Keynote Speaker – Tips for a Great Demo Video

It is important to start by hiring a professional video company that has experience videotaping keynote speakers. They need to have several cameras to get the best lighting, the right angles and to capture the audience reactions to your presentation. One of the companies we recommend is Running Pony.

Have your presentation taped in front of a live audience. Meeting planners like to see how you present to an audience. Your style, your ability to convey your message, your use of humor, etc. is what they are evaluating and want to see how you relate to your audience.

Make sure you have the right sound and light. Low quality demo videos are hard to hear and it is distracting to the viewer. You want the sound to be clear so the meeting planner can hear exactly what you have to say. Make sure the video is light enough so you can view it on a computer. A good production company will ensure that there is quality lighting when taping. When I get a video that has poor sound or light I usually turn it off immediately. You do not want a meeting planner to do the same.

It is a good idea to have someone introduce you on the video who is also a good speaker. The introduction will give the viewer your background and set the stage for your presentation. This should get the audience excited about your presentation and look forward to it with anticipation.

Your video should be at least 15 – 20 minutes long. You need to have at least 3-5 minutes of consecutive speaking. This will give the meeting planner a good feel for what you address. It is OK to have clips from different speeches, and even helpful, but be sure that your area of expertise is clear so that when the meeting planner is finished watching they clearly know the scope of your message. I have watched countless video demos, never to fully understand what the speaker’s topic was! This is counterproductive for both the speaker and the viewer.

It is good to close your demo video with references. You can do this by interviewing clients on camera or having a rolling screen with comments from clients. Meeting planners like to see where you have spoken in the past. You can also highlight any books you have written.

Having a solid demo video is invaluable for meeting planners and speakers bureaus in evaluating and choosing their speakers. Those keynote speakers with the strongest demo videos are the speakers that get hired most frequently.

For additional information contact us at: Executive Speakers Bureau angela@executivespeakers.com 901-754-9404

7 Great Female Keynote Speakers

Check out 7 of our top Female Keynote Speakers

Christine Cashen:

Fasten your seatbelt and enjoy the ride. Christine Cashen delivers a fast–paced, hilarious program with useful content that makes her a sought after speaker worldwide. For more than 10 years, she has jazzed an amazing variety of audiences throughout the United States, Canada, South Africa and Australia. Christine is an authority on sparking innovative ideas to handle conflict, reduce stress and energize employees.

Before hitting the speaking scene, CC was a university admissions officer, corporate trainer and broadcaster. Hey—she even votes. Christine holds a Bachelors Degree in Communication and a Masters Degree in Adult Education. She is a member of the National Speakers Association and is a Certified Speaking Professional (CSP). CSP is an earned designation awarded by the National Speakers Association and the International Federation for Professional Speakers to recognize demonstrated commitment to the speaking profession through proven speaking experience. Fewer than 10% of the speakers on the planet hold this designation.

What makes her unique is the “real” factor. Whether talking about her “hottie engineer” husband, pet peeves or growing up in an Italian/Irish household, audience members can relate to her experiences, struggles and lessons. She combines a down-to-earth attitude with a colorful artistic streak. Comments from audience members such as “I feel like I’ve known her forever,” “we must take her back to our workplace” and “it felt as if Christine was speaking directly to me,” are a testament to her effectiveness and style.

Christine has been featured as a creativity expert in HOW Designs at Work magazine and is a co-author of the book Mission Possible, Volume Eight. She has also developed the A Dynamic Speaker series of learning resources: Get What You Want With What You’ve Got DVD, Why Can’t Everybody Just Get Along CD and Got Humor Video. Christine resides in Dallas with her husband and their two children.

Victoria Labalme:

International Performing Artist and Communications Catalyst Victoria Labalme brings 20 years of professional acting, comedy, film, and television experience to the business community. Her specialty — applying the performing arts to the communications and relationship building industry — has led to groundbreaking work with companies around the world.

She has helped scores of individuals and organizations increase their impact; build meaningful and profitable relationships; and reconnect with the creativity and passion that ultimately inspires their best work.

Her dynamic theatrical keynotes, communications, and presentation skills training events incorporate extensive research about your company, the audience, and the goals of your event into a mesmerizing multi-media mix of comedy, acting, film, and insightful commentary — all focused on renewing the passion, performance, and productivity of your people.
Appearances & Performances

* HBO’s “Sex & the City”
* NBC News; PBS; ABC / Good Morning America
* Work with legendary French mime Marcel Marceau
* Film documentary directed by Academy Award nominees
* Performances of her original one-woman shows off-Broadway
* 27 television commercials including a 1998 Super Bowl spot

Susan Carnahan:

Susan Carnahan is a woman who inspires, motivates, and moves you to laughter like no other speaker you've heard. Before her professional speaking career, Susan spent 20 years in marketing, advertising, sales and banking. Her combination of book smarts, street smarts, and business savy give her a wealth of stories and examples that audiences relate to on a personal and professional level.

