SPEAKER SERVICES NEWSLETTER, JULY 2001 http://speakerservices.com To unsubscribe: sussan@speakerservices.com Remove in subject line Get Listed in the Directory: http://speakerservices.com/adv_pkt.html Content: New & Renewing Speakers A Note from the Publisher Promotions/Advertising Article: 6 Secrets to Saving Time with Effective Listening Tips & Advice ____________________________________ New Speakers for Free, Fee & Entertainers Bob Ayrer: Popular sales consultant uses humor to impart secrets of successful selling Cathy Chambliss: Relationship expert helps couples rekindle love and intimacy Cindy Chernow: Communications expert shows how to get messages across effectively in today's diverse, high-tech world Ira Heffler & Jerry Schneider: Preserve family history through "video biographies made simple" Cathy Lippman, MD: Alternative MD blends Eastern and Western approaches for life enhancement John King: Technology consultant demystifies new world of computer and Internet challenges Rich Natole: Multitalented comic impressionist delights corporate audiences Robin Schlien: Psychotherapist uses humor to cope with stress and life challenges Milt Wolpin: Psychotherapist teaches people how to handle life's difficult situations capably--and improve their relationships ____________________________________ A Note from the Publisher: Susan Levin As of this writing I'm preparing to go to Dallas as an exhibitor to the National Speakers Association Conference July 7-11. Our booth number is 102 come by and say hello. Jack Barnard, one our speech and branding coaches will be along with me and he'll be available for private coaching sessions during the conference. As some of you may know we have a web directory since 1994 called speakerservices.com. Our intention is to support professional people in growing their businesses through speaking. Here's what one of our speakers has to say about our service: "I want you to know that whatever you are doing to promote your site, it's working. And I thank you. Last month I had a full fee ($5000) speech to the California Dental Association and they found me on your site. I am now receiving about 1 inquiry every 2 weeks, including a very wonderful possibility to speak in Warsaw, Poland, from people who find me on your site." Scott Hunter, The Scott Hunter Group. Check out Get Listed in the Directory http://speakerservices.com/adv_pkt.html to find out how you can be one of our speakers. Are you stuck in moving from free to fee speaking? Are you ready to devote yourself to the world of paid speaking? If your answers are yes then please talk to me about the Free to Fee Speaking Intensive, Make Big Money as a Speaker, September 28, 29, 30 with Susan Levin, Heidi Parr and Jack Barnard, $1,995, lmtd to 15 folks. This is only for folks who are ready to do the work! For the past four years, three times a year we have been offering Video Demo Showcases. The next shoot is Saturday, October 20 in Beverly Hills, CA. Our team of experts get rave reviews. Request VHS samples or see streaming videos at http://speakerservices.com/videoprod.html In the past year we've added streaming video services. Meaning that we can take your footage and place it on your website so potential clients can see you instantly. It's working! Folks are getting booked much faster these days. Samples http://speakerservices.com/videoprod.html. Give me a call let me help assist you. Susan Levin 877-773-2800 ____________________________________ PROMOTIONS/ADVERTISING I'm celebrating my 20th year as a newsletter publisher in 2001. My services include writing, editing, typesetting, design, printing and mailing. Newsletters for NSA customers John Alston, CSP, Kevin Davis and Lynne Tully have brought them increased visibility and more business. Need help with yours? Call/e-mail for great samples. Jeff Rubin 877/588-1212; jeff@put-it-in-writing.com. http://www.put-it-in-writing.com ___________________ FIND YOUR WAY THROUGH THE MARKETING MAZE! Do you want to increase your client/presentation base? Do you need help with a marketing strategy/branding, brochures, newsletters, or web site? Can't afford Arthur Andersen? Money-Wise Marketing is for you: Free thirty-minute telephone consultation--Susan Mary Hennessy, Senior Marketing Coach, 858-689-9313 - office, 858-204-1336 - cell. ___________________ LifePart2 Festival, www.lifepart2.org, September 13-16 in San Diego. Cutting edge event aimed at the boom generation as they proceed on their spiritual journey through mid and late life. Presenters include: Marianne Williamson, Deepak Chopra, Ram Dass, Cheryl Richardson, Jean Houston, David Whyte, Angeles Arrien and Horace Deets. . Ample free time is set aside to explore in a delightful vacation and retreat setting the worlds of yoga, tai chi, drumming, watsu, meditation, belly dancing, tae-bo, etc. To register: 1-877-309-1946 please mention Speaker Services for a 10% discount. ___________________ LIST OF RADIO TALK SHOWS William A. Gordon edits a list of radio talk shows that interview guests. The 200-page list is updated daily and provides contact information (including producers' names, phone numbers, faxes, e-mails, and URLs) for over 750 locally produced and nationally syndicated shows. Sample pages are available on request. E-mail NRBooks@aol.com and mention Speaker Services. ___________________ Special Reports Available. #1 Speaker Bureau List compiled by Susan Levin, Speaker Services. Includes phone numbers, e-mail address, website. Over 160 bureaus including Europe, Canada, Asia and Cruise Ship Contacts. $39 via e mail ÐÐ $49 for print version includes postage. #2 Trade and Professional Associations with Conferences and Meetings Over 200 contacts, phone numbers, e-mail addresses and websites $59 via e mail ÐÐÐ $69 for print version includes postage. Associations from education, health, nursing, libraries, human resources, business and more plus a list of industry magazines. To order e-mail to susan@speakerservices.com or call 310-822-4922. _______________________ Speaker Services Success System 4-2 hour audio tapes, w books, Successful Speaking Audio Albums, Vol 1 & 2 (13 hours), One hour private consultation, $375 save $153 See product descriptions: http://speakerservices.com/products/index.html _______________________ 6 SECRETS TO SAVING TIME WITH EFFECTIVE LISTENING by Susan G. Trivers The most commonly asked question about effective listening is "what if I don't have time to listen effectively?" The assumption is that effective listening is time consuming and therefore a luxury only available to those who have extra time. I believe that the opposite is true. When you are most pressed for time--and who isn't these days?