Speaker Showcase

Last week was crazy busy between the Speaker Showcase and the Speech Contest.

The showcase was well received (if sparsely attended) the live audience was small but the video will be available online in about a week.
The energy and passion in the room was high and the most of the comments were very positive. We will be growing this speaker bureau over the next year... by next September we will have over 70 speaker videos on the site - 10 of which will be sponsored service groups.

Here was our agenda:
During the presentations you will have an opportunity to view speakers on a variety of subject matter. There will be opportunities during the breaks and after the presentations to meet the speakers.
If you would like to explore booking one of our speakers from today or have need for a different speaker or trainer, please request this information directly from Cheryl at the Speakers and Trainers Network. There is no fee or obligation for this service.

3:00 Registration, Arrivals
3:15 Welcome and Introductions
Event Overview
3:22 Speaker One – Dr Doug Jernigan “Your Brain is a Border Collie!!”
3:35 Speaker Two – Lyse McDonough “What You Don’t Know About Identity Theft”
3:48 Speaker Three – Lotte Struwing “Unleash Your Inner Strength”
4:00 Break
4:10 Speaker Four – Dave Archer “Export Now”
4:23 Speaker Five – Rose Adams “BREATHE”
4:36 Speaker Six – Anne Dorsey (PSA) “What’s New in Business @your Library”
4:50 Break
5:00 Speakers Network Q & A
5:07 Speaker Seven – Mr Bob “No More Cold Calls (Back to the Future)
5:20 Speaker Eight – Aileen Reyes-Picknell
5:35 Speaker Nine - James Reyes-Picknell “Corporate performance improvement through shifting awareness”
5:50 Closing Remarks

Humorous Speech Contest

I am excited to report that I won our Toastmasters club Humorous Speech Contest. Now I only had to compete against one other person - but keep in mind, I only enter to lose.... to force myself to try to be funny. Last time I entered not one person laughed. Well, Yvette force out a titter part way through, but I think that is just because she is a dear friend.

This year my speech topic was funnier and I really worked on content. I call the speech "3 Rights do Make a Left" and it details learning how to become the passenger/navigator instead of the driver.

Next level is on Tuesday October 7th. Wish me luck!

Popular Business Topics

One of my groups on LinkedIN is discussing popular topics for speakers.
I thought I would share member comments here - comments are credited to their authors:

Popular topics today:Work-life balance is a topic which is rising very fast in popularity. Second I would like to mention, Selling in an international environment, where cultures and habits are demanding more and more attention. Third, is the ability to Lead in a professional way with a clear long term goal, which often clash with short term share holder's value. Robert Peterson

Communication- related topics, new business development, and womens empowerment. I am asked to faciliate or speak on these topics quite often given my expertise and background. The greatest response comes from my "Authentic Communication in Leadership" progams. Jill Chernekoff

- "The Next Economic Cycle 2010-2020" - "The Future of Social Media Marketing" - "Post-Olympic China" Frank Feather Dealing with your business during this down economy. How can one thrive during the bad times? John DiPietro environmental risks. David Brierley

environmental risks Jarek Mlodzinski Communications classes and women focused classes such as managing emotions and communicating for results have been well attended. Tom Fulmer

I am finding that stress management is one of the "hot" topics in the West right now with business professionals. Alan Gatlin

Learn from Patricia Fripp for only $2

Patricia Fripp is one of my idols. She is a speaking and sales coach worth listening to.
She offers so many ways to learn from her including free articles as well as her paid books, CDs and training.

Imagine my delight when I logged in to Success University one day and found a full hour of training by Patricia Fripp on how to create Powerful Presentations. This training is targeted to business people like me and you - not professional speakers.

My only disappointment was, she keeps referring to a handout that is not available at Success U.
Well even better - I stumbled across her ftp site and downloaded her handout iyouratio.pdf

What an amazing tool for planning a business seminar...

So how do you get this one hour course for only $2?

Visit http://clicktostart.successuniversity.com/specialoffer/ for only $2 (which will be donated to Feed The Children), you receive 14 Days of Full Access to the Success University curriculum and business building system. You can cancel at any time.

Login and click on the University Tab
Next Select the Electives link
You want to then choose the communications category and scroll down to How to Prepare and Present Powerful Talks. Click the Register Now link and you will have instant access to this amazing video. Don't forget to print out the handout page above.

Now I love Success U - it is amazing self-growth and motivational training that ramps up my week and helps me focus on marketing and growing my business. So don't feel you have to cancel after your 14 days.... there are many great resources on the site - and a monthly mailing of audio CDs to motivate you on the road and video DVDs to share at home.

Let me know what you think is the most important thing you learned from Patricia.

Cheryl

Yahoo at CAPS Toronto

Last week Jacques Brunet sent me off to a CAPS event in Toronto. Ostensibly, the event was for speakers to market themselves online. In actuality, the event was for anyone to market themselves online. I was a little disappointed at how generic the information was but pleased with who Yahoo sent including their Canadian head of PR and their National Director of Search Marketing.
My favourite sound byte from the day was from Martin Byrne... " We spend our day trying to make sure that the people who guarantee you top placement in organic search results in 5 days...are liars."
Because Search engines are about relevance and predictability, they don't want their natural search listing to change much - especially as that would make people less likely to pay for placement.
Another useful piece of advice he gave was on social marketing... I have advised my solopreneurs that unless they naturally enjoy building networks around them, to not waste their time on social marketing. In a sense, I was wrong. I had missed an aspect of social marketing sites that has nothing to do with the social side. Yahoo gives your link more credibility if it has lots of quality incoming links (as does Google). Posting content on the popular sites like youtube, del.icio.us, and flickr as well as responding to forum posts gives you a chance to include a link back to your website from these high quality sites. BUT you have to remember to include your link - in full. include the http:// to be safe. What a fantastic paradigm shift for me. Social marketing without the huge investment of time but with solid benefits.

So put up a photo gallery of your product or service at flickr, create a 2-3 minute video for youtube, share your powerpoint slides at slideshare and link back to your site! Share your new content here to start the traffic building : )

What do you do after earning your DTM?

I had the pleasure today of sitting beside Ian McCrindle from Orillia at the District 60 brunch.

Ian is a talented Toastmaster - having accomplished the illustrious level of DTM - Distinguished Toastmaster.

Several months ago Ian applied (and was accepted) to become among 275 Canadians who joined the ranks of Al Gore's Climate Project awareness campaign last week after a training program in Montreal with the former U.S. vice-president.

http://www.orilliapacket.com/ArticleDisplay.aspx?e=981486

If you would like Ian to speak at your Simcoe County organization, there is no charge. Call to book Ian at (705) 327-2167.

Learn more about the program at http://www.climatecrisis.net/takeaction/

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