SPEAKER SERVICES http://speakerservices.com We bring speakers and audiences together Issue 16-February 2000 For best reading print this newsletter out and read it at your leisure. CONTENT: 1) A Word from the Publisher 2) New Speakers 3) 7 STEPS TO SUCCESSFUL MEETING PLANNING 4) TOP 4 WAYS TO KEEP YOUR VOICE FROM SOUNDING TIRED 5) Misc. Tips for Meeting Planner /Speakers ________________________________ A Word from the Publisher...Susan Levin Have you ever wondered what it takes to plan a meeting, conference or convention? In this issue you can find out the art of planning successful meetings. Does your voice sound tired when you are speaking? Susan Berkeley's article offers tips and techniques for people who want to make a powerful and positive impression every time they speak. There are a several events coming up in February in Los Angeles that I want to call to your attention ranging from FREE to $150. I hope you can take advantage of them. February 5, Wayne Turmel will lead a workshop on Laptop Presentations for the Slightly Phobic, $99. On February 7 the monthly Speakers' Council (A Marketing/Forum for Speakers) meets to discuss Presentation Packets. This is a rare opportunity for speakers in an intimate setting to hear about the latest trends and tips from their peers. In March we will be discussing Cold Calling for Speakers with Cold Calling Coach Jeff Mahoney. Only $25 per session. Do you want to meet speakers in a social setting? Are you curious what makes them successful? You are invited to join us for a fun filled, interactive evening at the Speakers' Salon co-produced with Red Productions Audio the evening of February 18 from 5-8pm. This event is for speakers and related services-vendors who have services for speakers. Sign up in advance for $20 or pay $25 at the door. Two of the biggest mistakes speakers make is that they give too much information and sometimes don't even get to the point and as a result the audience is in confusion. Have you had that experience? Does that sound familiar? You can learn the simple techniques and tools of structure on Saturday, February 19 with our master speech coach, Jack Barnard in the seminar Powerful Presentations and Speeches. Get your structure down and your presentations will soar! We have a limited amount of seats available for an audience to join us on February 20 to witness and support twelve speakers for the Video Demo Showcase. This is a terrific learning opportunity to see how the various speakers present their talks and it is FREE. We will have a gift bag for all who attend. Please call me to make a reservation. The next Video Demo Showcase is scheduled May 21. The rehearsal date will be April 16, fee $495. This is a 7-8 minutes demo that will be presented to meeting planners or speaker bureaus. We can make the demo available to you on a CD and even get it up on your website! The showcase fills quickly so get your deposit in sooner then later. For those of you who are not familiar with Speaker Services let me explain our various venues. Since 1992 we have been publishing a print publication in S. California called Speakers for Free* and Fee & Entertainment Directory which is marketed to meeting planners in S. California in trade and professional associations and businesses etc. In 1994 we added the online publication Speaker Services: http://speakerservices.com. It is very reasonable to be listed on our website either in the free or free section or entertainment. You see the calls come to you directly and you organize your bookings. We are a marketing tool for you to reach the audiences who are looking for you. We take no commissions. In addition to our marketing/presentation skills seminars we offer private and customized training's for individuals and executives. Have you checked out our audio tapes on Storytelling, Mesmerize Your Audience, Soul of Speaking and Market Yourself as a Speaker? Take a look on our website for a full description. My commitment is to support professionals in growing their businesses through speaking. Allow me to help you too! Please contact me for information and reservations. Best wishes, Susan Levin Speaker Services 310-822-4922 __________________________________ NEW SPEAKERS at http://speakerservices.com (new listings will be posted by 2/1/00) Lynette Hawkins: Get more repeat business and rejuvenate the team Albert Mensah: Face your "snakes"--and maximize the opportunities of a lifetime! __________________________________ 7 STEPS TO SUCCESSFUL MEETING PLANNING Successful meetings achieve a common goal through communication and collective action. They leave everyone feeling positive, motivated, and productive. Unfortunately, not every meeting is a success. Meeting experts claim that nearly 50 per cent of all business meetings are inefficient. Frequently this is due to lack of planning or follow-through by the meeting planner. Whatever the reason, a bad meeting spells lost opportunity