Also include as much information as possible about size and demographics of audience such as age, gender, and positions. 8. Ask for an outline. Ask prospective speakers for an outline of presentation to make sure they will be covering material as you discussed. This will clearly lay out what’s expected as verbal communication is subject to being misunderstood or misinterpreted. Seeing exactly what speakers plan to cover in sessions should help to ensure that material is tailored to your specific needs. 9. Maximize opportunities. Look for ways to maximize opportunities with your speakers. Discuss different ways they can add extra value and be a significant resource to help improve your meeting’s success. Brainstorm ways that you feel they can assist you in planning, preparing, promoting, and presenting. Some suggestions include serving as an emcee, conducting special sessions or roundtable discussions about current issues for select groups such as company executives or board of directors, and participating in a spouse program. 10. Trust your instincts. Through your communication with speaker, you will quickly form an opinion or have a feeling about this person. First reactions count here. “I like this person” or “I don’t like this person,” or “I feel comfortable or uncomfortable working with this person,” are strong indicators. These responses usually comes from your gut — a very trustworthy organ. Have confidence in your instincts and trust that so-called sixth sense. If you experience any kind of negative feeling, think about looking for someone else or get another opinion from a colleague. You want to make sure that you can work with this person and that both of you are on same wavelength.

The true objective of hiring a professional speaker hinges on establishing a partnership where a mutually beneficial relationship grows and flourishes. When this happens, you know you’ve chosen well. The Perfect Match

Overwhelmed with plethora of speakers to choose from? You may want to turn to a speaker’s bureau for advice and guidance. A good bureau should act as a consultant and partner to help your event succeed. Even though many hundreds of bureaus are out there, numbers pale in comparison to thousands of speakers. A bureau’s sole purpose is simply to make your job easier and provide you with solutions. They want to find best possible match for your event within your price range. So, where do go looking for one of these bureaus? Here are a few places to start your search: phone book, chambers of commerce, convention and visitors bureaus, Internet, industry colleagues, and friends. A Final Note:

Look for CSP (Certified Speaking Professional) or CPAE (Council of Peers Award for Excellence) designations. Both these are conferred by National Speakers Association and are considered speaking profession's international measure of professional platform skill (http://www.nsaspeaker.org). Armed with these guidelines and resources, your search for perfect speaker will be more fruitful. And with a little effort and some time, you will connect with a speaker who will fulfill your goals— one that will be both inform and enlighten. Your audience will thank you.

In some cases, it makes sense to avoid lying when you know that truth will be damaging. You must then evaluate your principles. Are your values more important than person you’re helping? However, when your words are meant to conceal truth, or to destroy relationships, or another’s character, it is not a professional behavior.

* DOMINEERING –A feeling of superiority, overbearing, forceful, or showing offensive behavior toward others. Developing a need to dominate or to be accepted based upon your own self-importance is another self-defeating attitude. Professional behavior is never having a need to prove that you are superior to anyone else.

Whenever you depend upon attention of others, or when you develop a need to be noticed, you set yourself up for constant gratification and expectation for approval. How long could you expect someone else to cater to your wishes, without other person losing her/his own self-worth?

* EXAGGERATING – Overstating; embellishing truth, or inflating truth. Nothing is more sacred than integrity of your own mind. There is only one you. Know that you are unique – yet, flaunting it to point of rubbing your uniqueness in someone else’s nose is not a sign of professionalism.

* JUDGING – A way of comparing yourself to others. You are guilty of sitting in judgment of others when you display any of following positions:

1. “I’m more attractive than she is.” 2 “My accomplishments and goals are more important than yours.” 3. “My business is better than one down street.” 4. I can do ____________(Fill in blank) better than anybody else. 5. My house is bigger and more expensive than my co-worker; my business partner, my brother, etc.

When your way of thinking is based on your opinion and is not based on fact or truth, behavior is unprofessional.

Look closely at yourself and your own aspirations, then learn to appreciate fact that your life need not be built upon comparing yourself to others, exaggerating and/or lying to others, or feeling that you’re superior. Instead, with your built-in spiritual nature, make your life one that is pleasing to others, fulfilling to yourself, and – exceedingly professional

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Gerri D Smith publishes and hosts multiple Gateways to inspire, encourage, and support individuals, small business owners, entrepreneurs. An online business resource giving you more ways to reach your personal and financial goals through articles, ongoing contests for cash prizes, and more in a Free Monthly Newsletter. For details, visit: http://www.distinctivebusinesswomen.com Or, email your correct email address to: distinctive2002@excite.com?Suject=SubscribeG