Public Speaking Articles

Why I’m Still Happy with Dr. Willie Jolley CSP, CPAE

Willie shares why he’s still happy and helps you reflect upon your “why” of “Why I’m (Still) Happy.” He also sings a song that he wrote to lift the spirits of the world during COVID-19.

Why I’m (Still) Happy with Willie Jolley CSP, CPAE: a hall of fame speaker known for motivating and inspiring others to achieve more.

So gather your family around, share this video with friends and co-workers, and share on your social media channels. Pass this “Why I’m (Still) Happy” video along because everybody can use some happy. Join the “Why I’m (Still) Happy” movement by subscribing to this channel and making an inspiring comment of hope and appreciation below. #WhyImStillHappy #TogetherAtHome

Why are these people (still) happy during a pandemic?

Here at eSpeakers, we thought it would be nice to have a little break in the day to hear something that makes you feel good.

We talked to some of our friends (who happen to be the best motivating, inspiring speakers on the planet) to help us out with this project. Together, we’ve created a YouTube channel to share 5-10 minute stories that will make you laugh, give you hope, and encourage you to keep going during this tough time. Won’t that be a nice break?

Watch Jason Hewlett, CSP, CPAE explain why he’s (still) happy

On this YouTube channel, we’ll host live broadcasts on Tuesdays and Thursdays at 12:00 pm EST, as well as posting some pre-recorded videos. Just hit “subscribe” while you’re watching this video to be notified of the events and new videos when they’re up. Our hope is that these short, sincere thoughts from talented speakers will remind us of all the “whys” there are to be happy, no matter what else is going on around us.

GET YOUR FIRST 10 MINUTES OF HAPPY »

Our first video comes from Jason Hewlett, CSP, CPAE: a hall of fame speaker known for his heartfelt stories, musical talent, and crazy impressions. He shares a little incident he had with a dog that might make you think differently about your “why”.

So gather your family around, share this video with friends and co-workers and on your social media channels. Because everybody can use some happy.

#WhyImStillHappy #TogetherAtHome

Sincerely,

– Your friends at eSpeakers

Don’t cancel that meeting — speakers and experts can present virtually

All of us at eSpeakers want to send our best wishes to all of you in the meetings industry during this challenging time. Due to the effects of the COVID-19 virus spreading throughout the world, we are seeing event organizers postponing their events, moving events online or canceling their events altogether. These are unprecedented times in this industry!

Use a live virtual presenter to avoid canceling a meeting

Many event organizers with events happening through July are postponing, but many are moving them online. The eSpeakers Marketplace has many presenters on a wide range of topics and fees who are qualified to present live, on-screen for your virtual audience using a tool like Zoom or WebEx. Check out the new filter on the search screen of the eSpeakers Marketplace.

SEE OUR CATALOG OF SPEAKERS WHO PRESENT VIRTUALLY »

Many of our speakers and entertainers already have experience presenting virtually. This search functionality is currently live, and ready to provide you with solutions.

Keep your team motivated…safely

We also see an opportunity to improve organization morale with some of the amazing motivators we have who can present virtually. New work-from-home policies and social distancing are challenging for many employees, creating a more fragmented workforce and straining company morale. Bringing in a talented motivator can do wonders.

SEE EXPERTS WHO MOTIVATE VIRTUALLY »

One additional suggestion we have for you: we’ve seen some organizers who are naturally hesitant to sign on future bookings gain security by incorporating “epidemics and pandemics” into their Force Majeure terms. You might consider that as an added safety net in your next contract.

We’ve faced hard times in the past as an industry, and we’ve battled through them together. Here’s to brighter weeks and months ahead.

Sincerely,

Joseph Heaps & Dave Reed 
eSpeakers and Blackwood Talent & Entertainment

Let The World Know You Can Present Virtually

All of us here at eSpeakers want to send our best wishes to all of you in the speaking industry during this challenging time. These are these unprecedented times in this industry, but there’s something you can do right now

When we see a challenge, we also see opportunity. Many companies are instituting work-from-home policies and social distancing. This new work environment is challenging for many employees, creating a more fragmented workforce and straining company morale.

