1. What size of a group do you work with?

2. What level of people do you work with?

3. How long is your “typical” program?

4. Are you more of a “special event” speaker? Or do you offer ongoing, long-term training as well?

5. How do I find out if you address a particular topic?

6. What are the pros and cons of having you speak to our organization more than once?

7. Will you customize your program for our organization?

8. What if we don’t like your program titles?

9. How would you characterize your “style” of speaking?

10. What else do we get--in addition to your program?

11. How do we make sure your program works?

12. What if we need more help and training than you can personally provide?

13. Do you ever bring your "Journey To The Extraordinary" on site?

14. How much do you charge?

15. What if we can’t afford your fees?

16. What else could we do to lower the cost?

17. Do you have a GSA contract?

18. Where do we go from here?

19. Didn't find your question?

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What size of a group do you work with?

Any size. It doesn’t make any difference. In an “average” month, I will speak to several groups, some as small as fifteen and others as large as several hundred. But over the last 20 years, I’ve worked with teams of six and audiences of several thousand.

There really isn’t a “normal-sized” group for me. But I do need to know the expected size of your group—because I do different things with different-sized groups.
 
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What level of people do you work with?

All. I’ve spoken to groups of CEO’s, and I’ve spoken to groups of entry-level employees--and everyone in between. And often times, the same group will have a mixture of people from several levels.

That’s not a problem. My programs are designed with your exact audience in mind. I build the program after I talk to you. And a part of our discussion will be focused on the kinds of people that will be in the audience. I want to make sure I meet their particular needs.

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How long is your “typical” program?

There isn’t a “typical” length. However, most of my presentations fall into one of three categories: keynote addresses, half-day seminars, and full-day workshops. In fact, I do about a third of my business in each of those categories.

A keynote may be anywhere from 30 to 90 minutes in length. A half-day program would last up to 3 ½ hours, and a full-day program would give up to 7 hours of contact time.

If you want me to do more than one presentation on the same day, that’s fine. Perhaps you’d like me to give a keynote address and then offer one or more breakout sessions. Or maybe you’d like me to address several groups throughout the day. That’s fine. You’re the customer, and we’ll find a way to make it work for you.

Take a look at my nine most requested programs. Just keep in mind that any of them can be offered in keynote, half, and full-day formats.

Of course, when I give shorter presentations, I do not attempt to cover all the material listed in the outlines. I find it works much better to pick a few key points and drive them home rather than skim over lots of things. So I’ll work with you to identify the most important points you want to cover.
 

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Are you more of a “special event” speaker? Or do you offer ongoing, long-term training as well?

I do both. About half the time, an organization brings me in to deliver a program for a select group of people. Or an association hires me to speak at a meeting they’re having.

The other half of the time I get hired to conduct a much longer series of programs. One organization may want me to deliver the same program to lots of different groups throughout the company. That’s smart. The more people that get the message, the more results you’ll see.

Another organization may want me to work with same group, on several subjects, over a longer period of time. That’s also smart. That allows us to put some extra depth and mastery into the overall training program.

As an example, one location of IBM brought me on-site 17 times in one year. They wanted to make sure I addressed everyone in the company. A chain of west-coast hospitals had me work with them for 2 years, working with a select group of people, as we created a climate of exceptional customer service.

So my programs may be used as a stand-alone, special kind of event. Or my programs may supplement the internal training that your company already offers. Either way, I know you’ll be thrilled with the response of the audience and the results of the program.

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How do I find out if you address a particular topic?

Ask. You may have a special need or a special problem you want resolved. And you may not know if I’m the right person to address that situation. All you have to do is give me a call and ask.

I’ll give you an honest answer. I’m extremely busy, and my speaking calendar always fills, so if I’m not the right person to work with you and your organization, I’ll tell you. I only accept those speaking engagements where I know you’ll be pleased with the outcome.

If I’m not the right speaker, I’ll even go a step farther. I’ll help you find the right person—if you want my help. I know lots of speakers and consultants, and I know who is good and who isn’t.

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What are the pros and cons of having you speak to our organization more than once?

There really aren’t any disadvantages of having me speak more than once in your organization. In fact, more than half of my business comes from totally satisfied, enthusiastic customers.

And you don’t have to worry about me repeating the same content over and over again. I’ve got more than 90 hours of material, and most people have only heard a fraction of it. Besides that, I keep an outline of every program I’ve ever given, so I know what I told your group last month or fifteen years ago.

On occasion, past clients will ask me to repeat certain stories or re-engage people in certain activities. They want me to refresh people’s memories and build on that. That’s okay. I’ll build the presentations on your input.

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Will you customize your program for our organization?

