the panel, including former Chapter Presidents, existing committee members and some of the PSA’s newest members. The Panel members are discussing their experiences in PSA, what they want to see and, hopefully, sharing those thoughts with other members locally and further afield. In addition, I want to hear from any PSA members who have ideas, feedback or questions. What can we do to make membership more effective, more valued and more likely to drive your speaking career forward? The PSA is a members’ organisation. My role is to make sure that we are as representative of our membership as we can possibly be.
Andy Lopata is a recognised authority on business networking. He can be contacted at: andy@lopata.co.uk
4
As with any audience it boils down to one factor - value. If you provide real value to CEO audiences, you will be rebooked. So how do you provide value to CEOs? Well, CEOs want to go away from their sessions with ideas they can put into practice straight away and which will directly impact upon the performance of their business. They don’t want fluff or theory - though you do need to back up what you say, of course. Also, the CEOs at ACE or Vistage meetings want to engage with each other, sometimes more than with you...! They learn from discussion and practical exercises, rather than by being lectured at. So, make sure any session you do for CEO audiences includes several practical exercises and discussion periods - this is not keynote speaking. You need to be credible - which usually means talking from your own experience and being able to demonstrate that the changes you suggest for their business have worked in your own, or with your clients. They don’t need you to recite tired, old case histories from business books - they can
read...! What they want is YOUR experience and knowledge, but converted into practical suggestions they can use to boost their business. In a CEO session you will normally have around a dozen people, all of whom know each other very well and work together each month in a sharing and confidential atmosphere. As a result, they expect speakers to be allow them to carry on in that way; they are not expecting a hard sell of your services, a glimpse of your one-day workshop or a speech. What they want is the ability to hear your expertise and work out the ways they can practically use your information. One way of ensuring you can do this is to have plenty of handouts and worksheets they can use, as well as “templates” they can put into practice when they get back to the office. Remember, that the vast majority of the people in CEO audiences are in the SME sector - they will not have vast teams back at the office who can mull over what you have said. They need practical stuff they can implement quickly. Of course, they still need to be “entertained”. They love stories, they like you to “localise” the material and they do like laughing...! But more importantly, they expect you to be in “their world”...in other words see everything you do from the perspective of a CEO and you won’t go far wrong. Other CEO groups include: Academy of Business Leaders & Executives , Midlands Leaders Group, Yorkshire Leaders Group, Derby and Notts Leaders Group, Cambridge Leaders Group, Footdown, Elite and the Scottish Institute of Business Leaders.
Phil Jesson is known as The Pareto Man and is an expert in building partnerships. He is also in charge of speaker liaison for ACE. Find out more about Phil at www.philjesson.com and for information on being an ACE speaker go to www.chiefexecutive.com. 5
Andy Lopata
Phil Jesson
Making Membership Count
Speaking to CEO audiences
Among the benefits and opportunities that the PSA can offer, the knowledge that membership is going to be a key factor in driving our speaking careers and businesses forward is of prime importance to members.
Several members of the PSA already speak regularly to Chief Executive audiences, for instance at meetings of the Academy for Chief Executives (ACE) or Vistage. One of them recently told me that his business had, over the past few years, seen £1m of income, directly as a result of speaking to ACE audiences. So, it’s no surprise that other PSA members often ask me what’s the best way to ensure that they can get gigs speaking to CEO audiences.
I am passionate about making sure that people get the most from their membership of any association. Eight years with the UK networking organisation Business Referral Exchange, five as Managing Director, taught me the importance of ensuring that any organisation is constantly focused on ensuring that its members recognise and realise the value of belonging and that’s where my business focus is now. My role on the PSA Board involves working with Chapter Presidents and Members to make sure that such value is being delivered, whether it’s in Chapter meetings, or through other services PSA can deliver. We need to ensure that there is plenty of two-way communication between the Board, the Chapters and our members. My previous experience helps me to recognise the importance of members feeling a connection to the Board and ensuring that we all have a voice. I will be attending each Chapter in the UK and Ireland at least once in the next year, and hopefully a lot more. Alan Stevens has also made the same commitment during his year as President, meaning that there will be a strong Board presence at Chapter Meetings this year. We will be there to listen and to answer questions about what the PSA offers members and what we can do for you and for each other.
