Welcome to our many new subscribers who signed up through, Opinion Surveys, Profit Info, BizNewsletters, Antion.com, Zmedia, RankYou and our many other signup partners. (see bottom if you no longer wish to receive "Great Speaking") We now offer FREE email accounts. Visit http://www.GreatSpeaking.com AOL members click here "You are the worst, most unprofessional speaker I ever saw." That's what a lady said about the publisher of this Ezine two weeks ago. (see her comments below) ########################################## GREAT SPEAKING Circulation 135,684 The largest speaking ezine in the world Vol. 4 Number 6 - April 24, 2002 Publisher: Tom Antion tom@Antion.com http://www.Antion.com (C) Anchor Publishing 2002 ########################################## No one ever lost credibility by being interesting. ========================================== *** SPEAKER BUSINESS LEADS *** Your subscription gets you free speaking leads when available. WE PAY YOU TO SEND US SUBSCRIBERS http://www.listpartners.com/cgi-local/cashpartner?406 Please recommend this E-Zine to anyone you know that is interested in being a better presenter, or who may want to make money speaking and training. (It's a good way to stay in touch with client's too. Send this and tell them you were just thinking about them.) http://www.antion.com/recommend.html If you are receiving this issue as a forward, and would like to get your own free subscription, visit http://www.antion.com/ezinesubscribe.htm To remove yourself from this list see bottom of this email. PRIVACY STATEMENT: We will not distribute your address to anyone. Period. ============================================= IN THIS ISSUE ============================================= 1. Quick Presentation Skills Tip 2. Advanced Presentation Skills Article (Beginners should read this too) 3. Humor Technique Series 4. Speaker Marketing Tip 5. Speaker Humor 6. Websites for Speakers ********** OUR SPONSOR *********** 1stBooks Library Never lug around a shipment of books to your next speaking engagement again. Since 1997, 1stBooks has helped 10,000 authors get published via print-on-demand technology. This technology allows us to print books just one at a time or a thousand at a time. Plus, we can ship them anywhere you're going to be speaking. For our free publishing guide, visit http://www.1stbooks.com/getpublished/greatspeaking.html ************************************ ===================================================== 1. Quick Presentation Skills Tip ===================================================== USE A DEMONSTRATION by Anne Durrum Robinson Tom, I have to pass this on. Some years ago I was teaching a large group in business and professional writing. I wanted them to realize the biggest error in most business and professional writing so I had each person blow up a balloon and then stick a pin in it. (Amusingly that was a very difficult task for balloon lovers.) When all 65 folks stuck the pins in at more or less the same time the results were loud pops! The point to the exercise, of course, was to show how little one had left when one took all the hot air out of one's business writing. All seemed to get that point. What I personally didn't understand was why, after all that unusual noise, nobody came to see if we were okay. NOTE FROM TOM: This same exercise can be used to simulate an indoor fireworks show. Of course, there is no fire and smoke but it sounds like it. Also, you can have the people stomp on the balloons which makes for a fun visual. You can reach Anne at mailto:anniecreate@hotmail.com ************ SPONSOR ************ See Tom in person at ButtCamp in Orlando, FL Friday, July 12,(day before NSA convention) What is ButtCamp? You learn real world methods of selling your knowledge on the Internet while sitting on your rear end. :) Full Details: http://www.antion.com/buttcamp.htm Can't make it? Send your assistant/webmaster. OR We now have the entire session on Audio CD http://www.GreatInternetMarketing.com/buttcampaudiocd.htm ********************************** ************ SPONSOR ************ "Click: The Ultimate Guide to Electronic Marketing for Speakers" This is the number 1 reference manual for speakers, authors, trainers, and consultants for selling products and services on the Internet http://www.antion.com/click.htm ********************************************* ===================================================== 2. Advanced Presentation Skills Article ===================================================== THE BATTLE OF THE BULGE by Tom Antion I'm certainly no clothes horse. When people look at me they certainly don't say, "Wow! What a snappy dresser." I do happen to know a little bit about speaker clothing that polished pro speakers need to know about. I'm talking about the dreaded MICROPHONE BULGE. Unless you use a handheld microphone, or a wired clip on microphone (which causes you to trip over the wire all day) in one way or the other you have to deal with a wireless transmitter bulge in your clothing. This needs to be addressed when you are purchasing the clothing you plan on wearing when you speak. LADIES Where is the transmitter pack going to be attached? If you have no pockets and no belt, the sound person will have to glue the darn thing on you (not really) but in many cases that would be the easiest route. If you are wearing a form fitting jacket, then clipping the transmitter to your skirt will cause a bulge in the back and an unsightly pull in the front. Plan for the transmitter pack when you purchase your clothing. Take one with you to the store or simulate having one by putting one or more compact cases together and slipping in the back of your skirt. If you're new outfit fits with those in there, then it will fit nicely with a real transmitter. You can also wear a jacket or top with a tie / best around it which gives the transmitter a handy place to hang. MEN Big guys like me