Speaker April 2010

THE ART AND BUSINESS OF SPEAKING

April 2010

Stuart Gray, Founder, Blue Collar Sales Guys™

Kim Duke, Founder, The Sales Divas, Inc.

r

t You Marke -

Self ed h PubBloisok PA G E

34

Take a Stand for

Your Brand A sales diva and a blue-collar guy cash in on creative branding

Speaking: Practice

Makes Permanent Make the Grade with Adult

Learners Reconnect with Your Clients

T h e O f f i c i a l M a g a z i n e o f t h e N at i o n a l S p e a k e r s Asso c i at i o n • w w w. n s a s p e a k e r . o r g

THE ART AND BUSINESS OF SPEAKING

Take a Stand for Your Brand

April 2010

Want to stand out? Take some cues from sales trainers Kim Duke and Stuart Gray.

By Stephanie Conner

12

FEATURES

22

Practice Makes Permanent Commit to keeping your presentation skills sharp.

By Joanne S. Black

28 Is Relationship Selling Dead?

Reconnect with clients by showing your value to them.

By Jill Konrath

16

Make the Grade with Adult Learners ow to achieve desired outcomes H with attendees and meeting planners.

By Chris Clarke-Epstein, CSP

CO LU M N S 6 Reality Check Putting a fine point on the speaking industry

8 It’s Your Business Advice for enterprising speakers

10 Welcome to My World A snapshot into the lives of the people who hire us

D EPARTMEN TS 20 Relevant Resources Time-saving tools and technologies

32 Beyond Borders Exploring culture, countries and comfort zones

34 Turning Point A career-changing moment or experience

38 Humor Me

4 News from Headquarters 36 Index of Advertisers 37 Calendar of Events

Quips, tips and parting shots

33 What Would You Do? Casting a reality check on real-world conundrums April 2010 | SPEAKER | 3

news from headquarters

National Speakers Association Officers Phillip Van Hooser, CSP, CPAE, President Kristin Arnold, MBA, CPF, CMC, CSP, President Elect Laura Stack, MBA, CSP, Vice President Ronald P. Culberson, MSW, CSP, Secretary Ron Karr, CSP, Treasurer Sam Silverstein, CSP, Immediate Past President Stacy Tetschner, CAE, Executive Vice President/CEO

Reported by Stacy Tetschner, CAE NSA Executive Vice President/CEO NSA to Publish “Best Practices” Book This is your opportunity to contribute a chapter to NSA’s first-ever book, which will focus on best practices in the speaking profession. For submission guidelines, go to www.MyNSA.org/NSABookSubmission.aspx.

Chapter submission deadline is May 12, 2010.

NSA Foundation Scholarships The NSA Foundation awards four $5,000 scholarships each year to juniors, seniors and graduate students who want to pursue a speaking career. To download an application, visit NSAFoundation.org. Submission deadline is June 1, 2010.

NSA U Webinar Series Mark your calendar for two Webinars this month. Linda Keith, CSP, will help you establish the number of gigs you can do in a year, create an upside-down budget to gauge your revenue and answer a critical question for business success on April 5. Patricia Fripp, CSP, CPAE, will show you how to implement new ideas, simplify your speech and maximize your delivery on April 19. To register, visit www.NSAUniversity.org.

Silence is Golden Thanks to everyone who participated in the NSA Foundation Silent Auction, February 13-27. More than $27,000 was donated to the Professional Speakers Benefit Fund, which provides assistance to NSA members who were victims of health crises or natural disaster emergencies.

Learn more at www.NSAFoundation.org.

Speaker 2 Speaker Share the benefits of NSA membership by recruiting others who aspire to a speaking career. For more information, including tips for recruiting and prizes you can win, visit www. MyNSA.org/MemberServices/ Speaker2SpeakerCampaign.aspx.

Campaign ends June 15, 2010.

Save the Date: 2010 NSA Convention Build your business, your brand and your income with dynamic general sessions, hands-on concurrent sessions and exciting networking opportunities. Join us at the Orlando World Center Marriott in Orlando, Fla., July 17-20. Register now at www.NSAConvention.org.

Join the Club If you’re a fan of Speaker magazine, you can join other loyal readers on Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter. Find us by entering “Speaker magazine” in the search field.

This Month on V o i c e s o f

E x p e r i e n c e®

NSA’s monthly audio magazine

• Back Stage: Gerard Braud with Gail Davis • Category of One: Joe Calloway, CSP, CPAE, with Thomas Winninger, CSP, CPAE • Ones to Watch: Jane Atkinson with Colleen Francis

• NSA Event Update: Mark Mayberry and Jolene Brown, CSP • Global Speakers Federation: Lindsay Adams, CSP • Starfish Humor: Mark Sanborn, CSP, CPAE

• Off Stage: Rene Godefroy with Kathy Dempsey, CSP

• Dissecting Starfish: Ron Culberson, MSW, CSP, and David Glickman

• If You Could Do Just One Thing This Month: Bill Cates, CSP, Chris Clark-Epstein, CSP, Ford Saeks and Mike Rayburn, CSP

• President’s Message: Phillip Van Hooser, MBA, CSP, CPAE

4 | SPEAKER | April 2010

Founder Cavett Robert, CSP, CPAE Board of Directors Marjorie Brody, PCC, CMC, CSP, CPAE Kirstin Carey, CSP Jarik Conrad, EdD, MBA, MILR, SPHR Ed Gerety, CSP Scott Halford, CSP Shep Hyken, CSP, CPAE Linda Keith, CPA, CSP Scott McKain, CSP, CPAE Sarah Michel, CSP John B. Molidor, PhD Ford Saeks Jean Houston Shore, CPA, MBA, CSP Francine Ward, JD NSA Foundation The Foundation serves NSA members and the public through: • Financial help for NSA members and their families who are facing health or natural disaster emergencies; • Grants to NSA members who need help with their dues or meeting registration fees; • Scholarships for speech/communications students and professors; • Oversight and funding for speaking-related research; and • Grants to help charitable organizations communicate through technology Founder and Chairman Emeritus Nido R. Qubein, CSP, CPAE Chair Stephen Tweed, CSP Immediate Past Chair Randy Pennington, CSP, CPAE NSA Foundation Board of Trustees Lenora Billings-Harris, CSP Terry Paulson, PhD, CSP, CPAE

Jane Jenkins Herlong, CSP Sam Silverstein, CSP Don Hutson, CSP, CPAE Laura Stack, MBA, CSP Ron Karr, CSP Phillip Van Hooser, CSP, CPAE John B. Molidor, PhD Al Walker, CSP, CPAE Speaker Editorial Advisory Board Molly Cox, Chair Eileen McDargh, CSP, CPAE Jill Konrath Gina Schreck, CSP Terri Langhans, CSP Dennis Stauffer

Managing Editor Barbara Parus

Design switchstudio.com

Publications Assistant Lauren Aiken Editorial Office and Subscriptions: National Speakers Association 1500 S. Priest Drive • Tempe, AZ 85281 Tel: (480) 968-2552 • Fax: (480) 968-0911 Web site: www.nsaspeaker.org.

Advertising Sales Mandy Schulze, CMP Sponsorships, Advertising & Exhibits Manager Tel: (480) 264-4297 • Cell: (480) 600-3512 Fax: (480) 264-4298 Email: mandy@NSAspeaker.org Speaker (ISSN 1934-9076) (USPS 012-886). Volume 4, Number 7.

Published monthly except February and August by the National Speakers Association, 1500 S. Priest Drive, Tempe, AZ 85281.

Periodicals postage paid at Tempe, Arizona, and at additional mailing offices. Contents Copyright 2009 National Speakers Association, all rights reserved. Subscription rate for NSA members is $35 of $425 annual dues allocated to Speaker; non-member sub­scription rate is $49 for 10 issues. Add $10 for Canadian or international postage.

POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Speaker, National Speakers Association, 1500 S. Priest Drive, Tempe, AZ 85281.

Alan Weiss has garnered these honors and recognition: • One of only two people in history inducted into the NSA Hall of Fame® (CPAE) and also elected as a Fellow by the Institute of Management Consultants (FCMC).

• The only non-journalist in history to be presented with the Lifetime Achievement Award by the American Press Institute, and one of only seven in its 60+ year history.

• Author of 36 books from 8 publishers printed in 9 languages.

• Over 2,000 entrepreneurs and corporate executives coached and mentored.

• Over 300 corporate consulting clients.

• Over 1,000 keynote speeches.

• In 4 consecutive years keynoted the national speaker conventions in Australia, the US, Canada, and the UK.

In his newest book, Thrive!, Alan reveals the practical, daily techniques to: • Jettison baggage that’s weighing you down and holding you back • Overcome fears, trepidation, self-doubt, and low esteem (pandemic among speakers and consultants) • Relate to anyone as a peer and partner • Discriminate between good advice and horrible advice (never “dumb down” anything) • Embrace the fact that wealth is discretionary time • Create, nurture, and sustain rewarding personal relationships • Make yourself an object of interest to others • Escape the subliminal victim mentality that others load on us • Implement the 5 traits of masters of their fates • Stop wishing and start doing • Avoid the rut – there is always a bigger boat!

I can’t recall the last time that I read a book that I couldn’t put down. Thrive! is engaging and reminds us that we have the power to change the way our life is working.

Like all of Alan Weiss’s books, this one makes you think about why people do the things they do. Many of his insights are counterintuitive, such as how it is powerlessness rather than power that corrupts, or the critical nature of self-esteem in business survival.

Like Richard Fineman’s What Do You Care What Other People Think Think, this book rigorously challenges “politically correct” thinking and points out its unintended consequences. -- Dr. Larry Kutner

Coming from McGraw-Hill in 2010: Million Dollar Speaking (the successor to the wildly successful Money Talks Talks) and Million Dollar Coaching Coaching.

Thrive is about living life to the fullest, helping others to succeed, and becoming master of your own future.

Alan Weiss’s writing style has always been clear but I find the style of Thrive! to be incredibly engaging – it’s a real page turner. I love the titles and subtitles – I’ve never laughed while reading a table of contents before!