In addition, I have set up two online forums to enhance communication between the Board of the PSA and the membership as a whole. The Presidents Forum gives Chapter Presidents the chance to share best practice, discuss new ideas and make sure that the killer ideas that make the difference in one part of the PSA can influence what happens elsewhere. Talking to Chapter Presidents individually, it is clear that there are so many good ideas being implemented in individual Chapters, it would be a shame not to share those experiences and that knowledge. The Presidents now have the opportunity to learn from each other, debate the best ideas and take them back to their local meetings. I have also invited over twenty members from across the PSA to join the Members’ Panel. A range of people, many nominated by Chapter Presidents, have joined the panel, including former Chapter Presidents, existing committee members and some of the PSA’s newest members. The Panel members are discussing their experiences in PSA, what they want to see and, hopefully, sharing those thoughts with other members locally and further afield. In addition, I want to hear from any PSA members who have ideas, feedback or questions. What can we do to make membership more effective, more valued and more likely to drive your speaking career forward? The PSA is a members’ organisation. My role is to make sure that we are as representative of our membership as we can possibly be.
Andy Lopata is a recognised authority on business networking. He can be contacted at: andy@lopata.co.uk
4
As with any audience it boils down to one factor - value. If you provide real value to CEO audiences, you will be rebooked. So how do you provide value to CEOs? Well, CEOs want to go away from their sessions with ideas they can put into practice straight away and which will directly impact upon the performance of their business. They don’t want fluff or theory - though you do need to back up what you say, of course. Also, the CEOs at ACE or Vistage meetings want to engage with each other, sometimes more than with you...! They learn from discussion and practical exercises, rather than by being lectured at. So, make sure any session you do for CEO audiences includes several practical exercises and discussion periods - this is not keynote speaking. You need to be credible - which usually means talking from your own experience and being able to demonstrate that the changes you suggest for their business have worked in your own, or with your clients. They don’t need you to recite tired, old case histories from business books - they can
read...! What they want is YOUR experience and knowledge, but converted into practical suggestions they can use to boost their business. In a CEO session you will normally have around a dozen people, all of whom know each other very well and work together each month in a sharing and confidential atmosphere. As a result, they expect speakers to be allow them to carry on in that way; they are not expecting a hard sell of your services, a glimpse of your one-day workshop or a speech. What they want is the ability to hear your expertise and work out the ways they can practically use your information. One way of ensuring you can do this is to have plenty of handouts and worksheets they can use, as well as “templates” they can put into practice when they get back to the office. Remember, that the vast majority of the people in CEO audiences are in the SME sector - they will not have vast teams back at the office who can mull over what you have said. They need practical stuff they can implement quickly. Of course, they still need to be “entertained”. They love stories, they like you to “localise” the material and they do like laughing...! But more importantly, they expect you to be in “their world”...in other words see everything you do from the perspective of a CEO and you won’t go far wrong. Other CEO groups include: Academy of Business Leaders & Executives , Midlands Leaders Group, Yorkshire Leaders Group, Derby and Notts Leaders Group, Cambridge Leaders Group, Footdown, Elite and the Scottish Institute of Business Leaders.
Phil Jesson is known as The Pareto Man and is an expert in building partnerships. He is also in charge of speaker liaison for ACE. Find out more about Phil at www.philjesson.com and for information on being an ACE speaker go to www.chiefexecutive.com. 5
Oh what a convention, oh what a show...! What a fantastic convention we all had. Yes, it was a few months back, but members are still talking about it and positively...!
But in spite of these minor problems it was a Convention to remember and one that was bound to have helped improve any speaker’s business.
It was a Convention to be proud of - congratulations to everyone involved in organising it. True, there were one or two things that could have been better - and the Convention Team has learned from these to further improve things for this November. For instance, booking for the Convention was not exactly as we wanted; this year online bookings can be made as the plans are already finalised. Similarly, there was not enough time in the programme for networking, so that has been rectified for this year’s Convention.