for the organizer and the participants. Whether you're relatively new in the meeting-planning world and need some basic pointers or your are an experienced meeting planner, you'll find guidelines and suggestion below that will help you plan and execute a successful meeting. Step 1: Establish Realistic Objectives at the Outset There are many reasons for organizing meetings. In determining the objectives for your meeting, you should decide why it is being organized. (a) To educate people and impart new skills? (b) To share information on products, policies, and procedures? (c) To resolve a problem and assign responsibilities for implementing the solution? (d) To establish goals and priorities? (e) To meet the social needs of your group and to promote greater cohesiveness? (f) To boost morale? (g) To motivate? (h) To reach a better understanding of different points of view? (i) To sell a product or an idea? Ensure your objectives are clear. If the objectives of your meeting are to motivate and to instill new skills in participants, you should specify what skills are to be developed and why they participants need to be motivated. Also, give consideration to the needs of the attendees. Try to consult with attendees and be aware of their expectations; this may often reveal needs the organization may not have anticipated. Remember, during the organizational phase of your meeting, you will be working with volunteers or subordinates, suppliers, resource people, and hotel staff. They will need to understand your objectives to help you achieve them. Step 2: Begin Planning Your Meeting Early An early start in planning your meeting gives you the time necessary to define and refine your objectives properly. It provides you with more opportunities to choose and confirm the talented & experienced speakers and resource people who will be important to the success of a seminar or conference. It allows you time to find and negotiate proper hotel or convention space, to establish appropriate meetings dates, and to delegate tasks. Here are some sample time lines for you to consider: TYPE OF EVENT TIME LINES Important Seminar 2 months in advance Sales Meeting (for 50 people) 3 - 5 months Small Conference 6 months to 1 year Large Conference (several hundred or thousand delegates) 2 years Step 3: Is a Meeting Really Necessary? You must ask yourself this question at some point. There are many options to a meeting, which you may not have considered: (a) Imparting new skills? Consider publishing company brochures, a manual or an audio-visual presentation. (b) Information sharing? Consider an in-house newsletter, or sometimes a simple telephone call or a memo can serve the same purpose as a meeting. When considering options, compare the cost of the meeting against other options. Consider the time spent organizing, the time it will "cost" the participants, the cost of materials, human resources and meeting space, as well as the other more predictable costs such as catering. You may be surprised to discover how expensive your 1/2 day meeting will be! Step 4: Determine the Type of Meeting Training meetings are often held in-house and are designed to increase attendees' skills. These meetings may focus on developing product knowledge or to teach new procedures. A secondary function of a training worship may be to motivate staff. The participants should be able to demonstrate their use of this new knowledge on the job. This type of meeting may last anywhere from a 1/2 day to a week and involve 10 - 50 participants. Sales meetings are primarily motivational information sessions. Like training meetings, their goal also is teaching. Unlike training meetings, the information may relate to more in-depth product knowledge, as well as company pride and spirit. A sales meeting may also involve strategy or marketing planning or review. Senior executive meetings are usually for high-ranking corporate officials such as CEOs, directors, presidents or vice-presidents. These meetings typically provide information about profitability, planning and strategy, long-term goals and pivotal leadership issues. Though relatively small in size, these sessions need to be very smoothly run and highly professional. Information seminars/presentation meetings can be large or small in size, from half a dozen to several hundred, depending on the topic and the needs of the organization. A presentation meeting, which is often held in hotel quarters, is used to sell ideas, products or services. An expert in the field usually presents the program or a panel made up of knowledgeable members. Frequently, speakers provide preprinted information to attendees for study prior to the seminar or as reference material for follow-up activities. Many companies quite rightly treat their shareholders meetings as presentation meetings. Since the organization cannot afford to make mistakes or to mount a mediocre presentation, extensive preparations