Of course. Even though I have given more than 2000 programs, I have never given the same program twice. I’m always customizing my programs…based on the needs of my clients. You won’t get the one-size-fits-all type of program from me.

For example, many of my clients will read through the outlines of my 9 different programs, and they’ll say they like bits and pieces from several programs. They’ll ask if I can design a program that incorporates those various bits and pieces. The answer is “Yes.” I do that for my clients almost every day.

After all, you have some specific objectives you want to accomplish. And you may want me to incorporate your theme, vision, values, or language. That’s not a problem. We’ll talk and make sure that happens.

If you would like to see the different programs I can offer, click here.

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What if we don’t like your program titles?

Then we’ll change them. I’m quite willing to find a title or create a title that makes sense to you and your organization. It all goes back to my previous comment on customizing content.

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How would you characterize your “style” of speaking?

High energy, high content, and high involvement. I want my audiences to feel, know, and do something.

Energy. I’m fond of saying that “education without motivation serves no useful purpose.” I know lots of educated people, filled with knowledge, who aren’t doing much with that knowledge. So I do a number of things to make sure my audiences get energized during the program and stay energized after the program.

Content. But I’m more than a “motivational speaker.” In fact that term often bothers me. I know that people need more than motivation. They also need some skills that they can take back to their jobs and their lives. And they need some skills they can use immediately. So I give out a lot of practical content in my programs. (I guess I didn’t do all that research and get that Ph.D. for nothing.)

Involvement. I also know that people learn the most when they’re actively involved in the learning process. So I always, always, always use a great deal of audience involvement. My audiences get on their feet, move around, talk to other people, and use the skills they’re learning. And in case that scares you, I make the involvement fun, meaningful and safe. I’ve never had a group that didn’t love that part of the program—even groups that were initially a little skeptical.

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What else do we get--in addition to your program?

Three valuable goodies—all at no charge.

First, I’ll visit with you before the program. And I’ll talk to whomever you suggest. I am open to phone calls, conference calls, emails, and faxes. I want to know about your organization, and I want to understand your challenges. Then I’ll use that knowledge to make sure the program is right on target.

Second, I’ll give you a free set of handouts that you can reproduce for your participants—which will save you a lot of money. Many speakers charge $15 to $50 per person if they provide the handouts. I’ll give you the master. And they’re excellent. I provide an awful lot of hard-hitting content in each of my programs, and the participants are thrilled to have a copy of all the things we talk about.

Third, I’ll visit with you after the program. Just give me a call if you want to “de-brief.” Often times I’ll hear things from the participants or I’ll learn things about your organization that you should know. And I’ll recommend some steps you can take to make sure the program sticks and your objectives are achieved.

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How do we make sure your program works?

I’ll help you reinforce it. I want to make sure your people keep on using the stuff they learned at my program, long after the program is over.

Unfortunately, that’s not the case with all too many speakers, trainers, and consultants. When they finish their programs, they basically say “Good bye” and wish you “Good luck.” That’s tragic.

In reality, the real work is just starting. The program has to be reinforced in some way if you want the skills and concepts to stick. So I’ll do four things to reinforce what I teach your people.

First, I’ll give every one of your people a free subscription to my weekly newsletter. I spend five or six hours every week, researching and writing a fresh new article, on topics such as attitude, motivation, leadership, teamwork, stress, and conflict resolution. The information I give, and the strategies I outline, are so practical and so powerful that your people won’t be able to wait for their next issue.

Second, I’ll give your people 60 days of free consulting. Every page of my handouts includes my telephone number, fax number, and email address. And I tell the people at my programs that they are welcome to contact me with any questions they might have on the material I have presented. I will respond to their questions in a prompt and thorough fashion.

Third, I’ll make my books, CDs, and DVDs available to you and your people. When it comes to learning, nothing is more effective than spaced repetition. When people read a few pages of a book every few days, or spend a few minutes listening to a CD on a regular basis, learning retention and application go up dramatically. But you can rest assured that I will not give you or your people a “sales pitch.” I’ll simply make the materials available and suggest that people do something to reinforce their learning.

Fourth, you can give my books, CDs, and DVDs to your people. You can select an item or two that specifically reinforces the program I’ve just given, or you may select some products that take your people to the next level. Either way works. And your people will thank you for the additional investment you’re making in them.

If you choose to take advantage of this fourth option, I’ll make it easy for you. Just purchase the items before the program starts, and I’ll give you 20% discount if you purchase 20-50 items, 30% for 51-100 items, and 40% for purchases over 101 items. Shipping costs are extra.

Quite frankly, I’m a little sad when people don’t choose options 3 and 4—because all the research says that reinforcement works. And I’m a little amazed when people will spend thousands of dollars on a program--but won’t spend a few hundred when it comes to reinforcing that program. But it’s your call. These are simply options.

