Bring Your Team to Peak Performance with a Sales Speaker

Let's be honest, sales organizations have it rough. They're synonymous with the beleaguered groan echoed when the phone rings during dinner. I think it's time to dispel the myth of the nagging and pushy salesperson, and show the truth behind so many sales organizations – they are companies that help people fulfill a need.

Unfortunately, the negative image of a salesman is held by many employees of sales companies. How do you shake this persistent persona? How do you show your workforce that they are more than the caricature that so many believe they are? Clearly, there are several answers to these questions – from corporate structure to employee appreciation days and everything in between – but for the purposes of this conversation, I'd like to focus on a great way to rally your troops and show them their innate value, a motivational sales speaker.

Have you noticed your team becoming lethargic? Take some tips from speaker Anthony "AB" Bourke. Bourke is a former F-16 fighter pilot who has flown tactical missions across the globe. He translates his tactical experience into actionable items for both management and sales forces to help them achieve a better bottom line.

One way sales speaker Anthony "AB" Bourke teaches organizations to optimize performance is through "The Art of the Debrief" – one of his most popular speeches. As a United States Air Force fighter pilot, speaker Anthony "AB" Bourke learned early in his career that the key to keeping individuals and organizations on target and flying in formation is a constant communication system where team members receive honest feedback on a regular basis in a format that they expect. For fighter pilots, this process is called "debrief." Debrief is a systematic ritual that occurs after every mission a fighter pilot flies. In a hierarchical organization like the military, debrief is also a sacred learning environment where pilots of all ranks and experience levels meet as equals with the sole purpose of improving themselves and their squadron.

Not all corporate sales speakers take the militaristic tact. Many don't even go for analogies and just go straight to the issues your sales force experiences on a daily basis. Speaker Jeffrey Gitomer gets straight to the point in his very upfront and impactful presentations. His provocatively titled "Customer Satisfaction is Worthless: Customer Loyalty is Priceless" outlines how sales people have to go above what is expected to make an impact on their customers.

He will teach your group :

• The difference between satisfaction and loyalty
• His 12.5 principles of customer service success
• How to stop talking "stupid" to customers
• Mistakes and angry customers are loyalty opportunities

View some of APB's other Sales Speakers

Keith Ferrazzi
Topics: Relationships for Leadership Success & High-Performance Teams; Relationships for Career Success; Breaking Down Silos; From Pushback to Buy In

Scott McKain
Topics: What Customers Really Want; ALL Business Is Show Business; The Collapse of Distinction

Steve Van Aperen
Topics: Closing the Trust Gap: The Key to Better Business; More Than Face Value: Explore How to Read People in Any Situation; Building Trust: The Five Behaviors that Lead to Distrust & How to Avoid Them

Happy Mother's Day from Some of APB's Most Impactful Women Speakers

Did May 12th sneak up on you this year? Hopefully not! Growing up, Mother's Day was a day full of celebration and appreciation. My entire family, from brothers and grandparents to aunts and uncles to infant second cousins, would gather together to celebrate some of the strongest women we know.

I have been fortunate to be surrounded by strong, talented women throughout both my personal and professional lives. I am lucky enough to work for a speakers agency that represents some of the most impressive women speakers in the world: women who are battling oppression, creating opportunity worldwide, running nations, or fulfilling that ever important role of being a mother.

Women Speakers on Motherhood

Keynote speaker Kelly Corrigan rose to prominence for her incredibly moving memoir The Middle Place which chronicled her battle against - and triumph over - breast cancer. Her latest book, Lift, serves as an open letter from Corrigan to her daughters. She highlights three stirring stories of adults willing to risk it all for the joy of raising a family. Corrigan is an incredibly accessible and exceptional woman speaker with an innate ability to make any venue seem like an intimate conversation amongst friends. Her speeches and writing offer a glimpse into the deep emotional bond shared between a mother and her children.

Mothers constantly inspire. One of our newest keynote speakers, best-selling author Christina Baker Kline, gave fans a glimpse into her childhood and the impact her mother had on her writing career in a blog post for bookreporter.com. In the post, Baker Kline shares how her mother fostered her creative side and always encouraged her to write. Kline closes the post by saying, "In giving me books to fill, my mother gave me the confidence to believe that my imagination could stretch to fill a book. What a legacy to leave a daughter." We are extremely excited to welcome Christina Baker Klein as part of our speakers agency and look forward to helping her share her insight and message with audiences as one of our top woman speakers.

