October Teleseminar Sneak Peak: Work Life Balance

Here's a sneak peak of our latest member teleseminar. Dr. Gaby Cora gave you lots of wonderful tips on how to balance your personal life with your speaking career. FSA members will soon receive the link to download the entire call.



Don't forget our next meeting coming up on November 13th.  For more info, go to www.florida-speakers.org

Natalia's Notes: Ed Rigsbee Part 2

(To see Part 1, click here.)

Ed Rigsbee - Afternoon Session

Writing Your Articles

- Wordsmith Your Articles

1) Title with benefit hook

- The title is the first thing your reader will see so you have to get their attention immediately. For the internet, use a keyword at the beginning for search engines to pick you up (Search Engine Optimization or SEO); if the article is in print, begin with the benefit instead.

Benefit vs. Feature

-Example: FSA. A feature of FSA is the networking and the benefit is how the networking makes your life better. The networking itself is not a benefit because it does not accomplish anything alone.

- When writing, think of the other side (your client). When people search the internet, they tend to search for the problem, not the solution. Instead of offering the feature (how to solve the problem), use the problem to help searchers find you.

- Certain subjects/phrases are tired; "Work/Life Balance," for example, has been so overused as to be overlooked. Use something fresh.

- "It's easy to be nasty, hard to be clever." Strive to be clever.

2) Grab interest in first sentence

- Take the title and use it to create something more

- Use it to relate to what you have offered the reader in the title - the whole reason you brought them to your article

3) Bullet points or numbered points 

- 3-7 points that relate to the title and first sentence; readers' eyes will automatically go to bulleted/numbered material (readers also prefer odd numbers)

4) Sloganize bullet points if possible

- Make the bullet points easy to remember

- Search idioms and phrases

- Rhyming dictionary (more in #5 about that)

- Favorite sayings from relatives

- This will make your advice more memorable to the reader and easier for them to read

"I can see clearly now..." <-- (great title for Ed, as he used to sell sunglasses)

5) Buy a copy of The Complete Rhyming Dictionary or search online for one

- This will help you to sloganize your ideas

6) Plan about 750 words per magazine page

7) Keep your language simple

- Many trade association readers are not highly educated

- Think fourth grade reading level

8) Close your article with an offer for them in which they must request it via email

- This will help you to build your future eZine list (group of contacts that will continue receiving your articles)

- Email request

- Website downloads

- KickStartCart: http://www.kickstartcart.com/app/?pr=31&id=88159

Notes on the article-writing itself

- Body of the article is for the reader; the Bio and Signature are for the author, as it is essentially free advertising space

- NEVER refer to your products/services in the body of the article

- "White paper" is a term used to describe a long article where you say "Go to my website for a white paper on ____." The article should be about 3,000 words, on PDF, with a link to the website at the end.

- Charge for a "special report" --> up to date information that should be updated at least once a year.

- Blogposts tend to be shorter than "white paper" articles (500-1500 words)

9) The end of your bio, at a minimum, should include your toll free telephone number and your URL

- Should include your toll free telephone number (cell phone now or some other verbal communication)

- And your email address

- And your URL (website)

- Some magazines will shorten your bio so put your website FIRST and then everything else

- Short positioning sentence

- Photo

Additional Resources on Ed's Website (www.rigsbee.com/downloadaccess.htm)

- Ed's articles

- Speaker feedback form

- Developing Strategic Alliances, Chapter 1

- Take the Alliance Partner Quiz

- Partnering Agreements

- Strategic alliance resource websites

- Relationship value update form

- Mastermind alliances

SucceedInSpeaking.com/DownloadResources.htm

- Presentation Slides for "Paid Association Bookings Through Article Publishing" (10.7 MB) - the presentation we just saw

- Program Handout for "Paid Association Bookings Through Article Publishing"

- M&C 2006 Meetings Market Report

- Generations and the Future of Association Participation Published by The William E. Smith Institute for Association Research

- FutureWatch 2005 Report from Meeting Professionals International & American Express

- Speaker Sales Presentation Feedback Form

Required Reading: Sam Horn, Tongue Fu


Psst:  Do you know about Speaker Boot Camp?