No doubt, if you attended the Convention, you too have your own highlights of the meeting. But we know that even though this was the most well attended Convention to date, several members were unable to attend. That’s a shame and it’s why this year we have announced things so much earlier - and allowed booking so long in advance (see Page 11).
It was great to see the President of NSA attending, Marc LeBlanc, and hear his view that, our Association is there to help members “speak better and speak more”. Equally, the perfect performance of Lou Heckler was something we were all able to learn from - as well as taking note of his valuable tips on speaking.
There is little doubt that the learning from Conventions is huge; people get back much more than they invest in terms of time and money. Here’s just a few quotes from people who attended:
“I picked up one tip from Andy Bounds that has already led to more bookings at higher fees; I’m glad I came along.” “It’s actually meeting fellow speakers that I enjoy the most. The sessions are usually brilliant, as you’d expect, but it’s the discussions during the breaks that I find tremendously valuable.” “Lou Heckler was worth the fee all on his own - fantastic. I learned so much just from watching him.” “I’ve been to every Convention and this was the best, by far; great speakers, great company and great learning that has already improved my speaking business.”
6
7
Oh what a convention, oh what a show...! What a fantastic convention we all had. Yes, it was a few months back, but members are still talking about it and positively...!
But in spite of these minor problems it was a Convention to remember and one that was bound to have helped improve any speaker’s business.
It was a Convention to be proud of - congratulations to everyone involved in organising it. True, there were one or two things that could have been better - and the Convention Team has learned from these to further improve things for this November. For instance, booking for the Convention was not exactly as we wanted; this year online bookings can be made as the plans are already finalised. Similarly, there was not enough time in the programme for networking, so that has been rectified for this year’s Convention.
No doubt, if you attended the Convention, you too have your own highlights of the meeting. But we know that even though this was the most well attended Convention to date, several members were unable to attend. That’s a shame and it’s why this year we have announced things so much earlier - and allowed booking so long in advance (see Page 11).
It was great to see the President of NSA attending, Marc LeBlanc, and hear his view that, our Association is there to help members “speak better and speak more”. Equally, the perfect performance of Lou Heckler was something we were all able to learn from - as well as taking note of his valuable tips on speaking.
There is little doubt that the learning from Conventions is huge; people get back much more than they invest in terms of time and money. Here’s just a few quotes from people who attended:
“I picked up one tip from Andy Bounds that has already led to more bookings at higher fees; I’m glad I came along.” “It’s actually meeting fellow speakers that I enjoy the most. The sessions are usually brilliant, as you’d expect, but it’s the discussions during the breaks that I find tremendously valuable.” “Lou Heckler was worth the fee all on his own - fantastic. I learned so much just from watching him.” “I’ve been to every Convention and this was the best, by far; great speakers, great company and great learning that has already improved my speaking business.”
6
7
Neil Dorward
Graham Jones
Tails from the graveyard slot
Get more speaking bookings from your website
Allegedly there is a slot speakers hate. It’s called the graveyard slot. If I were asked to do the dreaded graveyard slot, I would. Why? Because that’s my area of speciality; life beyond the grave. Every day of my life I attend funerals. I deliver funerals eulogies and talk about life beyond the grave. Your grave. Yes, if it is your time to meet the proverbial speaker in the sky, I will ensure you have a great funeral. One that will be a true celebration of your life and legacy. Which begs the question, if you have prepared your will, have you also prepared your funeral eulogy and written it down? Before you die, I believe one of the kindest things you can do for your family and friends is to write on a piece of paper how you would like to be remembered and what a good person you were. A cursory glance at the signs of the times in the UK will tell you that fewer people are going to church and yet, up until a few years ago, only two categories of people conducted funerals: religious ministers and humanist (atheist) officients. Now a new breed of funeral ceremonies has arrived. They are called Civil Funerals. They are unique because they can be semi religious or non religious ceremonies. Civil Funerals deliver a celebration according to your values, wishes and beliefs. If after a funeral someone says to me, ‘Did you know John, are you a member of the family?’ that is the greatest compliment I can receive. That I delivered your funeral, as if I were a family friend. I recently conducted a scientific study into people’s experiences of funerals. Well, it wasn’t totally scientific; I asked 20 people at the PSA Convention in November if the last funeral they were at was good or bad. The vast majority said that it was a poor experience because the eulogy was a sanitised version of the person they knew. I want to