What makes Susan the right speaker for your event? She works behind the scenes to customize her message to your audience. She'll create a title for her talk that corresponds with your conference theme. Susan will interview your key people and customize her presentation to fit their needs. Whether it's a keynote address, a breakout session, or a full day training seminar, Susan can make your next conference or convention an experience that people talk about for years to come.

Susan has shared the platform with many familiar faces such as Colin Powell, Barbara Walters, fighter pilot Scott O'Grady, Dr. Joyce Brothers, Don Hutson, Jeffrey Gitomer, and Charlie 'Tremendous' Jones. Her latest book was released last summer, Motivational Leaders.

Karen McCullough:

Karen McCullough is an award-winning speaker, consultant and branding expert who inspires and empowers organizations and individuals to evolve, grow, and realize their true potential for excellence.

Karen delivers powerful presentations that feature a dynamic blend of humor and eye-opening content, generated from comprehensive research designed to help you get to the heart of what comes between you and your success.

Groups of all sizes – from emerging growth businesses to national associations to Fortune 500 companies – retain Karen to share personal anecdotes, practical tips, and secrets to success gleaned over her 30-year career spanning sales, marketing and executive leadership.

If your employees are your greatest asset, Karen’s presentations are for you. Karen believes that the key to any successful organization is the energy, talent, and happiness of its people. She thrives on sharing what she has learned with others to help them approach their work and their lives with a new attitude and a fresh approach. Her presentations are hysterically funny, thought-provoking, and energizing. But most importantly, Karen’s speeches are focused on impacting your bottom line.


Sue Hershkowitz:

Imagine that you have an important presentation to give in a few minutes. Why you ever agreed to be the one to introduce George Clooney is beyond you at this moment, but there's no way out now. Two thousand colleagues will be watching you and evaluating you. Oh, and the executive team is in the front row, and George will hear what you have to say. You're really feeling nervous, your palms are sweating and you wish you could escape! What if you forget what you're planning to say? What if you trip going up the steps to the lectern? What if your mouth goes dry? What if you make a fool of yourself?

If you've ever felt this way, you're in the right room today. Sue Hershkowitz-Coore, CSP, has worried about all of those things — and has even had most of them happen, oh, except she is still waiting to introduce Mr. Clooney! Fortunately, though, she's discovered the tricks to calming her nerves, even if she isn't always feeling that way! The lessons Sue's learned and the experiences she'll share will help you to present yourself with added confidence, and with an enhanced level of professionalism. She promises to provide strategies for connecting more powerfully and more persuasively with any audience. Sue says that giving a presentation - even if it's only presenting details of an upcoming event to your colleagues — should be fun for you — and them and she can show you how to do it with confidence.


Sarah Michel:

Sarah Michel is a networking expert who helps people increase their netWORTH™. She works with individuals, associations and organizations to strengthen their connections and communicate their value to anyone, anywhere, anytime. Her powerful Perfecting Connecting© strategies promote personal and professional success. Sarah works with companies and organizations to improve their internal network. By integrating her methods, people learn to develop successful relationships with customers, coworkers and colleagues. These improved connections result in a stronger internal and external network essential for career and organizational success. As a cancer survivor, Sarah’s network helped save her life. She shares her inspirational journey with insight and humor to motivate her audiences to connect not just for the moment, but for life. As a certified Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI™) and facilitator of the Self-Discovery Process™ Sarah has keynoted and presented for audiences and teams around the world on how to be a more effective connector. She is the author of Perfecting Connecting©, A Guide to Mastering Networking in the Workplace and the national audio program, Learning to Speak the Language of others. Her articles and inspirational stories have appeared in numerous books, newspapers and national journals. Sarah is a Certified Speaking Professional (CSP) awarded by the National Speakers Association for her ability to consistently deliver her message with high energy, humor and inspiration which motivates audiences to take action. She currently serves on the board of directors for the National Speakers Association (NSA) and as the 2008-2009 Meetings and Convention chair. She is the Past President for the NSA-Colorado Chapter. Sarah is an active volunteer in her community serving on several non-profit boards in Colorado Springs. She is a graduate of Central Michigan University and worked in healthcare for several major hospital systems and for international career management firms in Texas and Colorado. She is currently an adjunct faculty member of both the Eastern and Western Management Development Centers for the United States government in Colorado and West Virginia.