Motherhood can come in many forms as evidenced by one of this speakers agency's most booked women speakers, Victoria Rowell. A talented actress, author, and keynote speaker, Rowell is known for her roles on The Young and the Restless and Diagnosis Murder. She is also the author of The Women Who Raised Me, the compelling story of Rowell's youth in foster care and the impact that her foster mothers had on her. Deeply personal and transfixing, Victoria Rowell shows us that motherhood is not bound by rules of genealogy.

Big Data Speakers Discussing Big Solutions

Today, the average person processes more data in a single day than a person in the 1500's did in an entire lifetime. Sound overwhelming? Well, it can be. That's why many of today's top thinkers and innovators are engaged in a sprint to figure out how to leverage this incredible volume of data to improve the quality of life around the world.

We were lucky enough to have speaker Rick Smolan - known for his stunning photographic work in Time, Life, and National Geographic – stop by the APB office. He came to discuss his latest passion: Big Data. His new book, The Human Face of Big Data, creates a digestible and visually engaging compilation of snapshots and factoids about how Big Data is already being used to bridge gaps between and within industries, as well as how this can impact your daily life. Once you hear keynote speaker Rick Smolan, you'll no longer be asking yourself "but what does Big Data mean for me?"

Some of the most compelling Big Data speakers focus further up the pipeline to business application. Many business speakers who specialize in specific industries (be it healthcare, finance, social media, etc.) have embraced the topic of Big Data.

It's all about connecting and interpreting different sources of data to improve systems, customer targeting, and overall quality of life. One example of Big Data in action was shared with me by one of our top corporate speakers, David Pogue (Pogue is the host of NOVA ScienceNow and is a funny, engaging, and energetic keynote speaker). With the advent of "smart clothing," individuals are now able to track a slew of information in real time: from activity levels to sleep cycles to traveling patterns and more. This information can then be collected and analyzed to produce services tailored to a single person. Some hospitals are already doing this and are able to provide care to patients that are as unique to them as their fingerprint. As a prominent technologist and healthcare speaker, Pogue delves more deeply into how big data can be used to improve care in his new topic "The Quantified Self: When Patients Become Doctors." –Learn more about speaker David Pogue

But, doesn't all of this information seem a little bit Big Brother? Not to keynote speaker Beth Simone Noveck. Noveck is the former US Deputy Chief Technology Officer, the leading voice for transparency in government, and a sought-after corporate speaker. She sees Big Data as a route to making Washington smarter. We can now use predictive analysis based on information from across industries to spot problems before they become too big to handle.

For example, millions of people use social media on a daily basis. What if someone could aggregate all of that information and create a way to track all of the instances where people are discussing violence in their community? You could then create maps showing the density of violence occurring throughout a city, town, or even country. Local governments would then be able to allocate addition resources to troubled areas, be it in the form of additional police officers, funding for schools, or public works projects. –Learn more about speaker Beth Noveck

The long and the short of it? Sometimes we are left with more questions than we started with, but with the continuing push to interpret and connect disparate sources of information, and with 2.5 quintillion (that's a 2 and a 5 followed by 18 zeros) bytes of data being produced daily, the answers are sure to be in there somewhere, right?

Celebrating Women's History Month: Reproductive Rights Speakers

With the 40^th anniversary of the Supreme Court's Roe v. Wade decision - which legalized abortion in the US on January 22, 1975 - this year represented a landmark in women's reproductive rights, despite continued resistance. To close our celebration of Women's History Month, APB would like to highlight some of our notable reproductive rights speakers who relentlessly fight to ensure that women have the right to choose their own fates.

The following are a few of these reproductive rights speakers:

As former president and CEO of Planned Parenthood, speaker Gloria Feldt was a major driving force behind advancing reproductive rights and increasing access to reproductive healthcare in the US and around the world. She is the author of three acclaimed books: The War on Choice, Behind Every Choice Is a Story, and No Excuses: 9 Ways Women Can Change How We Think About Power. As an acclaimed reproductive rights speaker, she presents with zeal and candor on a larger range of issues affecting women, healthcare, and fundamental rights of equality. Learn more about speaker Gloria Feldt.

Known for her hilarious roles in such films as Sister Act and Sister Act 2, actress and speaker Kathy Najimy is the Ms. Magazine Woman of the Year and a "social action hero." Always on the frontlines of progressive social causes, she is driven by her own desire to see all living things treated equitably: "First and foremost, I'm a feminist. And basically that stems from a strong belief that all people and creatures deserve equal opportunity, rights, and respect," she says. She champions this principle as a dedicated speaker on reproductive rights. Learn more about speaker Kathy Najimy.

