NSA-Arizona Special Page

Welcome NSA-Arizona!

The program I’m presenting for you on Saturday 14 November 2009 is very special. Yes, you’ll hear some of the latest about technology. Yes, you’ll learn how it can help you with your speaking business. That is a given.

What can dazzle and amaze you will be the way we deliver it now. You might be familiar with Skype as a communication tool. Well, in this session we’ll explore how you, as a professional speaker, can leverage technology like Skype to reach more people and do it easier. You can even avoid trips to your second home — Sky Harbour Airport!

Below I’ve got a bunch of goodies for you as well. These are interviews and videos that I’ve put together to help you build your business more in times like these. Let me know what you think. I look forward to hearing from you.

Thank you for your active participation!

Terry
Terry@TerryBrock.com
Facebook – Terry Brock
Twitter – TerryBrock
www.TerryBrock.com – the best place to start!

First, here are some tools that I use and recommend:

Some of the tools I use today, July, 2009.

Here are some videos you can see to observe what is possible. I’m using the tools mentioned above (well, not all of them but some of them!) to get the results you’ll see in the videos.

Here’s a video interview that the lovely Diane Bogino did with me in Atlanta, Georgia. On this video you’ll hear a lot of ideas on the principles of getting ahead and some great tools you can use. The points covered here will be good for any business trying to add more revenue and stay up with a fast-changing world.

Here’s one you’ll want to watch for two purposes: 1) To get some great content on Twitter and tools available, and 2) To see the use of Screenflow and what it can do for you. Great tool!

Here’s an article I published a while back about using video for presentations — perfect for anyone who speaks in public (great marketing tool!)

Get Raving Audience Response Using Video In Your Presentations

Business-Building Thoughts From Terry L. Brock

Here’s a marketing idea that can help you. Presenting in public is often discussed as an excellent way to market your services. If you have a professional service, you can leverage the power of speaking a lot. I know how this can be done as I’ve been a professional speaker since 1983.

The sweetest sound in the English language is the sound of one’s own name. This truism has been known since the days of Shakespeare. When you can focus on another person you get their attention like nothing else. This is a core foundational principle of Relationship Marketing.

When you are speaking to a group, the more customized you can make your message to them, the better you’ll connect and the more successful you will be. Great speakers throughout history have known the importance of focusing on the needs of the audience. Today you have a tool available that can electrify your presentation and bring it to life for any audience.

I’m talking about the power of video. You know the power of television over newspapers. You know the power of YouTube and how it has transformed the way we use the Internet. Now you can use video in your presentations to do more with your message. You can show a (short, please) clip that illustrates a principle. It can demonstrate what your firm can do. You can use testimonials of satisfied clients who have already worked with you.

Video will not replace you as a speaker. Think of it like the seasoning of a meal. It adds to the message. But that seasoning can bring you raving response from your audience —- just what you want as a speaker and a marketer.

Here’s what I often do in my programs where I speak to business leaders around the world. I talk with key members of the audience before my program. I interview them on pertinent topics that will be relevant to the audience during my talk. I record portions of this interview and select a few key sound bytes which can inspire and educate the audience during my presentation.

It is one thing for me to say something from the platform. But when the audience watches a video of one of their own respected and trusted members say something, it is far more impressive. I make heroes of the people I interview and the audience benefits from it. When they hear the company’s top sales performer describe what she did to achieve a goal, it means a lot more than me blathering on about some plattitude.

Don’t get me wrong. I still talk about the principles that work and how using what I call “R-Commerce — Relationship Commerce” beats out any E-Commerce (the Electronics). By adding the video of participants and people the audience knows and trusts, it raises the power of the presentation to a new level.

You will have an unfair advantage over other speakers at an event when you are the one that brings in key points backed up by real-world examples they can relate to on the spot.

Plus with video shot hours before your speak, your message has a sense of urgency and “CNN-timing” that shows relevancy. You bring the power of information to a relevant, “right-now,” real-world purpose for that audience, that day.

To do this is easier today than ever before. I use a small camcorder and an attached microphone (very important) for clear, professional sound and image. Then I do some edits in my hotel room to make it look professional. There are a number of good video editing programs which are easy to use and inexpensive. Windows Movie Maker comes with Windows machines and iMovie comes with Mac computers. Other programs are available which also do a very good job in editing. Many of these are easy to learn and use. You can then make a movie that is attached to your PowerPoint or Keynote presentation.

When you are delivering your speech, you can say something highly relevant to the audience like, “You know, here in the widget industry at ABC Company, we know the importance of connecting with the customer. As a matter of fact, I spoke last night with Mary Smith, who we know is the top sales producer. Would you like to know how she does it? Well, listen to what she told me when she revealed the secret she uses to be #1 salesperson in the company….” Then you, as the presenter, press one button and up comes the video of Mary the audience how she did it.