LaDonna Gatlin:

LaDonna Gatlin believes one defining moment can redefine our lives. She knows firsthand that we can’t live someone else’s dream—that in order to be our personal best, we must find our own voice and “sing our own song.” LaDonna literally grew up on stage singing with her brothers--the legendary Gatlin Brothers. In the early 1970’s the Gatlins took their family harmony to Nashville. But a detour appeared on the road to stardom-- LaDonna got married. At this defining moment, she realized that success for her could be measured in a different way. So she took a giant leap of faith, chose to follow her heart, and “sing a different song” apart from her brothers. She has spent her entire career empowering people to “sing their own song” as well…to live life from the inside out…through their words, their deeds, and their actions. Her keynotes and concerts put her on the road more than one hundred days a year. She’s shared her message everywhere--from corporate powerhouses to the prison cells of death row. LaDonna truly speaks from the heart with stories that are the stuff of life. Her presentations drive home common sense wisdom for everyday living. Add her outstanding vocal ability to the mix, and you get a winning combination that educates, inspires and entertains! An attendee at one of LaDonna’s recent presentations summed it up this way: “You made us laugh…you made us cry…you made us sing…you made us THINK!” LaDonna is an active member of the National Speakers Association, and has earned its highest professional designation, the Certified Speaking Professional (CSP). In July of this year, LaDonna was one of 5 inductees into the Speakers Hall of Fame, a lifetime award for speaking excellence and professionalism. She’s recorded 4 solo CD’s and is a contributing author to the best-selling book series Chicken Soup for the Soul.


For Additional Information on any of these outstanding female keynote speakers or for a more comprehensive list of female speakers please click here: Executive Speakers Bureau

Never Give Up!

Do you ever feel like a situation prevented you from being successful (no matter what you did)?

My advice is that if you find yourself in that predicament, don’t ever give up. Mark Jeffries, “soft skills” communications expert and motivational speaker, proved that persistence makes the difference in a speech he did last week. Speaking for an association in San Francisco last Friday, Mark was delayed from beginning his speech, had his speech time shortened, and had an extremely stoic audience. However, he didn’t stop trying. Finally, after 20 minutes of motivating, he captured the audience’s attention, and they were involved in his presentation.

Just then, the most amazingly horrible thing occurred. A person, who appeared to have importance and influence, blasted into the room, and screamed, “C’mon people we are trying to start another meeting and we are waiting for this group, what’s going on!?” Within minutes much of the room was scattering, leaving poor Mark Jeffries standing in the middle of the room, with 5 minutes still left of his shortened presentation.

This couldn’t have turned out good, could it?

Believe it or not, it did. The audience members, who were still left, came up to Mark and apologized for the outburst and said that not only was his speech a great one, but they wanted him to come back and do it again. In fact, he will probably get a number of spinoff bookings from this speech. Most surprising though was the comment that Mark was the best speaker at the event by far, which included author extraordanaire Marcus Buckingham.

Just remember. No situation is hopeless.

Motivational Keynote Speaker of the Week - Mark Jeffries

Our Motivational Keynote Speaker of the Week is Mark Jeffries.

Former Merrill Lynch stockbroker Mark Jeffries has become a trusted adviser and communications consultant to some of the world’s largest and most successful corporations, agencies, accounting and law firms. He regularly appears as an image and communications expert on network television news, finance and lifestyle programmes.

Dividing his time between The United States, Canada and Europe, Mark is invited to speak at major corporate conventions, conferences and meetings. He is also retained to coach many senior executives, CEOs, MDs, partners and sales teams, from clients across diverse industries and organizations including: Ernst & Young, Motorola, Microsoft, Cognos, KPMG, PWC, Freshfields, IBM, Bank of America, Royal Bank of Canada, United States Congress, Royal Bank of Canada, GSK, Astra Zeneca, BAE Systems and HSBC.

Programs:
Smart Communication in Tough Times: How to Harness Today’s Profit Opportunities

Communicating with Your Team in Tough Times

Hosted, Emceed or Moderated by Mark Jeffries

For additional information on Mark Jeffries and to view his video click here: Mark Jeffries

Keynote Speaker of the Week - Connie Podesta

Keynote Speaker of the Week is Connie Podesta!

While Connie Podesta is a professional speaker and an expert in improving overall performance, she’s really so much more…

• TV and Radio Personality
• Organizational Therapist
• Board Certified, Licensed Professional Counselor
• Actress
• Prolific Author
• Human Behavior Expert
• Comedienne
• Career Life/Executive Coach

With a background like that, just imagine how she can put these specialties to work for you.

Each year, Connie Podesta teaches and motivates thousands of people. She shows them how to turn obstacles into meaningful and productive opportunities. And in a way that only Connie Podesta can, audiences are encouraged to make the necessary changes to improve performance and achieve the success they desire. Connie Podesta definitely has that special spark your organization needs to move BEYOND THE NEXT LEVEL and stand out from the crowd.

