Keynotes and Workshops Strategic Alliance ROI Relationship ROI Associations & Society ROI Professional Speaker Assistance

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Solutions you need...if you're looking for timely and cutting edge information that will help you to better lead your for-profit, or non-profit organization, please sign up for my weekly Effective Executive e Letter and article distribution list. I guarantee, you'll enjoy additional perspectives for solving your challenges, and we'll be able to keep in contact. -Ed Rigsbee, CSP

Check out Ed's Effective Executive blog at: http://rigsbizresults.blogspot.com/

Your Effective Executive Letter for Business Results: 9/9/09

Please connect with me at:

http://twitter.com/EdRigsbee
http://www.facebook.com/ed.rigsbee
http://www.linkedin.com/in/edrigsbee

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1. Partnering for Profits; You Want What It Does

2. Personal Responsibility; Two Windows

3. Platform Charisma; Will the Real You Please Stand?

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Partnering for Profits; You Want What It Does

Let’s face it, few individuals wake up in the morning and think, “Wow, I want an alliance.” Rather, you want what the alliance will do for you. An alliance is nothing more than a conduit for delivering value. As you explore the possibilities in developing alliance relationships, keep your focus on benefit rather than process. The big companies are so focused on alliance process that they can easily forget about delivering value.

Personal Responsibility; Two Windows

I have written quite a lot lately about personal responsibility www.rigsbee.com/morearticles.htm. As a business leader you have double duty. First, you have to be responsible to effectively run your business—to see to it that your employees have a livelihood. And second, you have to be responsible to motivate your employees to be responsible themselves. As you develop a deeper partnering relationship with your employees, help them to see, and mirror, your personal responsibility through both windows. Help them to be responsible, and to hold you responsible.

Platform Charisma; Will the Real You Please Stand?

When you try to be someone else on the platform, you usually suck—unless of course you are a professional impersonator. Here’s the thing; you bring a unique set of skills, tools, and values to the platform—why not release them to deliver the highest value possible to your audience. Careful now, release the best you, and not the worst you. The worst you is the lazy you. The best you is the prepared, excited, and enthusiast you. Always reveal the best you.

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BUSINESS IS ABOUT RESULTS, NOT EXCUSES!

Rigsbee Research Consulting Group

Your Effective Executive Letter for Business Results: 8/12/09

Please connect with me at Facebook & Linkedin.

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1. Live, In-Person Meetings Matter

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Live, In-Person Meetings Matter

Face-to-face networking will always deliver more total value to humans than other electronic options. Daily, relationships are being developed online and then further solidified in person.

In this difficult economic time, partnering is the path to succeed. Intelligent partnering assures that all participants get and give—each has to believe they received value from participation.

Infusing this partnering idea into today’s meetings development will serve both corporations and associations alike. Reported in the July 27, 2009 issue of MeetingNews (www.MeetingNews.com) is their recent survey revealing that 43% of the corporations that reported had canceled a contracted meeting in the past six months. But, only 20% of the associations reported doing the same.

In the August 2009 issues (Meetings, West, South, etc.) produced by www.meetingsfocus.com is an article titled, Building Blocks—Associations Are Grappling with Attendance Issues that you might want to read. Mentioned; $50K keynote speakers being replaced with $20K speakers, content trumps location as well as big-name speakers, and feel-good speeches are gone.

The bottom line is that Americans are still meeting in-person (despite the political fall out in March) because that’s the best way to develop effective business relationships, network, and discover new opportunities. Yes, there are more association meetings than corporate, and that’s okay.

You need PROFESSIONAL speakers at your meeting that are flexible/easy to work with, deliver immediately usable content to meeting attendees, and do it in a fun environment that motivate your people to use the information, somehow moving from point “A” to “B” and will not bust your budget.

If you agree, call me today to talk about how I, Ed Rigsbee, can help you to deliver all the above to your meeting attendees—no matter the meeting purpose. My pledge to you is this, if you want me as your meeting partner, we’ll find a way to make the finances work—I guarantee it!

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BUSINESS IS ABOUT RESULTS, NOT EXCUSES!

Rigsbee Research Consulting Group

Your Effective Executive Letter for Business Results: 7/29/09

Please connect with me at Facebook & Linkedin.