45 Event Terms That Every Planner Should Know

The event industry is growing fast. This is great news for planners, but it can still be stressful for your event planning business. Keeping up with  new industry terms and trends can be intimidating, but it’s essential if you want to show authority and gain trust from your clients and listeners.

With new trends come event planning industry terms and lingo that you need to know to be successful in your business. Beyond the buzzwords comes the tried and true terminology that every experienced planner knows, but someone new to the industry may be unaware.

Having a long list of event terms at your disposal, no matter how long you’ve been an event planner or speaker, can help you understand the in’s and out’s of the industry and encourage you to be a well-informed professional. This becomes especially critical when you’re pitching to new clients and meeting with collegues.

Canceled Speaker: What Do You Do If Your Speaker Canceled?

So you’ve spent months and months planning an event. It’s the biggest ever, you’ve pulled out all the stops and covered all your bases. You’ve planned for every single possible contingency. Especially the biggest one. But then, without warning, you find yourself dealing with a canceled speaker last minute.

A nightmare, right? You’ve printed all the programs and posters with that person’s face all over them. Attendees have bought tickets with the promise of hearing an awesome keynote speech from this particular speaker. And the—admittedly, rare—unthinkable has happened. One of the worst things that could happen, really. Your keynote speaker canceled and it feels like there’s no way to redeem yourself.

7 Tips to Save Money When You’re Planning an Event

Event planning has always been a tough industry. And now with our ever more competitive economy and smaller and smaller budgets, planning an event is more challenging than ever. 

Gone are the days of sky’s the limit budgets. Now, clients are expecting their planners to pull off the same events they always have but at greatly reduced budgets. 

Everyone is trying to save money. And if you want to succeed in today’s planning industry, this means you, too.

5 Nuggets Of Advice For The Novice Professional Speaker

Written by Dana Brownlee as a Forbes Contributor

In my previous post, “Tired Of Speaking For Free? Here’s How To Get Paid To Speak,” I tackled the thorny issue of how to secure paid speaking engagements, but getting paid engagements presumes the speaker is worth the big bucks and not all are. Easily commanding five figures per talk, the best speakers have taken their craft to the next level. Here are a few nuggets of advice for novice professional speakers seeking to do just that.

Celebrating 57 years of the “I Have A Dream Speech”

DR. MARTIN LUTHER KING, JR.
57 years ago, Martin Luther King Jr. gave one of the most famous and influential speeches in American history. The “I Have a Dream” speech was effective not just for its words, but also for Dr. King’s impassioned delivery.

It represented the feelings of millions of people fighting for civil liberties. The speech, given by a lesser man in a lesser setting may not have earned the same attention. Dr. King knew if he were to truly help bring about change, he would need a speech and setting that would inspire. The March on Washington and “I Have a Dream” speech caught the attention of a nation, and brought it closer to the much-needed change.

eSpeakers believes in the power of great speeches like the “I Have a Dream” speech, and in great speakers like Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. To honor his speech given 57 years ago, eSpeakers has created an infographic in commemoration of that great moment in American history. You can view the infographic below.

Click this link to see the full inspiring infographic:
Celebrating 57 years of the “I Have A Dream Speech” Infographic

To find great and inspiring speakers for your own event, consider searching eSpeakers Marketplace.

How To Book a Celebrity: Ten Things You Need to Know to Bag a Big Name

Hiring a speaker is a challenge in itself. Hiring a celebrity speaker is a whole different ballgame!

A celebrity speaker will drive lots of traffic and attention to your event; the free buzz that this person will create for you can pay for itself, it’s true. 

If you decide you want to book a celebrity for an upcoming event, you need to consider that there are two sides to this coin. 