The book summarizes the wisdom and life’s lessons of a reflective and successful man. The thing that separates this from other inspirational books is the wealth of practical advice. -- James Bradford

I plan on reading it again, as soon as I can tear it out of my husband’s hands! -- Roberta Matuson

To order Thrive!: Visit Amazon.com or http://www.summitconsulting.com.

reality check Putting a fine point on the speaking industry

Speaking in Today’s World

W

hat does the future of your speaking business look like?

Does it evoke the gloom of the current recession, or is it bright and prosperous?

It’s no secret that the past couple of years have been challenging for speakers, and some have had to make tough decisions about their businesses. Even though we hear whispers of a recovery, companies and organizations are leery about spending money. The old assumption that a company holding an event would automatically hire a speaker is outdated.

Clients constantly re-evaluate the ROI of their off-site meetings, and speakers are expected to bring new levels of value and connection to their audiences. What does this mean for speakers today?

Recently, I had a series of e-mail exchanges with several NSA members who are trying to identify the new reality of the speaking business, and what they are doing to remain relevant and booked in this new era of the profession.

Here is a summary of that exchange.

Out With the Old Speakers have had to adjust to clients’ expectations by finding new ways to generate 6 | SPEAKER | April 2010

revenue and deliver content and value.

New speaking-related revenue opportunities include Webinars, conference calls, video conferencing, simulcasts, lunch-n-learns, content licensing, videos and e-communications.

Some speakers have invested in affordable green-screen video equipment to create content that can be customized immediately to their clients’ needs and delivered without the speaker being present.

In some cases, what was old is new again with the re-emergence of public seminars and public Webinars.

Speakers are partnering with sponsors to underwrite expenses and local businesses on a revenue-share basis to fill seats and garner online registrations.

Public Webinars create opportunities for speakers to derive immediate income by marketing directly to consumers instead of selling only to client companies.

Speakers are also re-connecting with past clients, who are more confident in bringing back a tried-andtrue speaker who brought success, instead of hiring an unproven new speaker. Nearly every client wants a speaker who delivers results.

Whether a keynoter or trainer, speakers must show the value of what they deliver and how clients will move

closer to their goals because they hired them.

Speakers also are finding that giving away their content in various formats leads to future business. Previously confidential program content is now shared freely in electronic formats. This creates greater demand for more information to drive concepts deep within a company and create long-term relationships. To provide additional value, speakers also are willing to augment their paid standard program with a breakout or other value-add at no extra cost.

In With the New The economic downturn has been favorable to some speakers, who have developed innovative methods to retool themselves and connect with audiences.

They climbed out of their business ruts and created fresh ways to market themselves and remain relevant and up-to-date.

For those dedicated to being part of this new era of the speaking profession, NSA is dedicated to being the place to learn and connect with the world’s largest community of professional speakers and its collective body of knowledge. By contributing to our professional community, we can share information, test ideas and build stronger, recession-proof businesses.

Stacy Tetschner, CAE Executive Vice President and CEO National Speakers Association

Imagine booking 5, 10 or 20 more speaking engagements from the strategies you learn at the 2010 NSA Annual Convention!

You CAN’T miss this event. It will seriously blow you away!

Phillip Van Hooser, MBA, CSP, CPAE 2009-2010 NSA President

Mark Mayberry 2010 Convention Chair

2010 NSA ANNUAL CONVENTION Orlando World Center Marriott • Orlando, Florida • July 17-20 Main Stage Presenters

Breakfast Reunion

Exhibit Hall

These fresh faces will help you take your business to the next level.

Connect or reunite over breakfast with other members who joined NSA in the same year.

It’s better than high school!

Engage with vendors and colleagues while learning about products, services and solutions that will enhance your speaking business.

Monday with the Masters

Location! Location! Location!

Emcee Ed Robinson, CSP, will host this innovative, fast-paced general session that will stretch your imagination and show you how to increase your business, featuring:

The Orlando World Center Marriott is a championship golf resort and the world’s largest Marriott. It’s located just minutes from Orlando International Airport and all of the area’s major attractions.

• Stef du Plessis • Chad Hymas, CSP • Mark Gungor • Wintley Phipps • Karen Cortell Reisman, MS

Million-Dollar Sunday This all-day session is designed exclusively for members who earn $1 million per year.

A Tuesday afternoon concurrent session will summarize the highlights for all members.

Meet the Pros - Sign up early!

Back by popular demand! Spend up close and personal time with some of NSA’s most notable members who will offer professional advice on boosting your speaking business.

“Ideating” Concurrent Sessions Find insight and inspiration from fellow speakers “ideating” as a part of small facilitated sessions on selected topics such as social media, business practices and life. Learn from your peers’ business practices and experiences in growing their business, exceeding client expectations and expanding their brand.

• Ty Boyd, CSP, CPAE • Joachim de Posada • Jean Gatz, CSP • Michael McKinley, CSP, CPAE • Ruby Newell-Legner, CSP

• Full-service spa • Fitness center • Children’s activity center • 10 dining rooms and lounges

Each speaker will deliver a 20-minute presentation, followed by a question that will inspire you to take immediate action.

NSA’s Got Talent!

Friday night fun awaits! Get jazzed for the NSA Annual Convention experience by watching NSA’s most talented, wackiest and funniest members bring the house down with performances outside their usual platform. Hosted by NSA funny guy Mark Mayfield, CSP, CPAE.

• 6 pools, waterfalls, whirlpools and a 106-ft. water slide NSA has negotiated a special guest room rate of $144 single/double occupancy for 2010 NSA Convention attendees. To reserve your room, visit www.NSAConvention.org or call (800) 380-7931.

Sponsored by

For more information and to register for the Convention, call (480) 968-2552 or visit www.NSAConvention.org

It’s your business Advice for enterprising speakers

Tools for Mining Prospects

P

rospecting is a necessary evil if you’re going to expand beyond your referral network to be successful. But few people enjoy prospecting. They see it as repeated rejection to uncover that one shining opportunity.

It doesn’t have to be that way.

There are some great tools designed to help you increase your odds of connecting with the right people and grabbing their attention so they want to talk to you.

You can use these tools to do everything from identifying your best prospects to deducing why they’d want to speak with you.

most current details. Add a few contacts of your own and earn points for free contact information downloads.

Find elusive e-mail addresses.

If you still can’t find an e-mail address from your search engine, type “@their Web site domain” to pull up addresses for that domain anywhere on the Web. Now you’ll have the e-mail protocol for that company and can more effectively guess the e-mail address.

Identify the who.

Once you know the types of contacts and companies you want to approach, use Zoominfo.com, NetProspex.com and Insideview.com to search and secure names of the best contacts.

Delve.

Research the contacts you’ve uncovered. What have they written? Where have they been quoted? Quickly get a feel for what’s top of mind with them and where their passions lie. Use this information to craft your attentiongrabbing value proposition.

Watch your prospects.

Monitor your top prospects’ activity using a service like Google Alerts. Set up a daily alert to see all of the comments they’ve made and where they’re mentioned. You’ll know what to talk about when you call and, more important, when they need you to call.

8 | SPEAKER | April 2010

Increase your productivity.

If you’re a Microsoft Outlook user, Xobni.com is a plug-in that makes searching your inbox and finding information about your contacts fast and easy.

Getting people to reply is the most challenging aspect of prospecting.

These tools give you new levels of information to increase your odds of breaking through and turning prospects into golden business opportunities.

Kendra Lee is a top seller, prospect attraction expert, author of the award-winning

Make your e-mails stand out.

Use gobbledygook.grader.com to pick out trite or hype-filled words and phrases you don’t realize you’re using.

Increase the impact of your brochures and online copy, too.

Secure contact info.

Start with the above-mentioned sites to find contact information. Jigsaw. com and NetProspex.com contain the

can trace opens and forwards, number of times read, and track how many times links are visited, forwarded and by whom. Use Bit.ly to shorten long links for use on social networking sites and in e-mail newsletters.

book, Selling Against the Goal, and president of KLA Group. Specializing in the small- and mid-market business segment, KLA Group works with companies to break in and exceed revenue objectives. Visit www. klagroup.com.

Know if they’re listening.

Use ReadNotify.com to find out if prospects are reading your e-mails. This tool

The Ultimate Online Source for Speaker Education

Do you want to hone your presentation skills and increase your knowledge of the speaking profession —but you don’t have time to attend meetings and conferences?

Now you can learn what you need to know to take your business to the next level—right in the comfort of your own home, office or even while you’re on the road.

NSA University is your online education destination for obtaining digital recordings from conventions, meetings and other content-rich programs, and participating in the:

NSA-U Webinar Series February 2010 – August 2010 Get expert-level content delivered by expert presenters whenever and wherever you want education.

ONLY

39

Program Schedule for April: APRIL 5, 1 P.M. to 2 P.M. EDT The Money Side of the Speaking Business: What-if scenarios to match what you can (or want to) get done with what you want to make!

Linda Keith, CSP APRIL 19, 1 P.M. to 2 P.M. EDT Powerful Presentation Skills: Are You Improving or Reinforcing Bad Habits?

Patricia Fripp, CSP, CPAE

$

EACH

Sign up today!

For more information about the NSA University Webinar Series, to register for a Webinar, and for a complete listing of NSA University offerings, visit www.NSASpeaker.org or call (480) 968-2552.

Steve Waterhouse, CSP Dean, NSA University

Laura Stack, MBA, CSP Webinar Director, NSA University

National Speakers Association

welcome to my world A snapshot into the lives of the people who hire us

From Basement to Bureau

W

hen the State of Minnesota laid off Holly Zelinsky 13 years ago, she immediately posted her resume online. Former NSA member Betsy Buckley responded with this opening statement: “You’re the answer to my prayers.”

Zelinsky started working for Buckley the next day.

After Zelinsky attended Camp NSA to learn how to sell speaker services and products, she dreamed of opening her own bureau. In the basement of her home, she launched Successfully Speaking with a handful of speaker clients. Her bureau, which was renamed Nationally Speaking, now represents 400 speakers nationwide.

Molly Cox: What trends do you see in the speaking business?

Holly Zelinsky: Organizations want to hire a great speaker for less money.

They used to have $3,000 for a speaker, but now they have only $1,000.

How is your bureau different from others?

