You’ll love his newest post: How to Not Get Burned Doing Free Speeches

By Larry Chiang

I just got burned not doing what I teach.

Let me repeat that.

Doing free speeches can burn pro speakers. I have a countermeasure where I take a deposit on a free speech. The organization that gets me for free has to pay a deposit with the contract or letter of intent.

If they don’t change the parameters of my speaking appearance, they get their money back.
Well, here at Stanford, I got fired from my own panel.

I lined up major tech celebrities Mike Arrington, Robert Scoble and the rap star, tech thought leader Chamillionaire onto a marquee panel that I was to moderate.

I got fired from my own panel.

Yikes.

I had countermeasures but I did not pull my celebs off the panel.

I wish I had charged a deposit.

Text me if u need me

650-283-8008

If you see a typo, email it to me larry @larrychiang dot com with your cell in the subject line

Larry Chiang is the founder of Duck9, which educates college students on how to establish and maintain a FICO score over 750. He has testified before Congress and World Bank on credit.

He is a frequent contributor to Business Week’s blog on “What They Don’t Teach You at Business School“. For fun, writes in a journal, cooks on a hot plate and plays basketball on college campuses across

Photo credit Vinh Chung Larry Chiang NSA Nat'l Convention Concurrent Session

You’ll love his newest post: What They Will NEVER Teach You at NSA

No other blogger promotes his last blog (GigaOm) or his mentor (Mark McCormack) more that his current gig at Bloomberg BusinessWeek.

By Larry Chiang

I got booked to speak at NSA without anyone ever having seen me speak.

Let me repeat that.

Before speaking at NSA, I do not believe any NSA member had ever seen me on stage. I say this not to impress you, but rather to show that my techniques work. The techniques I’m talking about center around granular strategies to get an NSA speaker paid speaking gigs.

I share these with you at my peril. In no way do I financially benefit from revealing, “What They Will NEVER Teach at NSA”. Enjoy and profit from these tips and text me/ email me your thoughts.

-1- Book Yourself at a Conference You’re Not Speaking At

There’s a saying that I’m making up: People that love you, tend to book you.

An event planner loves luvs loves meeting a speaker before they book them. In person sales calls are awkward. Getting them to travel to see you speak is a stretch.

My answer is to ask for an invite to attend a conference they’re producing so they get to see you live. I’d also offer to be a back-up speaker

-2- Be More Entrepreneurial Getting Leads to Speak

I pay 50% commission.
I pay $5k cash on the spot.

We don’t need to sign a speaker bureau contract to pay 50% comm as a one time cash reward.

We don’t need just one speaker bureau, we can have many.

We don’t just lead generate via the one speaker bureau, we can have the entire speaker community be our speaker bureau.

Without one speaker bureau exclusive contract…, I pay 50% commission.
I pay $5k cash on the spot.

-3- Crash Conferences, Network Event Planners

There is nothing more complimentary for an event planner than for a potential speaker to want to come to your event.

Use discretion and prep your target meeting planner.

-4- Be a BackUp Speaker

To continue on the “90% of life is showing up” mantra, I offer to attend as a back-up speaker.

Some of my “reach gigs” have been because I’m a back-up speaker. A reach gig is a booking that you do not quite deserve. A reach gig also takes you to the next level.

-5- Produce an AfterParty

I love keynote speakers that don’t just fly in, speak and fly out.

The quantity of time I spend is just as important as the quality of time. A method to get credit for staying far after you speak, is to produce the afterparty.

Remember that as a speaker, you don’t have to be the speaker in order to speak at your afterparty. An example is when you host an afterparty, you can produce a fireside chat. Produce a video like this one and people think you were a speaker too.

-6- Producing Workshops and Make Money Giving Away Tickets

Here is my secret workshop formula.

It solves the problem of
– selling tix to a gig you’re speaking at
– selling tickets to an event that no one wants to come to
– selling tickets in a time when some are going to want to come free

Here is my secret trademark maneuver workshop formula.

I find a venue, time and location that jives, meshes and integrates into the environment from which I give birth to an event. Now to the point… you can make money giving away tickets.

I “sell” two batches of tickets. For example, an event with capacity of 120. I have the 1st batch of tickets at $65, but offer a 100% rebate. If you show up, you get your $65 back. If you blog the event, you get your $65 back.