Natalia's Notes: Ed Rigsbee Part 1

FSA Notes for this year:
- Blue Chip Year - focus on education and community. Use the blue casino chip to remind yourself every day to implement at least one lesson you have learned at the FSA meetings.
- Speaker Boot Camp is in February for 2 days

Ed Rigsbee Presentation (www.SucceedInSpeaking.com)
Smart Speaker Alliances
Founder of the Cigar Peg

Paid Association bookings and trade association bookings
- leads to a lot of other bookings
- this presentation is about how to use article writing to get speaking bookings
- you must integrate implementation with going after associations by using writing articles

Challenge: if it doesn't work, you'll want to stop because you'll think it's a crummy idea. Sometimes, it's more a matter of having the proper tools in your toolbox to implement your idea. You may not yet have the tools necessary to implement this idea so don't give up hope if it doesn't work right away. Also, it may not be you who does this work; you can delegate it to someone else in your group.

Implementation - how to do it
- First, you've got to know who you are and what you're about. If you don't know this, the article writing will be more (or less) difficult depending on the message you want to send out.
- You've got to make the calls, or at least the clicks. Email works for this method, but calling is better.

Credibility Builders for Speakers
- TV, Movie, Music, Sports, Celebrity
- Other Media Attention
- Research & Survey Publishing
- Best Selling Author
- Published Author (most people don't know the difference between published and bestselling author in terms of credibility)
- Self-Published Author
- Other Things

Why do I suggest going after Associations?
- NTPA, a single resource for associations, presents detailed contact and background information on over 7,500 trade associations, professional societies, technical organizations, and labor unions in the United States.
- This group is limitless - you can't exhaust this group.
- There is unlimited room for all speakers to work here.


Why associations?
- They have publications
- They have meetings
- They have experienced meeting planners
- They do not have "sticker shock" at speaker fees (meaning they will pay you)
- Gathering of business owners
- It's a paid showcase
- I try to write articles and create relationships with the editors in order to meet the meeting planner (by getting to know the editor, who IS the meeting planner in some cases, I have created a warm contact)
- If you make relationship bank deposits before you make relationship bank withdrawals, you'll be much better off
- Make it easy for them to use your material
- Again, remember, the editor will almost always help you meet the meeting planner; in some cases, the editor IS the meeting planner.

Finding Associations at no charge:
- ASAE - The Center for Association Leadership (free site that is a database for associations)
--> Go to: Community - Directories & Guides (public page; if you want more info, sign up for an account - this is unnecessary since there is plenty of free information)
--> From there: Directories & Guides - Gateway to Associations (this is a search capability that allows you to comb through associations based on your criteria)
- When searching through any association's website, search for the "About" and "Contact" tabs since these tabs will show you the list of staff and leadership, and usually the contact information for those individuals
Things to look for: does the association have a publication?

Searching through individual Associations
- Find the allied associations as these will be easier to reach and will expand your market
- Remember that you yourself don't need to do all of this research or contact these people; there are plenty of online resources that can do this for you: eLance, eGuru, MyManInIndia.com, local intern (college student), secretary, whoever you want to work for you. It doesn't matter who makes the connection, just that the connection is made!
- Email or cold call first? YES --> most effective is to call the editor/director of communications and say: "Hi ____, my name is ____. I speak on _____ and ______. I have a number of books out and several articles have been adapted from my material that I think could be useful for your association. Do you use outside material? Yes/No. Yes, then do you go online? Now that you are looking on my website, go to this tab. What you see here is my material - here is my permission to use the article, and I give you permission to edit the material."
- Show the editor your release form to give them permission to reproduce your material and also give them permission to edit your work, since they're going to do it anyway!
- Make the editor's job easier; get over the ego!
- Have the editor lift the article off the website (so use the simplest writing program you can to make editing easier for them)
- A small amount of customizing goes a long way
- We all have our tribes! Tribes = people in our circle.
- Write "evergreen" articles: If you can write good, broad articles, you can get into a lot of tribes that will spread out like roots. "Evergreen" means to a topic that can be read in 1950 that may have the same relevance in 2000; an article that touches on a timeless theme; applicable to many times and situations.
- Have a half dozen articles when you approach people, 500-1500 word range.