We try to assist every organization that contacts us, even if it only has $1,000 to spend. We like to know about awesome, up-and-coming speakers because every CSP/CPAE started out somewhere. We don’t require bureaufriendly materials. I trust the speakers I work with, and I’m happy to let them speak directly to the client. If I don’t trust them, how can they trust me?

My bureau charges 20 percent commission, which is on the low side. I ask speakers to generate the contract and send us a commission check, instead of the other way around. It saves money on both ends.

How does your bureau stand out?

A school board mentioned that we didn’t have any speakers in the education market, even though we did. After reviewing our marketing, I created categories for speakers, such as Speaking of Sales, Speaking of Education, Spiritually Speaking and Speaking of Entertainment. Well, you get the idea.

What’s one marketing mistake that speakers make?

Their demo video doesn’t represent what they do. If you want to speak to 500 people, don’t show a clip speaking to 20 people. If you have a bad video, don’t send it to me and say, “This isn’t a good representation. I’m a lot better than this.” Don’t give the client a reason not to like you.

How do you find new speakers?

We love receiving recommendations from other great speakers. Some of our clients have booked all of their speakers 10 | SPEAKER | April 2010

For over eight years, Holly

from us (in a certain price range) for the past eight years.

We work with speakers of all levels.

Recently, I booked a Minnesota speaker from the apprentice program for a $500 fee. I booked another speaker for $10,000 on the same day.

Many associations, companies and groups need speakers. We work with many types at many fee levels. When I know who’s out there and who’s good, it’s easier to find a great fit.

one-time booking. Focus on customer service, follow-through and communication. Then, when you present, knock their socks off! There’s plenty of competition in this business, so do your best.

Speakers can support each other by sharing their successes and failures in this economy. and discussing methods for increasing business. If speakers aren’t honest with their colleagues, word gets around. It’s like any other business.

Do you like speakers to call you?

What should speakers do if their business is down?

Humor, health and life balance

Extra time can be a blessing. Speakers should develop new products, and update their Web site, photos, forms, introductions and agreements.

to helping people see the humor

When new speakers want representation, we check them out online first.

They should send an introductory e-mail and a link to their Web site. If it’s a match, we’ll get in touch.

Zelinsky and her team at Nationally Speaking Inc. have assisted hundreds of organizations with their speaker and entertainment needs. Whether the client is a small women’s retreat in Tennessee, a large corporation planning a four-day convention, or the Pentagon, she is thrilled to help find the right speaker with the right topic at the right price. Contact Zelinsky at holly@ nationallyspeaking.com.

expert Molly Cox is committed in everyday life to help them put things into perspective and be more productive. She is the co-author of the book, Improvise This! How to Think on

What pearls of wisdom can you offer speakers?

Do you have words of encouragement?

Your Feet so You Don’t Fall on Your Face

Quite simply, speakers should be easy to work with. If you’re difficult, it’s a

The phones are ringing again, which is a good sign.

Aspiring Film for Caregivers, is currently in

NSA Book ad 3/11/10 12:23 PM Page 1

(Hyperion). Her latest film, Note to Self: An production. Visit www.mollyspeaks.com.

Call for Book Chapters!

Share your expertise and give back to the speaking community!

This is your opportunity to be part of the first-ever National Speakers Association book. That’s right!

NSA is creating a book on best practices in the speaking profession, and we are accepting chapter submissions from professional members now.

We are requesting chapters addressing one of the four core competencies: Expertise, Eloquence, Enterprise, Ethics. Each selected book chapter will provide specific and actionable direction for working successfully in the speaking profession.

for Deadlineions: submiss 010 2 May 12,

Submit your chapter to book@nsaspeaker.org. For chapter guidelines, visit www.MyNSA.org/NSABookSubmission.aspx. If you have any questions, please call NSA at (480) 968-2552 and ask for the book coordinator.

Contribute to NSA’s book on best practices! book@nsaspeaker.org

AD Form

April 2010 | SPEAKER | 11

Take a Stand for

your Brand

Want to stand out?

Take some cues from sales trainers Kim Duke and Stuart Gray.

A

Kim Duke, Sales Divas, Inc.

12 | SPEAKER | April 2010

brand is not a logo. It’s not a brochure or an ad. And it’s definitely not a slogan.

So, what the heck is it then?

As speakers Kim Duke and Stuart Gray explain, a brand is an experience—a culmination of all the ways you reach your audience. And each touch point—your Web site, business cards, ads, e-newsletters, voicemail messages, trade-show booths, everything—should be a consistent expression of that brand.

Both Duke and Gray are sales trainers and speakers with unique, memorable brands. She’s the Sales Diva, and he’s a Blue Collar Sales Guy. From their brand names alone, you probably already have a picture of who these people are and the kind of businesses they run.

They know it doesn’t happen overnight, but Duke and Gray have reaped the rewards of creative branding. Whether you’re just getting started or are considering a brand overhaul, their experiences can help serve as a roadmap.

Stuart Gray, Blue Collar Sales Guys™

Kim Duke: The Sales Diva Kim Duke had a successful career in advertising sales for two of Canada’s largest television networks. Outside of work, she began speaking at women’s business events, where she caught the entrepreneurial bug. When she spoke with women, she discovered that while she finds sales easy, most women don’t.

There was a clear market, and Sales Divas Inc. was born.

“My main focus was going to be on women entrepreneurs and women who sell,” she says. And even though some people told her this niche was too small, Duke was convinced she was on the right track—she knew female entrepreneurs were one of North America’s fastest growing markets.

“Women, in general, are very afraid of selling,” she says. “They’re afraid of coming across as too pushy or manipulative. My mission in life is to help them realize you don’t have to be those things to be successful.”

She chose a unique niche—and a unique message. “I’m a sales trainer who thinks that cold calling is an archaic style of selling,” she explains. “I’ve taken a lot of heat over that over the years.”

But it was also a way to stand out from the crowd.

Getting Diva-Dized Once Duke established her market, it was time to name the company and develop the brand’s personality and look.

A casual brainstorming session over wine with friends led her to the name Sales Divas Inc. She received words of caution: Male-led companies might not want to work with you, colleagues told her. But Duke was comfortable with that.

“I take a stand for my brand,” she says. “I wanted the name to tell you what I am. Divas know what they’re doing.”

She wanted the brand to reflect a polished, professional one-stop shop for women in sales—plus, she wanted to make the experience fun for her clients.

To drive that home, she chose purple as her main branding color and writes all company materials, from business cards to convention brochures, in a spirited, conversational tone that reaches out to women.

She trains clients, for example, at the High-Speed Stiletto Sales Camp. Her books are specifically designed to fit into a woman’s purse. She doesn’t use a normal business card holder, but instead a purple box with a tassel.

And her envelopes are made of sparkly purple paper.

Her outgoing voice-mail message, she adds, is designed to catch people off-guard. She begins with, “I’d love to take your call, but I’m out making money right now.”

Duke sees to it that anything representing her brand is consistent. It’s about “savvy and sassy sales advice.”

“Some brands are incredibly boring,” Duke says. “That can never be said of me. I am not Duke and Associates.”

Savvy and sassy also shine through when she speaks at conferences or coaches clients directly. She tells the tough truth, she says.

“If someone wants a coach who’s going to pussyfoot around, then I’m not the right fit,” she says.

And if a prospect isn’t the right fit, Duke doesn’t force it. When a potential client from a large corporation called and said he wasn’t comfortable with her company name and didn’t like her purple Web site, she referred him to someone who was a better match.

Duke’s brand reflects a polished, professional one-stop shop for women in sales.

“I dig my stilettos in,” she says. “If they think [Sales Divas] is fluff, I’m not going to do a big sell job to convince them otherwise.”

She encourages speakers to think through the kinds of clients they want, and then use their brands as a filter.

That way, you don’t end up in front of an audience that’s the wrong fit.

Duke has thousands of newsletter subscribers from 54 countries, and she works with clients around the world. She’s doubled her sales every year since she started her business in 2001, and she’s received media attention from major networks in the United States and Canada.

“That doesn’t happen when you’re vanilla,” she says. When speakers develop their brand, she says, many focus too much on being something for everyone and end up with a diluted product.

Here’s the payoff: As a speaker, Duke says clients don’t challenge her rate, which she relates directly to her April 2010 | SPEAKER | 13

branding efforts. They know what she’s about and the value she brings.

“My branding is filtering out the people who won’t pay the rate,” she says.

“By the time we meet, my branding has already done most of the job for me.”

Stuart Gray: Blue Collar Sales Guy Stuart Gray’s career started in the ‘70s selling newspapers. Eventually, he moved into the hospitality industry and began to teach others how to sell.

In 2005, Gray left the corporate world and launched Blue Collar Sales Guys, which is based in Minnesota.

“The original goal was to create a traveling road show that we could take through the upper Midwest,” he

explains. An RV enabled him to do a lot of speaking without having to fly. Plus, it was a branding opportunity.

When you see Gray’s RV, two words jump out: “Up Yours!” The full phrase is: “Sales: Up Yours!” (Translation: Increase your sales.)

“I’m a native New Yorker, and I speak from my heart,” he says. “Some people can deal with it, but some can’t.

As a speaker, I know I’ve crossed the line. I’ve offended people. But I also know I get the learning through.”

Tired of typical sales seminars, Gray and his partner didn’t want to talk about sales theories in their presentations. Instead, they present easy-to-use techniques in a fun, engaging way.

The Blue Collar brand, Gray says, revolves around key attributes: challenging, edgy, direct, assertive, fun, interactive and the permission to play.

Business Card, Beer Coaster or Both?

When you meet Gray or see him on stage, it’s clear he’s different. And that’s exactly what he wants.

“The reason people are speakers is because they have their own beliefs,” he says.

“Everybody gets to apply their own passion, personal interest and creativity.”

He wears Dockers or jeans, denim shirts or bowling shirts.

“I’m very casual, yet professional,” he notes.

On stage, the interactive element is critical. At the beginning of a presentation, he passes out toilet paper.

“It’s our 3x5 card,” Gray says.

“Then, we have people write down three things that are in their way of success in sales.” A toilet sits on stage, and he asks attendees to “flush their crap.”

Stage backdrops are supported by PVC pipe. A chalkboard replaces flipcharts and PowerPoint®. At the end of a

Checklist: Do the following touch points reflect your brand?

