The Business of Speaking - Everyone Has Something to Share

Written by Jennifer Geronimo


I receive inquiry calls everyday from people who have a story to tell, inspiration to spread, and lessons to teach. In our knowledge hungry society, there are many opportunities for individuals to do just that. How does one begin a career as a speaker?

Fourteen months ago, I decided I wanted to go back to working from home and answered an ad for a Speaker Coordinator. I now work with dozens of motivational speakers, authors, and musicians to assist them in finding speaking engagements as well as promoting their message and products throughrepparttar media. Through trial and error I have learned what it takes not only to promote great speakers, but also how to prepare aspiring new speakers forrepparttar 106552 trade.

My client, Executive Coach and Author, Dr. Russell Beale (www.russcoaches.com), statesrepparttar 106553 beginning steps perfectly: "Number one, answerrepparttar 106554 question 'What do you speak on?'; number two, identify who you want to speak to; and number three, identify your comfort zone and honor it". Until you discoverrepparttar 106555 above, you can't go any further nor can someone like myself promote you. Once you know what you are going to speak about and have a clear message and target audience, get it on paper. This will be your first step in creating a "speaker one-sheet".

A "speaker one-sheet" consists of your biography and presentation descriptions. Have friends and colleagues read it over. Ask them…"Would you hire me to speak for your group?" and "Are you clear on what my speaking topics are?"

Once your one-sheet is perfected, have your presentations set and ready to be offered torepparttar 106556 public. My favorite advice on this subject came from "The Extreme Abundance Coach", Jeanna Gabellini (www.masterpeacecoaching.com). Jeanna says "not to try to be 'professional'…be TOTALLY authentic. That included my being eccentric and quirky. Now I have full permission to be me and I'm more relaxed as well as more engaging and powerful with my audience." No one is going to take you or your message seriously if you are not authentic. Just be you! If you can't be just you, then you should not be up there speaking. Your audience will not be fooled. And on that same note… Astrologer, Janet Bowman Johnson (www.astro-insights.com), suggests "One ofrepparttar 106557 most important lessons of my speaking career came through something called "Speaking Circles". Mr. Lee Glickstein, founder of Speaking Circles, has found a wondrous way of helping speakers find their own unique "presence" on stage. He teaches one how to be authentic as a speaker. This experience is so powerful it makes allrepparttar 106558 difference between truly memorable speakers and those that are technically good, but lacking that special something."

The next step is perfectly stated by Motivational Speaker / Founder of People Skills International, Ida Greene, Ph.D., (800-767-LOVE) Ida says "create a plan of action on how you will develop and promote yourself as a speaker and stick torepparttar 106559 plan. Stay focused on developing your speaking skills and yourself. When you do not have a paid speaking engagement, it seems like everyone is booked. Everyone and every business run in cycles of low to high and high to low. If you persist, you will eventually win at anything." Whether you have someone like myself assist you with this step or your have a go at it yourself, create an intention for this new profession and know that with persistence, a positive attitude, and faith inrepparttar 106560 universe, you will succeed.

Products: The 'Believability' Factor

Written by Kenny Love


"Products: The 'Believability' Factor" Subtitle: Why some products cannot be given away successfully (especially behindrepparttar word 'FREE')

There are many elements discussed in marketing articles regarding how best to garner sales success for products or services. However, one element I have rarely found discussed, if ever, isrepparttar 106551 factor of 'believability'. Here is a case in point:

A while back, I discovered a unique angle being marketed torepparttar 106552 public regarding a certain product that I was certain would be incredibly successful sincerepparttar 106553 product is one that, virtually, everyone already uses, regardless of their financial status or position in life.

And, with a price range that expands from $0 to as much as hundreds of thousands of dollars, depending on your choice and what you can afford,repparttar 106554 version being marketed by this company is FREE torepparttar 106555 public.

And, I'm not speaking of a product that attempts to please allrepparttar 106556 people allrepparttar 106557 time, so to speak, but a product that almost falls intorepparttar 106558 realm of being a 'vital necessity' for just about everyone, and on a worldwide basis. This product is one that, if it was not what it was,repparttar 106559 'believability' factor would be so incredibly high that virtually everyone would rush out to get one, especially since it will be FREE.

And, I would also lay 10 to 1 odds that you currently own, at least, one of these products right now.

So, what is this product? Is your curiosity up yet?

Well, I'm not going to discloserepparttar 106560 product for several reasons, and because my own personal jury is still out withrepparttar 106561 verdict on it (sorry, no tease intended). But, I will say that ifrepparttar 106562 verdict is returned favorably, there will be no side of earth that you will not learn about it.

So, what is my own reluctance with this particular product?

Well, my answer is found no farther thanrepparttar 106563 title of this article...the 'believability' factor and it being made available for FREE. Not because this particular product isn't as it is presented, but because people are simply not accustomed to being able to obtain this product freely.

And, when (and if) this product is, indeed, released torepparttar 106564 general public, even though it already affects most ofrepparttar 106565 people inrepparttar 106566 world who are already utilizing it, I can guarantee that it will also come with a 'Catch-22' factor for its distributors and sales persons.

People are simply going to have an extremely difficult time believing that it will be available with 'no strings attached'. Many people have been jaded in all kinds of shady deals, both offline and online, with many ending up having spent thousands of dollars with nothing to show for it.

And, even when an offer that is possibly legitimate comes along, it is suspect, to sayrepparttar 106567 least. Perfect examples arerepparttar 106568 2-minute-long commercials often seen onrepparttar 106569 independent stations, i.e., TNT, USA Network wherebyrepparttar 106570 product is being promoted by a 90-mile-per-hour speaking voiceover announcer.

Atrepparttar 106571 end ofrepparttar 106572 commercial,repparttar 106573 announcer states that if you call right now (or withinrepparttar 106574 next 15 or 30 minutes), you will not only receiverepparttar 106575 product atrepparttar 106576 unheard of low price, but you will also receive a second ofrepparttar 106577 same product absolutely free. In respect to this type of television commercial, this isrepparttar 106578 point at which my own wheels start to turn, usually wondering aboutrepparttar 106579 quality ofrepparttar 106580 product, and if it is as great asrepparttar 106581 fast talker has presented.

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