Then after 60, $65 tickets are sold (on EventBrite) then I sell $75 tickets. These tickets don’t have a refund

My mentor, Mark McCormack, who wrote the book, “What They Don’t Teach You At Harvard Business School“.

-7- Do the Rebate Model vs a Free Book

I apply the same rebate model to my book.

Here are the devilish details…
– Juice the Amazon presales by rebating. I offer a full rebate if you email me back ONE thing you did based on my book.
– I also put my email and cell phone on every other page. I place it at the bottom as a call to action… err as a call to call or call to email.

Text me if u need me

650-283-8008

If you see a typo, email it to me larry @larrychiang dot com with your cell in the subject line

Larry Chiang is the founder of Duck9, which educates college students on how to establish and maintain a FICO score over 750. He has testified before Congress and World Bank on credit.

He is a frequent contributor to Business Week’s blog on “What They Don’t Teach You at Business School“. For fun, writes in a journal, cooks on a hot plate and plays basketball on college campuses across

My book’s cover was done in-house

You’ll love his newest submission is, “Scandalous Tid-Bits from NSA’s National Convention in Orlando“

Before he’s done, you’ll be more street-smart than any MBA and pop your speaker marketing effort with a big wallup o’ entrepreneurship.

By Larry Chiang

News flash. The public speaking industry is in flux.

While I have some ideas that were recently accepted as the new truth… I actually have more scandalous ideas that are WAY more effective.

Here are some highlights from my keynote at the NSA Convention in the order that I’m writing them

-1- Social Media in Under 20 Minutes Per Week

Just don’t do it.

How old school am I? I am SO old school I’m not on LinkedIn.

The first 20 minutes I’d spend writing blog posts.

Like this one.

In concusion… Blogging = good. Update statues = bad

-2- What Patricia Fripp Does Not Teach.

I’m working on a new technique that battles ‘partial attention disorder’… Its called “Pull Yourself Out of a Self Created Tail Spin On Stage”.

You see our audiences cheat on us all the time with their cell phones and laptops. It augments attention wander-fication…

I don’t like that.

I solve it in a bunch of ways.

One way is to put myself in “danger” by speaking out of control on stage. One technique is creating a tailspin where my speech is temporarily out of control.

For example, in the article, “8 Tips CS Majors Use to Be Like Pro Speakers”, I recommend freezing up on stage. And then unfreezing.

You see mammals love to observe other mammals in distress. Admit it. You watch the hunting scenes on Animal Planet and you gape at the fender bender on the Highway 101.

Cause a pretend difficulty on stage and then recover to captivate 110% of the attention from stage during this ‘partial attention economy’

-3- Perform “Two Way Keynotes”

Let Your Audience PDA. PDA is personal digital Assistant.

I let people control me the keynote speaker with their smart phone.

How?!

They can text message me a question.

Many things is two way now. Blogs are two-way.
Newspapers are one-way. And like dinosaurs that don’t change, one-way will die.

Me I like living so I’m adapting my old school ways.

-4- Give Your Audience a Physical Reaction

I like making an audience taste both the sweet and the sour

The sour gets a physical reaction

My mentor, Mark McCormack, who wrote the book, “What They Don’t Teach You At Harvard Business School“.

BONUS- Star in Social Media By Doing Cool Real World Stuff

Get into other people’s social media stream

For example, when I spoke at NSA… I didn’t Twitter or Facebook (even though I’m friends with Evan and Mark, CEOs of twttr, fBook)

Let me repeat that. I didn’t Facebook update or Tweet the grand fact that I was speaking. I just let others do it for me.

For example: Here’s a Twit Pic

My 20 Minutes are up. Text me if u need me
650-283-8008

If you see a typo, email it to me larry @larrychiang dot com

My Next article(s) on “What They Don’t Teach at NSA”

-Leave Your Book Sold-Out And Never Walk Around With It

-Be More Entrepreneurial Getting Leads to Speak

-Crash Conferences and Speak at Ones That You’re Not Invited To

+1-407-301-
– Re: I know… Wanted you to tell Diane Lapp in the audience

+1-407-967-
Do BOTH Re: email newsletter + a blog. Call me anytime next week

+1-407-301-
Maurice, Old School = blogging

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Did I do ok making it less geek?