To drive home his brand, Gray’s props include a trash can, a toilet, toilet paper and a cooler of beer.

14 | SPEAKER | April 2010

 Business cards  Web site  Blog  Facebook fan page  Twitter background  Voicemail greeting  Signage  Trade-show booth  Brochures and other collateral  PowerPoint presentations  Proposal templates  Stationery and envelopes  Gift packaging  Print, radio and television ads  Print and e-mail newsletters  Invoice

“The brand is really a promise.”

–Stuart Gray

5 Tips for Building Your Brand Gray urges attendees to “flush their crap.”

seminar, Gray pulls out a cooler of beer for a Q&A session. His trade-show booth has the blue-collar look, too.

“We bring in an old painted door as our table, and we use canvas backdrops with graffiti,” he says. “I don’t want to look like everybody else there.”

Be Memorable.

“Our business cards are beer coasters,” he says. “If you get one of my business cards, you’re going to remember it.”

And maybe even use it.

Gray knows his irreverent style doesn’t resonate with everyone, and he’s OK with that. Ultimately, the Blue Collar brand is about substance.

“The brand is really a promise,” he says. “For every event I do, I guarantee them double the results of their investment.”

Ready, Set, Brand Both Gray and Duke pride themselves on being unique—and having brands that reflect that. Do they have logos and Web sites? Of course. But they also know those elements aren’t the sole expressions of a brand.

Duke dispenses savvy and sassy sales advice.

When they started the branding process, each focused on the big picture, including their target market, the emotions they wanted to conjure, the types of clients they wanted to attract and the kinds of events they wanted to speak at.

And to solidify their success, Gray and Duke stand behind their brands.

They take risks to help them stand out, but they never forget who they are and what their brands mean.

“For speakers, you’ve got to figure out where your passion is and stay in that space,” Gray says. “Your brand has to be consistent with who you are.”

Get Connected www.salesdivas.com www.bluecollarsalesguys.com Stephanie Conner is a professional writer and editor who stands behind her brand, Active Voice Communications in Phoenix. She can be reached at Stephanie@TheActiveVoice.com.

When you think about your brand, it’s easy to get overwhelmed. After all, it spans everything you do and say in your business. Sales Divas Inc. founder Kim Duke and Blue Collar Sales Guy Stuart Gray offer a few tips to get you started.

1. Research. Survey prospects and make sure there’s a market for your idea.

2. Think about the big picture.

“I would encourage everyone to get to the root emotion that they want to create in their customer,” Duke says. “Build the brand around that emotion.”

3. Know your strengths. If you don’t have a built-in network of friends who write, design or program Web sites, hire professionals to help you.

4. Be different. At the end of some presentations, Gray gives everyone a plunger—and tells them they “don’t have to take any more crap.” He’s not afraid to stand out.

5. Build a community. Duke says a lot of speakers drop the ball when it comes to creating a community.

“Is it more important to sell a book or get someone’s e-mail address?” she asks. “Always get the e-mail.” Build a database of contacts, and talk to your community often.

April 2010 | SPEAKER | 15

Make the Grade with

Adult Learners

How to achieve desired outcomes with attendees and meeting planners

By Chris Clarke-Epstein, CSP

T

here you are, about 20 minutes into your presentation, checking in with the part of your brain that monitors the total experience while the rest of your brain continues the speech. Perfect, you think as you scan the audience. Heads are nodding in agreement while pens furiously record your brilliant words.

Metaphoric light bulbs flash across the room, as your meeting planner grins from ear to ear at the back of the room.

This is a speaker’s dream come true. You mentally gloat that this is the same meeting planner who said her group had heard it all before. Be careful—you’re about to fall into a terrible trap: believing that real return-on-investment learning only happens when new, never-heard-before ideas are presented. Au contraire.

16 | SPEAKER | April 2010

Tell Them Something They Don’t Know Adults come to any learning session—keynote to breakout—with experience. It’s the reason participants often carry a chip on their learning shoulder. “Tell me something I don’t already know,” they mutter as they size up the presenter.

No wonder the people who hire speakers evaluate them on what’s new and different in their approach to presenting their topic(s). This mindset leaves too much learning unrecognized, unappreciated and on the table.

Selling our service in a troubled economy requires speakers to focus on the presentation’s desired outcome. From humorists who provide a much-needed oasis of laughter in a desert of grim realities

to trainers who offer skill-sharpening designed to meet heightened competition head on, it is the outcome that provides value and sells. What will be different after the session?

The Three Rs: Reinforce, Remind and Refresh A well-designed, well-delivered presentation includes three types of learning in direct proportion to the needs of any particular audience. Exposed to any learning opportunity, adults experience positive outcomes when: It reinforces their regular behavior.

This kind of learning gets head nods with grins. Well-crafted and artfully delivered stories often get this response. Lou Heckler, CSP, CPAE, said it best: “The more personal the story, the more universal the lesson.”

April 2010 | SPEAKER | 17

Back to School: Facts about Adult Learners Adult learners:

• could be doing other things instead of listening to you.

Break through their preoccupation quickly, and help them understand that your session will directly benefit them in tangible ways.

• bring a variety of experiences to your session.

Participants will be more inclined to listen and participate if you align your material with their experiences.

• require a comfortable learning environment.

Be responsible for room set-up, creature comforts, and fixing logistical bumps in the road quickly.

• want to be treated with respect.

Participants need to be emotionally comfortable and secure in knowing that they won’t be singled out, belittled, or intimidated in any way.

• have something real to lose when they are learning with their peers.

Self-esteem and ego, not to mention their jobs, can be on the line when they are asked to try a new behavior in front of professional colleagues.

For more information on adult learners, read “30 Things We Know for Sure About Adult Learning,” an article by Ron and Susan Zemke.

Translation: You tell me your story with its point attached. It reminds me of my reality, and I leave feeling good about something I already know and do. Attendees leave your session feeling confident and inspired that they’re on the right track.

the basics periodically. This allows adults to recognize, with minimal guilt, that knowing something isn’t the same as doing it. They leave your session reinvigorated to be accountable for applying what they know to be the right behaviors.

It reminds them of their previous behavior. This kind of learning gets head nods with sheepish looks around the room. Oops, you can almost hear people wondering why they stopped doing that. Attach a review of a basic skill to your topic with a reminder that all highperformance teams should revisit

They can learn something new (refresh). This kind of learning, although highly desirable on the surface, runs the risk of producing the least impressive outcome.

It requires adults to change entrenched behavior.

“Even when your life depends on it, change is hard,” according to

18 | SPEAKER | April 2010

speaker and author Dick Axelrod of The Axelrod Group, Inc., a consulting firm that pioneered the use of employeeinvolvement to effect large-scale organizational change.

New ideas must be nurtured to take root and grow. If that weren’t true, no one would smoke, overeat or fail to exercise, and speakers would talk themselves out of work in a hurry. It is unlikely that any single presentation filled with new concepts will create hordes of participants rushing out of a room eager to change their wellestablished behavior.

A Show of Hands Speakers provide value when they can sell beyond their new ideas.

Speakers and meeting planners cannot simply hope that attendees will act on the information they absorbed during the meeting. There must be a plan of action. If you don’t believe this assertion, incorporate this question into your next five client conversations: What impact has the skill training, change programs, or morale-building initiatives you’ve introduced at meetings had in your organization over time?

Based on your clients’ responses, you’ll soon discover that achieving a respectable ROI is difficult.

Multiple Choice In your client conversations, you can position yourself as an expert by relating the three ways adults get significant value during meetings. Then, ask any or all of the following questions to tailor your sales pitch and increase your chances of working together. (Caution: If you don’t customize your presentations, you might want to skip these questions because they will set client expectations.)

What do you want participants to be able to do after this presentation?

The client’s response will help you focus your program’s subject content.

How well do audience members consistently perform the basics of <insert your topic>? The response will help you focus on the levels of the program’s subject content.

How important is it that participants practice the skills/behaviors you’re introducing? This question will help you allocate the time you

have for your presentation.

What do you want participants to feel as a result of this presentation?

The answer will help you focus your program’s motivational content.

How important is measuring the ROI of my session to you? The response will help you focus on how your program will be evaluated, and hint at the pressure the planner is under for meeting performance.

How can I exceed your expectations for my program? This question will give you clues that indicate your meeting planner’s expectations about your delivery.

What follow-up are you and your organization planning to reinforce the concept/ideas introduced during this meeting? This answer will help you gauge the meeting planner’s understanding of and interest in accountability.

How can I help you answer any of these questions? If you’re looking for consulting opportunities in addition to your group presentation, this question is golden.

bulbs flashing throughout the room, and the meeting planner smiling.

Participants are congratulating themselves on behaviors well done, reminding themselves of previous good behaviors, and grinning as they accept the challenge of new behaviors. You’re experiencing a speaker’s dream come true.

Chris Clarke-Epstein, CSP, is a student of words–both spoken and written, a lover of storytelling–both true and slightly stretched, and a master of changes–both big and small.

Past President of NSA and an award-winning speaker, trainer and author, she has created and presented programs that inspire people to look at their world from a fresh perspective, apply new knowledge, and make change. Chris can be reached at Chris@Change101.com.

Go to the Head of the Class Here you are again, about 20 minutes into a different presentation. You’re checking in on the part of your brain that monitors the total participant experience.

Perfect, you think as you scan the audience and see heads nodding in agreement, pens furiously recording your ideas and concepts, light

April 2010 | SPEAKER | 19

relevant resources Time-saving tools and technologies

Go Green or Go Home April is Earth Month. Celebrate World Heritage Day on April 18, Earth Day on April 22, and Arbor Day on April 30. Now’s the time to go green and contribute to a cleaner planet with some products that are good for the environment.

1

Let it Rain

You don’t have to sacrifice a powerful shower experience to save water. The EcoRain™ Dual Mode showerhead from Water Pik® is designed with 60 individually directed nozzles to create a 50 percent wider spray coverage while efficiently channeling water to save a half gallon per minute. Save more than $45 each year in water and utility costs. $34.99. www.waterpik-store.com.