AMC Institute
- Association of Management Companies
- Also have lists of other associations
- International
- Industries

You can also use Google!

How do you translate article-writing into speaking gigs?
- Use the article to connect with the editor to connect with the meeting planner to become a speaker for them
Article --> Editor --> Meeting Planner --> Speaking gig
- Sometimes, people who have read your article may call you to ask if you'll speak on something for their group
- Do basic text, NOT PDF - you want it as simple text so it is easier for the editor to copy/paste

Other paid programs you can use to gather this information
- National Trade and Professional Associations Directory
- State and Regional Associations Directory
- www.Gale.com
- ConceptMarketingGroup.com
- CharliJaneSpeakers.com
- Meetings industry
- IASB - International Association of Speakers' Bureau
- MPI - Meeting Professionals International
- PCMA - Professional Convention Management Association (they hire speakers)
- Affordable Meetings Exhibition Conference (they don't pay you but you make great connections; fun; they DO pay for your travel)

Meeting and understanding these Associations
- Understand the life of the association in order to better speak to their needs (you should do this with all of your clients anyway)
- Understand the lives of your customers; speak to their pain; know their language and what they value

Publications for the meeting industry (Print & Electronic)
- Association News, Successful Meetings, etc. (to hear about meeting industry people)
- Association Meetings Extra (for info)
- Successful Meetings University
- EliteMeetings.com
- Small Market Meetings
- Statistic: What part of the meeting are you likely to skip? (52% skip the gala/banquet but 11% skip educational seminar; 31% skip the general sessions). Be aware of when you want to speak and also use statistics like these to convince your future clients that you can greatly help them
- Informational speakers are 75% appealing and 43% of celebrity speakers are appealing (this means that the most appealing speakers are those who teach people something)

Article Logistics
Getting Articles to Editors
- Your articles should be available from your web site for free (besides the article, also include the word count to make the editor's job easier)
- Email an article each month (Email entire article, or email link to your website, do not email attachments (spam filters))
- Mail postcard telling about your article availability
- Reprint tear sheets mail to editors (and to meeting planners)
- Send articles on CD
- Hire a PR company if you are too lazy to make the calls
- Find a way to keep your articles circulating

Editor Section at Your Website (the 24-7 editor resource)
- Articles by topic category or by books (adapted from your various books)
- If you have an article for a book you haven't written yet (and may never write), put: "Adapted from the fourth upcoming book title"
- Include your photo at the top right and your desired bio at the end of each article at your website
- List of publications in which you are published
- Your print parameters (allowing them to reprint your article and any conditions you may place, such as asking them to send you a copy once it has been printed; do not be surprised if they disregard this completely)
- Downloadable high and low resolution photos of you and your books
- Call for action at the end of your article and a link to your website
- Become the easiest person for the editor to work with
- Need to have a Facebook page, or at least a profile!
- LinkedIn - absolute MUST for speakers
Advice: DON'T BE AFRAID! Keep writing, keep trying, try different angles, and see what works for you! The internet is a journey, not a destination - you always have to work at it.


Article Banks
- EzineArticles.com (Good article bank)
- Who is reading your article in an article bank? People who run blogs, ezines, internet newsletters, and those who are looking for content for their various publications

Transforming an article into a book
- Plan your book ahead
- Develop a general outline
- Make files for each chapter (Use for notes, clippings, and ideas)
- Each article can then be a chapter or section within a chapter
- Write one article a month, and you've got your book
- Mention the article is from your forthcoming book, titled...
- If you already have a book, pull articles from the book (in the Bio section of your article, state that "this article was adapted from ____ book"; or "forthcoming ____ book")
Note: NEVER say "Free" in an email because that is automatically considered spam.

End of morning session. Click here to see Part 2.


Psst:  Do you know about Speaker Boot Camp?