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News and Information for the Speaking Community by SpeakerMatch
By Sanford Kahn
Two Great Business Myths That Dominate Our Lives and Why They Are NOT True
Myths are unconscious or semiconscious beliefs that have a strong influence on how we orient our behavior and actions. The ones that seem to influence us the most are directed towards our personal lives. But, there are business myths that have a profound impact on our decisions. The problem arises when some of these myths are believed to be true when in actuality they may be false or only partly true. Myth # 1: Information is Power. If this is true, then the more information you acquire the more powerful you will be. While it may be popular to subscribe to this myth, the fact is that the myth is not true. Information, especially as you acquire more, is not power but can easily lead to confusion. The power comes from
Tip of the Month Speakers often have difficulty communicating their expertise to different markets without diluting their value. To reach a diverse set of audiences while maintaining focus on your core message, use program titles to strategically reinforce your expertise. Examples: Leadership Skills for Corporate Business Executives, Leadership Skills for Students, Leadership Skills for Administrative Assistants. Listing your programs in this manner provides solid information about what you have to offer.
News
Vol. 1, Issue 6 • January 2010 • $24.95
You Should Know
Why Meeting Planners Don’t Respond
Perhaps the most common complaint from speakers is that meeting planners knowledge and understanding how the don’t follow up with their applications. acquired information can benefit you both This usually means that the meeting on a personal and professional level. planner didn’t respond to e-mails the Knowledge and understanding can be speaker sent. obtained from seminars, reading, etc. Want to know why? Because another I would venture to guess, though, that speaker did a better job at following up. 75 percent of your practical business Meeting planners get their socks knowledge comes from personal knocked off when a speaker takes the time experience — the old-fashioned trialto give them extra attention. and-error method. Knowledge is the filter that sifts the information into its useful parts. Myth # 2: The Business Cycle Can Be Eliminated. This myth is true — if you can remove humans from the face of the planet. Outside of this, the business cycle is part of human behavior. Why is there a business cycle? Someone once noted that people
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TIP: In your letter of application, offer to send something (your media kit, a demo DVD, copy of your book) if they provide their mailing address. If you follow up with a package (press kit, cookies, a nice card, etc.) you will be sure to stand-out. Taking the time and effort to follow up can make the difference between securing an engagement and having yet another meeting planner who “just doesn’t respond.”
What’s Inside Letter from the Editor.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
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What You Must Know About Working with the Media.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
2 Timeless and Simple Principles for Success.. . . . . 4 Proven Methods of Using Humor as a Branding Tool.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
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Why Being a Good Speaker Should Never Be Good Enough. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
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