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1. Partnering for Profits: Personally Responsible

2. Executive Presentation Skills: Confidence

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Partnering for Profits: Personally Responsible

Read at risk of anger: I wrote about organizations using the Scanlon Plan for employee equity sharing in my first book titled, “The Art of Partnering;” pick up a used copy at Amazon. With the Scanlon Plan, both employees and leadership are equally responsible for the organization’s success.

In these difficult economic times, leaders are still responsible to their employees to ensure jobs and livelihood. Over the last decade, many leaders have unfortunately proven to be scum; taking huge bonuses or severance payments and leaving employees to fend for themselves. Does the word “Unions” have a meaning here?

You may disagree with me on this, and you have the right to be wrong; if you are a leader, you are responsible!!! If you are a leader in your organization and you are working 60 hours a week leading the charge, God bless you—you are a true leader. If you are in a leadership position and are taking vacation time, time off, and generally MIA, you are NOT a leader but rather a parasite on the organization. Sorry if the truth hurts, but it’s the truth.

Hourly employees cannot be expected to be organizational rain makers. For if they were, they would not stick around as hourly employees. Leaders are expected to be rain makers, and to provide for their employees. And that’s why leaders get the big bucks.

When you are ready for the “Ed Rigsbee Experience” in your organization, give me a call at 800-839-1520.

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Executive Presentation Skills: Confidence

I hope you enjoy what my good friend, Randy Pennington, CSP, CPAE, has to say about confidence:

1. Confidence in my material and expertise. I know that what I have to say is important and relevant to the audience's needs. I have done my research and know what I need to do. The work has been put in to ensure I can be confident in what I'm going to say before I ever walk on platform.

2. Experience and confidence in my skills. There are very few situations that I haven't seen over the years. The comfort in knowing that I have previously succeeded in difficult situations gives me confidence that I can handle anything that comes up.

3. Obligation and duty. The audience and the person who hired me expect a level of confidence from me. It is part of the package for the fee I am paid. To show less than a level of confidence that increases the opportunities for success is taking money I didn't earn.

Executive Public Speakers, Professional Speakers, and Emerging Professional Speakers; please visit http://www.SucceedInSpeaking.com for additional ideas, assistance, and resources.

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BUSINESS IS ABOUT RESULTS, NOT EXCUSES!

Rigsbee Research Consulting Group

Your Effective Executive Letter for Business Results: 7/15/09

Please connect with me at Facebook, Linkedin, and/or Plaxo.

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1. Partnering for Profits: Personal Responsibility

2. Executive Presentation Skills: Charisma

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Partnering for Profits: Personal Responsibility

Just recently I was chatting with a friend that is a partner at a professional services company. His firm has been hit particularly hard in this economy because of the firm’s dependence on the construction industry. He was telling me that his firm is in the “survival” mode. After a few questions, I told him that I disagreed, and that his firm was really in the “vacation” mode.

The reason for my assessment is because the partners merely cut the hours they would work in an effort to save money by reducing their income. And, they have had to lay off a number of employees. While there is much to discuss in this company’s situation, for you the leader of your organization, there is an important issue to consider.

When times are tough, does the leader of an organization throw up his or her hands and say there is no business, and just go on vacation? Hell no! The leader(s), especially in small to mid-sized companies must lead by example. Leaders must accept personal responsibility for letting their company fall into the tail spin by working more hours and perhaps for a period of time, receiving less (Fortune 500 CEOs seem to be exempted).

For any organizational leader, simply working less hours for less pay is criminal in my opinion. More on this next week…

You can read more about my perspective on the fine points of alliance development at http://www.Rigsbee.com/morearticles.htm (Permission to reprint my articles is also there.)

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Executive Presentation Skills: Charisma

I recently asked some of my professional speaker buddies to give me their take on charisma and I think you’ll enjoy with what Jim Cathcart, CSP, CPAE had to say:

“There are three elements in every aspect of speaking success: Mindset, Skills and Systems. Charisma starts with Mindset. You must cultivate a respect for and admiration of your audience. Without this your speech will simply be a delivery of information. With it your emotions will reinforce your message positively.