Simply put, audiences, meeting planners and senior leaders around the globe enjoy partnering with Connie Podesta. They like her message and no-nonsense approach. They like her humor and interactive style. And they like the potential that she uncovers in people at all levels in the organization.

With Connie Podesta, you always get what you pay for. Event after event, audiences say they walk away with tangible insights about themselves and skills they can use to handle change and optimize performance in their business and personal relationships. Additionally, senior leaders always feel she’s a terrific use of company time and money. How often does that happen?

To see Connie's video, topics and detailed information click here: CONNIE PODESTA

Keynote Speaker of the Week - Jason Jennings

Keynote Speaker Jason Jennings has been selected as our speaker of the week:

Each year more than 1000 inquiries (an average of twenty weekly) are received for a speech by Jason Jennings. Eighty companies and dates are approved and selected. Based on the vast research completed for his books and his two decades of helping propel companies to their full economic potential each speech by Jason Jennings is custom designed for the group being addressed.

Jason Jennings is one of the most successful and prolific business and leadership authors in the world. He has spent twenty years founding and leading successful businesses and teaching other companies how to achieve their full economic potential.

Jason was the youngest radio station group owner in the world and his legendary programming and sales strategies are credited with revolutionizing many parts of the broadcasting industry. Later, he founded Jennings-McGlothlin & Company, a consulting firm that became the nation's largest media consultancy.

He traveled the globe in search of the world's fastest companies for his landmark book, It's Not The Big That Eat The Small - It's The Fast That Eat The Slow. Within weeks of its release it hit the Wall Street Journal, USA Today and New York Times Bestsellers Lists. Now published in 32 languages, USA TODAY named it one of the top 25 books of the year!

His last book, Think BIG - Act Small, profiled the leadership of the only ten companies in the world to have grown both revenues and profits by double digits every year for ten consecutive years. Like his previous books it debuted on all the bestseller charts.

His new book, Hit the Ground Running, A Manual for New Leaders was released in April 2009. The book reveals the tactics and strategies of the ten American CEO's who've created the greatest amount of economic value since the year 2000 and builds a case for a new kind of leader. The Street.com calls it, "an excellent book for leaders who are trying to gain respect and develop relationships." Leading Blog.com calls it, "insightful and crisply written." BizEd, the magazine of business schools says that, "Hit The Ground Running offers an intriguing behind the scenes look at America's best CEOs," while Publisher's Weekly says, "the book makes a smart appeal to the new generation of leaders."

When not traveling the world on research and adventure travel, Jennings delivers 80 keynotes annually with USA TODAY naming him one of the three most in-demand business speakers on the planet alongside the authors of Good to Great and In Search of Excellence. Jason Jennings is an outstanding Keynote Speaker.

Following are just a few of the outstanding testimonials Jason has received:

"The feedback received from our dealers and our employees has been overwhelming. They connected with Jason from the moment he set foot on the stage and were totally inspired at the end of his keynote. As one of our dealers told us, Jason was a home run"

"I wanted to thank you for an outstanding presentation at our User Conference. I won't take up too much time other than to say you received a 4.98 rating (out of 5), which is the highest we have ever received at any previous User Conferences for Keynote speeches."

"Jason’s presentation was riveting! He built a personal relationship with the audience that made for a tremendous exchange of learning. The time Jason puts into understanding the audience and their business shows up in the quality of the presentation and positive reaction. The most frequent comment, "when can we have him again?"

To view additional information on Jason click here: Jason Jennings

Our Keynote Speaker of the Week is Ross Shafer

Ross Shafer is a true gem in the speaker world. We work with thousands of speakers and when we run across someone who is a great speaker and is also entertaining, funny, and easy to work with it makes for a winning combination. I can’t tell you how many clients have come back and said “He was one of the best speakers we have ever had!” and ”How can we top this next year?”

You need to check him out for yourself -

Ross Shafer grew up in the Pacific Northwest and graduated from the University of Puget Sound in Tacoma, Washington where he studied business management and played varsity football (linebacker). After college, he took a job as a training manager for a department store (Yard Birds) and was able to save $10,000. He took that money and launched his life as an entrepreneur. His first venture was as the owner/manager of America’s only Stereo and Pet Shop in the small town of Puyallup, Washington (population 5,000 at the time).

Cleaning pet cages wasn’t as appealing as it sounded to Ross, so after 3 years he closed the store and took a job as an advertising manager for the 28 store Squire Shops retail clothing chain in Seattle, Washington. Writing ad copy and concocting campaigns paid the bills, but at night Ross haunted local comedy clubs in search of a career in joke telling. After years of slogging around the comedy circuit, he won the Seattle International Comedy Competition and immediately became an opening act for performers like Crystal Gayle, Eddie Rabbitt, Nel Carter, Neil Sedaka, and Dionne Warwick.