change that and ensure the person you hear about at a funeral is someone you recognise. Everyone deserves a great funeral. Whether you are the Queen or a seemingly ordinary mum or dad. Everyone deserves the best funeral possible, one that celebrates their life, one that people will remember, not one that reminds them of a dreaded graveyard slot. As a starter for ten, here’s some music to play at your funeral. These are all genuine. 1. Always look on the bright side of life - Monty Python 2. Knock on wood - Otis Redding 3. Ain’t it grand boys (to be bloody dead) The Clancy Brothers 4. Ring of fire - Johnny Cash 5. Ding dong the witch is dead - from The Wizard of Oz OK I lied with the last one. But if you are brave enough to choose music your family and friends will remember, why not ensure your funeral eulogy is unforgettable too? How would you like to be remembered? Sadly for Mike Pagan, the President of the PSA Midlands Chapter, he had to give a 10-minute eulogy at his father’s funeral earlier this year. His father was a hugely popular man, so much so that there were more than 500 people at the funeral, following his sudden death. But even struck with grief, Mike managed to deliver his eulogy without breaking down. He said, “This was the one speech that you dread but you know one day you will have to make. The support I’ve had from colleagues in the PSA has been tremendous and really helped me get through the toughest speech of my life. Being entirely honest I couldn’t have gotten through that speech without the learning and input from the PSA. Thank you all for helping me so much, my father would have been proud because I nailed it.” In fact the learning and support Mike has gained from the PSA must have had a real impact - his eulogy resulted in a standing ovation, in a church?
Neil Dorward runs Bespoke Civil Ceremonies at: www.bespokecivilceremonies.co.uk email: neil@bespokecivilceremonies.co.uk
8
Where do meeting planners and conference organisers find speakers? From people they already know? From speaker agents and bureaus? Or somewhere else? You’ve guessed it; they start their search for speakers on the Internet. But the crucial thing we need to know is what they are searching for - and guess what - they are not searching for professional speakers. That’s right, meeting planners are not usually looking for speakers. Pardon? Yes, that’s what I said, they are not looking for speakers. People organising meetings are almost always looking for subject experts; only rarely will they be looking for a professional speaker. So, if you’re online presence is all about being a professional speaker you are not likely to get the bookings. Instead, your web activity needs to demonstrate your subject expertise. Remember the strap line of the PSA - “experts who speak for a living”. Refocusing your web site to demonstrate your expertise is more likely to get you bookings to speak. It also means you will be ranked by the search engines for your subject, rather than for speaking. Around 150 people every week search Google for the term “professional speaker”. Guess who they are. They are professional speakers seeing how highly ranked they are for that term. No-one of any importance to your business is searching for that phrase. Instead they are
looking for “leadership guru” or “marketing expert” or “reputation management”, for instance. So your web site needs to show you are an expert in your topic. This means having more than one web site. You need a web site that has a domain name that’s related to your expertise. But you also need a domain name in your name. Once people start linking your name to your topic some of them will just type in or search for your name, rather than the topic. For instance, do you type in “time management” or “Stephen Covey”? Some people reckon he is the guru and will search for him by name. Others will look for the subject first. So you need web sites that cover both these possibilities. Furthermore, your web site needs to be interactive. These days people expect to be able to participate in your site and ask questions or discuss your topic. They want to see your answers and your involvement with them as well. So using blogging software or forum programs is now essential in attracting people to your web site as it allows for interaction. Once you have that interaction, the word of mouth effect takes hold and your name is then spread “offline” linking you to your expertise. Then, take part in online social networks like Ecademy, Facebook, Ning, Business Scene, LinkedIn and so on. Use your contributions in these sites to further establish and promote your expertise, providing links back to your web site so that people can find even more in depth material. Do all this and suddenly you become the “go to” person for your subject. And when that happens you will be perceived as THE person a meeting planner needs.