are required. Small Group/Committee or team meetings are held as the need arises. It is usually held to solve a problem, to institute a plan of action, or to hammer out a program or goals. A chairperson, usually the head of the company or department, sets an agenda and leads discussion. Participants are expected to bring equal levels of commitment and enthusiasm to share with group members. Such meetings are frequently project-based and require differing lengths of time and levels of dedication, depending on the complexity of the project. This type of meeting demands little advance preparation and is invariably held in an organization's regular place of business. Conventions that are held off-site provide the stereotypical image of what large meetings are supposed to be. Such sessions may range from one to two days to one to two weeks and invariably combine workshops, small meetings, and large general sessions. These frequently make use of speakers and special resource people and demand extensive background preparation. Conventions often include numerous social functions and related activities such as tours. A trade show may be considered a type of convention that offers a variety of expert speakers, displays and exhibits. Conventions frequently necessitate overnight accommodations and transportation arrangements. These are expensive investments for any organization. Step 5: Develop Systematic Planning Procedures Once your objectives and type of meeting have been determined, begin your planning immediately! By investing a few thoughtful hours at this stage, you can develop a systematic planning approach to ensure that all the diverse elements of your meeting come together on opening day. You might even wish to try a very helpful planning technique called "mind-mapping". This technique not only spurs your creativity, but also helps to reduce the chances of forgotten details. Begin by drawing a circle in the middle of a large, blank piece of paper and writing the name of your meeting inside that circle. Next draw smaller circles, connected with lines, to the main circle, which detail various elements of the meeting. Add additional circles to the smaller circles or the center circle as you come up with various ideas & details, which must be handled. For example, one of your first circles might be "Invitations". From this circle, you may have smaller circles that say, "Mailing List", "Printer", "Graphics Designer", "Program", "Mailing House", and so on. Each circle represents a critical element or leads to a critical element that you will either need to delegate or include on your planning schedule. Here is a list of major tasks, which you must supervise from the early planning stages until the conclusion of your meeting: 1. Establish a budget (a) Estimate overall expenses (b) Decide on any cost alternatives (c) Will there be a registration fee? 2. Meeting facilities (a) Room requirements (b) Site location (c) Negotiate contract with hotel or conference facility 3. Agenda (a) Develop a theme (b) Determine topics to be addressed 4. Resource People (a) Develop a list of prospective speakers (or better yet, contact a speakers bureau and delegate them to help you choose speakers and handle the logistics) (b) Promotional Material (c) Plot advertising/promotional strategy to attract participants (fliers, posters, invitations, etc.) (d) Companions' Program 5. Plan outings for spouses, friends or children, if attendees are to bring them 6. Exhibits (a) Negotiate space with hotel (b) Contact exhibitors in advance (c) Negotiate contracts with exhibitors 7. Registration (a) Develop a procedure for early & on-site registration (b) Do you need printed forms, tickets, badges, etc. (c) Arrangements with hotels for accommodation may also be necessary 8. Meals (a) Select menus & negotiate costs with hotel 9. Audio-visual Support (a) Develop staging plans in advance (b) Do you need to order banners, signs or other decorations? (c) Do you need a photographer? 10. Handouts to Participants (a) Develop booklets that contain agendas, background information, biographies on the speakers, promotion material, etc. 11. Press Coverage (a) Contact press one to two weeks in advance and again immediately before the meeting begins if you wish coverage of your meeting 12. Last-Minute Preparation (a) Confirm all details with hotel staff, supplies, resource people, etc. (b) Arrange for shipping of equipment & materials to meeting site (c) Ensure a communication system is in place for organizers & relaying messages (d) Rehearse presentations if necessary 13. On-Site Supervision of the Meeting (a) Establish procedures & committees to ensure meetings run smoothly and all problems are resolved quickly and fairly 14. Follow-Up & Evaluation (a) Ensure all equipment is returned to suppliers & exhibitors (b) Evaluate effectiveness of the meeting with surveys or meetings with participants This is not meant to