2

Blue is the New Green

Sleek, innovative and packed with the latest solar technology, the Iqua SUN Bluetooth Headset is a global-conscious solution to hands-free talking. This wireless headset is the first of its kind, combining a built-in solar panel with a lithium polymer battery to provide up to nine hours of talk time and 200 hours of standby. Recharge in just two hours, or leave it in direct sunlight for a quick boost. With a one-touch call and volume key, you can manage your calls effortlessly. About $95. www.iqua.com.

Reduce Your Carbon Footprint at the Office • Turn off lights when you’re leaving a room for more than 10 minutes.

3

• Invest in energy-saving computers and either shut down or at least turn off your monitor before leaving at the end of the day.

More Power to You

Your computer, printer and other electronics continue to use energy even after you turn them off. It’s called “idle” or “vampire energy” and costs you extra money. Switch to a Smart Strip power strip from Bits Ltd. to save up to $20 per month on your electric bill while providing your computer with superior surge protection. Smart Strip uses advanced circuitry to sense the flow of electrical current and automatically shut electronics off when they aren’t in use.

Starting at $30.95-45.95. www.smarthomeusa.com.

20 | SPEAKER | April 2010

4

Go Bananas

Handmade from banana fiber and kraft paper, the triangular table lamp from Creollus is truly unique. Its design stemmed from the idea to organize cultural activities related to recycling paper and fibers while preserving ecological heritage. A percentage of all sales benefit Semear Educar, a non-profit organization in Brazil.

7”x7”x13”. 9 lbs. $115. www.creollus.com.

• Be conscious of what you print.

Use recycled paper and/or scraps whenever possible.

• Recycle fax paper, envelopes, junk mail, plastics and cell phones.

• Car pool, use public transportation or work at home to reduce travel.

• Use non-toxic cleaning products and real silverware instead of the plastic kind.

• Drink filtered water out of a reusable cup instead of buying bottled water.

5

Guilt-Free Greetings

When you want to express gratitude, choose an eco-friendly Botanical PaperWorks plantable card made of 100 percent post-consumer waste and infused with pure North American wildflower seeds. Available in a boxed set of eight cards with matching envelopes, these beautiful “treefree” cards—no trees were cut down to make them—are sure to make a lasting impression. $24.95. www.botanicalpaperworks.com.

7

Geek Chic

Your guests (especially tech friends) will love these unique drink coasters made from durable reclaimed computer circuit boards. Functional and fun, they make great gifts or additions to your coffee table while keeping the landfills free of electronic waste. Now that’s a reason to clink your glasses. Sold in a set of six assorted colors. $24.95. www.greenfeet.com.

9

6

Breathe Easy

8

Sustainable Sip

The AirFree P1000 purification system with patented sterilizer destroys up to 99 percent of airborne microorganisms, including mold spores, bacteria and dust mite allergens. The P1000 uses environmentally friendly technology, consumes minimum energy and is completely silent. It doesn’t require expensive filter replacements and is easily portable at only 3.1 lbs. $199. www.amazon.com.

It’s easy to throw around the word “organic,” but when it comes to coffee, Good Earth® should be your cup of joe. Crafted from 100 percent specialty grade Arabica beans, Good Earth coffee is grown on organic plantations that are untouched by chemical pesticides or herbicides in a way that’s less taxing on the land and your body. Even the packaging is environmentally sound, with lining derived from plants and nearly 20 percent of materials created from a renewable source. Last—but not least—it’s delicious! Found in most supermarkets. www.goodearthcoffee.com.

Reduce, Re-Juice, Recycle

The Mosaic Recycled Storage Box from Crate & Barrel’s CB2 line is made from shredded juice boxes that were compressed and refreshed, so each hardboard lidded storage box is unique. Colors vary, but overall scheme is coffee/cream with fun bits of bright carton color and type. Waterand moisture-resistant; won’t crack, splinter or chip. $29.95. www.cb2.com.

This product information was compiled and researched by Lauren Aiken, NSA’s techsavvy publications assistant and PEG newsletter coordinator. Lauren has her eye on the tree-free greeting cards shown on this page. She can be reached at Lauren@nsaspeaker.org.

April 2010 | SPEAKER | 21

Practice Makes

22 | SPEAKER | April 2010

Permanent Commit to keeping your presentation skills sharp.

By Joanne S. Black

G

rowing your business and building your professional skills takes practice—deliberate, exhausting practice. Adults resist practice. You don’t get paid for it; you get paid to speak. You receive compensation to do your job correctly the first time.

Practice is on your dime. And who has extra time just floating around? Personally, I don’t like to practice. But I go into a room with my timer, my notes and a wallto-wall mirror, and I laugh at myself, stumble over my words and begin again…and again.

It’s kind of embarrassing to practice, especially in front of peers. I’m completely confident speaking to sales audiences, because those are my folks. They focus on my message and stories, not on me or my technique.

But I get nervous as all get out when I address an audience of other speakers.

“Did I move in the correct direction?” I wonder. “Did I pause at the correct place? Was my voice modulated enough? Did I have lipstick on my

teeth? Oh, please just let me speak to salespeople. They love me.”

Children practice all the time—without fear. Remember learning to ride a bike? You watched other kids. You probably started with a tricycle (very safe), then got a bicycle with training wheels (safe), which you eventually dropped for a solo free ride (not so safe). You fell, skinned your knees and got back on. You eventually got good, really good. But it didn’t happen overnight.

April 2010 | SPEAKER | 23

I grew up hearing that practice makes perfect. Isn’t that a downer? It sets the bar too high. I gave up seeking perfection years ago. There’s really no such thing. Then, one of my clients said, “Practice makes permanent.” Yes, finally a statement I understood and could promote!

And research backs it up. “The thing that distinguishes one performer from another is how hard he or she works,” writes Malcolm Gladwell in Outliers: The Story of Success. “And what’s more, the people at the very top don’t just work harder or even much harder than everyone else. They work much, much harder.” Referencing Florida State University, he reports: “Researchers have settled on what they believe is the magic number for true expertise: 10,000 hours.” Yikes!

Reality check: Mastery, becoming a world-class expert on or at something, takes 10,000 hours of practice— because it takes the brain that long to assimilate everything it has learned.

Real people, those of us who have given up perfection and just want to be at the top of our game, don’t need 10,000 hours of practice. But we do need plenty of it—more, I’d bet, than most of us are currently committed to—to be great at our craft and at business development.

Here’s how to keep your speaking and business skills sharp:

Practice Your Presentation Practice and practice again—in your car, the bathroom, or on an airplane.

(It doesn’t matter if people think you’re weird. You don’t know them, anyway.) Practice one new skill each time you present. Record every presentation and listen carefully to the replay. I caught a cold the day before a

24 | SPEAKER | April 2010

recent presentation, so I drank lots of hot water with honey and lemon. My voice didn’t crack and I only coughed once, so I thought I did very well—until I listened to the recording and noticed that my pitch lowered at the end of my sentences (probably an instinctive effort to protect my voice.) So, for my next presentation, I focused only on the modulation of my voice and ending my sentences with impact. And it worked.

Practice Selling Yourself Sell? Who, you? You bet. Speakers don’t get gigs unless they sell, yet many speakers say they can’t sell. That’s a myth we’ll dispel right now.

The problem is sales perception.

Picture a stereotypical used-car salesman—a poorly dressed, pushy, arrogant, in your face, aggressive person passing out handwritten business cards. That’s not the profile of a good salesperson, so erase that from your mind. Instead, think of every good salesperson you ever met. What were their attributes? I

bet they listened, were empathetic and friendly, asked good questions, probed for the real issues and referred others if they weren’t the right resource. Isn’t that you?

Practice Asking for Referrals Do you deliver great content, motivate your audience, receive kudos from the client and then leave? Wait! There’s more. Current clients are the best source of new business, but you must ask. There are very few “bluebirds,” which are referrals the client automatically throws in your direction. If you wait for referrals to happen, your businesses won’t grow.

Studies show that when you receive a qualified referral, you are pre-sold, have instant trust and credibility, a shortened sales process, ace out the competition, and get a new client between 50 and 90 percent of the time.

No other sales or marketing strategy claims results like these.

Referral selling is the most respectable kind of selling we do.

Practice Makes Powerful

A well-executed online presence positions you as an expert in your field—one with loyal fans who want to refer you.

Follow these tips to boost your buzz: Learn how social media works. Commit to practicing your online networking prowess.

Contribute posts regularly, begin conversations and answer questions. Facebook and LinkedIn make practicing introductions and referrals convenient and efficient.

Follow through with people you’ve met and invite them to join your groups (but don’t forget to join theirs as well).

Build your own site with robust content and an interactive blog that offers free tips and starts conversations. If you haven’t appeared on the Web in more than six months, people assume you’re out of business.

You know your content cold. If you leave something out, no one will know. So practice connecting with the audience and delivering your message with verve.

Because I speak about referrals, I have an advantage. I ask for referrals at the end of every presentation. I hold a drawing and collect everyone’s business card. I tell them I build my business through referrals and define my ideal client. Then I ask that they put an “R” on their card before dropping it in if they know someone I should meet. How cool is that? I send the group a special thank-you e-mail, include an article or interesting bit of information, and then call. And I have the most amazing conversations. Does everyone return my calls? No. Do I get more than one qualified referral from each engagement? You bet.

And in the process, I’ve built more relationships with supportive fans.

Practice Giving Referrals You must give to receive, right? So, offer to refer as much as you can.

Connecting people not only feels good but also helps someone out who might return the favor some day. Refer resources to your clients, and offer to refer other speakers. Get to know other speakers—those with similar topics and unrelated ones—and then actively identify opportunities to refer each other. When you refer someone you know, like and trust, you become a credible resource.

I’ve built my business entirely through referrals. However, because my referral sources and prospects know I have a large network, they realize that I am also a great source of information and can make a difference for them.

Sometimes I get non-business requests— for a dog walker, mechanic, Realtor® … you name it. My suggestions are invariably met with, “I knew you would know someone.” What a great compliment!

Practice Your Follow-Through You’ve probably heard the saying, “The fortune’s in the follow up.” There’s no excuse today for not following up immediately. At a minimum, send an e-mail to the meeting attendees, event planner, speakers’ bureau and your client contact. Better yet, send a handwritten note—even if you have terrible handwriting. We receive so few handwritten notes these days. What mail do you open first? Not the gas bill.

