SPEAKER SERVICES NEWSLETTER, June 2002 http://speakerservices.com To unsubscribe: susan@speakerservices.com Remove in subject line Get Listed in the Directory: http://speakerservices.com/adv_pkt.html Content: 1. New & Renewing Speakers 2. Promotions/Advertising 3. Tips and Advice 4. A Note from the Publisher, Susan Levin 5. Article: The Two Unbreakable Laws of Speaking, Paul Evans ***************************************** New & Renewing Speakers for Free & Fee Entire List of Speakers http://speakerservices.com/categories/allspeak.html Whitey Brewer: http://speakerservices.com/free/brewer.w.html Body linguistics specialist harnesses power of nonverbal communication Delores Kaytes: http://speakerservices.com/free/kaytes_d.html Professional organizer frees clients from clutter, storage problems, paper and information overload. Janice Newman: http://speakerservices.com/free/newman_j.html Unique integrated approach to self-empowerment facilitates personal transformation Lamont Roberts: http://speakerservices.com/free/roberts_lmt.html Relationship coach's "power guide" for men guarantees success with the woman of their dreams Millie Szerman: http://speakerservices.com/free/szerman_m.html Home-based business expert offers practical and inspiring guidance for working at home ************************************ PROMOTIONS/ADVERTISING Stay in touch with clients and prospects with a professionally written and designed newsletter. Speakers John Alston, CSP, CPAE, Kevin Davis, Allen Konopacki, Ric Giardina and Lynne Tully get increased visibility and more business. Services include writing, editing, typesetting, design, printing and mailing. Call/e-mail for great samples. Jeff Rubin 877/588-1212; jeff@put-it-in-writing.com http://www.put-it-in-writing.com _______________________ SPECIAL REPORT Storytelling Report. 57 pages, articles, worksheet, 53 copyright free stories that illustrate Relationships, Choice, Creativity, Making a Difference, Celebration compiled by Jack Barnard and Susan Levin, $39 sent as a PDF file. To order special reports online: http://speakerservices.com/products/index.html ________________________________________________________ TIPS AND ADVICE Please e-mail your tips and advice to susan@speakerservices.com __________________________________ Caricature Artist Recommendation Make your next function "picture perfect" with caricature artist Katie Ralston. She'll astound you and your guests with her amazing ability to quickly and accurately draw each person who poses for her. Not only are the likenesses she creates outstanding, Katie produces them consistently and rapidly. (310) 289-3189 or e-mail katieralston@earthlink.net __________________________________ A Song For You Productions Music and custom songs for all occasions Have you considered having a signature song for your talk or perhaps a musical customized introduction? Give talented Ronnie Jayne, singer, pianist, entertainer and songwriter a call 310- 836-7557, e-mail: ronniejayn@aol.com. __________________________________ Guerrilla Publicity Book by Jill Lublin, Jay Conrad Levinson, and Rick Frishman is out in the bookstores. Jill Lublin Tip (info@promisingpromotion.com) COME FROM THE HEART To successfully promote your product or service: You must honestly believe in what you're promoting and you can't fake it! When you appear on TV, radio, or when you talk to an editor, express your true beliefs, never bluff. The media is savvy. They're besieged with a gazillion requests for publicity and can quickly sense pure hype. They'll quickly pass on any pitch that comes across as phony or bogus. And, once you've turned the media off, it's murder to get back in their good graces. The public reacts similarly. After years of being pounded by a relentless stream of pitchmen promising, promising, promising, the public has become selective. They want to believe, but they've been burned too much. Now, they insist on results. Today's audiences may sit through, be entertained, or even amused by hucksters who they don't believe, but they'll seldom buy what doesn't ring true. And if they buy it and it doesn't work, they'll remember who sold it to them. If you don't believe what you're promoting, the public won't believe it either and they certainly won't buy what you're selling. ********************************************** A Note From the Publisher, Susan Levin http://speakerservices.com/about.html June 1 is Video Demo Showcase Day in Los Angeles and I am thrilled to say that we have twenty speakers prepared to do their demos. A warm thank you to the audience members who heeded my call for being in the audience. October 12 is the next date for the Fall showcase. Take a look at http://speakerservices.com/videoprod.html for further information and to see streaming sample videos. If you are seriously interested I can send you a VHS copy of samples for your review. I recently sent an e-mail regarding my speaker marketing consulting work http://speakerservices.com/marketing.html and several of you did take advantage of the Assessment Form and a FREE 10 minute consultation. If you would like a customized program and suggestions for growing your business through speaking fill out the form http://speakerservices.com/assessment_form.html and I will get back to you right away. Hiedi Parr one of our speech coaches and I have set up a monthly Q & A: The Business of Speaking Marathon for folks who have questions about the speaking industry and also as a way to introduce ourselves and services. Next get-together is June 10. Promote Your Business Through Speaking is on June 24. Our May class sold out in one week. In this 4 hour experiential workshop you will learn the step-by-step approach to designing your talk and how to sell your services or product throughout your talk. This workshop is designed for any professional whether you are speaking to one or one hundred people. Here's what Dina Silver of the Pegasus Coaching Group had to say about the workshop. "I am swimming with new ideas! This morning my 11 year old son said how was your 4-hour lecture last night? I tried to explain to him that it was anything but a lecture-- interactive, stimulating, challenging, eye-opening. It probably still sounded like school to him, but it was a refreshing nudge in the tush for me. I came away with the