Speaker Taraneh Salke is the founder and executive director of Family Health Alliance (FHA), a nonprofit organization focused on advancing women's reproductive health and rights in underdeveloped and resource-poor environments. She surprised the world with her controversial decision to educate and involve Afghan men in advancing women's health rights in Afghanistan but ultimately earned respect for the success of her program. A noted reproductive rights speaker, she lectures about women's global health issues. Learn more about speaker Taraneh Salke.

One of America's premier actresses, speaker Kathleen Turner has garnered critical acclaim for her roles in such films as Body Heat, Romancing the Stone, Prizzi's Honor, Peggy Sue Got Married, and War of the Roses. She is the author of Send Yourself Roses: Thoughts on My Life, Love, and Leading Roles, a frank, funny, irreverent, and inspiring memoir. She is a highly active reproductive rights speaker and has served as the chair of the Planned Parenthood Federation of America Board of Advocates. Learn more about speaker Kathleen Turner.

Speaker Sara Paretsky challenged the conventions of an entire literary genre where women were often depicted as either helpless victims or vamps by introducing "V.I. Warshawski," a tough-minded and intelligent female detective in her 1982 groundbreaking crime novel, Indemnity Only. A dedicated women's rights advocate, she is a member of the national board of advocates for Planned Parenthood and has been a speaker on reproductive rights since 1970. Learn more about speaker Sara Paretsky.

A longtime speaker on reproductive rights, actress and speaker Susan Sarandon actively participates in marches and rallies to advance the causes she believes in. She has received four Academy Award nominations and is acclaimed for her roles in such films as Thelma and Louise, Atlantic City, The Witches of Eastwick, and Bull Durham, among many others. Committed to peace and justice, political and social activism have been a lifelong theme for Sarandon who feels strongly about causes ranging from HIV/AIDS prevention and awareness to women's rights. Learn more about speaker Susan Sarandon.

Learn more about APB's reproductive rights speakers.

You may also be interested in:

• Women's History Month speakers
• Women's issues speakers
• Prominent women speakers

How to Book a Speaker: How Do I Convince My Colleagues Once I've Found the Right Speaker?

This is the fifth installment in a new series on how to book a speaker in which we will guide you through the process of selecting a speaker and bringing him or her to your event. Please call us at 800.225.4575 or contact us on our website with any questions on how to book a speaker.

After conducting ample research and comparing countless speakers, you've finally narrowed your choices down to a handful of speakers who would be great for your event (for more on choosing the best speaker for your engagement, see How to Book a Speaker: Choosing the Right Speaker for Your Event) and who match your budget (for more on speaker fees, see How to Book a Speaker: The Cost of Booking a Speaker).

And now, unless you're working alone, it's time to present your choice or choices to your colleagues for approval.

This may seem daunting - after all, it's difficult to get consensus from a group of people with varying perspectives and you only have a few precious minutes to share hours of research into why a particular speaker is a good fit for you business, association, or school.

APB speaker Alexandra Cousteau

By working with a speakers bureau, a program consultant will give you as much ammunition as you need to walk into your boardroom and sell your speaker or speakers of choice. Program consultants are expertly versed in their speakers' presentation styles and programs and will thoroughly educate you on your speaker of choice. As experts on how to book a speaker and on the process of selling speakers to committees, they'll also provide you with the language you'll need to explain why your speaker is a perfect fit for your group and how your speaker will share a message that is in line with your school, corporation, organization, or association.

When you present your speaker or speakers, you'll want to make sure you're prepared with materials to prove their value and worth. At APB, program consultants equip you with the following materials you can share with your board or committee:

• A speaker's biography that not only lists his or her major accomplishments but shares what he or she brings to your market - whether it be healthcare, education, or business - as a speaker
• Recent articles from reputable sources that highlight your speaker's cultural relevance
• Videos that showcase your speaker's presentation style and how audiences react to him or her
• Descriptions of your speaker's speeches and programs
• Testimonials from past clients that share what various organizations, from universities to Fortune 500 companies to nonprofits, thought of that speaker

Try to limit the number of suggestions you bring in to your committee to two or three speakers. Otherwise, the process of choosing a speaker from a long list may take an inordinate amount of time and may require your board or committee to hold multiple meetings to settle the issue. If possible, try to put a deadline on the decision - at around a month - to make sure it isn't continually sidelined.

APB speaker Geoffrey Canada speaking to students

To make the process significantly easier for you and your committee or board, here's another helpful piece of advice: Before you embark on your search for a speaker, talk to your committee or board and find out exactly which specifications they would like a potential speaker to meet. Cover as many details as possible - gender, age range, subjects he or she discusses - and make sure you've got the right figure when it comes to your budget. That way, when you start the process of talking with a speakers bureau, you'll known exactly what you're looking for and your program consultant will be able to point out a handful of speakers who meet your exact specifications. And when the time comes to meet with your board, you'll expedite the process of selecting a speaker by having narrowed your selections down to a small number of speakers, thereby making the boardroom conversation as short and sweet as possible.

