THE ART AND BUSINESS OF SPEAKING
O c to b e r 2010
Social Market
Leadership:
Engage clients with social media
how to Motivate and Connect with Audiences
Light TheirFire
Turn a Cold Call into a Smart Call The Scoop on
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Roxanne Emmerich’s “bring it on” approach ignites audiences 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
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THE ART AND BUSINESS OF SPEAKING
O c to b e r 2010
12
Light Their Fire
Roxanne Emmerich’s “bring it on” approach engages and ignites audiences. By Barbara Parus
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Emmerich’s high energy transforms workplaces.
Listen, Engage and Influence How to leverage your online presence and increase your bottom line. By David Nour
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F E AT U R E S Camera, Action—Engage! 20 Lights, Easy ways to involve, motivate and connect with your audience. By Chip Eichelberger, CSP
Does cold calling give you the chills?
24 Turn a Cold Call into a Smart Call Tailor customer calls with specific information for profitable results. By Art Sobczak
CO LU M N S 6 Reality Check Putting a fine point on the speaking industry
8 Welcome to My World A snapshot into the lives of the people who hire us
10 It’s Your Business Advice for enterprising speakers
D EPARTMEN TS 28 Relevant Resources Time-saving tools and technologies
30 Beyond Borders Exploring cultures, countries and comfort zones
32 Turning Point A career-changing moment or experience
34 What Would You Do? Casting a reality check on real-world conundrums
4 News from Headquarters 36 Advertising Index 37 Calendar of Events
38 Humor Me Quips, tips and parting shots
National Speakers Association is a member of the Society of National Association Publications (SNAP). Speaker magazine has been honored with a bronze award in the prestigious 2009 SNAP Excel Awards in the Magazines: General Excellence Category for best writing, content, graphic design and overall packaging. October 2010 | SPEAKER | 3
news from headquarters
National Speakers Association Officers Kristin Arnold, MBA, CPF, CMC, CSP, President Laura Stack, MBA, CSP, President-Elect Ronald P. Culberson, MSW, CSP, Vice President Marjorie Brody, PCC, CMC, CSP, CPAE, Secretary Scott Halford, CSP, Treasurer Phillip Van Hooser, CSP, CPAE, Immediate Past President Stacy Tetschner, CAE, Executive Vice President/CEO
Reported by Stacy Tetschner, CAE NSA Executive Vice President/CEO
It’s Nomination Time!
Founder Cavett Robert, CSP, CPAE
NSA will elect up to five members to the Board of Directors in spring 2011. To recommend an NSA member to serve on the Board, submit a written nomination before Friday, Nov. 5, 2010, to: NSA Nominating Committee, NSA, 1500 S. Priest Drive, Tempe, AZ 85281. For more information, call (480) 968-2552 or email Stacy@NSASpeaker.org.
Board of Directors Kristin Arnold, MBA, CPF, CMC, CSP Marjorie Brody, PCC, CMC, CSP, CPAE Kirstin Carey, CSP Ronald P. Culberson, MSW, CSP Ed Gerety, CSP Scott Halford, CSP Shep Hyken, CSP, CPAE Ron Karr, CSP Linda Keith, CPA, CSP Scott McKain, CSP, CPAE John B. Molidor, PhD Ruby Newell-Legner, CSP Ed Robinson, CSP Ford Saeks Laura Stack, MBA, CSP Brian Tracy, CPAE Francine Ward, JD Liz Weber, CMC, MBA Phillip Van Hooser, CSP, CPAE
Find Membership Information Online
To access information about everything NSA, including the NSA Foundation, the Academy for Professional Speaking, Chapter leadership, Professional Experts Groups (PEGs), NSA’s professional competencies, elections, bylaws and more, visit www.MyNSA.org.
SpeakEZ Call for Proposals
Legislative Alert
Deadline extended to Oct. 31 NSA is proud to announce SpeakEZ, a new bi-monthly white paper series designed to help speakers gain immediate proficiency on a wide variety of topics within one of the speaking profession’s four core competencies. Each 20-page publication will contain time-saving job aids, checklists, reading lists, case studies, worksheets and more in an easy-to-read format. Give back to the speaking community by sharing your in-depth knowledge on a specific topic. For more information and a list of suggested topics, visit www.SpeakEZ.org.
A provision in the Healthcare Bill directly affects all business owners in the United States, including speakers. Section 9006 mandates that beginning in 2012 all companies must issue 1099 tax forms to contract workers AND any individual or corporation from which they buy more than $600 in goods or services in a tax year. Goods and services include contract labor AND any purchases over $600 made for the business from any vendor or business. NSA urges speakers to be aware of this provision so adequate preparations can be made for your business and the required paperwork to remain in compliance with this law beginning in 2012. Currently, Sen. Mike Johanns (R-Neb.) is proposing an amendment to repeal Section 9006 and these extra paperwork requirements. To voice your support for this proposed amendment, contact your Senator directly.
Purchase Convention Recordings Online To purchase recordings of your favorite 2010 NSA Convention sessions, or ones that you missed, visit www.NSASpeaker.org and click on Recordings from NSA Meetings.
NSA Foundation This Foundation serves NSA members and the public through: • Financial help for NSA members and their families who are facing health crises 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 • 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 Kristin Arnold, MBA, CPF, CMC, Ron Karr, CSP CSP, President John B. Molidor, PhD Francis Bologna, CPA Terry Paulson, PhD, CSP, CPAE Lenora Billings-Harris, CSP Sam Silverstein, CSP Ronald P. Culberson, MSW, CSP Laura Stack, MBA, CSP Jane Jenkins Herlong, CSP Phillip Van Hooser, CSP, CPAE Don Hutson, CSP, CPAE Al Walker, CSP, CPAE Speaker Editorial Advisory Board Pamela Jett, CSP, Chair Mary LoVerde, CPAE Don Cooper Mandi Stanley, CSP Kelli Vrla, CSP June Cline, CSP Janelle Barlow, CSP
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
Welcome: Bill Cates, CSP, CPAE Turn Ideas into Income: Lynne Waymon with Sam Horn Leading-Edge Tech Tips: Terry Brock, CSP, CPAE
How the Best Get Better: Patricia Fripp, CSP, CPAE 2011 Global Speakers Summit: Rebecca Morgan, CMC, CSP, and Scott Friedman, CSP Coaches Corner: Suzi Pomerantz, MT, MCC
Feature Interview: Bill Cates, CSP, CPAE, with James Malinchak
Million-Dollar Idea: Dianna Booher, MA, CSP, CPAE
2011 Winter UnConference: Neen James, MBA, CSP, and Gina Schreck, CSP
President’s Message: Kristin Arnold, MBA, CPF, CMC, CSP
4 | SPEAKER | October 2010
Editor in Chief Barbara Parus
Design switchstudio.com
Editorial Office and Subscriptions National Speakers Association 1500 S. Priest Drive, Tempe, AZ 85281 Tel: (480) 968-2552 Fax: (480) 968-0911 www.NSASpeaker.org Advertising Sales Tel: (480) 968-2552 Email: Advertising@NSASpeaker.org Speaker (ISSN 1934-9076) (USPS 012-886). Volume 5, Number 2. 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.
“There is nothing like the feeling of making people laugh!” Dear fellow NSA Member: Do you wish you were funnier? Do you believe “funny people” think differently?
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Darren LaCroix
Darren Darren LaCroix LaCroix World Champion of Public Speaking Darren LaCroix World World Champion Champion of Public of Public Speaking Speaking
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realit y check Putting a fine point on the speaking industry
The Value of the CSP Designation
W
hat is the Certified Speaking Professional (CSP) designation? It is a symbol of an incredible accomplishment. It is a milestone on a long and often bumpy journey. It is the dues that professional speakers pay to join a wonderful tribe of colleagues. It is a selling point and a differentiator. It might even be the mechanism that forces speakers to look at their business models, and build on what works and abandon what doesn’t. An interesting conversation erupted in the CSP Group on LinkedIn in response to this question: What did you learn on your way to achieving the CSP designation? After commentaries on getting cheerleaders, using forms, hiring a virtual assistant, and being clear with clients about what they can do to help speakers succeed, someone interjected, “I learned that nobody outside of NSA cares.” That comment prompted an avalanche of responses, including stories about winning contracts based on the designation, especially when a competing speaker was not a CSP. A few members said that Asia-Pacific countries hold the designation in high regard, and it was a factor in being selected to conduct workshops and deliver speeches. But that was just the beginning. Arnold Sanow, MBA, CSP, is glad that
potential clients are unaware of the designation’s meaning. When he explains the stringent accreditation process, they are duly impressed. Standing for excellence is always admired. According to Pegine Echevarria, CSP, the accreditation process empowered her team as they all worked together to achieve this goal. She proudly displays her CSP medal and enjoys the sense of hard-earned accomplishment. Symbols of achievement bring us back to gratitude and pride, feelings that often get lost when we feel rushed, disappointed or numbed by work. Most of all, I value the sense of community among CSPs. I belong to several communities, and have established lifelong friendships by participating in various activities. When I need help making a decision, determining if a strange request is legitimate, or obtaining business recommendations, I turn to a smaller community of trusted individuals. There is a sense of sharing among my CSP colleagues that is deeper than I can get from being a part of the larger association. Andrew Bryant, CSP, summed it up best. The designation “…does not magically increase your credibility and fees; only you can do that,” he said. “The CSP is another way to help you stand out from the pack, but it’s up to you
How to Earn Your CSP To qualify, you must be an NSA member for three consecutive years at the time of application and provide five years of information on your speaking business. For an online application, visit www.MyNSA.org. Application deadline: Jan. 12, 2011.