In l985, Ross pitched a TV show idea to the NBC affiliate in Seattle (KING). It was a risky idea to emulate a local Letterman-like comedy talk show. Regardless, ALMOST LIVE was born and for the next 5 seasons Ross hosted the show while he and his team collected 36 Emmys. They won the Esquire Magazine dubious Achievement Award one year for attempting to change the Washington State song to Louie, Louie. During those years Ross also hosted an afternoon drive radio show on the 50,000 watt KJR-AM.

In l988, Ross was wooed by the Fox network to take over The Late Show. The Late Show was a nightly talk show that competed with The Tonight Show and David Letterman. The show lasted a year and Ross next found himself in New York co-hosting Days End on the ABC network. It was here that he sat beside Matt Lauer and Spencer Christian as they interviewed the movers and shakers of New York and the world. Dick Clark told Ross, Always have a back up plan, my boy, TV is terminal and predictably Days End was cancelled. Ross always wondered what happened to Matt Lauer? Ha!

The next stop for Ross was hosting the revised Match Game on the ABC network. Love Me, Love Me Not followed and numerous TV pilot projects.

By this time, Ross was headling all of the leading night clubs and casinos. He produced a highly acclaimed comedy album about the Clinton administration titled Inside The First Family. He also wrote a comedy cookbook that became a best seller; Cook Like A Stud – 38 recipes men can prepare in the garage with their own tools.

By l994, Ross heard Bill Gates give a speech where he said, Someday you will all be watching television on your telephones. Ross took that message to heart and he made the decision to leave TV and get back to his corporate training roots. Human nature and the human condition were always fascinating to him because that’s what comedians do. They study the laughter and tears business. To date Ross has produced (14) Human Resource training films on Customer Service, Motivation, Leadership, and Peer Pressure. He has authored the business books, Nobody Moved Your Cheese, Customer Empathy, The Customer Shouts Back, and his newly released Are You Relevant? 12 Reasons Smart Organizations Thrive in Any Economy.

Today, Ross is one of the most sought after Keynote speakers and seminar leaders on the subjects of Customer Empathy, Personal Motivation, and Business Relevance. The father of two grown sons, Adam and Ryan, he lives in southern California with his wife Leah and their daughter Lauren.

You can also view his video at http://www.executivespeakers.com/speakerDetails.asp?theSpeaker=857

"Diversity"-How the Growing Hispanic Influence is Impacting the Meeting Industry

With the excitement surrounding the confirmation of Justice Sonya Sotomayor, we are seeing an increase of ethnic diversity in the business world. As her story of hope unfolds - growing up in a Bronx housing project, being raised by a single parent after her father died, we see her overcome the odds to become the nation’s first Hispanic on the Supreme Court. A huge milestone for Hispanics! Companies are becoming more aware of the need to recognize this segment of the population. We, at Executive Speakers Bureau, have seen an increase in the number of requests for Hispanic speakers.

Hispanics have been dubbed as American’s fastest growing market segment for a good reason. Hispanics are fast fitting that definition. The U.S. Hispanic purchasing power has been estimated at a staggering $870 billion in 2008, and continues to grow. By the end of 2015, it is estimated to reach as much as 1.3 trillion… And that’s when only targeting the Hispanics!

There are 44.3 million Hispanics in the United States today and that is a number that no one should underestimate. The power of Hispanics in the United States is reflected well by the large number of Hispanic-owned firms, which continues to increase.

By taking note that the Latino population is going to triple by the time 2050 rolls around, one can be assured of a constantly growing market. Soon, there will be one Hispanic for every three white Americans. – According to Hispanic Population.

Following is a list of a few of the top Latino Speakers:

Dr. Joachim de Posada

Fluent in English and in Spanish, Dr. Posada specializes in sales, management, leadership and team building , has worked in more than fifty countries including the United States. Noted author of best selling book “Don’t Eat the Marshmallow…Yet: The secret to sweet success in work and in life”

Jimmy Cabrera

A dynamic and energetic speaker, riveting his audience's attention through the very last sentence, Cabrera seeks to fulfill the need for communication, education, and a positive influence in the lives of all individuals.

Maria Marin

Marin is a national newspaper columnist, who writes on personal growth topics for women. She is the author of the self-help book “Secrets of a Confident Women” where she inspires women to believe in themselves. Her column “Mujer Sin Límite” (Women Without Limits) is published weekly in the top markets throughout the U.S. & Puerto Rico. She appears weekly in the TV program “Despierta América” as the motivational expert of the show. Maria Marin is considered one of the leading motivational trainers on the subject of “Personal Empowerment” and “The Art of Negotiation”.