Mary is the star and you look fabulous as you bring real-world, usable ideas to your audience. This is a practical example of Relationship Marketing leveraged by technology.

Successful speaking is all about connecting with other people. Just like marketing connects people, you are connecting people in your audience with ideas they can use which will make their lives and businesses better. Video is a great tool to use which gives you a competitive advantage. For more information on how video and other tools can help you, drop me an email at Terry@TerryBrock.com and I’ll send a free special report on using video and other technologies to get raving reviews from your audience.

Copyright © 2009, Terry Brock and Achievement Systems, Inc. Terry Brock is an international marketing coach and professional speaker who helps businesses generate profitable results. He can be reached by e-mail at terry@terrybrock.com or through his website at www.terrybrock.com. Join the Twitter adventure with Terry through his Twitter address: TerryBrock.

Here’s another video that you’re going to love. I did this interview with the top two people at Blue Microphones. Not only are they geniuses on audio technology (!) but they are really fun and likeable guys! Skipper Wise is the President and Founder of Blue Microphones and Ty Schultz is COO. Watch this as you see what they have available and discover how you can use these tools in your work as a professional speaker. This is a must-see video!

Social Networking: It’s About People, Not Technology

Business Building Ideas From Terry L. Brock

The trend of social networking (or social media, if you prefer) is not about the technology of Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn or other networks. Yes, the technology is nice and has a lot of possibilities.

Relationship Marketing is about people connecting with people at certain levels to satisfy their needs for business and personal life. It is not about pushing stuff out to people. That’s the old way.

Social Networking is all about Relationship Marketing, or what I call R-Commerce. For over a decade I’ve said “It is NOT about E-Commerce (the Electronics); It’s about R-Commerce (the Relationships).” Social Networking is about connecting with people on a real level and helping them. As you help them and hear from them you do more for yourself.

Marketing is different today than before. In the old days, “push” marketing was the key to getting your message out to others. I remember reading magazines like Ad Age and other great marketing tools and various ads would encourage readers to “Buy Chicago” or “Buy Dallas.” By this, they meant to purchase time on their TV station, buy space in their magazine or newspapers, etc. etc. The idea was to take your products and services and push the idea of people buying into that market and “own” the market.

Things are different today.

If you are too “pushy” (used colloquially as a negative term now) you get rejected. I’ve talked about people in this column who were way too pushy and therefore lost respect and business. Instead of being “pushy” or even using a lot of “pull” you have to interact.

This is a different concept. Interaction means that we recognize how we are all interdependent in today’s world. No one can make it alone. You have to work with and through others to achieve your goals. Social Networking is a matter of finding out how others are feeling and where they are experiencing pain. You listen to their needs and find a way you can assist them. This is how success is achieved.

Here’s a story that illustrates how businesses must work with, not against, their customers that supports this. A while back a singer named Dave Carroll from Halifax flew United Airlines for a tour with his band. They flew from Halifax to Chicago and then on to Nebraska. While on the ground in Chicago O’Hare (a United hub) a passenger saw the way baggage handlers were dealing with luggage and commented about the treatment. One of those cases happened to be Dave’s and, sure enough, when he got to his destination in Nebraska, he discovered that United had broken his guitar.

Ouch!

Dave contacted United and for over a year tried to get resolution but United Airlines continued to say the easy “No.” I’m not familiar with the particulars of the situation and can’t cast blame on anyone, including United. However, what happened and how Social Media was involved affects you and me.

Dave wrote a funny song about the incident and posted it on YouTube which you can see at: http://tinyurl.com/knxyvm It is hilarious and instructive for you and me in our business.

In the past, Dave would have just had to suck it up and go on. Today, Dave, and people like him, have a vehicle where they can express displeasure to millions. As I write this, over 4.4 million people have viewed that video! In an update I see that United has made some attempts to resolve the situation. Gee, I wonder if they would have done something if there were no YouTube? Watch the video and I’ll let you decide.

My point is even bigger than what Dave Carroll has gone through. Think about your own business. Are customers satisfied with what you do? Would you like a video of your business along the lines of the “United Breaks Guitars” video?

Today, it is all about interaction, not push and not even pull. Listen to what others are saying and then provide that for them. It is not about all the fancy technology. It is about connecting with people, real, oxygen-breathing, blood pumping customers (!) who buy your products and services.

Of course, this is good old Marketing as it is supposed to happen. When I was in business school studying Marketing, we called this being customer focused.

Whatever form of Social Networking or Social Media you use, this has to be your focus. Don’t tell me just how great you are. Don’t tell me about the “new way to earn money on Twitter.” Identify key areas (do the keyword research for your industry) and find where people are hurting. Then craft unique, helpful tools for them. There’s no magic here and nothing new, but this is the way to succeed.