6 | SPEAKER | October 2010
to present it in such a way that people understand the value. Just adding it to your name is not enough.” The true value of the CSP goes beyond the question, “Will it get me business?” It does sometimes, but it gives so much more when you get beyond this surface expectation. It’s a designation that’s worth all of the hard work. Marcia Reynolds, CSP, MCC, speaks globally on leadership topics and coaches top talent employees in making big decisions and building important relationships. She is the author of Wander Woman: How High-Achieving Women Find Contentment and Direction and Outsmart Your Brain. Visit http:// OutsmartYourBrain.com.
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welcome to my world A snapshot into the lives of the people who hire us
The Dish on Speaker Selection
D
iane Barrera, MPH, RD, director of professional development at the American Dietetic Association (ADA), selects, hires and manages speakers for a variety of ADA events. She works with approximately 20 keynote speakers and many others throughout the year. Barrera shared her experiences—and some food for thought—with Pamela Jett, CSP, Speaker magazine editorial board chair, about working alongside professional speakers.
Pamela Jett, CSP: How do you select speakers? Diane Barrera: We plan our speakers well in advance (12 to 18 months), and the selection process focuses on the strategic plan for a particular event. I will work with the association president, the board of directors and other key people for each educational event to determine its focus or strategic vision. I also take speaker recommendations at that time. Then, I do my research and look at speakers whom I’ve worked with in the past who might be a great fit. I share my top picks with the board or other decision makers, and we jointly decide which speaker can help us best achieve our educational objectives.
How can speakers get on your “short list”? A speaker must align with a meeting’s strategic plan. I can determine that by watching a top-notch video. I also place tremendous value on recommendations
8 | SPEAKER | October 2010
from trusted colleagues, or others who have seen the speaker in action. It’s also important to have conversations with speakers, even if they are working through a bureau, to determine if there is a fit. I only work with speakers who will customize content for our events.
How do speakers sabotage their chances? If I contact potential speakers, it means that I’ve already done some homework and we are interested. But I may not be making decisions about a particular event as quickly as speakers would like. Speakers should respect my time and decision-making process. I may think twice about working with a speaker who follows up too aggressively.
What makes a presentation a hit? Education is my first priority. Our members come to events to learn, so I like working with speakers who provide relevant information and help our members put it into practice. I prefer high-content speakers who emphasize application. Sessions with great action items always are a hit.
Do you rehire speakers who are a hit? Absolutely! I also field requests regularly from others who want to hire speakers, and I will always recommend a topnotch speaker. It’s a win for everyone! Diane Moore Barrera, MPH, RD, has been in nonprofit association management for more than 10
Should speakers cold call you? I am always open to new talent. The most respectful and effective way to contact me is via e-mail. If a speaker contacts me and I am intrigued, I have a system for organizing that information.
years. She is responsible for the American Deatetic Association’s continuing education and professional development activities across all program areas through the Center for Professional Development, Food & Nutrition Conference & Expo (annual meeting), Leadership Institute, online learning,
What makes it easy to work with a speaker? I like having a designated point of contact, whether it’s the speaker or a staff member. I also like working with people who respect the terms of the contract. I am very thorough and cover as many details as possible at the contract stage. Last-minute changes (especially room setup and tech changes) can cost time and money. I want to set up the speaker for success, and I use the contract to make that happen.
teleseminars and workshops. As a keynote speaker, breakout session leader and training provider, Pamela Jett, CSP, offers unique programs that are power-packed with practical application and real-life techniques. She is the author of several video and audio programs, including Communicate with Confidence: A Woman’s Guide and Mind Your Own Business: A Career Management System. Visit www.JettCT.com.
It’s your business Advice for enterprising speakers
Find Your Sweet Spot
F
or the past five years of my 17-year career as a motivational speaker, I have focused on the foodservice industry. I’m known as “America’s Foodservice Speaker,” so meeting planners know I’m a good fit for an event for their foodservice clients, such as restaurants, suppliers, manufacturers, distributors and contract foodservice suppliers. If you would like to get engaged in a vast niche, such as the foodservice industry, take some tips from my experiences.
Knock it Out of the Park! When I was preparing a speech for emerging leaders in foodservice, I asked Dawn Sweeney, president and CEO of the National Restaurant Association, how the attendees could take charge of their careers. Her advice was to “knock it out of the park” in their current jobs. Sweeney’s pearls of wisdom also worked for me at a leadership conference in 2005, when I delivered three speeches in two days. After my first presentation, word-of-mouth spread like wildfire. The next day, 600 people packed the meeting room that was reserved for only 450. That one event turned into a hiring frenzy! More than 40 foodservice companies retained my services for one or more events during the next few years, including the original association that booked me for six consecutive years.
association has a critical issues conference every year. Attending that event one year led to a story I used in my keynote for that association six months later. The keynote was better because of my knowledge of critical issues. The association was appreciative that I went out of my way to learn about their issues and customized the keynote.
Do What Your Competition Doesn’t When I’m speaking at a conference, I always attend the entire event so I’m 100 percent engaged. I witnessed a celebrity chef deliver an opening keynote and make a disparaging remark about another celebrity chef, who was “selling out” to promote a product. If he had done his homework, he would have known that his keynote sponsor hired the chef he had insulted. In my closing keynote two days later, I publicly acknowledged the sponsor. I had that opportunity since I had been there from the beginning.
hiring a motivational speaker, and the other is strictly for my foodservice clients. I also have adapted my motivational books for foodservice; for example, Why Settle for the Balcony? How to Get a Front-Row Seat in Life was customized into For Foodservice Professionals. The foodservice niche complements a new business I started with my husband, Yves de Boisredon. He is an authentic French baron with deep connections in the world of wine and French nobility. My foodservice clients can hire me to speak at their conferences and travel with us to Bordeaux, Burgundy, and Paris for an eight-day wine trip. Marilyn Sherman inspires audiences to get out of their comfort zone and live life in the front row. Taking people on fantasy wine trips throughout France with her husband Yves, the Baron of Wine, certainly qualifies as a
Join Associations in Your Niche
Customize Materials for Your Audience
I am a member of two associations in the foodservice industry. One
My business has two websites. One is for general clients interested in
info@MarilynSherman.com or (702)631-
10 | SPEAKER | October 2010
front-row seat. Marilyn can be reached at 5700. Visit www.TheUltimateWineTrip.com.
“I’m all about fun with a purpose.” –Roxanne Emmerich, CMC, CSP, CPAE
12 | SPEAKER | October 2010
Light Their
Fire
“Kids
say the darndest things,” the late Art Linkletter, CPAE, said on House Party, his long-running TV show that aired in the 1950s and 60s. Take Roxanne Emmerich, CMC, CSP, CPAE, for example. When she was 4 years old, someone asked her what she wanted to be when she grew up. “A nun and a go-go dancer,” she said without hesitation. Her relatives still chuckle about it. Little did Emmerich know that her response would become a self-fulfilling prophecy. Emmerich has artfully blended the attributes of a nun and a go-go dancer in her illustrious 20-year career as a motivational speaker. She transforms organizational cultures by facilitating programs that teach people how to be good to each other, while having fun doing it.