Victor Gonzalez

From food stamps and welfare to being the CEO of a multimillion dollar High Tech equipment His book “The Logic of Success” is about the ‘logic’ of why some people fail while others succeed. Whether in sales or any type of leadership position, Victor will walk you through the steps of what it takes to make "SUCCESS HAPPEN".

Carlos Conejos

Carlos Conejo is an expert on the rapidly growing multicultural marketplace. He assists organizations through this current evolutionary change developing sound values-driven business strategies for penetrating and growing these multicultural markets. Conducting major work in the area of economic development, lean manufacturing, and workforce development in either English, OR Spanish, Conejos has shown organizations how transformational changes can be used as a competitive weapon in an ever-increasing global society.

Staying Connected: Successful Strategies that Work

Why is it imperative to stay in close contact with your customer base especially in economic turbulent times?

1. It is less expensive and more time productive to keep existing customers than to build new relationships with new clients.

2. It is more important than ever to know the current needs of your clients. This is only possible with open and close communication.

3. Out of site is out of mind. It is important to stay up front and central in the clients sphere of influence

4. This is a good way to provide current and updated information to your clients about new and innovative solutions/products that you offer.

5. The best way to develop loyalty with clients is to care about them in the good times and in the bad times. Communication is key.

6. Make sure you are currently meeting their needs and will continue to do so in the future. This is impossible to do if you don’t know their ongoing needs and if you can’t convey the message of how you will continue to provide solutions for those needs.

7. Open and frequent communication opens additional windows of opportunity.

Effective ways to stay in close contact with your client base

1. Direct phone calls – nothing replaces the personal touch. Not the hard sell, the actual conversation connection.

2. Monitoring social networking sites that are industry and company specific to determine trends, company feedback and product satisfaction.

3. Ask productive questions during calls so that you gain information about the client, not merely impart a sales pitch

4. Send a note or other small gesture to let client know they are valued and appreciated.

5. Send out customer surveys

6. Email helpful suggestions that relate to the industry but that are not product specific. It will gain you credibility as being an expert in your field even if you aren’t currently “asking” for new business.

Jill Buck Talks on Going Green and the Need to Go Green in Schools:

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the world population is expanding at a mind-boggling rate. The world reached 1 billion people in 1800; 2 billion by 1922; and over 6 billion by 2000. It is estimated that the population will swell to over 9 billion by 2050. That means that if the world’s natural resources were evenly distributed, people in 2050 will only have 25% of the resources per capita that people in 1950 had.

The world has a fixed amount of natural resources – some of which are already depleted. So as population growth greatly strains our finite resources, there are fewer resources available. If we intend to leave our children and grandchildren with the same standard of living we have enjoyed, we must preserve the foundation of that standard of living. We save for college educations, orthodontia, and weddings, but what about saving clean air, water, fuel sources and soil for future generations?

Some of the greatest threats to future resources come from things we throw away everyday. Household batteries and electronics often contain dangerous chemicals that may, if sent to a local landfill, leak through the bottom barrier and pollute the groundwater. This can contaminate everything from the soil in which our food grows, to the water which will eventually come out of aquifers and into our tap water. Many of these chemicals cannot be removed from the drinking water supply, nor from the crops that are harvested from contaminated fields. The risks to human health are tremendous.

Throwing away items that could be recycled diminishes energy, water and natural resources that could be saved by recycling.

Did you know…

• For every ton of paper that is recycled, the following is saved: 7,000 gallons of water; 380 gallons of oil; and enough electricity to power an average house for six months.
• You can run a TV for six hours on the amount of electricity that is saved by recycling one aluminum can.
• By recycling just one glass bottle, you save enough electricity to power a 100-watt bulb for four hours.

The more we throw away, the more space we take up in landfills. When a landfill becomes a “landfull”, taxpayers have to build a new one. The less we throw away, the longer our landfills will last. The amount of taxpayer money we save by extending the longevity of our landfills is an important community benefit.

Go Green Schools

Schools in all 50 states, 14 countries and on 4 continents have adopted the Go Green Initiative. They are making great strides in teaching their students to be good stewards of our planet’s natural resources. Tons of paper, plastic and other materials are being recycled, and in many cases, schools are earning money for recycling. Go Green communities are finding creative ways to teach children earth-friendly habits while reducing their contributions to the waste stream. Take a look at the Go Green Initiative

For more information on Jill Buck

Speaker Talent? Sometimes the Effectiveness of the Speaker Comes from The Story

Last week I had the privilege of seeing a speaker who has a great reputation, and because of demand has been able to elevate his fee considerably in recent years. The speaker, Dick Hoyt, is as good as advertised. However, it is not his amazing speaking skills or effective use of humor that captures us. Dick Hoyt has a story that absolutely captivates you. If you are not aware, Dick Hoyt is a triathlete who has participated for the last 30 years in triathlons and marathons with a partner. Hoyt's partner is his son Rick, who since birth has not been able to walk or talk, but is Hoyt's motivation to excel.

