Hire an Author to Speak

According to an Association Press-Ipsos poll (AP) "one in four adults say they read no books at all in the past year. " !!

"Of those who did read, women and seniors were most avid, and religious works and popular fiction were the top choices. The survey reveals a nation whose book readers, on the whole, can hardly be called ravenous. The typical person claimed to have read four books in the last year -- half read more and half read fewer. Excluding those who hadn't read any, the usual number read was seven."

The upshot for meeting planners: Hire an author to speak to your group because the odds are that few people in the audience are reading book length works, they'll probably appreciate the words of someone who has the rigour to write a book, and some may be inspired to actually read the book.

6 Keys to the Future, circa 1990

In his 1990 book, Powershift, author Alvin Toffler proclaimed that the top six keys to the future are:
* interactivity,
* mobility,
* convertibility,
* connectivity,
* ubiquity, and
* globalization.

When combined, said Toffler these six principles point to a total transformation, not nearly in the way we send messages to one another, but in the way we think, how we see ourselves in the world, where we stand in our relationships. Put together, they will make it impossible for any institution to manage ideas, imagery data information or knowledge as they once did.

Still true? Could be.

Speakers We Like

Randy Pennington is the author of On My Honor, a book which boldly proclaims that integrity is the key to effective business relations. Pennington is an intelligent, articulate presenter who mixes intensity with levity, and discipline with compassion. He urges and
cajoles his audiences in a way that invites high responsiveness.

Pennington has lots of stories to draw from, from the corporate world and from international organizations. His book On My Honor draws in part from his participation in Scouts International (known in the United States as the Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts of America) and the deep and penetrating lessons he learned as a scout leader and scoutmaster.

Pennington has wowed audiences from coast to coast including... and in several foreign countries. Hearing him, participants routinely report that they felt as if they had the opportunity to watch a top speaking professional in action.

Scott Gross: Speaker Supreme

Way down in Kerrville Texas, T. Scott Gross runs several successful fast food franchises. His broad-based experience in managing companies, managing people, and serving customers form the basis of his highly popular book series, Positively Outrageous Service.

When he is in front of an audience, it is clear that Gross is cut from a different cloth. With a cool comfortable style, Gross engages his audiences through stories, skits, role plays, and a variety of other techniques to keep them focused on what he is saying. The result is riveting performances, whether for groups of thirty or three thousand. Minutes into his presentation, he has the audience in the palm of his hand. They would be willing to listen to him all day and they would follow him anywhere.

Gross does his homework, vigorously reading literature and background information about the groups he is scheduled to speak to. Then, he majestically weaves each group's lore into his presentation so that they feel as if what he says to them that day is unique.

Speaker I Like: Don Blohowiak

The president of Leadwell, Inc., in Princeton Junction, NJ, Don Blohowiak (Blow-ho-viak) is a veteran of New York and New Jersey-based advertising and communications firms. He also logged in many hours earlier in his career as a broadcaster. In front of audiences, he offers authoritative insights and advice on effective hiring, customer service, and leadership.

Blohowiak is the author of numerous books and also the editor and principle author of the biweekly Don Blohowiak Leadership Letter. His breadth of knowledge and repartee in front of audiences make him a conference planner's delight.