It’s in Her Roots Emmerich’s obsession for transformation is rooted in her childhood, growing up on a dairy farm in Wisconsin. She literally “worked it” by milking cows, plowing fields, baling hay and balancing rations for the cattle. Unfortunately, in those days, all of her neighbors were losing their farms due to bankruptcies and foreclosures. When the farmers in her community met at the feed mill to discuss a plea for a government bailout, Emmerich, who was only 10 years old at the time, listened intently and wondered why they let the world dictate to them. Why were they resigned to being victims of circumstance? Why didn’t they just do something different? Although this life-changing experience shaped who Emmerich is today, the real turning point in her career came years later when she was offered the presidency of a larger bank “My ego was screaming ‘yes,’ while my gut was screaming ‘no,’” Emmerich says.
Roxanne Emmerich’s “bring it on” approach engages and ignites audiences—with amazing results. By Barbara Parus
At the time, she was attending a seminar by Chris ClarkeEpstein, CSP, CPAE, who passed out Richard Leider’s book, The Power of Purpose: Creating Meaning in Your Life and Work. In his book, Leider asks readers what they wanted to be when they were 4 years old—which really hit home with Emmerich. When she finished reading the book, she submitted her six-month notice to her employer and immediately began her speaking career. Today, Emmerich—a four-time Entrepreneur of the Year winner, member of the CPAE Speaker Hall of Fame, CEO of The Emmerich Group, Inc., and author of The New York Times best-seller, Thank God It’s Monday!—is praised for her amazing results in corporate “spinarounds.” She teaches people how to become “un-stuck” in dysfunctional behaviors that sabotage an effective work culture. “One person with a bad attitude can destroy a company and take it down,” Emmerich says. “I’ve seen it happen. “We (The Emmerich Group, Inc.) go into workplaces and completely transform the results because we transform employees into people who really care about each other and their customers, have a hoot doing it, take the results very seriously—and themselves very lightly,” she says. Emmerich also readily acknowledges that it is impossible to achieve these amazing results without total audience engagement.
Really Do the Homework Emmerich works with the top 5 percent of movers and shakers in their industries. She has a strong presence in the financial services sector, specifically community banking. Before Emmerich accepts a speaking engagement, she always gathers information about the client’s organization that does not appear on a basic questionnaire.
October 2010 | SPEAKER | 13
“I don’t want the usual stuff that people spit out. I want to know what’s between the lines,” Emmerich says. “I want to know why employees aren’t playing nicely in the sandbox.” Specifically, she delves deeply into distinctions about the “players” so she can heal them by asking probing questions, such as: • What do their negative behaviors look like? • When did those behaviors start? • How do these behaviors impact people’s psyches and the results of the organization? • Is the breakdown at the middlemanagement level or is it a senior leadership breakdown, or both? Only by getting to the heart of matters can Emmerich help clients
To underscore this point, Emmerich cites her “Kick-Butt Kick-Off®” strategy, which creates immediate culture shifts and achieves tangible results. In the afternoon, she meets with everybody in the organization who manages people, and completely changes the way they relate to each other and their direct reports. In the evening, she invites everyone in the company, from the board of directors to the workers sweeping the street in front of the building, to a funfilled, high-energy session, where they commit to eliminating mind games and unacceptable behaviors and make commitments to each other about how they will blow away customers. “I get them to commit to holding each other accountable for the promises they make at the event,” Emmerich said.
“When attendees walk in the door, there is a small window of opportunity to get them to realize that everything changes from this point on,” Emmerich says. “If you blow it and they just come in and sit down, then you have missed the opportunity of a lifetime and it will be harder to bring them along. I’m all about getting people who are caught up in their underwear to cut loose.” She advises speakers not to be playful just for the sake of being playful because that just looks goofy and the audience will never take you seriously. “I’m all about fun with a purpose,” she says. “You can’t just be fluffy and fun. You must deliver solid content and tie fun into celebrating massive results.” Years ago, Emmerich heard two speakers remark that professional speak-
engage their employees to achieve desired outcomes. When booking new business, however, she must be convinced that the organization is committed to having a breakthrough. “I don’t want to just go in and make a speech,” she says. “I want to make an impact on the audience and see a transformation. My calendar is too full to accept a simple speech. I want to work with organizations that are committed to a massive results change. I know I can consistently deliver…but I need their commitment for this to work.”
The WOW Factor
ers fall into two categories: content or entertainment, but not both. Emmerich disagrees wholeheartedly. “That’s a bunch of baloney—you’d better be both if you want results!” she says. Emmerich also emphasizes that the tone of a speaker’s presentation must align with the audience’s current situation. “You need to shock attendees to get them to sit up and take notice, but you must be careful not to shock them too much or they won’t know how to react,” Emmerich says. For example, balls flying through the air would not
14 | SPEAKER | October 2010
Emmerich introduces her “wow” factor long before she walks on stage. She works with the event planners to control everything from room setup to music choices and lighting to create a fun atmosphere. Her presentations complement her playful personality. Attendees are welcomed with upbeat music, balls flying through the air, toys and interesting props on the tables and, most important, managers who are acting powerful and playful. “We have to have them at ‘hello.’”
be well received by an organization that experienced recent layoffs. In that case, it would be more appropriate for a speaker to sit down and empathize with the audience. It takes about 300 programs until speakers have any sense of what really works, according to Emmerich. She is involved in all aspects of producing a successful program, including seating, lighting, promotional copy, program packaging and attendee registration. In working with meeting planners to promote their events, Emmerich’s goals are to help fills seats, do a phenomenal job transforming people’s lives when she’s there, and ensure the success of future events based on her presentation.
• When time’s up, yell “Who’s hot?” Attendees get so wrapped up in her intense, fast-paced sessions that they will stand atop their chairs, yelling and cheering, totally abandoning their inhibitions while the mic runner scurries from group to group. “People are so excited and in the moment, they forget their fears,” Emmerich says. “It allows them to feel successful at what they do.” She adds that the key is making attendees feel brilliant and confident. After Emmerich delivers a presentation, it is not uncommon to witness attendees crying and hugging each other. They even approach her to laud the impact of her session. “People tell me they’ve been in therapy for years, and my session was more meaningful to
“Engaging” Presentation Tips • Don’t mimic other speakers. Make your presentation uniquely “you.” • Your presentation must match your personality, whether you’re playful or serious. If you try something that’s incongruent with who you are, it will look silly. • Inject humor. If you’re not naturally funny, ask someone with comedic talent to write some lines for you. • Use facial expressions and body gestures to make a point. • Step out on the skinny branches and try something new. It may be your most powerful material yet.
Energize the Audience Many people fear speaking in front of groups. But, at Emmerich’s events, even the most timid end up grabbing the mic. She uses the following exercise to keep things rolling: • Teach a point through a story or an analogy. • Solidify the point. • Divide attendees into groups and give them very specific instructions. • Ask them to come up with ideas in a short period of time (two or three minutes).
eliminate the drama and self-sabotage they have normalized,” Emmerich says. She was particularly touched when a senior-level bank executive who had attended several sessions buried her head in Emmerich’s neck and sobbed, thanking her for transforming all areas in her life (job, husband, children). Not everyone embraces Emmerich at the onset. “I’m used to walking into audiences with people rolling their eyes and crossing their arms. It’s the racket they play out daily and I’m there to bust that racket. The tougher they are,
the harder the fall,” Emmerich says. Even the toughest corporate audiences in the world are eating out of her hand by the end of her sessions. “I can’t remember the last time I didn’t win over 98 percent of the audience,” Emmerich says. “Then, I teach managers how to deal with the other 2 percent within 24 hours so those ‘energy vampires’ won’t suck everyone dry and bring things back to the state of “yuck”—which is their game.” Dissension must be dealt with before sundown the next day or companies experience a ‘this too shall pass’ mindset that brings things back to mediocrity.”
On a Personal Note Emmerich practices what she preaches. Two of her children have interned in her business, The Emmerich Group, Inc., and attended the Kick-Butt Kick-Off®. They hold Emmerich and themselves accountable to the lessons she teaches. But even a powerhouse like Emmerich needs downtime to maintain her balance and regroup. She practices rituals, such as running around the lake near her home in Minnesota, relaxing on her screenedin porch with its tinkling chimes, and enjoying Friday night dates with her husband. Although she seldom turns on the TV, she admits to watching HGTV because she loves seeing transformations in all forms, such as redecorated rooms or remodeled houses. It’s all about change for the positive—whatever form that takes. True to form, Emmerich obviously lives and breathes the lessons of transformation she imparts in her audiences. Speaker magazine editor-inchief Barbara Parus also is a fan of transformation, HGTV and Emmerich’s book, Thank God It’s Monday! Contact her at barbara@nsaspeaker.org. October 2010 | SPEAKER | 15
Listen, Engage and Influence Embrace the power and promise of social market leadership By David Nour
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o, you have a LinkedIn profile, a Twitter account, a YouTube channel, and a Facebook fan page. Are they working for you? Are you getting any business from your social media efforts? If 2009 was about this shiny, sexy new toy called social networking, 2010 and beyond are about building ROI from your online efforts with social market leadership. You’re thinking, “What? More high-tech jargon?”