be an exhaustive list, though it may sound exhausting! Fill in each element with precise details and jot down every conceivable task, who must complete it, and by what date. Step 6: Establish a Planning Committee & Assign Tasks The responsibility of a meeting planner should lie in the creative work of developing a theme and a program, as well as in the supervision of the numerous tasks, which must be completed. A meeting planner should not allow himself or herself to become bogged down in the details of meeting planning; these details are the responsibility of the committee members. Your responsibility is to coordinate their activities. If your meeting is large, your committee might consist of: 1) Facilities Manager: Responsible for working with hotel personnel 2) Equipment Manager: Responsible for working with suppliers of all equipment & materials 3) Program Manager: Responsible for scheduling & work with speakers (or the Speaker Bureau) 4) Promotion Manager: Responsible for both internal & external promotion and publicity 5) Entertainment Director: Responsible for all food, entertainment & liquor 6) Chairman: Responsible for presiding over all sessions of your meeting and who participates in planning stages to ensure he/she is well briefed on all matters 7) Director of Delegate Services: Responsible for ensuring that all transportation, accommodation and other delegate needs are met Step 7: Compile a Meeting Planning Book The meeting planner will find it useful to have a book that contains all the relevant information, which you must have at your fingertips. This is particularly valuable for larger meetings. It should contain: 1. The objectives of the meeting; 2. The members of the committee, their tasks, and the dates by which tasks are to be completed; 3. The agenda; 4. The biographies, addresses, and telephone numbers of each resource person; 5. An outline of the proposed presentations; 6. All correspondence; 7. All contracts with the hotel and suppliers; 8. A floor plan of the hotel or conference facility; with the seminar or conference rooms carefully market out; 9. All audio-visual requirements, the type of equipment required, the name and telephone number of suppliers, and the instructions for use. Copies of the meeting-planning book should also be supplied to members of your committee and the appropriate hotel staff. This article was reprinted from LEGACY SPEAKERS BUREAU Website 1-877-241-4555 (Toll-Free) ____________________________________ TOP 4 WAYS TO KEEP YOUR VOICE FROM SOUNDING TIRED "Tips and techniques for people who want to make a powerful and positive impression every time they speak" Susan Berekley: http://www.greatvoice.com susan@greatvoice.com 1. CORRECT PITCH All voices are beautiful if properly played. Some of us are flutes and some of us are cellos. Speaking in a voice that is too high or too low for your particular instrument for any length of time puts tremendous strain on the voice and can definitely make you sound tired and scratchy. We all have an optimal pitch, the place where your voice sounds its best. Speech pathologist Dr. Morton Cooper tells us humming is the best way to find your optimal pitch. Simply hum a simple song like "happy birthday" and then speak. Your speaking pitch and your humming pitch should match. Use a tape recorder or enlist the help of a friend to check your pitch. 2. CORRECT TONE FOCUS If your voice still tires easily, the problem could be that you are speaking too far down in your throat. The throat alone does not have the power to resonate or project the voice. For your voice to stay healthy and sound its best, it should resonate evenly between the nose, the mouth, and the voice box. This area is known as the facial mask. To find your facial mask and focus your voice, simply say "um-hmm" When you feel a slight buzz in your lips and nose you will know your voice is properly focused. Practice saying um-hmm throughout the day to keep your voice in focus. 3. GOOD BREATH SUPPORT Make sure you are breathing correctly. When inhaling, your chest should remain relaxed and not rise. Your waistline should expand when you inhale and contract when you exhale. Unless you are panting from exertion, this movement is small and almost imperceptible. To feel the muscles used for breath support, place your finger tips just below your ribs. Now make a quick short cough. The muscles you feel contracting against your finger tips are the muscles you use for breath support. Breathing for good speaking does not require a lot of effort. If you generally feel relaxed and healthy you are probably breathing correctly. If not, a yoga class can be extremely helpful. 