that wear fairly loose jackets don't have to worry about this too much. If you are built such that you can wear form fitting tightly cut jackets, then you are in the same boat as the ladies above. You must plan for the transmitter when you purchase your clothing. When I've had suits custom made, I actually had the tailor put in a special pocket for the transmitter and I also had him make several loops up the inside of the jacket to keep the wire to the microphone from hanging out the front of my coat. Sometimes I put the transmitter right in my pants pocket. That way there is no way it will fall off or come unclipped even if I get a little boisterous on stage . . . which I do. *********** SPONSOR *********** FREE 7 Day Electronic Marketing Mini Course mailto:minicourse.GS040@aweber.com ******************************** ===================================================== 3. HUMOR TECHNIQUE ===================================================== DRESS 'EM UP! by Tom Antion Since I owned an entertainment company for six years I wound up with an enormous number of props and costumes that were pretty much taking up space in my house after I got full time into the speaking business. When I was asked to start doing speaking engagements with a high percentage of humor I decided to take better advantage of all my funny outfits. At a presentation in Dallas I had the one of the male executive VPs dressed up like a nurse and another VP was dressed up like Elvis. In this case they weren't completely dressed in costume. I put a nurse's hat, and stethoscope on the one guy and gave him a giant comedy thermometer. Elvis had on a giant wig and sunglasses with giant sideburns attached. He also had a scarf around his neck and an inflatable guitar. On another occasion, I had the president of a pizza chain wear a pillow on his behind with a big target painted on it. They were doing a giant KickButt promotion. Every time one of the managers got one of the customer service answers right they got a chance to Kick the President in the rear. Another time I provided a gorilla and clown costume. The CEO dressed in the Gorilla costume because it's a "jungle" out there and someone else wore the clown costume to represent all those clowns out there that we are going to beat. My favorite was the time I took a full size dummy to a customer service speech where the participants were really frustrated with the nasty customers they had to deal with. People that answered questions properly got to beat up the "dummy" customer. All of this may be out of your comfort zone, but I can tell you that each one of the events above literally brought down the house and I got big bucks to be there. So using props, and costumes in the right situation can be tons of fun. ********* GREAT SPEAKER REFERENCE ******* BE THE HIT OF YOUR NEXT PRESENTATION! "Wake em Up! How to Use Humor and Other Professional Techniques to Create Alarmingly Good Business Presentations" "Toms program and materials will cut five years off a speakers learning curve." -- Cavett Robert, Founder National Speakers Assn. Now available for immediate download in pdf format http://www.antion.com/speakershop.htm click on "E Books" For a FREE Chapter visit http://www.antion.com/products/produc~3.htm ********************************************** ===================================================== 4. $$$$$$$ SPEAKER MARKETING TIP $$$$$$$$ ===================================================== KICK START YOUR MEDIA MARKETING: 16 WAYS TO GET SPEAKING CLIENTS TO CALL YOU PART I by Tom Antion Media is more than the standard radio, TV and print. Here are 8 of the 16 things I do to get publicity and because I'm a ham and also because I can't stand cold calling. 1. Create a Great Website. You can get hired directly from the website and on many occasions with no press kit and no video 2. Trade links with other websites and both you and the other website owner will win. (Don't be swayed against this technique by the people that want to guard their website with a shotgun.) 3. Start an Electronic Newsletter or two aimed at your target market(s). The one you're reading right now is up to about 135,000 subscribers and is making me lots of money. 4. Trade classified ads with other electronic newsletter owners to get more subscribers to sign up for your newsletter. 5. Write articles and/or become a columnist. You're the expert when someone reads an article in a respected publication written by you. You don't have to try to win the lottery by getting in Newsweek. You can get more business by submitting to trade publications and websites related to your expertise. 6. Get articles written about you in magazines and newspapers. You can brag about them and reprint them forever. To stimulate interest, send press releases, post cards, email, faxes to your target publications. 7. Get yourself mentioned everywhere you can. Call publications and broadcast stations and put yourself on their expert databases. Write letters to the editor. Always be helpful to journalists and make their jobs easier and they will call you over and over for comments. 