Definition of Terms Social networking (LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, etc.) is about presence. Hopefully, you have a professional presence on these sites to create awareness and marketing gravity to your value-add. Social media is the platform, or the vehicle to get you there. It encompasses more than social networks and includes being more searchable, paying for unique positions online, and conversion strategies to take buyers from interested to engaged. Social market leadership is about purpose. It is a fundamental shift in buying behavior, and professional speakers have to understand and master it. To succeed, you will need a very real purpose of why you’re online, who you’re trying to date, and what will influence their thinking and call to action. There is a lot of noise in the speaking industry. Every client evaluates multitudinous options that compete for mindshare, and every speakers’ bureau recommends a plethora of prospective talent to speak about “change.” It certainly doesn’t help the profession when speakers can’t delineate and differentiate themselves from the next 10 similar options or, even worse, try to compete on price. The solution: Learn how to leverage social media to engage clients.
A Shift in Buyer Behavior Social media empowers buyers in an unprecedented way. In the past, buyers were educated during the sales process. Now, search engines empower buyers to extensively research potential speakers before engaging them. They can check references, build their own lineup of experts, and make a buying decision without even letting speakers know they are in the market, let alone engage them in a sales process. So, how do speakers sell to buyers when they don’t know they are looking for speaking services? How can speakers influence the market to ensure they are considered for an engagement? Professional speakers who cannot manage the transition to the new “buyer norm” will face considerable headwinds in building or retaining relationships and market share. When I first began to speak professionally, every “expert” I met recommended a one-sheet, a demo video and a media kit. Everyone suggested that I get a list of association and corporate meeting planners and start dialing for dollars. At that time, speakers reached out to their markets and educated prospective clients, who logically evaluated their options. Then, speakers diligently followed up until they booked their first gig. If not, they planted a seed for the next opportunity.
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Social media has helped buyers become more educated about speakers, their fee ranges, and the perceived value-add they can bring. Buyers read blog posts and watch video clips of speakers on numerous social media sites where they can assess the speaker’s audience engagement and listen to attendees comment freely and candidly about the speaker’s stage presence and effectiveness. (Fact: They are more than 50-plus video distribution sites, including YouTube.) Prospective buyers also read LinkedIn recommendations about speakers and contact existing clients to check references before they even hire a speaker.
Influencers Impact the Decision Process Social media represents the rise of indirect channels of communication that are influencer-dominated, and will require a new approach to developing and maintaining critical relationships. Speakers who leverage market influence can dynamically disrupt the current market status quo. So, how can speakers build relationships with prospects when they do not know they are being considered for a speaking engagement? Speakers must change their mindset from revenue to influence. Revenue is a lagging indicator of past sales and marketing success. It is looking in the rearview mirror. Influence, on the other hand, is a leading indicator. It is looking through the windshield. Speaker should ask themselves: • Who do I have to influence? • Where are the centers of influence?
• What is a logical call to action? • What do I want to influence them to do? Today, internal and external influencers have a greater impact on the decision process. First, they must see a speaker as the definitive expert in his chosen field to recommend him to buyers who have a challenge he can solve. Second, a speaker must arm the influences with ammunition to make that connection, because leaving this part to chance is futile. Third, a speaker must identify and lead buyers down a very specific, succinct path to engage them. “Always leave your audience wanting more,” said Eric Chester, CSP, CPAE, when speaking at the NSA Denver Chapter a few years ago. Well, this is the social media version of the same strategy. Speaker can start by getting very succinct about who they are trying to date. Personally or professionally, they cannot date everyone. So, the more succinct they are about the profile of their target buyers, the more fruitful their social media efforts. Next, speakers should identify what will influence buyers’ thinking, move their needle, push a button, or create a sense of curiosity to further research the topic. My recent article, titled “If You’re Not at the Table, You’re on the Menu!” raised a few eyebrows, and created a half-dozen speaking inquiries from business unit leaders who wanted their teams to hear how to enhance performance through strategic relationships. When I asked these executives how they found me, they mentioned an
The High Five*
Top 10 Internet Marketing Best Practices
Speakers should have a proactive presence in: LinkedIn Twitter Facebook YouTube Slideshare.net
SEO
Viral videos
Unique PPC
Targeted social media campaigns
Professional blogging Distributed content marketing Consistent conversion
Analytics and testing Private social networking Referral marketing
*Based on research of 400-plus social networking sites in 22 distinct categories.
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internal lieutenant or an outside adviser who handed them one of my articles, or forwarded one of my video blogs.
Address Challenges with Traditional Search Engines In my social media strategy consulting and coaching/mentoring engagements, I recommend a fundamental shift in the way information is distributed via the Web. There needs to be a transition from a traditional direct distribution model to an indirect version wherein a value-based network reaches and influences the right audience. These distributors (influencers) are critical to getting the “word out.” Professional speakers need something compelling, interesting and relevant to access that distribution. Distributors “pay” for the privilege of distributing speakers’ content with real currency: their prioritized attention and market reach. ComScore, the “Nielson of the Web,” reports that 70 percent of people who search will not go to the bottom of the first page, while 90 percent-plus will not go to the second page! If I’m a buyer and you’re not coming up in my search results, you’re not on my short list. If you’re not on my short list, you’re not on my radar for the upcoming annual convention. Here’s another interesting tidbit. Buyers are no longer calling speakers to request media kits or demo videos. They search for this information online. An estimated 20 percent of people who search the Web know exactly what they want; for example, a “change domination author.” The other 80 percent search long-tail keywords, descriptors of their challenge: “funny speaker for mature audience on getting change right.” Google searches will deliver intellectual results, i.e. keywords. Social searches deliver emotional results, i.e.
another buyer who had a very similar challenge and you, an expert in that subject who happened to have solved it for that client. They’re reading LinkedIn discussion groups for “nightmare speakers,” or a forum describing what a bureau promised was anything but what the speaker delivered!
Reinventing Relationships in a Post-Digital World If everything is becoming digital, how will digital matter? The buyer doesn’t really care if the speaker interaction is on the Web—buyers just want to get what they need, when they need it. Many speakers still segment their on- and off-line marketing, creating an artificial barrier to developing a seamless and consistent client experience. Social media is changing buyer behavior to more agile and fluid, and growth strategies must adjust the model to support the reflected changes. Speakers need to re-orient their traditional growth strategies to reflect the new post-digital, relationship-oriented and influencer-driven social interactions. As a speaker, you can start by thinking of your clients in a more holistic life cycle using the following questions as guideposts: • Where are they most likely to hear about you? • How can you educate the market with unique value-add? • How can you give buyers an opportunity to self-select/opt-in themselves as intrigued by your perspective? • By helping them along a buying cycle, how can they engage you as a prospect when you’ve influenced their thinking? • When they become clients, how can you empower them to share their experiences? • How can you help them educate
the market on your behalf – independently and candidly? Social market leadership leverages a multichannel, multidirectional approach toward building relationships around enabling the key interactions that support the awareness, influence, interest, buying and referral processes. A traditional marketing approach cannot be applied to social networks and collaborative technologies. Speakers cannot just broadcast their advertising or public relations on social networks and expect their target audiences to engage. Social market leadership is about building value-based relationships with communities of like-minded buyers. As described in the Experience Economy, speakers who aim to consistently develop exceptional experiences for all who engage them deliberately will elevate themselves above the market noise. Then, exceptional client experience will bleed through into marketing and sales with the ability to mass distribute client delights. Professional speakers who are able to effectively and efficiently “socially-enable” their client relationships can increase the growth in net new client acquisition, reduce the cost of client retention, and enhance their market leadership position as thought leaders in their industry.
10 Tips to Develop Social Market Leadership
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David Nour is the thought leader on Relationship Economics®, the quantifiable value of business relationships. As CEO of The Nour Group, he
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has attracted clients such as KPMG, Siemens, Disney, Alvarez & Marsal, Assurant, HP, and more than 100 marquee organizations in driving unprecedented growth through unique
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return on their strategic relationships. Nour has pioneered the phenomenon that relationships are the greatest off-balance sheet asset that any
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organization possesses, large and small, public and private. Learn more by “Googling” him.
