Welcome to our many new subscribers who signed up through, Antion.com, public-speaking.org,Zmedia, and our many other signup partners. (see bottom if you no longer wish to receive "Great Speaking") HEADLINES SEE TOM IN CHARLOTTE, NC next Thursday (Full Schedule Below) SPEAKERS -- Randy Gage Will Make You a Better Speaker, Show You How to Get More Bookings, Sell More Products, Spin Off More Consulting Projects, & Help More People - Or He Will Pay You $5,000.00! http://www.speakers-institute.info WRITERS -- You can't find anyone on the planet more successful than Mark Victor Hansen (Chicken Soup for the Soul) when it comes to building a writing empire. He reveals all his secrets. And you can get a "F^ree book because you read "Great Speaking." (See details below) ########################################## GREAT SPEAKING Circulation 127,261 The largest speaking ezine in the world Vol. 5 Number 2 - January 14, 2003 Publisher: Tom Antion tom@Antion.com http://www.Antion.com (C) Anchor Publishing 2003 ########################################## 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 clients 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 ********** SEE TOM LIVE *********** Jan. 23, Charlotte, NC (day before the NSA Eastern Workshop) Feb. 20, Irvine, CA (day before the NSA Western Workshop) Above details at http://www.antion.com/buttcamp.htm Mar. 1, Atlanta, GA (sponsored by Ziegler Dynamics) http://www.zieglerdynamics.com/email/2003/butt_camp.htm Late March, Auckland, New Zealand (details coming soon) Mar 28, Sydney Australia http://www.public-speaking.org/Australia.pdf Mar 30, Los Angeles Mark Victor Hansen's Mega Book Marketing University (details below) Sept. 20, Los Angeles Dottie Walters' Magnificent Marketing Symposium (details coming soon) ************************************ ===================================================== 1. Quick Presentation Skills Tip ===================================================== MORE ON CD ROM BACKUPS OF YOUR PROGRAM I got a note back after the last issue that talked about double checking your backups to make sure they work http://www.antion.com/ezinebackissues2003.htm Here it is: Hi Tom: One last thought on backing up your presentation on to CDROM. I did a speaking gig this week in Vegas and had to use my backup presentation on CDROM. Low and behold, when I opened the presentation it was barely readable! It turns out that I had used a non-standard font (balloon), which was not installed on the conference's emergency laptop. So... word to the wise, put any unique font files on your backup CD as well. David Frey http://www.MarketingBestPractices.com Tom says you might also limit yourself to standard fonts. ************ SPEAKERS ************ RANDY GAGE WILL MAKE YOU A BETTER SPEAKER, SHOW YOU HOW TO GET MORE BOOKINGS, SELL MORE PRODUCTS, SPIN OFF MORE CONSULTING PROJECTS, & HELP MORE PEOPLE - OR HE WILL PAY YOU $5,000.00! Note from Tom: If you are a full-time professional speaker...or want to be one...there is a training you should know about. It's five days, 12 to 18 hours a day, on the marketing and positioning strategies necessary to build a multi-million dollar speaking practice. You'll learn how to get bookings, develop product, sell it, work with bureaus, promote public seminars, and get lucrative consulting contracts. I will be there, and I hope you will join me. For details, click on this link: http://www.speakers-institute.info ********************************** ************ WRITERS ************ MARK VICTOR HANSEN FROM "CHICKEN SOUP FOR THE SOUL" fame will be holding his Mega Book Marketing University March 28, 29 and 30 in Los Angeles and you can get a F^ree book because you heard about it in "Great Speaking" ezine. Attendance is limited to 600 so you better hurry if you're interested in learning how to take your book to the "Mega BestSeller" level. https://secure.markvictorhansen.com/register.php To read about it and if you decide to attend, putting in "Great Speaking" in the registration form will get you a free book "Chicken Soup for the Writer's Soul" ********************************************* ===================================================== 2. Advanced Presentation Skills Article ===================================================== BACK UP YOUR COMPUTER'S DATA BEFORE YOU LOSE IT Part II By Joshua Feinberg In part I http://www.antion.com/ezinebackissues2003.htm I told you about compiling your critical information inventory and the hardware and software options available to you. In this issue we'll talk about: AUTOMATION, TESTING AND OFF-SITE MEDIA STORAGE On days when you're in the office, consider running full system backups overnight, anywhere from five to seven days a week. By running backups overnight, you'll get a more complete system backup as your files will likely not be in use. However, in order for an overnight backup regimen to work consistently and effectively, automation is crucial. Also, don't forget about testing. Without testing, you really have no idea whether the backup system will come through in your time of need. To test properly, restore a folder of your precious files to a scratch directory on your local hard drive and make sure the restored files are usable. Testing should be done immediately following installation and at least once a month thereafter. But, all the automation and testing in the World won't help