4. CLEAN LIVING You joke about the whiskey and cigars, but I want to reiterate how bad this is for the voice. Just this past Sunday (8/22/99), the New York Times ran an article on how a low, sultry voice can be a woman's most attractive and fashionable feature. That's fine if you're born with it. But I have actually met women and men who smoked and drank to acquire that low sexy voice artificially. I'm all for having a good time but I just want to go on the record as saying that these people are just plain stupid. In addition to putting your health at serious risk, heavy drinking and smoking harms the vocal chords through dehydration and irritation. Speaking in your natural pitch shouldn't make you sound monotonous. It should make you sound great! The average pitch range is quite adequate for interesting speech. It's very hard to hear ourselves as others hear us. Call a few friends and ask them what they think. I bet you will be pleasantly surprised. For more information, see my book "Speak To Influence: How To Unlock The Hidden Power Of Your Voice."(Campbell Hall Press, $14.95) Available now at your favorite bookstore or from 800-333-8108. Copyright 1999 Susan Berkley ____________________________________ MISC. Speakers/Meeting Planner TIPS Laurie Meyers: MeetingPlannerTips.com Can a meeting planner help with corporate team building ideas? Meeting planners can help create a program specifically written for your company: (c) Group problem solving exercises are a classic team building activity. Think of interactive events like game shows, murder mysteries or other scenarios where the team needs to solve a problem together, and share their experience with the group. (d) Improvisational groups or comedy teams are sometimes hired to present information in informative ways. Working with a meeting planner, the group will become familiar with your company and specific issues, and will work with the audience for suggestions that they incorporate into the presentation. If the improv group does their homework correctly, the audience should think they are part of the company. (e) Many companies think "outside the box" to present metaphors for teamwork. Jugglers or other balancing metaphors present a good opportunity to talk about change and creatively make a point. (f) Meeting planners can also assist in providing an experienced brainstorming facilitator who knows how to encourage creativity yet keep the group on topic. Quick Tip: In this era of mergers and acquisitions, a good meeting planner can help bring corporate cultures together, using a format that incorporates keynote speakers, top level executives and other experts. _________________ Meeting Planner Tips: MeetingPlannerTips.com Larry Chase WimpyPoint: http://wimpy.arsdigita.com Designed as an alternative to desktop bloatware like Powerpoint, WimpyPoint is a free, Web-based system that anyone can use to create a slide show-like presentation, which can then be printed or accessed from any Web browser anywhere in the world. WimpyPoint will hold onto your presentation in a professionally maintained and backed up relational database management system that can be accessed from anywhere you can get your hands on a browser and Internet connection. In addition to providing a convenient back-up, WimpyPoint lets you work with colleagues. You can authorize a colleague to edit your presentation and the two of you can work virtually together until you're satisfied. And, if you need inspiration, you can view WimpyPoint presentations from other users. It's not much to look at, but don't base your decision to use WimpyPoint on looks. Most of the really practical things out there on the Internet aren't pretty. WimpyPoint was designed and programmed by Philip Greenspun and Krish Menon. _________________ Larry Chase's Web Digest For Marketers: larrychase@chase.wdfm.com seeUthere.com http://www.seeuthere.com Recently purchased by MP3.com, this is a turnkey event planning site. The acquisition of seeUthere.com will allow MP3.com artists to organize and produce their own events. SeeUthere.com is the only online service with the ability to manage all aspects of an event, including online ticketing, customized event websites, automated invitation and RSVP management, and instant online reports that monitor ticket sales and revenue. In addition to helping plan their events, seeUthere.com gives artists (and companies who use the site) easy-to-use, timesaving tools to build a strong, loyal following at the grassroots level. All Web-based and email services are free; premium services (such as membership registration and renewal management) are available for a monthly fee. _________________ EventWeb Newsletter: http://www.eventweb.com Editor: Doug Fox - dougfox@eventweb.com The EventWeb Newsletter offers Internet news and education for meeting, conference and tradeshow producers. _________________ Heartwarmers.com is a weekly newsletter with wonderful stories delivered to you every Monday morning-great stories for your presentations. _________________ Association Web site -- Vickie Sullivan (vickie@sullivanspeaker.com) Checking out an association has become easier thanks to American Society of Association Executives' (ASAE) searchable