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July 20th update:
Let's
Get Out There
Greetings from the NSA Convention in Orlando, Florida. First thing
I learned here: humidity matters. I have come to appreciate the
"dry heat" of Arizona.
I'm hearing one question over and over again: How do I "get
out there?" Folks assume that if they "just get in front
of the right people," they are golden. The good news: there
are so many opportunities to distribute your brilliance. The interesting
news: these opportunities have created a lot of white noise. Getting
in front of people is not the challenge; getting them to pay attention
to you is the real first step. The more crowded the market, the
harder it is to get that attention.
Throwing spaghetti at the wall no longer works. We have to go an
inch wide and a mile deep, not a mile wide and an inch deep. We
have to get strategic about what we know, not just tell it. How
to create that kind of publicity? Check out the next Extreme
Mini Makeover call on Tuesday, July 27th and leave with a blueprint
on what to do next.
July 15th update:
IRS
and Sponsorships
Just as the dust settles with health care reform and pharma regs,
the IRS comes in with a heads up to associations: your sponsorship
dollars may be taxable as unrelated business income. OK, the tax
people didn't say that directly, but look at what they are doing
at colleges and universities: looking into corporate sponsorship
relationships. The IRS is also expanding the use of questionnaires
to check out income sources of all non-profits. Industry insiders
are alarmed enough about these developments to warn associations
now that they could be next.
Folks, this could be a big deal. More associations are using sponsors
to pay their speakers. What happens to that money if it comes with
a huge hassle factor?.
July 13th update:
What's
Going On In Speaking Markets?
Gearing up for the NSA Convention in Orlando this week. Know that
I'm going to be asked a lot of questions about the market. Two words:
cautious optimism. Yes, things are rebounding but look beneath the
surface and some cracks are still there. Example: yes, association
meetings are back and some groups are posting record-breaking attendance.
However, industry insiders point to meetings consolidating and pent-up
demand from our year-long dry spell in the association market. And
this doesn't help: the sugar daddy of the meetings industry -- the
corporate market -- remains flat. Until that spending increases,
be prepared for a roller coaster ride.
July 8th update:
Are
You Prepared to Be Pitched?
Talked to a seasoned speaker about catching up at the NSA (National
Speakers Association) Convention next week in Orlando. He explained
the reason for not coming in two words: pitch-fest. And, unfortunately,
he's not the first one who has given this reason for not attending.
Here's the ugly truth: the market's down and some speakers are
eating their young by using the convention to pitch their coaching,
retreats, and mentoring services to the newbies. Some are good,
some are not, and some thing they have a magic wand.
The new folks don't know what's about to hit them. Many will mistake
prominence in NSA for the assumption that this service / retreat
/ program will provide everything they need. Many newbies want to
join the "in crowd" and think their secret password to
the party is working with one of these cool kids.
My advice to anyone new on the scene: ignore the hype and the reputation
at NSA. Focus on one thing: track record in providing what you need.
The key question to ask: what specifically have you done to help
someone in my situation? And listen carefully to the answer. Ifyou
need a brand, don't work with someone who helped a famous speaker
get publicity. Branding and publicity are two different things.
As for me: doing something I've never done before -- let's call
it the "un-pitch." I'm coming in on Friday instead of
Saturday (trust me, you don't want to know why) and decided to give
away five 30-minute "rent my brain" sessions. For free.
Yep, I'm giving my brain away. The response was amazing. We were
overwhelmed with requests and the five slots were gone in under
10 minutes. It never ceases to amaze me what happens when you give
fully. I can't wait to see what happens on Saturday! See you in
Orlando!
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