Graham Jones is an Internet Psychologist who helps businesses ensure they use the online world effectively. His expertise is on show at http://www.grahamjones.co.uk
9
Neil Dorward
Graham Jones
Tails from the graveyard slot
Get more speaking bookings from your website
Allegedly there is a slot speakers hate. It’s called the graveyard slot. If I were asked to do the dreaded graveyard slot, I would. Why? Because that’s my area of speciality; life beyond the grave. Every day of my life I attend funerals. I deliver funerals eulogies and talk about life beyond the grave. Your grave. Yes, if it is your time to meet the proverbial speaker in the sky, I will ensure you have a great funeral. One that will be a true celebration of your life and legacy. Which begs the question, if you have prepared your will, have you also prepared your funeral eulogy and written it down? Before you die, I believe one of the kindest things you can do for your family and friends is to write on a piece of paper how you would like to be remembered and what a good person you were. A cursory glance at the signs of the times in the UK will tell you that fewer people are going to church and yet, up until a few years ago, only two categories of people conducted funerals: religious ministers and humanist (atheist) officients. Now a new breed of funeral ceremonies has arrived. They are called Civil Funerals. They are unique because they can be semi religious or non religious ceremonies. Civil Funerals deliver a celebration according to your values, wishes and beliefs. If after a funeral someone says to me, ‘Did you know John, are you a member of the family?’ that is the greatest compliment I can receive. That I delivered your funeral, as if I were a family friend. I recently conducted a scientific study into people’s experiences of funerals. Well, it wasn’t totally scientific; I asked 20 people at the PSA Convention in November if the last funeral they were at was good or bad. The vast majority said that it was a poor experience because the eulogy was a sanitised version of the person they knew. I want to
change that and ensure the person you hear about at a funeral is someone you recognise. Everyone deserves a great funeral. Whether you are the Queen or a seemingly ordinary mum or dad. Everyone deserves the best funeral possible, one that celebrates their life, one that people will remember, not one that reminds them of a dreaded graveyard slot. As a starter for ten, here’s some music to play at your funeral. These are all genuine. 1. Always look on the bright side of life - Monty Python 2. Knock on wood - Otis Redding 3. Ain’t it grand boys (to be bloody dead) The Clancy Brothers 4. Ring of fire - Johnny Cash 5. Ding dong the witch is dead - from The Wizard of Oz OK I lied with the last one. But if you are brave enough to choose music your family and friends will remember, why not ensure your funeral eulogy is unforgettable too? How would you like to be remembered? Sadly for Mike Pagan, the President of the PSA Midlands Chapter, he had to give a 10-minute eulogy at his father’s funeral earlier this year. His father was a hugely popular man, so much so that there were more than 500 people at the funeral, following his sudden death. But even struck with grief, Mike managed to deliver his eulogy without breaking down. He said, “This was the one speech that you dread but you know one day you will have to make. The support I’ve had from colleagues in the PSA has been tremendous and really helped me get through the toughest speech of my life. Being entirely honest I couldn’t have gotten through that speech without the learning and input from the PSA. Thank you all for helping me so much, my father would have been proud because I nailed it.” In fact the learning and support Mike has gained from the PSA must have had a real impact - his eulogy resulted in a standing ovation, in a church?