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What if we need more help and training than you can personally provide?

I’m connected to some great resources. My immediate office staff includes three full-time people who have more than 31 years of experience in the speaking and meetings industry. They can help you with every aspect of your meeting.

But you may have a project that goes beyond a simple meeting. You may need lots of training in several locations. Again, that’s not a problem. I have several part and full-time associates in the U.S. I’ve even got two full-time associates working for me and my clients in the U.K. And I can assure you that these people are excellent, or they wouldn’t be my associates.

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Do you ever bring your  "Journey To The Extraordinary" on site?

You bet. In fact, my two-day "Journey" is so powerful and so popular that lots and lots of organizations want me to offer it on site or in their town.

I suppose there are two reasons for that. First, my once-a-year, off-site Boot Camp is hard to get into. It’s always sold out.

Second, it’s a great deal cheaper to bring me on site. An organization can bring me in and have me deliver the  “Journey To The Extraordinary” for a fraction of what it would cost to send their people to it. And your organization can expose a lot more people to this incredible program with little or no cost.

If you don’t know about this program, click here to read about it. You’ll get a complete outline of the content and what your people will get out of it.

And you’ll probably be amazed at the variety of clients who bring my “Journey To The Extraordinary” on site. In just the last few months, for example, I’ve brought it to the FBI, the US Army, American Express, and US Steel—to name a few.

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How much do you charge?

That’s easy to answer because I’m very consistent.

You can rest assured that I don’t play games with my fees. I know way too many speakers who charge different clients…different fees… for the same service. Their fee is based on how much the client can afford. And I think that’s unethical.

You can also rest assured that I haven’t raised my fees in three years. These are tough economic times for a lot of people, so I have temporarily suspended my fee increase. I want to make it easier for you to hire me.

Just call 800-621-7881 and talk to Mary about your date and program needs. She will let you know my availability and your investment. Travel expenses for all programs are billed to the penny, including non-refundable coach airfare.

Oh yes, two other things I get asked. If you need an all-inclusive fee, we can give you that. And if you want to book several programs, I can give you a more favorable rate. Just ask.

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What if we can’t afford your fees?

There are at least three things we can do about that. One of them may work for you.

You may want to share the event with another part of your organization. The various groups may choose to meet together, or they may want me to speak to each group at a different time on the same day. They share the cost in any way that makes sense to them.

You may want to share the cost with another organization in your community. On several occasions, I’ve spoken to one group in the morning and another group in the afternoon, and they split the cost.

You may want to use more of my time, instead of hiring several speakers. Quite often I’ll give a keynote address to the entire group and then do one or more breakout sessions. The audience loves it when I address more than one topic or develop the theme in more detail. And if we schedule the sessions in the same half or full-day time frame, I won’t charge you for the extra program, and you won’t have to hire an additional speaker.

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What else could we do to lower the cost?

A lot. And I’ve found that one of these options almost always works for our clients.

First, you could find a sponsor. A lot of companies love to sponsor my programs and give them as a “gift” to their customers. In return, they get their name all over my stuff, and they form a stronger relationship with your organization. If you’d like to pursue this option, just talk to Mary in my office. She’ll send you all the information you need to find a sponsor.

Second, you could make a contribution. Each year all the proceeds from five of my programs are donated to two charities and a university scholarship I started. The client simply sends the check – which is 75% of my normal fee – to the charity or scholarship. Outside of my travel expenses, I don’t get a dime. If you’re interested in this option, give Mary a call. She’ll tell you if there are any more “contribution” spots still available.

Third, I would be glad to recommend a less-experienced speaker. And quite honestly, there are some good, less-experienced speakers who charge less. But you won’t find a speaker with my experience and my track record at my low of a fee.

In fact, there are only a dozen speakers in the world who hold the CSP (Certified Speaking Professional), who have been inducted into the CPAE Speaker Hall of Fame, and hold a Ph.D. – and they all charge a great deal more. And there are very few speakers, if any, who can show a stronger track record of success. In fact 92% of my business comes from extremely satisfied customers who invite me back or refer me on to others.

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Do you have a GSA contract?

Of course. So if you’re a part of the federal government, it’s easy to hire me. You don’t have to go through lots of paperwork and bidding procedures before we work together.

And, as you might expect, GSA rates are a bit different. Just call Mary (800-621-7881) for an exact price. She can give you the speaking fee with or without expenses, whatever you prefer.

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Where do we go from here?

We make a decision. Do we all think this would be a good fit? Does my experience and expertise fit with your needs and your audience?

If it seems to make sense, we should talk. So give me or my office a call (800-621-7881), and we’ll figure out the next step. Thanks again for your interest in my work. If you would like to look at my Program Agreement, click here.

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