I hope United Airlines and other companies can adjust accordingly. Can you and I?

***************************************************************

Zen And The Art Of Twitter Maintenance

Business-Building Thoughts From Terry Brock

“It’s not the technology that’s scary. It’s what it does to the relations between people, like callers and operators, that’s scary.” Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance” p. 155

As a professional speaker who travels around the world, I often hear people lamenting what technology is doing to us. Many complain that people are spending so much time on social networking services like Twitter, Linkedin, Facebook and others that they are losing track of being with real people. I’ve heard business owners complain about people putting too much time into Twitter, Facebook, etc. and not enough time into business.

I can appreciate that concern. However, I have a different perspective that you will find interesting. Keep reading and I’ll explain more later.

The quote at the top of this article is from the classic, Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance by Robert Pirsig. I read that book yesterday morning in my study time and it was amazing. I had heard about it for years but had never read it. What a great book! It’s a story about a father and son riding a motorcycle across America years ago. They did it to experience what they couldn’t just by flying or even driving in a car. Throughout the journey, Pirsig explained how in life we have two opposing forces in us and how the ancient Greeks discussed much of what is happening to us today.

The quote above about technology seemed appropriate as it relates to people today with Twitter. Actually, Pirsig was talking about telephones back then but the same principles apply. Today many businesses are in a quandary about what to do with employees who use Twitter all day and don’t get their work done. Yet they don’t want to ban Twitter fearing that they will fall behind others and not be on top of the latest and the best.

So, what is the solution? How does this relate to the important topic of Relationship Marketing? What does it have to do with “Twitter Maintenance?” What does it have to do with Facebook, Linkedin and any other function in business?

As with most questions like this in business, we have to go back to the basics. What is it that we are supposed to do? Well, my ole buddy Peter Drucker would tell us that the purpose of a business is “to create and keep a customer.” (I refer to Peter Drucker as “my ole buddy” even though I never met this genius —- I just read a lot of his material and admire the sage advice of this legend — hence I consider him “my buddy.”)

If we filter every activity and every business decision through the prism of “creating and keeping customers” then we gain a whole new perspective on how to “perform maintenance” on Twitter — or any activity.

Like email was a few years ago when it emerged from the damp and dreary dungeons of academia to spring forth into life in businesses around the world, the Social Media channels all have their purpose. You shouldn’t ignore them anymore than you would ignore email.

Yet, if you spend all day, every day on email, you aren’t usually going to get a lot done (unless answering email from customers and keeping them happy is your primary job). And that is the key. Make sure you stay in touch with people. It is people who matter most in business. Drucker’s statement has within it the inherent emphasis on “customer” — the person. Focus on people. Connect with them and help them solve their problems. This is Relationship Marketing.

If you use personal face-to-face meetings to help customers, that’s great. If you do it over a telephone, wonderful! If you are making customers (paying customers, that is) giddy with glee that they are dealing with you and your company — I’m High-Fiving you across the digital frontier! Good for you!

So, as a manager of yourself and leader of others, constantly ask how you’re helping customers. Remember the emphasis is on paying customers, not just “opportunities.” Don’t rationalize here. If someone is a “potential customer” they are on trial. If they emerge as a paying customer within a reasonable period of time — that’s wonderful. If not, put them into a back-burner mode where you can stay in touch (they might become paying customers in the future or recommend you for someone else). However, your emphasis has to be on paying customers — if you want to stay in business!

This is the best way to enjoy “Zen and the Art of Twitter Maintenance.” Focus on making customers giddy with glee, and build your bottom line.

Somehow, I think both my buddies Peter Drucker and Robert Pirsig would be smiling at us and nodding with approval.

****************************************************************

If you’re using Twitter (and you should be!) here’s a video that describes a nice little tool for it. Watch the video and you’ll enjoy this. Tweet Call is the name of the application and it allows you to make Twitter “tweets” via a cell phone or landline phone. This can be really handy!

***************************************************************

And here is one with very serious, bottom-line focus on using all these social media sites. This is a must-watch if you’re serious about business and question how much time you should devote. This is one to share with your staff at the next staff meeting. Let me know what you think.

**************************************************************

And finally, you’ve GOT to read this article and listen to the podcast (audio) of it. This one is how many using Social Networking are just like “that guy from Nigeria” who is not out for our best interest. This article has generated a lot of good publicity. I also have it as an audio podcast. And to top it off, it is available in Russian as well! Listen, learn and enjoy. Here’s the link so you can read the article, hear the podcast and even enjoy the comments that others have posted:

http://www.terrybrock.com/2009/06/socialnetworking-nigeria/

**************************************************************

I look forward to hearing from you. Please let me know what you think of these videos and the information on this page.

All the best to you!

Terry

Terry L. Brock, MBA, CSP, CPAE
Member Professional Speakers Hall of Fame