Neil Dorward runs Bespoke Civil Ceremonies at: www.bespokecivilceremonies.co.uk email: neil@bespokecivilceremonies.co.uk
8
Where do meeting planners and conference organisers find speakers? From people they already know? From speaker agents and bureaus? Or somewhere else? You’ve guessed it; they start their search for speakers on the Internet. But the crucial thing we need to know is what they are searching for - and guess what - they are not searching for professional speakers. That’s right, meeting planners are not usually looking for speakers. Pardon? Yes, that’s what I said, they are not looking for speakers. People organising meetings are almost always looking for subject experts; only rarely will they be looking for a professional speaker. So, if you’re online presence is all about being a professional speaker you are not likely to get the bookings. Instead, your web activity needs to demonstrate your subject expertise. Remember the strap line of the PSA - “experts who speak for a living”. Refocusing your web site to demonstrate your expertise is more likely to get you bookings to speak. It also means you will be ranked by the search engines for your subject, rather than for speaking. Around 150 people every week search Google for the term “professional speaker”. Guess who they are. They are professional speakers seeing how highly ranked they are for that term. No-one of any importance to your business is searching for that phrase. Instead they are
looking for “leadership guru” or “marketing expert” or “reputation management”, for instance. So your web site needs to show you are an expert in your topic. This means having more than one web site. You need a web site that has a domain name that’s related to your expertise. But you also need a domain name in your name. Once people start linking your name to your topic some of them will just type in or search for your name, rather than the topic. For instance, do you type in “time management” or “Stephen Covey”? Some people reckon he is the guru and will search for him by name. Others will look for the subject first. So you need web sites that cover both these possibilities. Furthermore, your web site needs to be interactive. These days people expect to be able to participate in your site and ask questions or discuss your topic. They want to see your answers and your involvement with them as well. So using blogging software or forum programs is now essential in attracting people to your web site as it allows for interaction. Once you have that interaction, the word of mouth effect takes hold and your name is then spread “offline” linking you to your expertise. Then, take part in online social networks like Ecademy, Facebook, Ning, Business Scene, LinkedIn and so on. Use your contributions in these sites to further establish and promote your expertise, providing links back to your web site so that people can find even more in depth material. Do all this and suddenly you become the “go to” person for your subject. And when that happens you will be perceived as THE person a meeting planner needs.
Graham Jones is an Internet Psychologist who helps businesses ensure they use the online world effectively. His expertise is on show at http://www.grahamjones.co.uk
9
Roger Harrop
You cannot miss this year’s PSA Convention
PSA Convention 2008 BOOK NOW...! Yes, you can book now using the form below. Here are the options (all prices include VAT): Pay in 9 Instalments Pay £64.89 a month for the next nine months.
Pay a Deposit Now - Pay Remainder Later Pay just £58.75 now to reserve your place, then on 1st September pay £334.88 with a further £190.35 being paid on 1st November.
Pay in Full Pay £583.98. passionate desire to influence inform, inspire and positively impact the audience they speak to.
President Alan Steven’s theme for the Year Is to Enlighten and Entertain and the Convention is certainly going to do that. We've managed to get speakers from around the world to speak to us who are at the very top of their trade.
There is also a full programme of workshops run by experts to help you move your speaking career ever onwards and upwards. As a taster David Gouthro and Crystal Flaman from Canada are going to talk about Partnering on the Platform. They believe the time has come for lone speakers to consider a platform paradigm where sharing the speaking stage is eagerly embraced. In a world filled with competition, it is time we demonstrate through our platform performance that collaboration is a viable, and perhaps even an essential, alternative.
Our very own International Board Representative, Lesley Everett, who’s in such great demand around the world, is going to share with us her sparkling keynote which was such a success at the recent Canadian Speakers Association convention.
After the success of last November’s convention we've got a bigger and better one on the stocks for 2008! It's going to be at the magnificent Forest of Arden hotel outside Birmingham from the seventh to the ninth of November.
Booking form I would like to attend the PSA Convention 2008 at the Forest of Arden, Warwickshire I would like to (select your choice):
We have from Ireland Sean Weafer with his fabulous new "Rebel in a Business Suit" keynote, the unique and exciting Mike Rayburn from the US. Mike has a presentation completely unlike any you’ve ever seen! Having been called “the World’s Funniest Guitar Virtuoso,” Mike uses his astounding guitar creations, uproarious songs, and veteran presentation skills to encourage, challenge and inspire his audiences to leap beyond their perceived limitations.
We also have some innovations and some surprises. There's even a golf tournament on the Thursday!
Pay in full now (£583.98 incl VAT) Pay a deposit now and pay the rest later (£58.75 incl VAT) Pay in instalments (£64.89 for the next nine months incl VAT) Name: Address:
Post Code: Tel:
We have probably the UK’s foremost international speaker Robin Sieger. He will look at the often rocky road to professional excellence. He says that many speakers fall into the trap of believing that getting paid work is the goal of their profession, rather than the means to developing a
And despite all this value we’ve got another surprise for you - the price. Due to Derek Arden's negotiating skills and our target delegate numbers we have the best ever Early Bird price for the three days of £497 (+ VAT) - all inclusive! - and there’s an easy payment option.