People forget you if they haven’t heard from you, so follow up and then keep in touch. Develop a campaign to send relevant information on a regular basis. I send a monthly newsletter, and each month I get a response from several people I haven’t heard from in years. For some reason, the message was timely, and they’re ready to talk. Some just write that my message spoke to them—nothing more. That feels great.

Practice Again Find an accountability partner—someone to keep you on track and tell you the truth. Someone to be “in your face” and ensure you do what you say you’ll do. Someone who expects you to practice and report your results.

I took piano lessons as a young girl.

I often neglected to practice, thinking my teacher wouldn’t notice. She always noticed. I never got away with skipping practice. And as adults, even pros who’ve been at it for decades, we can’t get away with not keeping our skills fresh. Your audiences, clients and prospects will notice.

Practice becomes your compelling, game-changing event. Practice is your future. You don’t need 10,000 hours of practice. Just practice one skill every day. Practice? Yes, you!

Joanne S. Black is a motivational keynote speaker and a sales strategist. Her No More Cold Calling™ concept of building relationships and getting referrals generates sales faster and more cost effectively than cold calling. She guides client companies towards business growth and success. Visit http://nomorecoldcalling.com or contact her at Joanne@ nomorecoldcalling.com

April 2010 | SPEAKER | 25

Thanks for your expert introduction to my presentation. The audience really welcomed me!

My pleasure! Let me make another introduction: Have you heard about the National Speakers Association?

Share the Wealth!

You already know that NSA is the ultimate resource for information, education and networking in the speaking industry. Why not share the benefits of membership by recruiting others who aspire to a speaking career?

Win prizes for recruiting the most members!

Grand Prize: Family 4-Pack of 1-Day Passes to Disney World + 1 night stay at the Orlando World Center Marriott Second Prize: Free full set of Convention Recordings (2) Third Prizes: 1 year member renewal fees paid *Campaign ends June 15, 2010

HOW TO RECRUIT: Identify Potential Members Tap into business colleagues, members of other professional organizations, and speakers who don’t belong to NSA. Show & Tell • Show Speaker magazine and the member information magazine to prospects.

• Share your NSA success story and tell them how they can join.

WHO TO RECRUIT: • • • • • • • • • •

Diverse professional speakers Keynoters Consultants Trainers Salaried speakers Coaches Professors/educators Clergy Book-touring authors Subject matter experts

MEMBER BENEFITS: A professional network • National Conventions and Conferences • Members-only Web site • Chapter networks • Speaker magazine • Voices of Experience audio magazine • Online “Find a Speaker” Directory • Awards and recognition

National Speakers Association 1500 S. Priest Dr. • Tempe, AZ 85281 Tel: (480) 968-2552 • Fax: (480) 968-0911 info@nsaspeaker.org

Three good reasons to exhibit at the 2010 NSA Annual Convention:

CONNECT with current clients

CREATE

new business relationships

NETWORK

THANK YOU

with fellow vendors

Do you want to rub elbows with 1,500 decision makers in the speaking profession?

By hosting a booth in the Exhibit Hall at the 2010 NSA Annual Convention, you can sell your products and services, conduct demonstrations, or simply sit and chat with current and future clients.

Purchase your booth by April 30 to be entered to win a free commercial on the NSA TV Channel!

If you canâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t make it to the Convention, you can reach potential clients by advertising in the on-site Exhibitor Program.

Booth Price: $1,495 ($300 discount for NSA members) For exhibitor and sponsorship information, contact Mandy Schulze at 480.264.4297 or mandy@nsaspeaker.org

AD FORM

To Our 2010 Winter Conference Exhibitors Broadcast Interview Source, Inc www.expertclick.com Digitell, Inc www.digitellinc.com Entrepreneur Press www.entrepreneurhouseauthors.com eSpeakers www.espeakers.com Meeting Research www.meetingresearch.com PR/PR www.prpr.net We appreciate your support of NSA! For more information on becoming a sponsor or exhibitor contact Mandy Schulze at (480) 264-4297.

AD Form

Is Relationship Selling Dead?

Reconnect with clients by showing your value to them.

By Jill Konrath

A

re your client relationships lifeless? It sure seems that way. You rarely reach prospective clients on the phone and, when you do, they quickly brush you off. When you’re in meetings, they want you to get right to the point.

Sometimes they’re so busy multi-tasking that you’re not even sure if they’re paying attention. Even your long-term clients fail to return your calls for months, making you wonder what you did wrong.

28 | SPEAKER | April 2010

Welcome to the New Normal Your clients are suffering from Frazzled Customer Syndrome, a debilitating condition brought on by increased expectations, excessive workloads, unrealistic deadlines and fewer resources.

They’re good people who are doing their very best to survive in a hyperkinetic workplace. Their calendars are overflowing, they’re constantly falling behind, and they feel powerless to stop the escalating demands on their time.

The truth is that they don’t need another “relationship.” They barely get to see their best friends anymore.

They even eat lunch at their desks every day so they can get more done. It’s all work, work, work. New relationships are a low priority.

But You Want a Relationship!

Of course, you do—you’re a relationship seller. Your best clients love you.

They value your work. They refer you to others. And, you love them back even more and take great care of them.

Working with clients like these feeds your soul—and pays well, too.

The desire to replicate strong relationships is natural, but establishing great connections can be a real challenge when dealing with stressed out people who seem more intent on pushing you away than inviting you in. Underneath all that rude, brusque behavior, however, are normal human beings who desperately want relationships with people who they can trust to help them achieve their goals. That person could be you. But first, you need to understand what’s going on in their minds so you can create the connection you want.

Establishing great connections can be a real challenge.

What Your Prospects Think Whenever you deal with frazzled prospects, their brains immediately start firing off alert signals: “Warning. Pay attention. Salesperson.” While you may not see yourself that way, they do and that’s what matters. They evaluate your voicemails, emails and initial conversation to determine if having a more in-depth conversation with you is worthwhile. They make lightning-quick decisions to allow you access to them based on these criteria: • Is this aligned with what I need to accomplish?

• Is this a priority?

What’s the urgency?

• Does this person provide value?

• How simple is it? Will it require a lot of effort?

Unless you can convey this information quickly, you won’t get your foot in the door. But it doesn’t stop there. To retain or grow a relationship, you have to keep your focus on these decisioncriteria at all times, too.

Relationship selling today goes far

beyond the warm, fuzzy feelings that you get from working with people you like and vice versa. It’s about creating partnerships where you’re a contributing team member, working towards your client’s short- and longterm success.

To be successful with the “new” relationship selling, follow the SNAP (Simple, iNvaluable, Aligned and Priority) Rules:

Rule 1: Keep It Simple Your goal is to ensure maximum simplicity in everything you do. That’s going to require you to look at all aspects of your client interactions to see where complexity can be eliminated or minimized. Ask yourself: • How can I simplify my messaging, including presentations, proposals and conversations?

• How can I make it easier for my clients to understand the value they get from working with me?

• How can I help them navigate through the decision-making process, avoiding the bumps along the way?

April 2010 | SPEAKER | 29

When you keep it simple, you make it easier for your prospects and clients to buy from you.

Rule 2: Be iNvaluable Today’s crazy-busy clients want to work with speakers who “know their stuff ” and bring them fresh ideas on a regular basis. Perhaps you’ve never even seen that as your role. But today, it is essential to embrace the concept of being “iNvaluable” to turn yourself into the competitive differentiator.

Think about how you can become more knowledgeable regarding: • What’s important to the decision makers you interact with on a regular basis • Business processes surrounding your offering • What other companies are doing to solve similar problems or achieve similar goals

Today’s crazy-busy clients want to work with speakers who ‘know their stuff ’ and bring them fresh ideas on a regular basis.

30 | SPEAKER | April 2010

• Your industry—market trends, upcoming challenges, what’s working and what’s not.

When you become iNvaluable, people choose you over competitors, are less cost conscious, and remain loyal.

Rule 3: Always Align At the onset of your relationship, clients need to see an immediate connection between what you do and what they’re trying to achieve.

It’s all about relevance and risk. As they move through their decisionmaking process, they need to know that the alignment extends into core beliefs they value in the people they work with.

To ensure alignment, ask yourself: • How does my offering impact my client’s primary issues and objectives?

• What criteria are important to them as they make their decision?

• What do they value in their working relationships?

When you’re aligned with their critical business objectives and core beliefs, clients want to work with you.

Rule 4: Raise Priorities It’s an absolute imperative to work with frazzled clients on their priority projects. With their limited capacity, that’s all they can currently focus on.

Start by targeting prospects whose priorities you can address. As you work with them, focus on raising the priority level of initiatives that have decreased in importance. Your clients’ priorities are constantly shifting, so you need to be alert to what’s going on in their organization.

To ensure the long-term viability of your relationship, ask yourself: • What are your client’s current priority projects?

• How can you blend your service’s value into their priorities?

• What can you do to maintain momentum?

When you raise priorities, your sales process is swifter and you get the business with less competition.

Getting Off on the Right Foot To show you how this works, let’s compare two different voicemail approaches to setting up an initial client meeting. Please read them as an actual prospect, thinking about how you’d respond to each.

The Gracious Message “Pat Thompson calling from Generic Strategies. I specialize in offering a wide range of customized training programs for salespeople. I’d like to set up a meeting with you to learn what you are currently doing in this area and share a bit about our workshops. I’d be glad to meet at your earliest convenience. My number is …”

The SNAP-py Message “This is Pat Thompson from Generic Strategies. In my work with other hightech firms, one of the biggest challenges salespeople face is new client acquisition. After working with one of my recent clients, their reps cracked into five of their Top 10 targeted accounts in just two months. Let’s schedule a time to talk. My number is …”

Both messages are exactly 57 words, but the difference in how your prospects respond is dramatic. The “nice” message is nearly always deleted in a nanosecond. Why? Prospects simply don’t have time to meet to learn about your programs. There’s nothing in it for them.

Conversely, when clients hear the SNAP-py message, they think “Mmm. That’s interesting. Maybe this person can help me.” Why? The message aligns with a business objective, focuses on a priority issue, and demonstrates the seller’s value. As a result, they’re interested in getting to know you a little better.

