Customer Reviews

Getting Started in Speaking, Training, or Seminar Consulting

5 star:		(6)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I've been a Bob Bly fan for over twenty years. Through his books, Bob Bly has inspired and mentored me, helping me write 24 books and conduct hundreds of workshops throughout the world. Although Bob Bly has written over 45 books, I think Getting Started in Speaking, Training, or Seminar Consulting is his best one yet. It's the tightest written and most entertaining; certainly one of the most useful. It's the one I just bought for two of my friends who need the type of career enhancement that only speaking can provide.

Although there are numerous "get rich quick" books on the subjhect, this is the most comprehensive, tightly organized yet readable one I've ever encountered. It's loaded with details regarding prsentation development and marketing. Numerous worksheets help you apply his ideas to your next presentation.

I especially liked Bob overview of the various categories of public speaking, i.e. keynote speakers, corporate trainers, self-marketed workshops and public seminar companies. Bob details the pros and cons of each category, how you can best prepare your presentation as well as outlines the their income potential and techniques for marketing yourself.

This is one of those rare books that comes from the heart. It's not a "formula" book nor does it promise more than it delivers. Bob writes clearly but with passion and obvious concern for his readers. His knowledge is augmented by numerous quotes from other successful speakers. Bob's understated integrity comes through on every page.

The need for this book becomes more and more obvious as each morning's newspaper recounts the latest cutbacks and restructuring. Today, we all need to master more and more communications skills in order to preserve our present job and prepare for an uncertain future.

Robert Bly does it again with his latest book. It's full of solid information on exactly how to get into the speaking and training field. He gives hype-free realistic advice on self-sponsoring public seminars, boosting your income with products and has extensive appendices at the end with sample documents and web sites, etc. It's a reference book you'll use over and over again. Cathleen Fillmore

Another WINNER! This is an excellent resource for starting and establishing a career as a professional speaker.I've read most of Bob Bly's books (and continue to do so) and I'm never left disappointed. He consistently gives you practical, down to earth information that you can immediately put to use.The advice he gives in this book enabled me to land a number of lucrative speaking engagements. Through his advice on writing and publishing (an important section in the book), I was able to get a monthly column in Fund Raising Management magazine (Hoke Communications Inc.) and Publishers' Auxiliary (National Newspaper Association).I can honestly say that I cut my teeth on Bly's books. His instructions have proved profitable for me in too many ways to mention. This book on public speaking is one I'll cherish and continue to recommend for years to come.

If you've not had any exposure to the process of managing a speaking career, this would be a good overview book for you. Good information, easy to read, and some practical examples. The last 100 pages or so are sample letters, lists of associations, etc. which may or may not be useful to you.

A lot of valuable information for anyone starting to speak publicly - I had borrowed it from the library and decided it was too valuable a reference for me not to own my own copy.

The book was well written and simple to understand. I'm beginning a career as a trainer, and this book gave me real insight to the world of a consultant, speaker, trainer. The author makes good disctinctions in the different areas. It's simple to understand and practical. He gives great advice based on his experiences and others in the field. Information includes pricing, finding locations, contracts, marketing, doing corporation seminars and private ones and more. Note: the book is 260 pages long, but starting at page 169 is resources and example forms. If you're looking to become a part-time or full-time speaker and want to get a feel for what to expect, this book gives you a very good idea of what to expect.

This book will not lead you to a single speaking engagement. If you are serious about the speaking business contact the National Speakers Association.

Bly used a lot of fluff and padding throughout this booksuch as lists, ultra simple forms, notes on other peoples presentations. Finally, the last 100 pages are filler lists that have little to do with the advertised purpose of the book. It is extremely easy to read as the thought content is low. To many topics are covered and with little substance. A good editor could cut the text to a third its size and lose little substance. After cutting the text to a third and dropping the near frivolous lists you would be left with less than 50 pages of material worthy of a competing book.

For me one paragraph was worth more than the price of the book. I have read and reviewed on Amazon 35 books on speaking in the last 18 months. That qualifies me as an obsessive learner or researcher. When Bly pointed out that professional speakers are more about intense up-to-date research than platform skills, it is an awakening. You get paid to study provided you find a market for your subject. One of the most famous motivational speakers said that he still spends more than 50 hours preparation for each client speech. Clearly, a speaker based on specific expertise would prepare considerably more. The fee per hour expended would be an unromantic number for most professional speakers.

Two books that are better for getting started in higher level professional speaking are as follows: Speaking for Profit and Pleasure by William D. Thompson. Speak and Grow Rich by Dottie Walters. If you are lacking in a topic for developing expertise and likely to spend considerable time in the training market for a public seminar company Blys book may be the place to start your study.

Any aspiring to mid-career speaker will find most of this book's content highly useful.

A great book for someone contemplating entering the speaking/seminar business. I discovered the National Speakers Association through this book.