if the tapes are sitting on top of your computer when a natural disaster hits or a burglar decides to target your office. So at a minimum, take the tapes somewhere safe, out of your office at least once a week, preferably daily. One final note: keep the tape cartridges physically secure -- out of extreme temperatures and locked up. Now that a copy of your entire company's collection of data is on a cartridge, about the size of an audio cassette, it's very easy for that information to literally "walk" out of your office and into the hands of a sleazy competitor. THE BOTTOM LINE Could your luck run out one day? Are you just rolling the dice, hoping your number doesn't come up? Can you afford to bet your business? If you rely on your computer systems for daily operations, it's time to get serious about protecting your critical, irreplaceable electronic information. Unfortunately, procrastination can be EXTREMELY dangerous. Use the simple tips and best practices in this article to work with your technology consultant and identify data that needs protecting, select appropriate hardware and software options and get on board with automation, testing and off- site storage. Copyright ©2002, Joshua Feinberg. Reprinted with permission. ABOUT THE AUTHOR Joshua Feinberg mailto:joshua@smallbiztechtalk.com is a small business technology expert, syndicated on Inc.com and author of "What Your Computer Consultant Doesn't Want You to Know." To order Joshua's new book, with dozens of hands-on tips on data backup, data protection, hardware and software or learn more about his new turnkey Disaster-Proofing Kit, call +1 561-642-4220 or visit http://www.kickstartcart.com/app/aftrack.asp?afid=62115 . "Joshua's book will help you save a bundle on tech support costs and protect your from expensive, unplanned business interruptions. I keep my copy right next to my mouse." -- Tom Antion] *********** SPONSOR *********** FR^EE 7 Day Electronic Marketing Mini Course mailto:minicourse.GS051@aweber.com ******************************** Mary Goulet Entrepreneur Magazine Show Host The Home Biz Show and The Biz Start Up Show Listen to a Mary interviewing Tom Antion about Internet marketing http://www.marygoulet.net/archives_marketing.html ===================================================== 3. HUMOR TECHNIQUE ===================================================== STRANGE OCCURRENCES by Tom Antion OK, OK, I know I've been preaching for years the fact that you should always use humor to make a point in a presentation. Well sometimes I don't do that at all. Sometimes I might just do something to create a buzz. -- Just to give people something to talk about after they leave my presentation. These things I do easily could be used to make a point if I wanted to, but I don't always want to. HERE'S AN EXAMPLE: Do you think you might tell someone about it if you saw me speak and you witnessed with your very own eyes a handkerchief flying 100 feet across the meeting room right into my hand? You can make that happen for about $80.00 Not that there is any point here, but I do need a reason that the handkerchief decided to fly over to me. I set that up by saying, "It seems to be getting a little hot in here." Now it makes sense for me to summon a handkerchief to wipe my brow. I then put it in my lapel pocket and continue as if nothing happened. I don't really continue . . . I pretend to continue until people start yelling, "How'd you do that?" I respond as if I don't know what they are talking about and play that out for a while. I never do tell them. HERE'S ANOTHER ONE: How about pouring water on someone's head and they don't get wet? You can do that too for about ten bucks. Am I going to tell you how the above things are done? Absolutely not! Someone from the magician's union would kill me. You can however, take this article to a magic shop and tell them you want to be able to do these things and they will sell you the appropriate equipment / supplies. Once you've purchased, then you have the right to know how it works. That's the way it works with magic. Don't go into the store and ask them how to do this, because they won't tell you. YOU MUST PURCHASE FIRST and there are no refunds, so be prepared to either go through with these tricks or throw them in a drawer. I will tell you, that these two tricks take minimum practice, but they DO TAKE SOME PRACTICE. Don't go off and try to use them in a presentation the moment you get them or you're guaranteed to mess up. -- and messing up the water trick will get YOU in hot water with the person you just soaked. :) ********* 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 ===================================================== CUSTOM AUDIO SAMPLES by Tom Antion I learned how to easily make this happen from Mike Stewart at http://www.soundpages.com How cool would it be if your client got off the phone with you and a short time later you sent a link to a customized audio demo specifically for his/her group? Well, not only is it cool -- it's doable with a very small amount of skill. I called Mike Stewart from http://www.soundpages.com and he had me totally competent to do it myself in less than a day -- and that includes setting up the equipment. Although I'm not really technical, I can get around the computer pretty good so your mileage may vary when it comes to how long it will take you, but the bottom line is that IT'S