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Develop a profile of your target buyers. Research them on LinkedIn, and create a profile of what they find of interest/value. Don’t think of your speaking engagement as a single event. View it as a campaign with a focused social media effort to create awareness for the client organization. Before each engagement, research top industry trade publications. For corporate clients, identify internal and external communication channels, such as newsletters, SharePoint sites, intranets, private social networks. Submit focused and relevant content (articles, videos, blog posts) 30-60-90 days before each speaking engagement, to promote awareness and drive attendance to the event. Leverage social networks, blogs, and your broader influence footprint to create dialogue. Ask questions, post comments, and stir up the pot to provide a contrarian perspective. Always include links. At the event, cut your content in half. Find a way to interact with and engage the audience in a dialogue, roundtables and get attendees out of their chairs, especially if you’re speaker No. 35 in a four-day conference! Before you wrap up your speech, invite attendees to a community, developed exclusively for clients to continue the conversation. After the event, share insights and unique perspectives with the client and the audience. Bundle a series of articles or webinars or develop a road show. Get and give digital references/ recommendations, focused on the mutual experience.
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Lights, Camera, Action– Engage! By Chip Eichelberger, CSP
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How to involve and motivate your audience to set yourself apart from the crowd Jerry Garcia, legendary leader of The Grateful Dead, said, “You do not merely want to be considered just the best of the best. You want to be considered the only ones who do what you do.” That is great marketing advice for anyone. In the highly competitive world of public speaking, the ability to engage an audience is critical for speakers who want to differentiate themselves in the marketplace. It gives them an edge, whether they keynote, train, offer teleseminars/webinars, or want to move from being authors to speakers. So, what makes a speaker engaging? According to “the world’s funniest guitar virtuoso,” Mike Rayburn, CSP, “It is not a monologue; it is a dialogue. The less you are ‘presenting’ and the more you are in the moment, coming through you rather than from you, the better you will be.”
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Interaction is about focusing on the audience, not you. The Webster’s Dictionary definition of engagement in this context is emotional involvement or commitment. To take engagement to the next level, you need both. I developed my style of engaging an audience while working for motivational speaker Tony Robbins from 1988 to 1993. My job was to lead sales teams and work with promoters that filled his events throughout the United States, the U.K. and Australia. I did talks to sell tickets, mostly to skeptical sales people. I had to get commitments to take action now and purchase tickets. I gave over 1,200 talks before my first paid event. I quickly learned the difference between presentation and persuasion. If I did a presentation, people would smile, thank me for coming, and say they would “think about it.” But if I engaged, challenged and persuaded them, I got applause, ticket sales on the spot and referrals. What actions are you persuading audiences to take? When I made the transition to professional speaking, I took what had worked for me in that arena and moved it to the main stage. I learned that people would rather be entertained than educated. If I got them to laugh, move, reevaluate and, most important, to change their emotional state by changing their physiology and internal dialogue, then I was successful in engaging and entertaining them.
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Educating them was not enough. Audiences want to interact and get involved, especially at a typical conference where they have seen 1,480 PowerPoint® slides, and have been “talked at” all day with very little engagement.
Tools of Engagement “Contrast” is the keyword of emotional involvement. Think of developing more contrast in how you deliver your message using these three tools of engagement: Body. Vary your gestures and facial expressions and make extended eye contact between two and five seconds. Move with a purpose on stage and don’t wander. When in doubt, move in toward the audience and get off the stage when possible. Engage one person at a time. Carry on a series of interesting connected conversations by moving from one set of eyes to the next. Speakers should appear to be looking at individuals, not the audience. Connecting regularly from one set of eyes to another takes emotional engagement to the next level. With a big audience, when you look at one, you appear to be looking at dozens. Voice. Vary your voice inflection, pace and volume to transmit energy and make you interesting to listen to, mark out key words for greater emphasis and meaning, use silence and the power of pausing for emphasis. Energy. Do not underestimate the power of “switching on” before
you begin. Vary the highs and lows in the emotional connection of your message, touch when appropriate and connect with the audience. Get the attendees to do something physically. Your energy on stage is contagious. How does your energy flow during your presentation?
Prepare to Be Successful Audience engagement begins before the event. Calling and interviewing participants from different levels of the organization is essential. When possible, obtain permission to use direct quotes that illustrate that you have done your homework. You want the audience to think, “Wow, how did the speaker know all that? He was really well prepared.” When you arrive at the event, it is helpful to attend a few sessions and converse with other attendees over a meal before you speak. Introduce yourself to as many people as possible. Referencing what you learn will boost your credibility and score points with even the most skeptical audience members. Before you go on stage, select the right music to set a fun, energetic tone for your presentation. Do not leave it up to the tech team to create energy in the room for you.
Get Their Motors Running I primarily do opening and closing keynotes that last 60 to 90 minutes. When the audience seems comatose, I ask attendees to stand shortly after
my captivating opening statement, quote, question, statistic or observation. I instruct them to greet others and ask: “Why are you here?” or “What is the best take-away so far? Then, I persuade them to do a 30-second wake-up message. A lively, upbeat song cued up to play right when it starts really increases involvement. Amanda Gore, CSP, CPAE, uses speed to promote audience involvement. With this tactic, there simply isn’t any time for their fears to come out. A customized fill-in-the-blank form helps the audience put the material into action. They can fill in key items and take a few moments to answer questions. Ask them share their answers with someone. It is unusual for a “keynote,” but it works for me. Audience evaluations indicate that attendees enjoy this approach. . This type of engagement gets people thinking and reevaluating, which leads to action, and decisions to change now. These interactions help overcome the Law of Diminishing Intent, which states that the longer you wait to implement an idea, the less enthusiasm you will have for it. Publicly declaring your commitment is a powerful tool.
You Put Your Whole Self In To engage the group, you must be engaged. Get into a “switched on” state before you take the stage. For me, it starts the night before. I eat a light dinner, read something positive, go to bed as early as possible and visualize. I believe motion creates emotion. It is
essential to exercise with a 30-minute aerobic session to introduce oxygen into your system in the morning. Before taking the stage, I practice a physical and mental routine to get into a peak state. Other presenters have similar routines, for example, The Rolling Stone’s Mick Jagger always requests a space of at least 40 yards near his dressing room where he can do wind sprints before he takes the stage. It works for him, even at 68 years of age. Why is engaging the audience so critical? Depending on your topic, your task as speaker is to entertain, instruct, cajole, persuade, motivate, delight—pick as many as you wish. None of these can happen if you don’t connect to the audience. Connection to engagement, involvement to action—it’s possible to make a true difference in the lives of your audience through what you do from the stage. As most of us feel called to speak on the topics we choose, so, too, is the satisfaction that comes from feeling like we’re making a difference in someone’s life. And of course, becoming known as an engaging speaker is great for your marketing, too! The rules for engagement make the difference. Think big by taking starting with small steps. What will you change before you take the stage?
Exaggeration Exercise A digital video camera can be your best friend! (I like the Kodak Zi8.) Not only is it great to record and post video testimonials of clients who love your engaging style, you can also use it to practice - deliberately practice to be more engaging. Videotape parts of your talk. But as you’re speaking, exaggerate and try to go over the top with all your tools of engagement - Body, Voice, Energy. In the classes I do, this is always funny to watch. The speaker usually thinks it was too much and the rest of the class says it was terrific. Why does this work? Because once you’ve felt what it’s like to exaggerate, you’ll probably fall back to a new “normal” – maybe 50% of what the videotape showed—that is much more engaging than where you started!
mirror, put on the hat of personal Chip Eichelberger, CSP, has
responsibility, and get switched on! To get
switched on over 900
Eichelberger’s recommended room-setup
conventions in the past 17
and logistics guide to make your next
years. He engages his
event more engaging, contact him at
audiences to look in the
chip@getswitchedon.com.
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here are two reasons cold calls are called “cold.” First, salespeople often contact prospects out of the blue without doing any research. Second, prospects usually react to these calls in a frigid manner.