Email:
Please send me information on the following: Golf Day Partial attendance
Lesley Everett, our International Board Representative will present her sparkling keynote speach. 10
Partner attendance Please detach this booking form and post to: 8 Wyaston Gardens, Meadow Road, Ashbourne, Derbyshire, DE6 1HH. Alternatively fax it to: +44 (0)845 3700 503
11
Roger Harrop
You cannot miss this year’s PSA Convention
PSA Convention 2008 BOOK NOW...! Yes, you can book now using the form below. Here are the options (all prices include VAT): Pay in 9 Instalments Pay £64.89 a month for the next nine months.
Pay a Deposit Now - Pay Remainder Later Pay just £58.75 now to reserve your place, then on 1st September pay £334.88 with a further £190.35 being paid on 1st November.
Pay in Full Pay £583.98. passionate desire to influence inform, inspire and positively impact the audience they speak to.
President Alan Steven’s theme for the Year Is to Enlighten and Entertain and the Convention is certainly going to do that. We've managed to get speakers from around the world to speak to us who are at the very top of their trade.
There is also a full programme of workshops run by experts to help you move your speaking career ever onwards and upwards. As a taster David Gouthro and Crystal Flaman from Canada are going to talk about Partnering on the Platform. They believe the time has come for lone speakers to consider a platform paradigm where sharing the speaking stage is eagerly embraced. In a world filled with competition, it is time we demonstrate through our platform performance that collaboration is a viable, and perhaps even an essential, alternative.
Our very own International Board Representative, Lesley Everett, who’s in such great demand around the world, is going to share with us her sparkling keynote which was such a success at the recent Canadian Speakers Association convention.
After the success of last November’s convention we've got a bigger and better one on the stocks for 2008! It's going to be at the magnificent Forest of Arden hotel outside Birmingham from the seventh to the ninth of November.
Booking form I would like to attend the PSA Convention 2008 at the Forest of Arden, Warwickshire I would like to (select your choice):
We have from Ireland Sean Weafer with his fabulous new "Rebel in a Business Suit" keynote, the unique and exciting Mike Rayburn from the US. Mike has a presentation completely unlike any you’ve ever seen! Having been called “the World’s Funniest Guitar Virtuoso,” Mike uses his astounding guitar creations, uproarious songs, and veteran presentation skills to encourage, challenge and inspire his audiences to leap beyond their perceived limitations.
We also have some innovations and some surprises. There's even a golf tournament on the Thursday!
Pay in full now (£583.98 incl VAT) Pay a deposit now and pay the rest later (£58.75 incl VAT) Pay in instalments (£64.89 for the next nine months incl VAT) Name: Address:
Post Code: Tel:
We have probably the UK’s foremost international speaker Robin Sieger. He will look at the often rocky road to professional excellence. He says that many speakers fall into the trap of believing that getting paid work is the goal of their profession, rather than the means to developing a
And despite all this value we’ve got another surprise for you - the price. Due to Derek Arden's negotiating skills and our target delegate numbers we have the best ever Early Bird price for the three days of £497 (+ VAT) - all inclusive! - and there’s an easy payment option.
Email:
Please send me information on the following: Golf Day Partial attendance
Lesley Everett, our International Board Representative will present her sparkling keynote speach. 10
Partner attendance Please detach this booking form and post to: 8 Wyaston Gardens, Meadow Road, Ashbourne, Derbyshire, DE6 1HH. Alternatively fax it to: +44 (0)845 3700 503
11
It’s worth speaking at speaker events Is it worth speaking at PSA events or NSA meetings? After all, few people have a business speaking just to speakers. So other than alerting people to our expertise can it do anything for our business itself? You bet...! Lesley Everett spoke recently at the Canadian Association for Professional Speakers annual convention. Lesley said: “I know some members don’t think that it’s worth speaking to PSA or NSA audience, as they are never going to buy us! But our brand reputation is on show 24/7 without us realising it. As a direct result of an audience member at CAPS recommending me to a client, I’ve just been booked for full international fee plus business class for 2 gigs in India and 1 in Honolulu. There is very good reason for us to be aware of our brand within PSA.” So well done to Lesley and let’s hope other members can follow her lead. Speaking at speaker events clearly does pay.