As you listen to Dick Hoyt, you will find out that having Rick as a partner has created some interesting challenges for Dick. For example, during the swimming part of the triathlon, Dick ties a rope to himself and connects that rope to a boat. Rick is placed in the boat. Incredibly this boat weighs enough that two men are required to carry it. Therefore, swimming 1 or 2 miles in these conditions is not an easy chore for Dick Hoyt.

What will truly amaze you as you listen to this story is that not only does the Dick/Rick Hoyt team complete these events (over 1000 of them in 30 years), but they do very well. In fact, their best marathon time is 2 hours and 40 minutes (only 30 minutes off of the world record). What drives Dick Hoyt to exceed his own abilities when he partners with Rick? How did Dick realize so easily that his son Rick (now a college graduate) was capable of so much?

If you get a chance to see Dick Hoyt speak, you can determine your own answers to these questions. As you hear his speech, you will laugh, clap, and probably cry, and this is because you will be convinced that Dick Hoyt is a great man, doing great things for his son.

Sometimes it is just the power of the story that gets you.

Who's Got Your Back

Who’s Got Your Back: The breakthrough program to build the deep, trusting relationships that create success – and won’t let you fail.

ESB speaker Keith Ferrazzi has a new book that will be hitting the shelves on May 19, and is sure to be an instant success.

Keith is an outstanding speaker, author and business leader. You can check out his full bio and video on our webpage – Keith Ferrazzi

In his latest book, Keith Ferrazzi, the internationally renowned thought leader, and bestselling author of Never Eat Alone, shows us that becoming a winner in any field of endeavor requires a trusted team of advisers who can offer guidance and help to hold us accountable to achieving our goals. Whether your dream is to lead a company, be a top producer in your field, overcome the self-destructive habits that hold you back, lose weight or make a difference in the larger world, Who’s Got Your Back will give you the roadmap you’ve been looking for to achieve the success you deserve.

In his step-by-step guide to the powerful principles behind personal growth and change, Keith teaches many valuable lessons, such as how to Master the mindsets that will help you to build deeper, more trusting “lifeline relationships.” Keith explains how to overcome the career-crippling habits that hold you back, as well as how to get further and faster by settings goals in a dramatically more powerful way. Get ready to read a book that will strengthen every one of your closest relationships. If you haven’t read Who's Got Your Back, you’re at a competitive disadvantage.


Some of the rave reviews:

"Ferrazzi points out that a seismic shift is underway, we are moving from isolation and corporate silos to community and collaboration. This book is a roadmap for success in the new world, conveyed with emotion and wit."
—Devin Wenig, CEO, Thomson Reuters Markets


"Keith's program isn't about changing who you are. It's about enlisting others to help you become the best you can be."
—Dennis R. Glass, President & CEO, Lincoln Financial Group


“If I’d had this book at the start of my career, I would have saved myself 30 years of trial and error. If you are serious about your success, I strongly recommend that you read this book and build your support circle today.”
—Marshall Goldsmith, author of What Got You Here Won't Get You There, a NYT best seller, WSJ #1 business book

Dr. Lilian Glass Appears on Dancing with the Stars to Give her Expert Opinion on the Contestants Body Language.

Dr. Lilian Glass, a body language expert, offered a bit of interesting insight into what the stars' facial and body movements say about their experience and how they feel about their standing in the competition.

In performance mode, Lil' Kim has her eyes and mouth open a lot, indicating she's trying to take it all in. Shawn's frequent shoulder shrugs show a bit of insecurity, which is different from her confident presentation at the Olympics. Ty holds on to his partner Chelsie Hightower, Dr. Glass said, for a sense of security. Melissa face expressed a lot of fear early on, and still shows discomfort by frequently putting her hand over her stomach, which means she's still feeling the butterflies.

Chuck shows a lot of facial tension, showing that he's not comfortable and doesn't like being judges. Gilles, on the other hand, shows a lot of humility while being judged, as he looks up a lot in a praying kind of position. That shows he knows the scores are out of his control. During judging, Lawrence holds his hands behind his back and exposes his chest, presenting himself as a strong man who can take whatever criticism the judges can dole out.