But if you book a celebrity, you also need to be on a level of professionalism that you may not have achieved before. You have to have all your ducks in a row before you even consider contacting a celebrity to appear at your event.

Bring your “A” game.

If you appear in any way unprepared when you reach out to a celebrity’s PR team, they will not even consider your proposal because it will smell like a “waste of time”.

Celebrities don’t have time to waste. They also have their public reputations to consider. Most of them won’t appear at an event that won’t make them look good. If you come off as unprofessional at the get-go, they won’t sign on. 

The way to successfully book a celebrity is to approach their PR person with all the information they need in a concise document that allows them to assess your event, what it has to offer and make a quick yes or no decision. If your proposal is incomplete or messy, it will much more likely be a “no”. 

You don’t want that.

For them, time is money, so you need to have all your expectations set and ready to present up-front. With that in mind, we put together a list to help you present a strong proposal. 

How to book a celebrity: Ten things you need to know to bag a big name.

Your budget. 

Big surprise: celebrities cost a lot. Be prepared to pay a minimum of $50,000 all the way up to a six-figure number. 

Why you want to book a celebrity.

Don’t just choose celebrities at random, just for the sake of having a big name. Your celebrity’s presence at your event should make sense. So know the purpose and theme of your event, and choose a celebrity who fits in with that idea. An appropriate person will have a much stronger effect than someone who is there just for the sake of their celebrity status. 

How you want your celebrity to fit into your event.

Curate your celebrity speaker into your event for the greatest effect. Consider who they are and what they have to offer your attendees—would a full 60 or 90-minute keynote speech be appropriate, or a moderated Q & A session? Every speaker brings something unique to an event, even celebrities. Remember that when you are proposing your event to them.

Your event location.

The location of your event will affect which celebrity you will be able to book, because of two factors: 

  • Flying a celebrity from afar will cost more on your end.
  • You will need more time to book a celebrity speaker the farther you are from where they live. 

Your speaker may not want to fly thousands of miles. So the farther you are from city centers, allow more time to find someone who can.

Your timeline.

You need to know the exact dates and times that your celebrity will be speaking, down to the minute, before you contact them with your proposal. Most celebrities want to spend as little time as possible at your event (no offense, it’s a time thing) so they will arrive shortly before their allotted time and leave shortly afterward. Provide this information upfront.

Your team.

Your celebrity needs to know that there is a solid team ready to receive them. If they don’t know who to contact or your team seems to change on a daily basis, you will seem unprofessional and they won’t want to be involved. Make it clear who on your team does what, and how they should contact them.

Your speakers bureau.

Using a speakers bureau can cut down on a lot of back-and-forth and guesswork for you. It is a speakers bureau’s business to know which celebrities are available for speaking engagements, what they charge, and what their special expectations are. Engaging a speakers bureau to do all this legwork for you can save you a ton of time.

Not sure where to start? Check out our directory of celebrity speakers!

Who they are speaking to.

It’s important to know who your audience is, so your celebrity can know what to expect if they accept your offer. Also, they can curate their speech appropriately so they can have a greater impact, which is better for them and for your audience.

Your marketing plan.

All of your promotional material will need to be okayed by the celebrity’s PR team before it is distributed. To avoid wasted resources when they reject something you’ve already paid for, make sure you know how you plan to promote the event so you can get their approval as soon as possible.

Your Plan B.

This doesn’t go on your proposal. But it’s important to have a strong Plan B, because most celebrities will have a cancellation clause written into their contracts in case they are offered a film or other such engagement and need to back out suddenly. If this happens, you need to be ready to deploy your second-best speaker at a moment’s notice!

This list will help you get everything you need in line to book a celebrity for your event. We hope you enjoyed it. If you think we missed anything important, let us know!

Did you find this article helpful? Here are three more you might enjoy:

Corporate event planning: ten tips to make it unforgettable!

Four amazing tips to turn you into a powerful public speaker.

Developing the breakthrough mindset and succeeding.