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Wisconsin!, Call me anytime next week about TWO WAY KEYNOTE-If u can text me two min before you call me that’d be great. LarryChiang

+1-720-334-
Call me anytime next week about doing a feed while speaking-If u can text me two min before you call me that’d be great. LarryChiang

+1-416-278-
Ans: Mike O’Neil & Lori Ruff. And DavidNoir
Q: What were names of Linked In experts?

610-716-
Is this REALLY David N. :). Btw, thx for the tweet + support

+1-240-893-
Nope, I like email marketing. Thx for coming! Call me if u need me

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Call me anytime next week about afterparty. If u can text me two min before you call me that’d be great. LarryChiang

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Call me anytime next week about 2 way tech interaction-If u can text me two min before you call me that’d be great. LarryChiang

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Thx for coming and thx for Fripp recommendation

Mike O’Neil & Lori Ruff

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Thx! Re: LinkedIn experts: Mike O’Neil & Lori Ruff

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I do when the producing conf has a budget
– Re: used a monitor to view questions/streams privately

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I love email. I’m not great at email. Wanna do a guestpost on it?
– Re: This audience uses email alot- not txt

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I guess more two-way and more interaction
– Re: What does this audience need to understand going forward with younger audiences and the best way to adapt

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You’re not old! Thx. Call me next week if u wanna chat about the steak

+1-407-301-
Very powerful! Its a great practice. Re: ripping and link attributing between speakers

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I do. But my blog gets the guestpost 1st. Re: Do u post other blogs on ur blog

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Call me anytime next week about high traffic blogs that will accept my blog posts. If u can text me two min before you call me that’d be great. LarryChiang

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#hiLarryOus Re: Average age of the room is dropping by the minute.

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Call me anytime next week about “concrete, specific examples & bits”- Txt me two min before you call me that’d be great. LarryChiang

+1-321-446-
I’m conf friends w/ Arriana Re: R u linked to Huffington Post

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Call me anytime next week about “emerging technology”. If u can text me two min before you call me that’d be great

+1-813-789-
– Re: A couple of min emerging technology please

+1-321-446-
– Re: R u linked to Huffington Post

+1-801-791-
– Re: Give us more concrete, specific examples of the bits you are teaching. Thx.

+1-404-931-
– Re: Average age of the room is dropping by the minute.

+1-617-257-
– Re: Do you have a list of high traffic blogs that will accept my blog posts?

+1-321-446-
– Re: Do u post other blogs on ur blog

+1-352-514-
– Re: Interesting ideas. There’s a difference between ‘clever’ and dishonest.  It may be a generational thing (I’m an old guy), but several ideas of yours sugg
– Re: est sizzle w/out steak

+1-617-257-
– Re: What does this audience need to understand going forward with younger audiences and the best way to adapt

+1-813-789-
– Re: This audience uses email alot- not txt

+1-407-301-
– Re: Have you ever used a monitor to view questions/streams privately
Maurice A. Ramirez

+1-303-885-
– Re: LinkedIn experts: Mike O’Neil & Lori Ruff

+1-416-918-
– Re: Great content, but here’s a shout out for Patricia Fripp:  spend some time with her.

+1-443-983-
– Re: I’m doing a keynote to a very large, tech savvy audience in Asia next month. I haven’t been planning on any 2 way tech interaction. What do you suggest?

+1-615-482
– Re: Is an after party an actual event? Please explain.

+1-240-893-
– Re: Is email marketing over?

+1-610-716-
– Re: Don’t let THIS audience control you. We’re here to learn from YOU, not random willy-nillies

+1-416-278-
– Re: What were names of Linked In experts?

+1-720-334-
– Re: How do you do a feed while you’re speaking?

+1-414-852-
– Re: Focus on TWO WAY KEYNOTE

+1-813-789-
– Re: Lot’s of folks here don’t speak geek.

+1-407-301-
– Re: What is Old School Stuff?
Maurice A. Ramirez

+1-407-967-
– Re: I have an email newsletter but not a blog. Is this a mistake?