Like salespeople, most speakers do not like to cold call prospects, as the following conversation illustrates. Caller: “Hi, I’m Pat Speeker with Productive Presentations. I deliver keynote speeches and breakout sessions on motivation and peak performance. Do you hire speakers for meetings?” Prospect: “We’re all set for this year.” This is an example of an ineffective cold call. It was unsuccessful because the caller did not know anything about the prospect or organization, nor did he hint at any possible value he could provide. Understandably, the potential client blew him off. Ouch! Although the mantras “Cold calling does not work” and “Cold calling is dead” ring true, calling is alive and well. And it really works. Many successful people make cold calls. In a perfect world, it would be easy to make calls based on endless inquiries and referrals. But, in the real world, not everyone has the budget, time or network of contacts to make that happen consistently. So, what’s a speaker to do? To transform cold calls into “smart” calls, you need to gather key information about prospects, organizations and situations and integrate the data into a solid sales process. When you tailor your calls to the customer, you can enter into a sales cycle with a decision maker within minutes. A smart call incorporates four key areas, which are explained below: • Intelligence gathering • Finding information • Social engineering • Grabbing attention • Intelligence Gathering
“Intelligence” gathering is mining relevant information about your prospect. Define the data you want and divide it into three categories: factual, situational and personal. Facts are data about the organization or association, including what it does, number of employees or members, its history of holding meetings and hiring speakers, and any other information that is relevant to your products and services. Situational information relates to circumstances within an organization, department or industry that create a possible need for the results you provide. For example, perhaps an organization has a directive to bring in new accounts in 2011, or a layoff has created poor morale. Personal information identifies the players involved in the decision-making process. Learn as much as you can, personally and professionally, about the key contacts. Gathering information about the people and organizations you call and using it intelligently is comparable to the difference between a direct mail piece addressed to “Occupant” and a personal, handwritten note to the appropriate contact person.
How to Find Information Surfing the Internet is the best way to find information about potential clients. Check out Take the Cold Out of Cold Calling, the best-selling book by Sam Richter, who is an internationally recognized expert on sales, marketing and leadership. His book explains how to use the Internet to gather more information than you ever imagined. Check out free resources at www. TakeTheCold.com.
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Use Social Engineering The term “social engineering” is associated with computer hackers who gather information to compromise security. But you don’t need to be a hacker to employ this strategy. It is simply talking to people and asking questions to uncover information specific to your prospect’s company or organization. Make a preliminary call to your prospect’s organization to glean information. Target anyone—other than the ultimate decision maker—who could provide insights. For example, if you do customer service training, reach out to customer service reps and ask: • What type of calls do you typically field? • What training do you receive? • What is the company’s goal for your department? Think of anyone you might reach in a company, from the janitor to the CEO’s executive assistant, and determine what questions to ask each of them. Will everyone be helpful and be able to answer all of your questions? Not likely. However, most people who use social engineering are surprised at how much information they obtain just by asking. One thing is certain: You will not get what you do not ask for.
How to Grab Attention After you have collected relevant information about your prospect, it is time to craft an attention-grabbing opening, which also can serve as a voicemail message with just a little tweaking at the end. Follow the steps in the Smart Call™ interest-creating opening statement process: 1. Introduce yourself and the organization. 2. Use your Smart Call™ intelligence. Employ information that implies you
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are not the typical cold caller—the more tailored and on-target, the better. 3. Hint at your possible value proposition. Tailor your value to their world. Refer to the results you have delivered to others and might be able to provide them. Do not talk about speeches, programs, training, or anything that suggests an expense without the accompanying return. 4. Suggest more possible value, contingent on moving to questioning. Build upon your possible value, and ask questions specifically tailored to your contact’s responses, situations and questions. Now, apply the Smart Calling process and techniques to the caller identified at the beginning of this article. This is the new Smart Call: “Hi Mary, I’m Pat Speeker with Productive Presentations. I was talking with Dale in your eastern office, and I understand that a major initiative for 2011 is strengthening the communication and collaboration between your account management and production departments, so you can increase your customer retention rate and order frequency. “We were able to help another components manufacturer implement a system to do exactly that. We increased retention by 55 percent in six months, and the reorder rate by 34 percent. “I’d like to ask you a few questions to see if I could provide you with some information.”
How to Handle Rejection The fear of rejection deters people from picking up the phone to drum up new business. Here are ways to handle it: • Control the emotion associated with rejection. Change the meaning of the experience. • If you get a “no,” don’t beat yourself up. Attach a different definition to the outcome. • Seek out a “win” from every call, even if it’s minor. • Be proactive in staying positive.
questions to which she already knew the answers. She used Dale’s LinkedIn profile to inquire about his experience with his previous employer. From a Twitter post, Pat learned that she and Dale both were involved in girls’ club volleyball. People who can and will hire you do not have time or tolerance for cold calls that are “cold.” They expect anyone who calls them to do their homework. “Cold” calling is dead, but prospecting is alive and profitable when conducted in a smart way. For more than 27 years, Art Sobczak has helped salespeople, and anyone who needs
Pat piqued Dale’s interest by engaging him in a conversation about the initiative, using some smart intelligence she gleaned from a variety of sources: By doing a blog search, she was able to comment on an article Dale wrote for a trade publication. From social engineering, she asked
new business, get sales results by using the phone. His latest book, Smart Calling-Eliminate the Fear, Failure, and Rejection from Cold Calling, hit No. 1 on Amazon’s Sales and Marketing categories in its very first day. Check out his website at www.SmartCalling.com or contact him at ArtS@BusinessByPhone.com.
CALL FOR PROPOSALS!
Deadline extended to: October 31, 2010
Finally! A publication that puts the “ease” in professional speaking. SpeakEZ is a one-stop destination for concise, practical resources to help speakers gain immediate proficiency on a wide variety of topics within the speaking profession’s A WHITE PAPER PUBLICATION four core competencies: Expertise, Eloquence, Enterprise and Ethics. Subscribe | Available bimonthly, the 20-page publication will feature valuable information on best practices, time-saving job aids, case studies and more, all in an easy-to-read format available by subscription or single purchase. For information, go to www.NSASpeaker.org.
Share | You are invited to submit a proposal to contribute to SpeakEZ and share your knowledge on a specific topic, enhancing your credibility and the market’s awareness of your expertise by being published by the National Speaker’s Association. NOTE: SpeakEZ papers also can be coauthored by two more members.
For contributor guidelines, go to www.NSASpeaker.org. Click on Aspiring Speakers, and then SpeakEZ. Suggested topics include, but are not limited to, the following: •Branding •Product development •Building a niche •Self-publishing •Business models •Social media •Internet marketing
Review Process | All proposals will be reviewed for merit and relevancy by an editorial review board. Authors will receive guidelines upon acceptance. Find out more about the review process at www.NSASpeaker.org.
DEADLINE EXTENDED TO:
OCT. 31, 2010
Submit | You can submit a proposal through the NSA website. For questions on topics or the submission process, email SpeakEZ@NSAspeaker.org or contact Barbara Parus, director of publications, at (480) 968-2552.
relevant resources Time-saving tools and technologies
Rules of Engagement
Your speaking success depends on how well you keep your clients and audiences engaged in your message, products and services. Here are some ideas that can help you stay on top of your game.
1 Is That a Projector in Your Pocket? When you’re on the road and need to view video or images from a personal media player, mobile phone or a camera, the Optoma PK100 DLP Pico Pocket Projector is ready at hand and easy to use. It’s smaller than many smart phones and digital cameras so you can carry it in your purse or pocket. Users can share videos and images up to 60 inches in size and batteries run for up to two hours. $149. www.tigerdirect.com, Optomausa.com
2 Get Smart—to Get the Job Done Smartsheet, the Power of Done, is an online application that makes it fast, easy and productive for people to work together using a collaborative solution of sharing information and tracking progress. Smartsheet is available for work management solutions, such as project management, marketing and human resources. www.smartsheet.com
4 Employee
Engagement: A Roadmap for Creating Profits, Optimizing Performance and Increasing Loyalty By Brad Federman Do you want more from employees? Do you want employees who truly care and are enthusiastic? Federman’s book shows you how to implement an effective employee engagement program that results in more committed employees, and a more meaningful environment that builds stronger relationships with employees. $28-$32. www.performancepointllc.com
5 Get Personal Build a relationship that will keep your customers coming back. Dare to Caresm cards are personal, unique and let you stay in touch, whether you’re starting a new relationship or expressing gratitude over a lasting one. $16 per package of 25 cards. www.customercarecoach.com/store/ dept-906792.htm
3 Take Charge Chargepod by Callpod lets you charge up to six mobile devices with just one outlet. The Chargepod Value Pack is compatible with 3,000-plus devices and supports various devices, including PDAs, headsets, GPS and more. It’s lightweight, travel ready and includes a carrying pouch, car charger, a chargepod base unit, and much more. $59.95. www.callpod.com 28 | SPEAKER | October 2010
Photo courtesy of callpod.com
6 You Say Apple, I Say iPad
Courtesy of Apple
It’s hip, it’s new and it’s ready to go to work. The Apple iPad is ready right out of the box to help you stay on top of your business needs and in touch with your clients. It includes built-in support for Microsoft Exchange, secure access to corporate data and a powerful platform for apps. Connect to your business and securely receive push email, calendar events and contacts. Other features include layers of security to protect data, a variety of business apps from which to choose, large Multi-Touch screen, easy configuration, iWork productivity applications and iPad accessories. www.apple.com/ipad/business/