realization that I've been making up a whole story about "giving a speech." My takeaway from last night's session is that the last thing anybody wants is a speech. They want connection and the sure hand, heart and brain of a speaker who knows where she is taking her audience." I think one of the big concerns that folks have is what to do next? I promise you we don't leave you flat. Jack Barnard is offering one time only Permission Granted a day outdoors where we get to play and learn how to be in our comfort zone. In July we will be teaching you how to create interactive talks. Interaction is the KEY to retention. Here we will focus on storytelling, props and setting up interactive exercises. By the way all of the class information is posted on our website at http://speakerservices.com/services/la.html. Enjoy the article by Paul Evans on The Two Unbreakable Laws of Speaking and remember to support of vendors they have services just for you. Warm regards, Susan Levin Speaker Services ______________________________ THE TWO UNBREAKABLE LAWS OF SPEAKING, Paul Evans Two years ago I sat captivated in an audience listening to one of the best speakers on the circuit. He almost hypnotized us with his cadence of style and charisma. Leaning toward the stage I began to study his methods in order to learn and apply some of his techniques. He seemed to possess every tool of a top presenter. Halfway through his message, however, uneasiness began to bleed over me. A couple of his illustrations were familiar. He told them in first person, but I knew the individuals to whom these accounts actually occurred. Changing few of the details he plagiarized a story in front of over two thousand attendees. Leaning back in my seat I listened to the rest of the speech. I was not nearly as impressed as before. In fact, more skeptical, because no one likes to be taken for a ride on a Ferris wheel when they thought they were boarding a roller coaster. I did learn a lot that night, but not in presentation skills. I learned that no matter how great the speaker, no amount of talent can save you from ignoring the two unbreakable laws of speaking. UNBREAKABLE LAW #1: THE LAW OF CHARACTER Mom always taught us as kids, "Actions speak louder than words" (No, this is not an article about gestures). How we live always speaks louder than what comes from our lips. You want to trust the person speaking to you, and you want to be trustworthy when presenting. Character lends strength to your message before the first word is spoken. Before the first note is taken. Before the first laugh comes from the audience. Think about it. When someone approaches the microphone you want the person to be good. Skilled. Interesting. Exciting. Magnetizing. You want to be those things as well. You want to be the best speaker or presenter that you can be. That is why you participate in Toastmasters. You know the feedback, experience, and credibility delivered from the association will catapult your communication. ButS Even more critical than the ability of the presenter, you want to know if the person is credible. If a co-worker steps to the podium to present a talk on office ethics and you know she is slipping supplies in her purse for personal use what will your response be? When you see a flyer on the bulletin board: Bill Whatshisname, speaking today on "Team Work," but you know that he runs his company like a dictator, what happens inside of you? W. Somerset Maugham says, "Don1t be short-changed by choosing personality over character." Somerset is right. Isn1t "short-changed" exactly how we feel after we discover that the speaker is not all he claimed? On the other hand, when a person of character speaks we feel rich even if the presentation was not the best. A simple test of character is revealed in the old adage, "Character is who you are when no one else is looking." That effortless phrase contains true power. The goal is for us is to be the same person when everyone is looking as when no one is looking. Who you are cannot be separated from your message. Your spirit, character, and genuine heart will come through your words and actions. After exiting the civic center two years ago I began thinking about the speaker1s message. I remembered the stories (even the ones out of context), but I did not remember his point. The more I reviewed, the more I realized that although over an hour was spent talking, little valuable information was shared. Only after reflecting did I notice that he broke the second law. UNBREAKABLE LAW #2: THE LAW OF CONTENT. Charisma might deliver style points to listeners, but content delivers mind points. Of course, you want to become the best communicator you can be, but remember this: A bad day on the platform with poor content will leave an unrecoverable impression. But a bad day on the platform with strong content can still leave a favorable impression. Consider it the rule of the walk-away. The speaker I heard, though entertaining, provided no walk-away information. As you prepare, look over your presentation and ask, "What is the walk-away value of this material?" Another way to think about this is, "What will the audience remember when they get home?" One sure way to accomplish this is to have your content so securely tied to your theme that it cannot be forgotten. Every point should reemphasize the premise of your presentation. They should support it to the point of being inseparable. If possible, the content should be so strong that the audience would feel foolish for ignoring it and leaving it at the meeting. When you see people taking notes, you know you have content, because it is impossible to take notes on nothing. NothingSthat reminds me of that speaker again. Maybe I should look him up and thank him for making me think about what really counts in a presentation. Character and Content. Break these two laws at your own risk. Paul Evans is the creator of the Instant Speaking Success System (www.instantspeakingsuccess.com). He is a professional speaker and author of six books. Subscribe to The Instant Speaking Success Letter by sending an email to speakingsuccess@SubscribeMeNow.com. *********************************************** PROMOTIONS/ADVERTISING RATES: Get your message out to speakers 4,000 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