+1-407-301-
– Re: Repeat all questions & items
Maurice A. Ramirez

+1-404-931-0301
– Re: Sorry if you already said, who are you on Twitter? Im @VCEMonk in the back with a tie. Fred

Larry Chiang is the founder of Duck9, which educates college students on how to establish and maintain a FICO score over 750. He has testified before Congress and World Bank on credit.

He is a frequent contributor to Business Week’s blog on “What They Don’t Teach You at Business School“. For fun, writes in a journal, cooks on a hot plate and plays basketball on college campuses across

When it comes to setting up an office and communicating with potential clients, there’s the polite way and the wrong way. From your voicemail to your manners at a business lunch to the way you sign your e-mail, how you behave can be a factor in whether you get the gig or stay home. This pro knows business manners, and she will share her suggestions on what you may need to do as a speaker, trainer or consultant to benefit from the power of being polite. This discussion will include the time tested and the nuances of professional etiquette for the speaking entrepreneur.

Pattern 21. Pause and Look Intelligent

The patterns of pausing and looking intelligent are closely connected. Why is this so? Simply stated, to be seen as intelligent in the Western European cultures, the communicator must have the ability to pause.

The Pause

Research indicates that non-verbal communication is more influential than verbal communication. Mark Twain was correct when he said, “No word was ever as effective as a rightly timed pause.”

The pause is the single most essential non-verbal signal.

Read more from this article at http://nsaconvention.org/LinkClick.aspx?fileticket=0Wp9jIrM3kQ%3d&tabid=970&mid=2070. And register for the 2010 NSA Convention July 17-20 at the Orlando World Center Marriott to see Michael’s presentation on The Power to Inspire: The Non-Verbals of Dramatic Presentations.

You wake up. Immediately you notice how tired you are from staying up too late the night before “catching up on things”. One of the first things you do is grab your phone and anxiety sets in as you notice that somehow you already have over a dozen emails waiting for you! On the way to work you anguish over your growing to do list with items carrying over from weeks before. You sit down at work to start answering some of these emails and to your horror you find that they are coming in faster than you can send them out! Not only that but every time you send one out it’s almost like you get 2 back! Throughout the day you have voicemails, texts, social networking messages, meetings, personal errands to run, client follow up, and a whole series of interruptions that constantly leaves you feeling like your behind. Sound familiar? Ever think that just “keeping up” with everything could be a full time job? Guess what? You might be right.

This lifestyle is astoundingly and sadly common among ambitious professionals and it is created by the one common problem that many of us have which is a lack of systems to manage workflow. Fortunately there is a new modern solution; it’s called Virtual Assistants – or what I more appropriately referred to as “Virtual Assistance”.

The days of only top executives having assistants are over. In this internet age hundreds of thousands of people are turning to a rapidly developing trend of working with VAs. They are fairly easy to find, cheaper than you might expect, and if you know “the system” for working with them they can dramatically change your lifestyle. Here is the 6 step process for finding, hiring, training, and working with quality VAs.

1. Step 1 –Question Yourself critically If you’ve been following my work for a while you know that one of the antitheses of the disciplined “Take The Stairs Mentality” is what we call creative avoidance. That is creating busy work for yourself just to avoid doing things you know you need to be doing. No amount of VA will solve your lack of discipline so be brutally honest and decide first if you can eliminate some of these tasks or if there is legitimate admin work that needs more time than you have.

Read more at http://nsaconvention.org/RoryVaden.aspx 

Watch the video below to get a glimpse into what Rory’s concurrent session has in store.

This year’s Convention boasts a robust program of dynamic general sessions and hard-hitting concurrent sessions, all focused on delivering the information you need to tackle the changes that face professional speakers today. You’ll learn the latest best practices, tools and techniques for effectively managing and increasing your speaking business and bottom line.

Don’t just imagine speaking success. Attend the NSA Convention and learn how to achieve it! Learn more at www.NSAConvention.org.

Phillip Van Hooser, MBA, CSP, CPAE
2009-10 NSA President

Mark Mayberry
2010 Convention Chair

Jolene Brown
2010 Convention Vice-Chair

Maribeth Kuzmeski
2010 Convention Marketing Consultant

Read about Mel in the January/February issue of Speaker magazine in mail boxes and on MyNSA.org in January.

To register for the 2010 Winter Conference visit http://www.NSAWinterConference.org.