7 Got Apps?
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Want a hot provider of mobile voice-to-text applications? Get Jott! This hot app will put you on top of your business, if not the world. Individuals and businesses can capture thoughts, send emails and text messages, set reminders, organize lists, and post to Web services and business applications—all with their voice, using any phone. Jott also converts voicemail into email and text messages. http://jott.com/
8 The Top Tens of Employee Engagement Edited by David Zinger Do you want to enrich employee engagement at your company and become more engaged? The online book, edited by the founder of The Employee Engagement Network, is a great place to start. It brings together 32 contributors who are leaders on employee engagement who offer practical advice and ideas to bring engagement to your workplace. Free! www.davidzinger.com
Engagement: Bridging the Gap Between People and Possibilities By Jim Haudan It may be tough to create a business strategy—but it’s tougher trying to execute one! One of the most important things you can do for your business is to motivate and communicate effectively with your employees. The author draws on his 20 years of experience to steer business leaders toward strategies that work to help them reach their goals. $18.45. www.amazon.com, www.rootsofengagement.com
9 Wanna Take You Higher The fully-loaded HP iPAQ Glisten is a 3G smartphone that packs a punch. It features the latest version of Windows Mobile OS, and offers easy typing and email at 3G speeds. Users can send photos and videos using MMS2; schedule, reschedule, accept and decline meetings and conference calls; manage contact lists to synchronize with a PC; snap photos and take videos; check the news, and much more. This product is SIM locked to the AT&T network and is intended for use only on the AT&T network. www.hp.com
October 2010 | SPEAKER | 29
Beyond Borders Exploring cultures, countries and comfort zones
The Hype About Skype
T
“
he show must go on” is a famous entertainment industry adage. Unfortunately, it’s not always possible. Even when the meeting planner is gung-ho, the event is booked and the audience is waiting, something can go awry. Uncontrollable factors, such as inclement weather, mechanical failure, terrorist threats or natural disasters, can throw a wrench into the best-laid plans. Case in point: NSA and GSF members were unable to reach their speaking engagements due to flight cancellations when the Eyjafjallajökull volcano in Iceland shut down air travel for several days throughout most of Europe. When times are tough and every speech counts, what can professional speakers do to ensure their presentations come off without a hitch? Speakers can engage their audiences through remote presentations using technology such as Skype, a free audio and video conferencing medium. In most cases, Skype is designed for one-
Tips for Success • Use Ethernet, not Wi-Fi, for best Skype connections. • Appoint a facilitator at the other end. • Start with small audiences and build.
30 | SPEAKER | October 2010
on-one communications, but a speaker can use it to deliver a presentation and still “be there”—but not in the physical sense. Skype video enables speakers to use their skills as professional communicators to engage their audiences on screen by showing they are real live people “in the moment,” not just a video presentation. Tech guru Gina Schreck, CSP, and I conducted NSA’s first-ever Skype video presentation at the NSA Colorado Chapter. We presented a three-hour program to the NSA Michigan Chapter, which went off brilliantly. The audience not only was engaged, it was thrilled. Skype also can be used for coaching. Once you get past the perfunctory “How’s the weather where you are?” and “Isn’t this great that we can see each other?” type of talk, you can elevate communication to another level. Some might say that using Skype is not the same as making a presentation in person. There always will be some naysayers who oppose every new high-tech advancement (fax machines, computers, e-mail), but eventually
technology triumphs and proves to present effective ways to communicate with and engage others. Professional speakers must embrace many communication tools to engage their audiences in profound ways. They speak in front of audiences, they record audio and video, they write articles and books, they blog, and they use social media. Skype is just another useful tool that speakers can keep in their hip pocket in case something unforeseen thwarts their ability to conduct an in-person presentation. Audiences are sure to appreciate a speaker’s forethought in introducing cutting-edge technology to engage them on another level.
Terry L. Brock, MBA, CSP, CPAE, is a professional speaker and marketing coach. As a journalist, he writes about technology, marketing and the Internet in his weekly column, Succeeding Today. He has been in business since 1983 helping business leaders and professionals achieve success. Visit www. terrybrock.com.
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Is your goal to build your reputation, increase your recognition and grow your business? If so, a self-published book hiding in the back of a room isn’t going to do the trick. Knowing this, Entrepreneur Press, a leading publisher in the small to midsize business category, developed a new publishing option: Entrepreneur House Authors. Entrepreneur House Authors is a fullservice, publishing and marketing solution perfect for speakers seeking to grow their brand and their business by leveraging their book. Under this innovative publishing program, Entrepreneur Press and its parent company Entrepreneur Media Inc. present visionaries, like you, with the
means to publish your book, gain exposure by the millions, and ultimately, become the recognized expert in your field. “We help speakers share their expertise through publishing a book, and then we work with them to use that book to further define their identity, establish their credibility, build their reputation, and grow their business,” explains Leanne Harvey, director of marketing, Entrepreneur Press. “We do this using the reach, media exposure, business partners, and publishing expertise of Entrepreneur—something that no other publishing option can compete with.” Combining Entrepreneur magazine’s readership of three million, and Entrepreneur.com’s six million unique visitors per month, with a multitude of esteemed online business partners including AOL.com, MSNBC.com, FoxBusiness.com, and WashingtonPost.com, Entrepreneur offers “author-preneurs” invaluable face time with millions of potential clients worldwide. “Working with Entrepreneur Press has given me the opportunity to broaden my online platform and in turn, grow my business and my company,” says Susan Gunelius, author of Kick-Ass Copywriting in 10 Easy Steps. “Little did I know that partnering with Entrepreneur Press would lead to my becoming a featured columnist on Entrepreneur.com reaching millions of readers per month. My relationship with Entrepreneur Press has opened a multitude of doors for me to network with people around the world, share my passion and expertise about marketing, branding and copywriting, and grow my business significantly.” Partnered with Entrepreneur Press, speakers seeking publishing success get the editorial benefit of working with a traditional publisher and the backing of Entrepreneur Media, Inc. a respected voice in the media community and trusted brand for more than 30 years.
“The team at Entrepreneur Press has literally helped me create an entirely new brand and career. No other publisher I have worked with so fully supports their authors with publicity, marketing expertise, and the type of creative brainstorming that comes with only the best of the best,” says Dr. Dani Babb, author of Finding Foreclosures and The Online Professor’s Practical Guide to Starting an Internet Business. “Without their expertise, incredible exposure, early assistance and believing in my work with a real strong partnership, I would have had a much tougher road to get to this place today. Thanks to Entrepreneur kicking off things, I have a two hour weekend show on Entrepreneurship on Fox Business and am the go-to person for numerous national media outlets. They are THE BEST!” If you’re writing a book and are seeking a publisher who will help you elevate your brand and grow your business, visit:
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Turning Point A career-changing moment or experience
People Make Money Doing This?