--effective listening is essential. Effective listening means 1)making eye contact and encouraging the speaker, 2) paying active attention and asking questions, 3) repeating and rephrasing. In any conversation the speaking and listening roles go back and forth, so all participants need to learn and practice effective listening. Secret #1 When you begin to think that effective listening takes too much time, remember the benefits--it saves time by avoiding waste and not making mistakes. If you do not listen effectively, the time you spent in that conversation will have been wasted, you won't know what to do next and you'll have to repeat the conversation--surely the biggest time waster of all! Secret #2 You can use the tools of effective listening to save time--with present-moment focus and clear head, you can respond quickly and accurately--then politely end the conversation and get back to what you were doing -- also with a clear head and focus. The benefit of effective listening at a pressing time is that you'll be done with it, and it will be done right. Secret #3 If you don't have any time to listen at all, you can and should tell the speaker that is the case, rather than trying to listening while doing something else. You need to be clear and direct, but calm and pleasant even when pressed for time. If Ann wants to speak with Bob, but Bob can't listen at all, Bob becomes the speaker and Ann becomes the listener. Ann must make eye contact with Bob and encourage him, pay active attention and ask questions, and repeat and rephrase to learn that Bob cannot give his full attention to Ann at that moment, but will do so at a later time. Ann mustn't read anything into Bob's message other than the words that are being said; and if she needs more clarity, she can rephrase what Bob said, so she and Bob are sure they both understand the situation in the same way. Secret #4 When you absolutely, positively do not have enough time to listen, remember what Richard Carlson, author of Don't Sweat the Small Stuff at Work says. "One of the best things you can do for yourself and for everyone else is to lower your expectations. That is not to say, don't have any expectations, but rather know that there will be frustrating times and events and if you expect them, rather than expecting perfection, you will get upset less often, and when you do get upset, you will get over it quickly. He says to think of problems as speed bumps in the road of life--they slow you down, but don't stop you from moving forward. Secret #5 Remember that the best listeners are also considered the best team members and colleagues. Be someone who listens effectively--no matter what the history or relationship between you and speaker, -- and you will find a lot is being said that you are happy to hear. Secret #6 When learning any new behavior, practice leads to improvement and greater skill. Research has shown that without practice, people are inefficient listeners. Creating the habit of effective listening requires practice. With practice, you will become an accomplished listener, who can make the most of limited time and resources. Effective listening means: 1. making eye contact and encouraging the speaker 2. paying active attention and asking questions 3. repeating and rephrasing Susan can be reached at Trivers and Associates, 703-790-1424, susan@susantrivers.com, www.speakersvoice.org _________________________________ TIPS & ADVICE Resources for online research for preparing programs,articles, books Julie Christiansen (julz_christiansen@yahoo.com) One of the best places I have found for doing online research quickly and efficiently is http://www.findarticles.com. I'm always looking for articles that are particularly relevant to my audience's needs. Findarticles.com locates relevant articles and provides a small abstract so I can decide whether or not they are what I'm looking for. You can also format the articles for printing from that site, which is a handy feature. Kristin Anderson (Kristin@KristinAnderson.com) I recommend http://www.refdesk.com for connections to just about any fact you might need to know. Refdesk also connects you with online newspaper sites, experts, advice, almanacs, quotes, census data -- you name it. Steve Waterhouse (Steve@stevewaterhouse.com) I find magazine and newspaper archives to be my best sources of online information. The Harvard Business Review (http://www.hbsp.harvard.edu) and Wall Street Journal http://www.wsj.com are my favorites. For links to local papers around the country I use http://www.ajr.org and http://www.bizjournals.com Mary Marcdante (mary@marymarcdante.com) I used http://www.elibrary.com for my book research (self-help/relationships). Their publication resources are more off-beat and wide-ranging. Their search allows you to select newspapers, magazines, books, pictures, or TV/radio scripts. A "printable version" makes for easier downloading and text-only storage and printing. They offer a 14-day FREE trial subscription and three different payment plans. $14.95 a month, $59.95 for a year ($5/mo), or $99.95 for 24 mo. ($4/mo). _________________________________________ PROMOTIONS/ADVERTISING RATES: Get your message out to speakers 3,000 plus and meeting planners in this fast growing newsletter. $50 a month, 25-50 words of text and a link to your website, or 6 months for $275 paid in advance. Terms: Deadline is one week before the end of each month Payment must be received in advance To get started: 1- Email your advertising copy to susan@speakerservices.com 2- Provide payment by credit card-specify length of time ************************ 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. ************************ Book Speakers: http://speakerservices.com. Get Listed in the Directory: http://speakerservices.com/adv_pkt.html Workshops: http://speakerservices.com/services/la.html Video Production Services: http://speakerservices.com/videoprod.html Speaker Audio Tapes/Books http://speakerservices.com/products/index.html ************************ 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