Relationship Vitality And so your fledging relationship begins. Now, it’s your job to fan the flames. Be your usual charming self and become a bright spot in your client’s day. But also make sure that the SNAP Rules are at the foundation of all of your client interactions. Think of them every day and with every prospect.

Relationship selling isn’t dead. In fact, it’s more alive than ever before. You still need to connect with clients on a personal level, but it’s no longer sufficient.

Clients need to see an immediate connection between what you do and what they’re trying to achieve.

Clients expect more today. You have to earn the right to have a relationship with them. They want your expertise, ideas and insights focused on their objectives, issues and challenges. You have to keep the focus on that, too.

When you do, everything changes and you’ll be unstoppable.

Jill Konrath, author of Selling to Big Companies and SNAP Selling (May 2010), helps sellers crack into new accounts, speed up sales cycles and close more business. She’s a frequent speaker at annual sales meetings and professional conferences. Visit www.

SellingtoBigCompanies.com or call (651) 429-1922.

WANTED:

Students for NSA Scholarships Scholarship Grant - $5,000 Do you know a student who has a burning desire to become a professional speaker? He or she may be eligible for an NSA Foundation scholarship.

The Foundation awards four scholarships annually to full-time college junior, senior and graduate students at an accredited university.

Application deadline: June 1, 2010

For more information on NSA Foundation grants and scholarships, visit www.NSAFoundation.org or call Andrea DiMickele at (480) 968-2552.

AD FORM

April 2010 | SPEAKER | 31

Beyond Borders Controlling cultures, countries and comfort zones

Emotional Connections

G

oing “beyond borders” is about connecting with audiences who are different from us. Although cultural differences can be tricky, they aren’t the only borders that give us trouble. We all have invisible “internal borders” that can make it difficult to connect with others.

Fortunately, the same communication techniques can conquer both.

It’s not any one difference or another that hurts our effectiveness, it’s difference itself. When people feel we’re different from them, they also assume we don’t understand them. If an audience does not believe that we understand them or their business, we’re toast.

When you think of difference itself as the problem, it’s easy to see how many ways there are to get into trouble.

First of all, we’re speakers, and that alone makes us different from almost everyone in the audience. It’s also a good reason not to talk about “speaker stuff ” (airline/hotel/taxi stories). Even when it’s a good story, you’re still reinforcing the audience’s perception that you live in another world.

Here are some tips for overcoming perceived differences, no matter what those differences might be:

Talk about Others This sounds obvious, but one of the best ways to stop highlighting our differences with people is to simply stop talking about ourselves so much. Even though a speaker’s personal story can add credibility, it can also make people feel disconnected. But, when we talk

32 | SPEAKER | April 2010

about others, it shows our interest and lifts them up.

The next time you are in a conversation, pay attention to how much you talk about others and how much you focus on yourself. This simple exercise will help you to be more aware of your style on the platform. It’s all about the audience and their experience.

Talk about Emotions The ultimate antidote to perceived differences is connecting with people at an emotional level. When someone “gets” us emotionally, differences don’t matter.

The best platform strategy here is to talk about emotions; for example: • “I imagine how frustrating that must have been.”

• “These are the feelings of pride and satisfaction that come from a job well done.”

• “For me, the best part was seeing how happy she was when it all worked out.”

situations, no matter what their socioeconomic status.

Get Feedback Reflect on situations when you have sensed the audience becoming detached during your signature story. If you’re too close to the situation or your material, fresh eyes and ears will detect disconnects that you missed. With fewer disconnects, you’ll be able to go beyond borders more easily and effectively.

David Levin is the author of Don’t Just Talk, Be Heard!, and works with managers and

Note: This isn’t about being more emotional, it’s talking about emotions. Addressing emotions can help us be more effective with any audience.

When we see a movie or hear a story, we remember how it made us feel.

Emotions are a great equalizer. If you have ever experienced an earthquake, an IRS audit, or had a child who used illegal drugs, your emotions will be similar to others in these

executives who want to communicate more authentically and lead more effectively. In addition to his work as a communication coach, Levin is the co-author of the bestselling QBQ! The Question Behind the Question, Flipping the Switch, and the new Outstanding! 47 Ways to Make Your Organization Exceptional, all published by Putnam.

what would you do?

Casting a reality check on real-world conundrums

Cultivating Clients My first priority would be to develop a strategy for consistent client communications.

Then, I would continue to expand my services and make sure current clients and prospects are aware of everything I do: train, consult and coach. I would also share insights from past consulting projects that might apply to them, and refer other speakers who would be a good fit.

—Jim Jacobus, CSP Sugar Land, Texas

I would develop the world’s greatest database to capture everything about the clients as I speak to them and remind me to touch base when there’s an upcoming meeting, on their birthday, etc. I also would deepen the learning through Webinars, social media and blogs relevant to their interests, and use value adds to enable them to see the long-term benefits of our relationship.

—Cindy Solomon San Francisco, Calif.

First off, I’d relax. I love my current client list, so I would thank them for all that they do and ask about the programming and training they desire, their biggest obstacles, fee range and which learning mediums they are most comfortable using. Then, I’d give them what they need!

What would you do if you could only grow your business from your existing client base?

I would engage my clients in a social media environment so we could have ongoing conversations about what they’re thinking and feeling. This way, I can identify and learn more about their needs to ensure that I am meeting and exceeding them.

—Ed Oakley, CSP Greenwood Village, Colo.

Love them even more!

—Sue HershkowitzCoore, CSP Scottsdale, Ariz.

I would connect with clients by leaving a short voicemail and an e-mail requesting a good time to get on their calendar. Once they contacted me, I would listen, determine their objectives and offer services to align with their needs.

—Joyce Weiss, MA, CSP West Bloomfield, Mich.

—Mike Domitrz, CSP Greenfield, Wis.

I would begin by scheduling conference calls with my clients to assess their needs for the upcoming year. Based on that information, I would evaluate my current offerings and determine what material needs to be developed and the best delivery format. Then, I would reconnect with each client to discuss opportunities and pricing. If I didn’t get booked, I would continue with a drip marketing campaign to provide helpful, unobtrusive information and keep myself in front of the client.

—Karel Murray, CSP, DREI Waterloo, Iowa

What Would You Do? is a regular column that presents a real-life dilemma faced by professional speakers. NSA members are encouraged to submit a dilemma for possible discussion in this column. Please submit dilemmas to ethics@nsaspeaker.org. NSA reserves the right to edit submissions for length and style. All dilemmas will be anonymously attributed. Opinions expressed are those of the individual respondents, not NSA. April 2010 | SPEAKER | 33

Turning Point A career-changing moment or experience

Marketing Your Self-Published Book

I

wanted to write about my experiences as a salesperson and corporate leader since the early 1990s. At that time, however, achieving departmental goals and enjoying management perks were more important than expressing my creativity.

My world changed when I received a pink slip in 2004. Alone and adrift, writing became my catharsis and helped me realize that my life’s lessons would be valuable to others.

My two books began as one hefty tome. The more I wrote, the harder it was to combine sales and leadership into one book. As I sipped a cup of tea at a coffee shop in May 2008, an idea struck me like a lightning bolt. Why not write two separate books?

Bring copies.

Include a copy of your book(s) for each presentation attendee in your speaking fee. If clients balk, recommend that they look in their training or marketing budget for the dollars.

Sell from the platform.

Inform audiences that the added knowledge and expertise you don’t have time to share is in the books for sale at the back of the room.

Contact distributors.

Distribution outlets will help place your books online and in chain stores.

Pricing varies wildly, so shop around for a good deal and the exposure that you desire. I tried to distribute on my own and hit a brick wall.

Heavy Reading I knew I was an author when a half ton of self-published books arrived on my doorstep in November 2008. They took up half of our home gym. To use the elliptical machine, my wife, Terri, and I had to hurdle several boxes of books.

I positioned this mild inconvenience as an aerobic benefit.

I thought I could market the books at speaking engagements and on my Web site. But after “moving” only four dozen books in three months, I had to get proactive.

Lessons Learned Take the advice of someone who has been there and done that if you’re going to market your self-published books.

34 | SPEAKER | April 2010

Schedule book signings.

Once your books are with a distributor, start contacting bookstores. When you travel, schedule book signings in your destination city. You are in charge of publicity for these events.

Leave your autograph.

Autograph every copy you sell and write your phone number under your signature. This makes it easy to hire you as a speaker. Buy a roll of inexpensive “Autographed by the Author” stickers.

Many buyers look for autographed first editions to add to their collections.

people I call “Centers of Influence.” If your dentist is willing to keep a copy in her waiting room, mark it “Lobby Copy” and give it away. Also, find specialists in your field who are willing to write and post an online book review.

When someone in the book business says your marketing idea “can’t be done,” accept it as a challenge and not a roadblock. The formula for selling your self-published book is one part talent and 22 parts persistence. Add in an equal sum of creativity and chutzpah, and you’ll see results quickly.

I’d write more, but the elliptical machine awaits. The boxes of books are gone, so I have no excuse for not exercising any more.

Mike Faber coaches speakers and authors, and is the Marketing Director for NSA Colorado. His books 89 Seconds to Sales Success and 89 Seconds to Leadership Success are

Be generous.

available in bookstores and on-line. Visit

Give books away to key contacts and

www.mikefaber.com.

PASS IT ON! Help us build our NSA community and increase awareness of the speaking profession! By passing on an issue of Speaker magazine, you are joining over 1,000 NSA members who are getting the word out about NSA. After you have finished reading this issue of Speaker magazine, simply pass it on to someone who might be interested in learning more about NSA. Or leave the information in a public place for someone else to discover; for example, on an airplane, at your doctorâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s office or in a beauty salon.

THE POWERPOINT DESIGN EXPERTS...

Creating visuals that speak S E C R E T S T O AV O I D I N G

Let us do the PowerPoint animations, graphics and details so you can use your time more effectively!

NEED YOUR OWN CUSTOMIZED LOOK? Our custom solutions reinforce your unique brand!

SYNDROME

DOES YOUR SLIDESHOW ENHANCE YOUR PRESENTATION? We craft PowerPoint expertly to help you elevate your professional image!