WORTH IT! It's worth it for many other things too. You can put all kinds of audio clips on your website for all your different speeches. You can put an entire speech if you want to. You can also create areas with your picture on it that says "Click here to hear a special message from Tom Antion." You can put audio testimonials on your site. AND you can create products without going to a recording studio which will save you thousands and thousands of dollars. You can use pretty basic equipment if you have to, but I bought a portable recording package from Mike that gives me a really high quality "studio in a box." I can take it with me if I'm going to be on the road and record to my laptop. I don't remember exactly what the package cost, but I do know it paid for itself in the first week when I created a three-tape audio album and also it saved me lots of money by allowing me to put a regular call from my mentor program http://www.GreatInternetMarketing.com/mentorprogram.htm on the web instead of duplicating and mailing sometimes up to 80 tapes a month. You will have to be able to put files on your website. If you can't, Mike or your webmaster can do it for you. If you want to hear a sample of what I was able to accomplish on the first try visit. It's not perfect, but it cost me nothing to do. http://www.Public-Speaking.org/holidaygift.htm Not only is this cool, this is necessary to compete in a marketplace that is used to sound and visuals . . . not just written words. Visit Mike's other site too http://www.InternetAudioGuy.com Shopping cart system that Tom uses. You get a three-hour taped orientation with Tom narrating to lead you through the basic set up and advanced sales strategies. http://www.kickstartcart.com Tom's Top Ten Marketing Resources page http://www.antion.com/marketingtools.htm *** THE ONLY E-BOOK OF IT'S KIND FOR SPEAKERS *** "Click: The Ultimate Guide to Electronic Marketing for Speakers" => OVER 700 LINKS TO SITES YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT -- don't follow blind advice. Go where the money is. => UPDATE WEBSITE INCLUDED -- to keep up on new developments. => UNDERSTANDABLY WRITTEN FOR BEGINNERS TO ADVANCED -- no technical jargon => 553 PAGES -- more value than you could ever imagine => IMMEDIATELY DOWNLOADABLE -- you'll be reading it right now. This is the number one credible emarketing resource for speakers anywhere. Get a sample http://www.buttcamp.com/clicksample.htm ************************************************* ********* SERIOUS SPEAKERS ONLY ********* Don't even visit this link unless you are prepared to invest in your speaking education so that you can make the big fees that professional speakers make. Tom spends a lot of time and energy working with you and he refuses to deal with people that aren't serious about doing the work it takes to become a pro. His "Wake 'em Up Video Professional Speaking System" which includes three consultations, is the bargain of the century when it comes to professional speaking education. Serious speakers who want to become a pro or a better paid pro may visit http://www.antion.com/speakervideo.htm P.S. This system includes the ebook in the ad above **************************** ===================================================== 5. SPEAKER HUMOR ===================================================== => When someone asks you, "A penny for your thoughts," and you put your two cents in, what happens to the other penny? => My kid came back from Sunday school with an illustrated card in her hand. I said, "What have you got there?" She said, "Oh, Just an ad for heaven." => Man is the only animal that blushes--or needs to. --Mark Twain. => Some folks seem to have descended from the chimpanzee much later than others. --Kin Hubbard 1868-1930 American Newspaper Humorist. => Always live within your income, even if you have to borrow money to do so. --Josh Billings => Money can't buy friends, but you can get a better class of enemy. --Spike Milligan => I spend money with reckless abandon. Last month I blew five thousand dollars at a reincarnation seminar. I got to thinking, what the heck, you only live once. --Ronnie Shakes => What this country needs is a bank where you deposit a toaster and they give you $250.00 => The bank sent out an overdraft statement and got back a note of apology and a check. => Last week I got a $5000 home improvement loan from my bank. I'm sending the kids to college => The gene pool could use a little chlorine. => Your kid may be an honor student, but you're still an IDIOT! => Sorry, I don't date outside my species. => Hard work has a future payoff. Laziness pays off NOW! => Forget about World Peace......Visualize Using Your Turn Signal! Much more FREE speaker humor at http://www.antion.com/humor/speakerhumor/speakerhumor.htm ===================================================== 6. USEFUL WEBSITES ===================================================== http://www.positivepress.com Tired of negative news? This site and the one below specialize in positive news. http://www.goodnewsnetwork.org/ http://www.great-speeches.org http://vocabulary.com/ http://www.fedstats.gov/ Find US statistics from 70 Federal agencies http://www.gmktgb.com/STTT/ F^ree marketing seminar with some really big name speakers. ****** 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. 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