database of over 5,000 association Web sites. Great way to see how your topic will fit a specific conference or program. Check it out at http://www.asaenet.org/ under The Gateway to Associations. _________________ One-sheet tip -- Lynn Campbell (LYNNSPKRS@aol.com) We all know it's important to include client information on a one-sheet, but some speakers fall into the trap of including a long list of client names as well as many testimonials. The result is a "copy-heavy" one-sheet that just doesn't get read. While testimonials are useful, don't use more than 3-5 short ones and choose only the best 15 or so client names that represent your target industries. Some speakers just use an impressive client list and no testimonials. Remember, a one-sheet should be designed to grab attention and generate interest - not give a detailed life history. An effective one will inspire the client to call you for more details. _________________ Decision-maker question -- Lois Creamer (LoisTrains@aol.com) When making sales calls, always seek to find out who the decision maker is. To avoid asking the insulting question "Are you the decision maker?" try asking "How will the decision be made?" You'll learn if another person or persons are involved or if it will be decision by committee. The person you are speaking with will be more helpful and receptive! _____________ Selling to the referral market -- David "The Nac" Naccari (TheNac@aol.com) If you live in a major convention city, the sales staffs of your city's major hotels, convention and visitors bureaus, and destination management companies (DMCs) can serve as a substantial source of referral business. You want to be booked by their convention clients, so make an appointment to do a five-minute presentation at their next sales staff meeting (most hotels, bureaus, and DMCs are more than happy to oblige). _____________ Color transparency source -- Marv Marshall (Marv@MarvinMarshall.com) Color transparencies for overhead projectors (no longer available from 3M) are available from C-Line Products. Item: Transparency Film (10 of each color: blue, yellow, clear, red, green) for plain paper copiers -- stock number 60720 ($23.80 including shipping). In California 800/822-2230; outside of California 800/824-5857. _____________ Local assn. negotiation tip -- Paul Radde (DrPRadde@aol.com) In exchange for a reduction in fee for a presentation to a local chapter of a national organization with whom you wish to stay in touch, ask for one year free attendance at their meetings. If they really don't have money, suggest that they pay the net fee for meetings, actual cost of refreshments per person. This way, you can follow up with members of the organization with whom you have already made an investment, and hopefully have a developing reputation. __________________________ SPONSOR THIS NEWSLETTER! Get your message out to speakers and meeting planners in this fast growing newsletter. $25 a month, limit to 6 lines of text, 60 characters per line issues $125 paid in advance. E-mail susan@speakerservices.com for number of subscribers, payment information etc. Previous issues are available at http://www.speakerservices.com/nl/index.html To contribute information to this newsletter send via e-mail to: susan@speakerservices.com. Letters and comments are happily accepted. To remove yourself from this newsletter send an e-mail message to susan@speakerservices.com with remove in subject. ************************ Meeting planners looking for speakers for free and fee or entertainers for your programs check out our Internet Edition of Speaker Services: http://speakerservices.com. Speakers and entertainers great rates for photo listings for the Internet Edition of Speaker Services: http://speakerservices.com. Presentation skills and marketing workshops offered in the Los Angeles area. Customized training , Online Bookstore Audio Tapes Grow Your Business Through Speaking Soul of Speaking, Jack Barnard Storytelling, Jack Barnard Mesmerize Your Audience, Jack Barnard Market Yourself as a Speaker , Susan Levin Books: Market Yourself as A Speakers Resource and Study Guide, Susan Levin We Get Our Cue From You: The Communion Approach to Public Speaking, Jack Barnard ************************ Speaker Services Susan Levin 4023 Meier Street La, CA 90066 310-822-4922 FAX: 310-822-9025 Toll free- 877-773-2800 e-mail: susan@speakerservices.com website: http://speakerservices.com Speaker Services Online Directory: http://speakerservices.com S. CA Speakers for Free* & Fee Directory Seminars, Customized Trainings, Audio Tapes & Books Private Consultations: Speaker Marketing Susan Levin, publisher/owner Los Angeles, CA 310-822-4922, FAX: 310-822-9025 Free monthly E-Mail Newsletter for speakers and meeting planners: http://speakerservices.com/nl/index.html and past issues Visit our Online Bookstore with over 200 Titles: http://speakerservices.com/products/bookstore.html