During eliminations, there is more to read on the stars' faces and in their posture. Steve-O puts his hand on his waist a lot, his head tilted and his ear is up awaiting bad news. Lil' Kim, Shawn and Gilles stare ahead, looking at the directly at the audience as if to convey that the audience's opinion is what matters most. Lawrence and Chuck both look up, then down a lot during the eliminations, showing that they aren't sure of themselves.

As a Speaker, How Can You Work Most Effectively with Speakers Bureaus?

The 5 most important ways this can be accomplished are as follows:


1) First of all, as a speaker, you must develop a niche. This should be an area that is unique to you in which a bureau would have a strong desire to market you and you only. As they say, it is more important to "go really deep than to go a mile wide".



There are two ways in which you can develop a niche. The first way is to base it on an experience that you have had. For example, there are a number of mountain climbers who are excellent speakers, and they have built their careers strictly on their climbing experiences.



Secondly, you develop yourself or your speaker brand based on a concept you create. Many speakers have increased their level of success by moving from "good business speaker" to "expert" in a particular area. Becoming the "branding guru" or the "innovation guy" can help you to reinvent your speaking career and make you irresistable to a bureau.



2) The next way in which you can have a more effective relationship with speakers bureaus is by learning how the bureau in question operates, and then working with them in that fashion. What do I mean by that? Believe it or not, speakers bureaus have personalities and tendancies of their own (just like people). Some bureaus are very focused on customer service and quick customer response, some are very strict with their business processes, some are more focused on the speakers they represent, and some are more focused on the organizations in which they book the speakers.



Therefore, if you try to focus on being excellent with the bureaus in ways that are most important to them, they will take special notice and be more likely to promote you. For example, at Executive Speakers Bureau responding quickly to our clients is one of our top priorities, and as a result, we pay special attention to those speakers who respond quickly to our requests.



3) The third way in which you can be a valuable bureau partner is to be prepared with a complete set of materials before you contact the speakers bureau. These materials must include the following items: DVD of you presenting, link to your website, fee schedule, topic descriptions, photos, and reference letters from clients. The items that are of most importance are the video and the website. We as a speakers bureau absolutely must have these two tools to actively and effectively market you.



4) In addition, there is a 4th way in which you can begin your bureau relationship on a positive note. Providing the bureau with high quality speaking references is a must when you first start working with them. These references need to include Fortune 500 companies, well known associations, and/or highly respected large non-profit organizations. The reason for having these type of organizations on your reference list is because the bureau must immediately see that you are a speaker of great value. The quickest and easiest way to see this is by hearing from the biggest and best organizations that you are great.



5) Finally, in order to work effectively with speakers bureaus, you need to understand about bureaus in general and the industry as a whole. Very often prospective speakers approach our bureau without an understanding of what bureaus do, how speakers should work with speakers bureaus, and what is truly involved in becoming a speaker. It is absolutely crucial to have atleast a basic understanding of all of these things before you approach the speakers bureau. You may be asking, how do you get this information? All areas of the country have local chapters of NSA (National Speakers Association), and this would be a great place to start.



In summary, before you pick up the phone to call the speakers bureau, remember that they will love you more and want to work with you more, if you just come a little prepared with the above five items!

Top 10 Things Clients are Looking for in a Speaker Right Now.

1. A speaker who has a true message to share and is also motivational. Clients now more than ever need to justify the funds they spend on bringing in a speaker. As a result, we are seeing fewer requests for motivation only.

2. We are getting most requests for economists and futurists. People want to know what is happening now and what to expect in the future. In addition, they want to know how to deal with all of the changes going on around them.

3. Speakers that are willing to do a breakout session in conjunction with their keynote. This saves the client from having to pay full fee for another speaker, as well as an additional speaker's expenses. Normally the keynote speaker will only add a small charge for including the breakout session.

4. Authors – experts in the field. Clients still want speakers with name recognition.

5. Clients want speakers who will truly customize their presentation. They want content that is applicable to their group.

6. Clients want speakers that can talk on how they can survive and thrive in this difficult and changing time.

7. Cost effective speakers. Most clients are still booking speakers but their budgets have been cut. For clients who spent $25,000 last year, they are spending around $15,000-$20,000 this year.

8. Hot topics are still – Economy, Future, Generational Issues, Going Green, Change and Leadership.

9. Clients want speakers who understand their industry. They love to have speakers who have spoken to others in their industry and have been successful. Also many speakers will "make the circuit" in a specific industry (which means that they speak to many different organizations within a particular industry), if they are considered an industry expert.

10. We are getting more requests for speakers who are up to date and have "fresh ideas". No longer do they want speakers who have the same speech they have had for the past 20 years. They want the speaker to have new material, to be very knowledgable on what is going on in the world, and be ready to share these ideas. This is because clients are wanting to learn how to be more up to date in their jobs.

Angela Schelp

www.executivespeakers.com