If you're worried about not being able to adequately sell your speaker or speakers of choice to your committee or board, don't panic: program consultants at APB are ready to jump in on a conference call with your organization to help you sell your speaker. They'll share their inside knowledge of that speaker and why he or she is such a great match for your event, as well as provide your association with any other information on how to book a speaker. In this manner, you can jointly sell your speaker along with a program consultant, or if you'd prefer to have the spotlight taken off of you, you can let a program consultant take the reins and sell your speaker of choice for you. After all, that's exactly what they do day in and day out.

If necessary, some speakers are also willing to get on the phone to speak with you and your association's members so that you may get a better sense of who they are and what they would sound like to your audience.

Speakers bureaus such as APB are here to help you through every step of the way of the booking process and will go to every length to help you explain to your colleagues why a particular speaker is a great addition to your event.

Still have questions on how to convince your colleagues once you've found the right speaker? We are happy to provide you with more advice on selling your speaker and to answer any questions you may have on how to book a speaker. Call us at 800.225.4575 or contact us on our website to get started.

Next time: 

How to Book a Speaker: Getting Your Speaker to Your Event

Previously: 

How to Book a Speaker: The Cost of Booking a Speaker

How to Book a Speaker: What Does It Cost to Book a Speaker?

This is the fourth installment in a new series on how to book a speaker in which we will guide you through the process of selecting a speaker and bringing him or her to your event. Please call us at 800.225.4575 or contact us on our website with any questions on how to book a speaker.

In How to Book a Speaker: Finding the Right Speaker for Your Event, we listed three important questions to help you decide who to book as a speaker:

1. What is your goal?
2. Who is your audience?
3. What is your budget?

Today, we'll focus on this last question. Speaker fees can vary anywhere from $5,000 to upwards of hundreds of thousands of dollars... sometimes more! It all depends on what the speaker is doing for you, how recognizable the speaker is, and where the event is located. This may seem like a hefty range, but working with a speakers bureau will help you find the best possible price for your business, organization, association, or school. Speakers bureaus such as APB have speakers at every price point and work diligently to find you the best possible choice for your budget. After all, it's what we're here to do.

It's important to know that speakers are not cheaper if you approach them directly. In fact, by working with a speakers bureau, you'll be able to compare multiple options in terms of speakers and travel logistics that you wouldn't have access to without consulting a bureau. APB, for example, includes a client services department that is a full-service travel agency with access to over 98 percent of the world's airlines, hotels, and ground transportation outlets. Speakers bureaus are skilled at finding the best possible deals for your group and work hard to make the booking process as painless as possible.

APB speaker Kathy LeMay at a book signing

The following are three factors that determine how much your speaker fee will be:

• What your speaker is doing for you: In broad terms, a speaker fee is based on the total amount of time a speaker dedicates to the activities related to his or her speech. This includes preparation, travel, overnight stay, plus any additional activities on top of a basic speech or keynote that increase a speaker's time spent with the client. These additional activities may involve a reception, meet and greet, Q&A, book signing, breakout session, or workshop. The more work a speaker puts in, the higher the fee.

• How recognizable your speaker is: Well-known speakers, such as celebrities and best-selling authors, and speakers with a long history of success as public speakers will also usually have a higher fee because the scope of their presentations will generally be bigger than other presentations. Because of their famous names, high-profile speakers generally draw larger crowds and have busier schedules. They may have multiple commitments in a single day and thus need to travel long distances in little time. But even though it may cost more to book a celebrity, the end result makes it well worth it. If you're hosting a fundraiser, a famous face will rally a large crowd to your event. If your company is trying to justify the purchase of a product or service, a famous speaker outside your business' leadership can help increase that product's appeal. (See How to Book a Speaker: Do I Need a Speaker for My Event? for more on why a speaker may be a valuable addition to your event.)

• Where the event is located: The farther a speaker has to travel, the more his or her travel expenses will be. International travel may require multi-day stays, which also cost more. Depending on the speaker, travel expenses - which include air fare, hotel accommodations, meals, ground transportation, and incidentals - may be included in a flat fee or may be in addition to the fee. A speakers bureau's client services department will work with you to find the most affordable travel expenses for both your organization and the speaker. (More on travel logistics in the upcoming How to Book a Speaker: Getting Your Speaker to Your Event.)