Local chapter contacts East of England Terry O’Halloran – tpo@ohal.org
North East Juliette Lee – juliette@juliettelee.co.uk
London Carole Spiers – cs@carolespiers.com
North West Chris Davidson – info@activepresence.co.uk
Midlands Mike Pagan – speaking@mikepagan.com
Scotland Kenny Harris – kennyharris@headsurfing.com Ireland Veronica Canning – info@academyforleaders.com
National & international events 4th - 6th April 2008 National Speakers Association of Southern Africa Convention Durban www.nsasouthafrica.co.za/convention 2008 19th April 2008 PSA National Meeting Motorcycle Museum, Birmingham 6th May 2008 North West Chapter Meeting 13th May 2008 Midlands Chapter Mastermind Group - Members Only 14th May 2008 North East Chapter Meeting 17th May 2008 London Chapter Meeting
10th June 2008 Midlands Chapter Mastermind Group - Members Only Midlands Chapter Meeting
14th-15th December 2008 PSA Middle East Convention Abu Dhabi www.psame.org
14th June 2008 North East Chapter Meeting
18th-21st July 2008 NSA Convention Phoenix, Arizona
2nd - 5th August 2008 NSA Convention New York www.nsaspeaker.org 5th- 6th September 2008 German Speakers Association Convention Salzburg, Austria www.germanspeakers.org 7th-9th November 2008 PSA Convention Forest of Arden
12th-14th November 2009 PSA Convention London
Spring 2008 £5
speakeasy Magazine of the Professional Speakers Association
Enlighten and entertain... Is it that time already? I’ve been your President for several months, and it hardly seems a moment since the 2008 Convention. I’d like to welcome Graham Jones as the new Editor of this highly-informative missive in my stead. I’d also like to thank all of you for your kind messages of support and offers of help since I took over as President. Rest assured that I shall call in each and every favour that has been offered, and several that weren’t. So - where now for the PSA? We’re becoming a mature organisation, and need to start punching our weight, and helping you become the best speakers in the world. No false modesty from us. As I write, we have finalised the programme and speakers for our Convention at the Forest of Arden Country Club in early November. It promises to be a fabulous event, and will be talked about for years to come. There’s a booking form in this issue (Page 11) and a chance to book at a discount. I’d take it if I were you, since you won’t get a better-value offer all year. My theme for the year, as you no doubt recall, is “Enlighten and Entertain”, since that’s what I believe that we do. That’s very much the theme for the Convention, and I can promise you some jaw-dropping entertainment, and information that will make your speaking business grow faster than ever before. It’s amazing how one piece of advice can transform your business. I was lucky
enough to spend some time in December at the Convention of the Canadian Association of Professional Speakers Convention in Halifax, Nova Scotia. I was overwhelmed by their welcome, their generosity of spirit, and their willingness to share information. I was given a tip by someone I met there - Mark LeBlanc, current President of the National Speakers Association. I have used that tip every day since, and it has increased both the number and value of my bookings. What was the advice? Well, if you come to the Convention, I’ll whisper it to you (or drop me an email - I’m happy to tell you, but you need to make a bit of an effort). But not only am I looking forward to a great Convention, there’s also the National Meetings, and the regular Chapter events organised by our unsung heroes, the chapter presidents and their teams. If you’re serious about speaking (and you must be if you’re reading this), you need to get along to those events - you might get a nugget of advice that will change your business too. I hope to see as many of you as possible this year, and I’m always happy to talk on the phone (020 8220 6919) or by email (alan@alanstevens.net). My job for the year is to serve you and this great organisation. I look forward to doing just that. Best wishes, Alan Stevens, PSA President
The next issue of Speakeasy will be issued in the Summer. Copy deadline is 20th June 2008. All submissions in plain text (500 words) plus a suitable photograph and brief biography to Graham Jones, graham@grahamjones.co.uk.
Professional Speakers Association 0845 3700 504 www.professionalspeakers.org
Magazine of the Professional Speakers Association