STRESS MANAGEMENT Signs of Stress and Imbalance How To Break Through Fear in Turbulent Times What is Stress? Solving Problems in a High-Stress Environment Break Through Self-Doubt & Fear Let's Get Physical Holiday Stress Hotspots Make 2004 your Year of Organization Holiday Stress Hotspots Manage Stress by Stopping Obsessive or Unwanted Thoughts Meditate Stress Away Taking Stress for a Ride 3 Strategies to Reduce Stress Cleaning Up Stress; Control It, Change It or Let It Go! Substance Abuse The Courage to Feel Bad The Challenge of Change Tips for Managing Holiday Madness Modern Day Stressors: What Stress Looks Like in the 21st Century The Life Juggle: How to Find Lifework Balance New Year's Resolutions   CHANGE The Questions Leaders Should Ask Themselves about Change The Top Ten Ways to Manage People through Change Understanding Change The Challenge of Change   RUNNING A BUSINESS Be Heard. Be Strong. Be Effective. How to Deliver Impressive Presentations Getting Started in the Speaking Business: Answers to Burning Questions What Entrepreneurs Need to Know to be Successful How to Create and Maintain Culture as You Grow Recruitment and Retention of Diverse Candidates   DIVERSITY A Passion for Diversity Traits of a Diverse Organization Simma's Holiday Diversity Q and A How to Go from Eggshell Walking to Multicultural Festivity Making Are You Wasting Your Money on Diversity Training? Interview Bias: Overcoming the Silent Forces Working Against You How to Help LGBT Employees Help Your Organization Grow How to Integrate Diversity Into Your Business Strategy Diversity Benefits Organizations and Communities Diversity Fast Facts How to Integrate Diversity 10 PC Tips for Communicating with a Diverse Audience Are You Truly Successful? Interviewing Employees Who Stay Wage and Position Disparity Across Gender What Every Consultant Needs to Know About Diversity Consulting and Training Diversity Competency Assessment Recruitment and Retention of Diverse Candidates Understanding Diversity Dialogues Dialogue as a Communication Tool Amongst Diverse Groups of People Communicating across Generations in the Workplace Simma & Kate's Strategies for Cross-Generational Relationship Building Valuing Diversity during the Holidays   COMMUNICATION Understanding Dialogue: A Q&A on the benefits of dialogue Dialogue as a Communication Tool Communication with Concern Helping Others Deal with Loss 10 PC Tips for Communicating with a Diverse Audience Tips for Better Communication Between Men and Women in the Workplace Understanding Diversity Dialogues Dialogue as a Communication Tool Amongst Diverse Groups of People Simma & Kate's Strategies for Cross-Generational Relationship Building Web Site Tips   GENDER COMMUNICATION Differences in Male and Female Communication Styles Gender Communications Differences and Strategies Wage and Position Disparity across Gender Tips for Better Communication between Men and Women in the Workplace   WORK/LIFE BALANCE Life/Work Balance in the Real World New Year's Resolutions: A New Approach? Working with Loved Ones: Leverage Potential and Avoid Pitfalls Modern Day Stressors: What Stress Looks Like in the 21st Century The Life Juggle: How to Find Lifework Balance   RESTAURANT & HOSPITALITY All in the Family Are You Truly Successful? How to Create and Maintain the Culture of Your Restaurants Let's Get Physical Meditate Stress Away Taking Stress for a Ride The Challenge of Change 3 Strategies to Reduce Stress Cleaning Up Substance Abuse   FEAR & SELF-DOUBT Break Through Self-Doubt & Fear Substance Abuse The Courage to Feel Bad

Getting Started in the Speaking Business: Answers to The Burning Questions In the following Q&A format, Simma reveals some of her tried and tested methods for successfully marketing and growing her speaking business. What is my first step? Pick a topic- don't just say you'll speak on anything. Unless you are a famous celebrity, most people won't be interested in hearing you speak on anything. Anything is a wide range from fixing broken sinks, to how to make a million dollars in one day. How do I pick a topic? It depends on your reason for speaking. If you want to make money, you need to pick a topic that will sell. Investigate the market, and determine how your topic relates to specific audiences. If you don't care about money, but simply love to speak, pick a topic that interests you and don't worry if there is an audience or not. It can be something as simple as How to Pick the Best Kind of Cardboard Boxes for Moving. If you want to speak on a topic you love and make money make sure there is a market for your topic and pursue that market. Talk to other speakers (but make sure you talk to more than one), read business publications to check out current topics, and call targeted organizations to determine relevant issues. In any case you need to make sure you speak on a topic that you know. How do I become an expert? Read trade magazines, books, information from the internet and interview people who have information. Read publications that are current. If you speak about music, and you tell people to go out and buy 45RPM records, chances are you are out of date. How do I get jobs? Make a list of everyone you know and any organization you have ever been affiliated with. Contact the people and groups on your list and ask for referrals and suggestions of places to speak. Describe your topic and how it can benefit listeners. Ask organizations if you can speak at their meetings. Before you actually speak, record yourself. If you can stand listening to yourself and don't fall asleep while you listen you are ready to have an audience. Contact the service clubs like Rotary, and any trade or professional organizations and offer to speak for them. What if they have no money to pay me? In the beginning you may have to speak for free, but don't worry because many of these organizations will give you a rubber chicken lunch or dinner and that's one meal you don't have to pay for. The purpose of speaking anywhere and for free is to sharpen your speaking skills, get your name out and practice new material. That way if you are in need of a lot of practice or some people are bored they can't ask for their money back. How do I ask for money? You can find out if they have money by asking if they have a budget to pay speakers or an honorarium. If they offer you more money than you expect, don't let them know it. Just be happy you got it. Talk to other speakers about fees and how to get comfortable charging what you are worth. How do I set my rates? Again talk to other speakers to help you determine your fee. Whatever you do, don't suggest to the client that they should pay you what they think you deserve after they have listened to you. What kind of marketing materials do I need, and how much should I spend? Business cards and a presentation kit are essentials and a video is always helpful if you are doing keynotes. It needs to be a video of you speaking. A video of your testimonial at your last birthday party will not work. Once you know what you are doing, you need a website. Don't have one that is always under construction, or one that has fancy gadgets on it that takes an hour to load. No one is that interested in you that they can wait. Tips for marketing when you have no budget Get published. Write and submit magazine articles (on your speaking topic). People read magazines and you will get good exposure. Volunteer on committees for organizations where you want exposure (you will get more exposure if you volunteer to MC an event, facilitate a meeting, or work on PR as opposed to volunteering to get supplies and appetizers at Costco.) When you are marketing yourself, include any references to: Magazine articles by you (especially if they are on your topic), and people read them Places where you are quoted On-line publications with your contact info How do I get a video if I have no money? Offer to speak at a college or corporation that has an audio-visual department in exchange for being videotaped. Make sure the person behind the camera actually knows how to use it, and tapes you in your finest moments. Simma Lieberman works with people and organizations to create environments where people can do their best work. She specializes in diversity, gender communications, life-work balance and stress, and acquiring and retaining new customers. You may reprint these articles free of charge, on a non-exclusive basis, provided that Simma Lieberman's name and contact information are included. She would love to know that you plan to use her article(s); please contact her to let her know. Call Simma at 510.527.0700 or Email simma@simmalieberman.com Visit her website at www.simmalieberman.com FREE subscription to the Lieberman Learning Letter Receive a monthly e-newsletter with tips from Simma's workshops and programs. Topics include diversity, stress management, gender communications, and work life balance. Email:   Back to top

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