8. Do Radio Interviews. They are fairly easy to get and you can do them from home. Get some training so you are great when you are on the air. *** HOW TO BE A KICK-BUTT PUBLICITY HOUND *** a 300-page e-book by Joan Stewart and Tom Antion. You'll find dozens of checklists, sage advice on how to pitch journalists, and tons of handy websites you can use to track down contacts at newspapers, magazines, radio and TV stations. (Note: Tom's big spokesperson contract came from a few line mention in just one newspaper in Florida) This is powerful stuff! For the table of contents and a free chapter visit http://www.antion.com/publicityhoundTOC.htm ********************************************* NOTE: The site below is where I began learning about E Marketing http://www.marketingtips.com/t.cgi/12273/ Good and easy to use shopping cart system http://www.kickstartcart.com The email list management company I use http://www.postmastergeneral.com/?affiliate=antion Tom's Top Ten Marketing Resources page http://www.antion.com/marketingtools.htm ********* PROFESSIONAL SPEAKERS HANDBOOK ********* by Mike Rounds This prolific reference E-book (over 1000 pages) will teach you things about professional level speaking you can't find anywhere else. Mike tells you all about it for free at: http://www.public-speaking.org/handbook.htm **************************** ===================================================== 5. SPEAKER HUMOR ===================================================== => Diets are for people who are thick and tired of it. => Do you think that when they asked George Washington for ID that he just whipped out a quarter? - - Steven Wright => I went to a bookstore and asked the saleswoman where the "Self Help" section was, she said if she told me it would defeat the purpose. => "OLD" IS WHEN..... Your friends compliment you on your new alligator shoes and you're barefoot. => We don't devote nearly enough scientific research to finding a cure for jerks. => We childproofed our home 3 years ago and they're still getting in! => A three-legged dog walks into a bar and says, "I'm lookin' for the man who shot my paw!" => "Karaoke" means a combination of people who shouldn't drink with people who shouldn't sing! => I finally quit smoking by using the patch. I put six of them over my mouth. => Sweets are the destiny that shapes our ends. => 47% of all statistics are made up on the spot. => If a man is alone in the forest, without any women, is he still wrong? => Tell someone that there are 400 billion stars and they'll believe you. Tell them a bench has wet paint and they have to touch it. => A doctor gave a man six months to live. The man couldn't pay his bill, so he gave him another six months. => The main purpose of holding children's parties is to remind yourself that there are children more awful than your own. => "Only drug dealers and software companies call their customers 'users.'" Much more FREE speaker humor at http://www.antion.com/humor/speakerhumor/speakerhumor.htm ***** "You're the worst speaker I ever saw" ***** Two weeks ago I had a lady return the "Wake 'em Up Video Professional Speaking System" and tell me that I was the worst and most unprofessional speaker she had ever seen. I asked her how many paid speeches she had done. She said, "None." I told her I had done more than 2100 and my fee was going to $9500.00 per speech in July. She said,"You must be a good salesman." I wanted to say, "Well then you must be an idiot" but I didn't. I tried to explain to her that maybe she didn't like my style, but that the techniques in the system were proven over many years and that I always get super high evaluations and that we have sold hundreds and hundreds of these systems around the world to help speakers at all levels. Guess what? I hope she's never in my audience :) Some people just don't get it. Find out for yourself how good this system is and how the techniques in it took me from $75.00 a speech to high fees and high demand for my speaking services. Heck you have a year long guarantee to return it if you decide I stink as a speaker. http://www.antion.com/speakervideo.htm *************************************************** ===================================================== 6. USEFUL WEBSITES ===================================================== http://www.nsaspeaker.org National Speakers Association US http://www.ProjectorWarehouse.com - Discount LCD projectors, digital projectors, dlp projectors, and other multi media equipment. http://www.sullivanspeaker.com Advanced speaker marketing services http://www.canadianspeakers.org/ Canadian Association of Professional Speakers http://www.nationalspeakers.asn.au/ National Speakers Association Australia http://www.professionalspeakers.org/ Professional Speakers Association Europe ****** EARN BIG REFERRAL COMMISSIONS ****** You can earn a 10 - 25 percent commission for referring Tom for speaking engagements and bulk product sales. Commissions normally start between $850.00 and $1700 depending on your level of involvement. For complete details visit http://www.antion.com/referrals.htm *********************************************** ===================================================== FREE ARTICLES FOR YOUR PUBLICATIONS ===================================================== I have many articles available for reprint in your publication, company newsletter, etc. You may use articles written by me that you see in great speaking. Back issues can be viewed at http://www.antion.com/ezinebackissues.htm OR mailto:freearticles@antion.com for an automated list of additional articles. All you have to do is print the article in its entirety along with the by line at top and the credits, and complete contact information at the end of each article. I would appreciate a tear sheet or electronic copy too. Thanks ******* Do YOU WANT TO BE A SPONSOR? ******* REACH OVER 135,000 SPEAKERS / TRAINERS / EXECS For automated sponsorship details send mailto:sponsor@antion.com or visit http://www.antion.com/sponsor.htm *********************************************** ===================================================== To subscribe to GREAT SPEAKING visit http://www.antion.com/ezinesubscribe.htm For Back Issues visit: http://www.antion.com/ezinebackissues.htm ===================================================== Antion & Associates / Anchor Publishing Box 2630 Landover Hills, Maryland USA 20784 (301) 459-0738, Fax (301) 552-0225 In Continental US (800) 448-6280 orders or paid consulting only mailto:Tom@antion.com http://www.antion.com Trade permanent links with us mailto:linktrade@antion.com To Join our associate program and make money from your website visit: http://www.antion.com/associates/assoc_program.htm