All editions of Speaker magazine are available in digital format at www.nsaspeaker.org.

So, what are you waiting for? Pass It On!

Your PowerPoint solutions were brilliant. I have never sold this many copies of my book ever!

Thank you for helping NSA expand its reach.

Questions? Please contact our offices at (480)968-2552 or email information@nsaspeaker.org

WASTING HOURS ON SHOW PREP TIME?

PowerPoint presentation is a HIT! I just booked 18 speeches from one convention!!!

â&#x20AC;&#x201C;Jean-Marc Hachey

M A R I LY N S N Y D E R , M . S .

16-YEAR NSA MEMBER

InteractiveConceptsNSAad2009.indd 1

â&#x20AC;&#x201C;Peter Bielagus, Young Americaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Financial Coach

ÂŹ ÂŹ ÂŹÂŹÂŹsÂŹÂŹÂŹ004$ESIGNER COM 8/19/09 12:58:53 PM

LISTEN AND LEARN FROM THE PROS NSA introduces Sales & Marketing for Todayâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Speaking Professional, a special five-CD set of best-selling recordings.

These specially selected presentations provide valuable tips and techniques to help your speaking business meet the challenges of todayâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s economy.

Selling Your Speaking When You Stink at Selling â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Robert Bradford, MBA, CSP Social Media Marketing Secrets of Growing Your Business â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Ford Saeks Get to Decision Makers â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Terri Kabachnick, CSP Become the Easiest Speaker to Find Online â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Heather Lutze From Cold Call to Bold Call â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Rob â&#x20AC;&#x153;Waldoâ&#x20AC;? Waldman, MBA, CSP

SPECIAL OFFER:

$99

ORDER TODAY! HEREâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S HOW: Phone: (800) 747-8069; (661) 257-0288, Mon-Fri, 8:30 a.m.-4 p.m. PST Email: Submit your order with credit card information to orders@cmcgc.com April 2010 | SPEAKER | 35

advertising index Advertiser

Page

Ad Graphics. . . . . . . . . Inside back cover Advantage Media Group . . . . . . . . . . . 36 Instant Publisher. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37 Interactive Presentations. . . . . . . . . . . . 35 Janice Hurley-Trailor . . . . . . . Back cover Mem-Cards . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35 PR/PR. . . . . . . . . . . . . . Inside front cover Summit Consulting. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5

ESS ND BUSIN THE ART A

ING OF SPEAK

NOVE MBER

2009

Advertise in

Create a ge Winning Ima e Check out thesrs! makeove for Use Humor t Fun and Profi

Tweet Much?

Time Out! Schedule an for off-season l professiona growth

think

Make MONEY ur PJs in yo 10 PAG E

Connect with NSA on Twitter for up-to-theminute information on upcoming events, NSA news, educational articles, inspirational quotes and more!

BIG

THE ART AN D BUSINESS OF SPEAKIN G

JANUA RY/FE

BRUAR Y 2010

ess” “inner bigness Develop youriness and succ for happ

reap the Benefi ts of Corporate sponso rships

W W W. N S A C I AT I O N •

SPEAKER.

ORG

Branding or marketing? you choose wow ’em with webinars!

June 2010

HOW TO BUILD TRUST

Space Reservation: April 16, 2010 Materials Due: April 30, 2010

PAGE 36

G OF SPEAKIN D BUSINESS THE ART AN

MARC H 2010

couNtry Mu Sic leGeNd

mel tillis

Follow @NSASpeaker

his lemons-to-lemo

nade approach to

O F F Iyour CIAL MAGA ZINE OF TH how to Knock E N AT I O N A L SPEA

Reserve your ad space today and receive hot links to your site via our NEW digital magazine!

stuttering

THE

(Speaker’s) Block Off Writing Tips

twitter.com/nsaspeaker

KERS ASSOC I AT I O

N • W W W. N SAS

PEAKER.OR

G

from the masters

Follow @SpeakerMagazine

cook up a

Killer Query da Do You Nee Book Agent?

twitter.com/speakermagazine

May 2010 Space Reservation: March 19, 2010 Materials Due: April 2, 2010

CHt Peggy O’Neill, and coach speaker, author

ASSO Create a successful SPEAKERS N AT I O N A L Brand E OF THE A Z I Nstrate gy (Just use ICIAL MAG E O F Fbrain!)

T Hyour

Reserve your ad space today!

Learn How to Market by watching tv

Call Mandy Schulze at (480) 264-4297

ect Protur Yo Onlinee Imag

ptions Challenging Assum PAG E

32

G in noT fiTTin ng author successmarketinBy achieveSeth g guru and best-selli Godin,

NE AL MAGAZI THE OFFICI

36 | SPEAKER | April 2010

AD Form

I AT I O KERS ASSOC IONAL SPEA O F T H E N AT

SAS N • W W W. N

PEAKER.OR

G

AD FORM

Get ConneCted!

calendar NSAA Convention April 16-19, 2010 Queensland, Australia

Join one or more of NSA’s 13 Professional Expert Groups (PEGs) for access to teleseminars, Webinars, handouts and more.

April 30 – May 2, 2010

Learn secrets for success from fellow members in the following areas:

APSS Convention

• Business Coaching • Consultants • diversity • e-PeG (neW!) • educators

• Facilitators • Health & Wellness • Humor • Motivational/ Keynote

• Sales experts • Seminar/ Workshop Leaders • Storytellers • Writers/Publishers

Each PEG membership costs $25 annually.

Call (480) 968-2552 or visit

http://mynsa.org/CHAPteRSGRoUPS/ ProfessionalexpertGroupsPeGs.aspx.

PSA South Africa Johannesburg

May 8, 2010 Singapore

NSA/US Convention July 17-20, 2010 Orlando, Fla.

GSA Convention Sept. 10-11, 2010 Cologne, Germany

PSA UK & Ireland Oct. 1-3, 2010 Midlands Area

AFCP Convention Oct. 14-16, 2010 Paris, France

CAPS Convention Dec. 5-7, 2010 Montreal, Quebec

NSA/US Winter Conference Feb. 18-20, 2011 Atlanta, Ga. For more information on any NSA event, call (480) 968–2552 or go to www.nsaspeaker.org. Details for Global Speakers Federation (GSF) events are available at www.IFFPS.org.

April 2010 | SPEAKER | 37

Humor Me Quips, tips and parting shots

Develop a Thick Skin Oh, of course. What type of group is this? Is Cypress Cove a hotel or timeshare?

We are a member of the American Sunbathing Association.

I’m not familiar with that association.

It’s a nudist resort.

I

n 1987, I had been a professional speaker for 368 days, and had spoken to every Chamber of Commerce, Rotary, Kiwanis and association in town—for free. I ate so many chicken dinners, I was starting to cluck! One of the chambers referred me to “Cypress Cove” for a conference it was hosting.

When the phone rang, I wondered, “Is my phone actually ringing?” The call went like this: Me: Thank you for calling the international headquarters of Melinda Brody and Company. Melinda speaking.”

Caller: Hi, Melinda. I’m Kay from Cypress Cove. I got your name from the Chamber of Commerce and I want to check your availability for an upcoming conference.

Sounds good. What date do you have in mind?

We are looking at August 15. We need someone to speak on goal setting.

38 | SPEAKER | April 2010

You are asking me to speak at a nudist convention?

(Chuckling). It’s clothing optional.

Everyone will be dressed. Just wear something casual.

How ironic that we’re always told that if you’re nervous when speaking, just picture your audience naked. This was a no-brainer!

We secured the time, topic, fee and details. My then-boyfriend was excited and offered to help me with the workbooks and set up.

“No, thanks. It’s clothing optional, so they’ll all be dressed,” I spouted.

When I drove into the Cypress Cove community on the morning of my talk, I gasped. Everyone was completly naked, except for the smiles they were wearing on their faces. Nervously, I found the dining room and Kay, the event planner, was standing outside.

“Are you ready to go, Melinda?” I nodded and walked into the room. Fifty people were sitting there, all dressed except for three guys in the front row who were in their mid 60s to early 70s and completely naked—a sight that would make anyone remove their contact lenses.

I motioned to Kay. “I thought you said everyone would be dressed?”

“Oh, Steve, Bill and Mike didn’t get the memo,” Kay said as she waved to the trio. “Hey, guys, put your pants on!”

By this time, my heart was pounding and my normal speaker fear had intensified, realizing I had just gotten way more up close and personal with my audience than was necessary.

I faced my fear head on and began the presentation. I was on a roll when about 15 minutes in, I looked to the left and there was a group right outside the window playing nude. Trying not to let that bother me, I continued.

After it was over, I thanked Kay and raced out the door. Six months later, I received a call that I was selected to speak at the International Builders Show Super Sales Rally.

How many people in the audience?

We’re expecting about 2,000.

Will they be dressed?

Huh? Never mind, I’d be honored.

My speaking fears have been conquered forever. And that’s the naked truth.

Melinda Brody evaluates and trains salespeople in numerous industries. Her firm, TheVideoShoppers.com, has mystery shopped over 10,000 salespeople and is a working lab of selling skills in the real world. All Brody ever learned in selling is from her daughter, master closer Sarah Brody. Visit www.TheVideoShoppers.com.

â&#x20AC;&#x153;At Central Plains Book, our objectives include bookmaking of the highest quality and unparalleled customer satisfaction.â&#x20AC;?

Hi, my name is Melody Morris.

Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve worked with professional speakers for over 18 years and understand how unique this market is. I recognize your publications reflect upon your reputation and how critical their quality is to your overall success. Our organization possesses the capabilities necessary to handle most jobs internally  and the pride we take in our work is visible in the final product. Please call me today and let me help you with your printing needs.

Central Plains Book a division of

0 / "OX s !RKANSAS #ITY +3

Speaking engagement coming up and you need product?

Whatever you need, we have it! Â&#x2021; Books Â&#x2021; Pamphlets Â&#x2021; Posters

Â&#x2021; Design Â&#x2021; Warehousing Â&#x2021; Fulfillment

Six color sheetfed presses add potential for high end color on book covers and collateral marketing materials.

Call Melody today for more info at:

877-278-2726 www.centralplainsbook.com www.sun-graphics.com www.speakerbookprinting.com