I
always thought public speaking was something you did only when a group was desperate enough to ask. Strangely enough, I kept getting asked. It might have been because my PhD in psychology made local event organizers hypothesize that I might know something about using humor to manage stress. Or perhaps my local radio talk show made people think I was used to talking a lot without getting adequately compensated. One day, I received a call from Sarah Michel, CSP, who had seen me speak at one of my “will blather on for a lukewarm lunch” events. “I would love to have you speak for an event at my husband’s business but, unfortunately, we can only pay you $1,000,” she said. After verifying that she had the right Joseph Michelli, I assured her that I would adjust my compensation standards to accept her token offer. Sarah gave me my first glimpse into what has become a lucrative speaking business. Her words of encouragement (“You really should think about a career in speaking”), coupled with her check clearing the bank, helped catapult my avocation into a vocation. While Sarah steered me on the speaking track, I was not willing to put all of my financial eggs in the speaking basket. I continued to juggle speaking,
32 | SPEAKER | October 2010
a daily two-hour radio talk show in Colorado Springs, Colo., book authorship, consulting and an active forensic psychology practice. Finally, Lynn Stenftenagel, my senior vice president of operations, asked, “Why do we have so many diverse product lines operating under one corporate roof?” I replied, “I want to hedge economic cycles by diversifying my corporate offerings.” But I’m sure my pathetic response sounded more like a financial strategy than a well-designed business model. Then, Lynn asked, “What do you want to be when you grow up?” Instantly, I responded with a resounding, “A speaker, an author and a business consultant.” From that day forward, I worked to make that dream a reality. Slowly and strategically, a staff of talented people helped me do what I was called to do. I wake up each day and look for what’s right in the world of business, and share it with others in an unpretentious, entertaining and usable way. Companies like Pike Place Fish
Market, Starbucks and The RitzCarlton Hotel Company LLC, have allowed me to learn from them. In turn, I have written books through the kindness of Hyperion, Random House and McGraw-Hill that chronicle the leadership, employee empowerment and customer engagement excellence of each of those companies. My journey continues with a soonto-be-released book about the UCLA Health System, and another in 2011 about the Zappos Experience. Was I worth the $1,000 fee that Sarah Michel paid me in the early 90s? I can’t say, but even though that money has long been spent, my true gain came from the encouragement of people like Sarah and Lynn. Now I live a life where I can make money without actually working. Joseph A. Michelli, PhD, is a speaker, author, and organizational consultant who has been described as “catching what is right in the world and playfully sparking people and businesses to grow toward the extraordinary.” Visit www. josephmichelli.com.
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what would you do? Casting a reality check on real-world conundrums
Reviving the Dead “I would use a technique I call ‘Name the Game,’ which means not ignoring the elephant in the room. If you don’t address it in some way, you will never regain the audience’s full attention. The key is not to linger there nor embarrass anyone in the process. An example of this happened during a daylong training I gave the day after the Columbine High School shootings. Because I am a motivational comedian, the client obviously hired me to be funny. But I named the game by saying, ‘I know you hired me to be funny, but I have to be honest with you, I’m not feeling very funny today.’ We spent the first hour sharing our feelings about the tragedy, and then the rest of the day flowed well.” —Karyn Ruth White Denver, Colo.
I would ask the audience to stand, take a one-minute break and introduce themselves to three or four new friends in their immediate area. —Ed Scannell, CSP, CMP Scottsdale, Ariz.
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.
34 | SPEAKER | October 2010
For whatever reason—the event is behind schedule, the audience just got bad news, the previous speaker was awful—the audience is lifeless. How do you re-engage attendees?
I don’t believe I would even comment on what has gone before. I would just double my efforts to deliver a stunning program and hope that I could help them blow the blues away.
I just did two keynotes with this situation. Each had a CEO who spoke before me and went way over his allotted time (and was boring to boot). Here’s what I did and you can, too: Tell them to stand up. Explain that they just flooded their brains with 20 percent more oxygen by going from a sitting to a standing position. This means they can learn better and remember more. Next, tell the attendees to form pairs, triads or small groups and share what they learned from the previous speaker. They can talk about what they already know about your presentation topic. Or they can state what they want to learn from the session. This only needs to take a minute or two—just long enough to generate interest in the topic and energy in the audience. —Sharon L. Bowman, MA Glenbrook, Nev.
—Lou Heckler, CSP, CPAE, Gainesville, Fla. “There is no pat correct or incorrect answer. It all depends on how long ago ‘it’ happened. From the assassinations of President John F. Kennedy and Martin Luther King Jr. to the shuttle explosion to Katrina, I have been scheduled to speak around many such occasions. If some time has passed, I completely ignore what happened and get down to why I’m there, heeding what one meeting planner told me, ‘Please don’t bring it up again—every speaker has.’ If they’ve just heard what happened and people are visibly shaken, the speaker has to address it. Then it’s up to each speaker’s style and what that meeting planner wants to be done.” —Jeanne Robertson, CSP, CPAE, Burlington, N.C.
This column was compiled by Don Cooper, The Sales Heretic™, who helps salespeople, business owners and professionals dramatically increase their sales. Find free sales-boosting resources at www.DonCooper. com or follow him at www. Twitter.com/DonCooper.
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 doctor’s office or in a beauty salon. All editions of Speaker magazine are available in digital format at www.nsaspeaker.org. So, what are you waiting for? Pass It On!
Thank you for helping NSA expand its reach. Questions? Please contact our offices at (480)968-2552 or email information@nsaspeaker.org
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CALENDAR OF EVENTS
KS
PSA UK & Ireland Oct. 1-3, 2010 Midlands Area
air:
r
AFCP Convention
tant:
Oct. 14-16, 2010 Paris, France
hairs: and CPAE
CAPS Convention Dec. 5-7, 2010
AE,
MSEd
r: P
Host: CPA,
r:
:
Montreal, Quebec
NSA Keynote Lab Jan. 12-13, 2011
V 2011 Winter Conference un Unconventional ideas, unscripted sessions, unbelievable learning
NSA/US Winter Conference Feb. 18-20, 2011 Atlanta, Ga.
NSA CSP/CPAE Summit April 1-3, 2011 Dallas, Texas
Global Speakers Summit April 13-16, 2011
r:
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Las Vegas, Nev.
Noordwijk, Netherlands Our goal is to help you speak more, make more money and have more fun.
Save the Date:
Register online today:
February 18–20, 2011 Lowes Atlanta Hotel Atlanta, GA
www.NSAWinterConference.org or call (480) 968-2552.
July 30-Aug. 2011
Save $100: Neen James, CSP Gina Schreck,CSP 2011 Winter Conference Co-Chairs
Register by January 26 and take $100 off the regular rate!
NSA/US Convention Anaheim, Calif.
National Speakers Association
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.globalspeakers.net. October 2010 | SPEAKER | 37
Humor Me Quips, tips and parting shots
Rock-a-Bye, Birdie
W
hen you’re a professional communicator, of which I am a good one, people ask you to speak at all kinds of events. One time, during my morning nap, my mother came down to the basement, even though she’s not allowed to without my permission, and said I had a phone call. It was from a theater asking me to do one of my lectures before a band performance. “Doy, yeah, I’ll do it! I said. Besides, I’m free most Saturday nights. I’d do my lecture and then watch the band, killing two birds with one stone. Because that’s how I roll: I’m Robert Mac, and I kill birds. The band was Lynyrd Skynyrd, southern rockers known for tripleheaded guitar attacks and for breaking up in the ’70s—mostly because most of the band members died in an airplane crash, which tends to break up a band. One of the original band members, a brother of another and the former janitor decided to get back together— and I’d open the show! One slight problem. There was no mention that I’d do my humorous lecture before the band came on, so I would be a big surprise to the die-hard, rabid, foaming Lynyrd Skynyrd fans. Note to reader: People who obsess over bands that broke up more than three decades ago, and who are still stuck in that era sporting pony tails and wearing bell bottoms, usually don’t like surprises. At show time, I got on stage and the audience immediately shouted song titles: Freebird, Sweet Home Alabama, Gimme Three Steps. I don’t know if they were showing off or what. I mean, I know three Lynyrd Skynyrd songs, and I don’t even like them. (I didn’t say that aloud.) 38 | SPEAKER | October 2010
It got ugly quick. The audience wanted classic rock, not me. But I’m used to it: Sometimes my lecture is so high over people’s heads, I’ll actually see them roll their eyes upward to try to see it as it escapes beyond their grasp of understanding. To save myself, I downshifted to knock-knock jokes, which they failed to get. “Knock-knock.” “You’re already here!” I explained that knock-knock jokes could only develop in the United States, thanks to freedom of expression and the right to privacy. You can’t have knock-knock jokes in dictatorships because they don’t knock-knock. They just barge in, steal your stuff and throw you in the slammer. But here it’s “Knock-knock.” “Who’s there?” “Bill.” “Bill who?” “Bill of Rights!” “Actually, my friends call me Willy because I am free.” Then, someone I can only describe as a “Southern drunkard” began warbling: “I’m as free as a bird now, and this bird you cannot change! Whoa-oa-oa-oa! And this bird you cannot change!” He went on like that for a while, but luckily we have the Second Amendment—the right to bear arms—so I got my gun and shot him. Because I’m Robert Mac, and I kill birds. Robert Mac has been a professional laugh-maker for more than 16 years, performing and presenting at colleges, comedy clubs, conferences, and conventions. He is a member of AFTRA (American Federation of Television and Radio Artists) and has appeared on NBC, ABC, TLC (The Learning Channel), and Comedy Central. His first comedy CD, Know More Robert Mac, was released in 2008.
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