APB speaker Wes Moore addressing his audience

If you're concerned about how all of these variables add up, don't worry: speakers bureaus exist to help you find the best speaker and travel arrangement to match your budget. Speakers bureaus such as APB address fee issues constantly throughout the year and can provide you the best advice. And whether you're looking to draw more students to your school or implement a solution that will improve your business' bottom line, the right speaker can generate a great return on investment.

Ultimately, the cost of booking a speaker depends from speaker to speaker. Speakers bureaus are closely acquainted with each speaker on their roster and will discuss fees and expenses with them with your best interest in mind.

Still have questions on what it costs to book a speaker? We are happy to provide you with the best advice regarding fees and expenses and answer any questions you may have on how to book a speaker. Call us at 800.225.4575 or contact us on our website to get started.

Next time:

How to Book a Speaker: Convincing Your Colleagues Once You've Found the Right Speaker

Previously: 

How to Book aSpeaker: How Far in Advance You Should Plan Your Event

Celebrating Women’s History Month: Prominent Women Speakers

With spring's advent, this week in Women's History Month offers hope for a sunnier future. APB is proud to highlight some of our prominent women speakers whose charisma, eloquence, and wide-ranging experiences inspire audiences around the world. Uniting world leaders, activists, celebrities, and politicians, APB's prominent women speakers are renowned for their ability to rally audiences around a cause or discussion.

The following are some of these prominent women speakers:

A beloved TV icon and entertainment pioneer, speaker Ellen DeGeneres has delighted audiences from her first stand-up comedy appearances to her current work as the host of the Emmy-winning Ellen DeGeneres Show. As a prominent woman speaker, she shares the personal stories and insights she has gleaned from her career - including coming out as a lesbian before a record 46 million viewers on Ellen's "The Puppy Episode," thereby inspiring countless others to reveal their true selves. She is the New York Times best-selling author of The Funny Thing Is… and Seriously… I'm Kidding. Learn more about speaker Ellen DeGeneres.

Internationally known as Africa's "Iron Lady," speaker Ellen Johnson Sirleaf is a leading promoter of peace, justice, and democratic rule. As Africa's first democratically elected female president, President Johnson Sirleaf has led the war-torn nation of Liberia to restored freedom and peace while enacting economic, social, and political change. Her incredible journey was chronicled in her memoir, This Child Will Be Great. As a prominent woman speaker, she shares a message of peace, human rights, economic empowerment, and moral leadership that leaves audiences inspired. Learn more about speaker Ellen Johnson Sirleaf.

Speaker Shirin Ebadi is the first Iranian and first Muslim woman to win the Nobel Peace Prize. Making history as the first woman judge in Iran, Ebadi was stripped of her basic rights by the religious revolutionaries - whom she once supported - who declared women unfit to serve as judges. She fought her way back as a human rights lawyer, defending women and children in controversial, politically charged cases. As a prominent woman speaker, she inspires hope that Islam, democracy, and all human rights can coexist despite the challenges of these turbulent times. Learn more about speaker Shirin Ebadi.

An energetic blend of stateswoman, physician, manager, politician, and international activist, speaker Gro Harlem Brundtland has served as the first female Prime Minister of Norway and as the first female Director-General of the World Health Organization. For over four decades, Dr. Brundtland has focused on promoting sustainable development, increasing environmental awareness, and advocating for good health as a basic human right. As a prominent woman speaker, she contributes her wisdom, independent leadership, and integrity to tackling the world's toughest problems, aiming to make the world a better place. Learn more about speaker Gro Harlem Brundtland.

Speaker Toni Morrison is one of the most prominent authors in world literature, having won the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1993 for her collected works. Several of her novels have taken their place in the canon of American literature, including The Bluest Eye, Beloved, and Song of Solomon. Along with being a prominent woman speaker, she is the Robert F. Goheen Professor in the Council of the Humanities at Princeton University. In May 2012, she was awarded the Medal of Freedom, the nation's highest civilian honor, by President Barack Obama. Learn more about speaker Toni Morrison.

The daughter of 37th US President Richard Nixon, speaker Julie Nixon Eisenhower is a best-selling author, editor, and speaker on such subjects as the presidency, women in politics, and life in the White House. She is the author of three books - Pat Nixon: The Untold Story, Special People, and Julie Eisenhower's Cookbook for Children. As a prominent woman speaker, she has lectured for more than 25 years to groups ranging from town halls to the University of California, Irvine. Learn more about speaker Julie Nixon Eisenhower.

Learn more about APB's prominent women speakers.

You may also be interested in:

• Women's History Month speakers
• Women's issues speakers
• Women's rights speakers