The skills of charisma have to do with understanding and adapting to differences in groups and individuals. You've got to know your audience: the organization, the situation, the culture, and the individuals as much as practical.

Your systems need to include the efficient gathering of data about the group, your assignment and their goals. Have a great preprogram questionnaire to help you learn what you need to learn. Also, your personal system or habit pattern in preparation for each speech has a great deal to do with charisma. Be sure you get yourself into the attitude and mood to be the best you can be for them.”

Executive Public Speakers, Professional Speakers, and Emerging Professional Speakers; please visit http://www.SucceedInSpeaking.com for additional ideas, assistance, and resources.

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BUSINESS IS ABOUT RESULTS, NOT EXCUSES!

Rigsbee Research Consulting Group

Your Effective Executive Letter for Business Results: 5/20/09

Please connect with me at Facebook, Linkedin, and/or Plaxo.

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1. Partnering for Profits: New State of Alliance Study

2. Executive Presentation Skills: Be Heard

3. Association Executives: Innovation in Member Retention

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Partnering for Profits: New State of Alliance Study

The Association for Strategic Alliance Professionals just released its third “State of Alliance Management Study” and there are some interesting changes since the 2007 study was published. Co-marketing alliances down just a bit and research alliances are up a bit. In the 2007 study, American alliance success rate was around 50%, now the success rate is at 57%. Fifty-one percent of the companies now employ a full time alliance professional. Europe is investing a bit more in alliance management that is being done in the USA. Alliance success is a couple points higher in the USA over Europe. Unfortunately, international alliance success rate is only 49% but better then innovation alliance success rates, which are at about 40%.

You can read more about my perspective on the fine points of alliance development at http://www.Rigsbee.com/morearticles.htm (Permission to reprint my articles is also there.)

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Executive Presentation Skills: Be Heard

The question of style verses substance is one that will always be around. If style is all you have, then you’d better be a humorist or Toastmaster competitor. If substance is all you have then your information had better be so important to the well being, or success, of the people attending your talk.

But, if you have both style and substance, you will always be heard. You will always communicate your message. And most likely, you will always sell your message.

An analogy to keep in your mind is of a beautiful red ruby (substance) presented in a well lighted and displayed environment (the style). Take that fabulous ruby and throw it into a bowl of cooked spinach; not too exciting. The ruby will possibly be overlooked. The same goes for your speech; display your ruby in such a way that it will not be missed—and you will be heard.

Executive Public Speakers, Professional Speakers, and Emerging Professional Speakers; please visit http://www.SucceedInSpeaking.com for additional ideas, assistance, and resources.

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Trade Association & Professional Society Executives:

The Los Angeles Bar Association recently took a very innovative approach in an effort to retain older members. With the dues renewal, the older members are offered an “opt-out” option of joining the newly formed group for older members. Interestingly enough, few opted out—they accepted the offer. What do they get? Specific programming and events geared to what is humorously called the dinosaur group. Way to go LABA, you are an innovative leader in Member retention.

Association Executives may access association growth articles and member recruitment campaign information at http://www.GrowingYourAssociation.com

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BUSINESS IS ABOUT RESULTS, NOT EXCUSES!

Rigsbee Research Consulting Group

Your Effective Executive Letter for Business Results: 4/15/09

Please connect with me at Facebook, Linkedin, and/or Plaxo.

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1. Partnering for Profits: Compare to Top Alliance Professionals

2. Executive Presentation Skills: From Ed’s Bookshelf

3. Association Executives: Go for the Two-fer!

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Partnering for Profits: Compare to Top Alliance Professionals

A recent study done by the American Management Association and Pearson in collaboration with the Society of Human Resource Management (SHRM) and the Association of Strategic Alliance Professionals (ASAP) titled, “Today’s Alliance Professional...Tomorrow’s Strategic Leader” offers some very insightful information.

In examining strategic alliance professionals who identified themselves as “top experts in the field” the researchers wanted to see how those alliance professionals differed from ones who identified themselves as novices and moderately proficient. The “top experts” differed from their peers in several ways. The key findings were:

* “Top experts” are even more independent and sociable than most strategic alliance professionals.

* They are also higher in critical thinking and in leadership orientation.

* Finally, they possess a higher level of concern for others, which means that they have a strong empathic connection with people. When we look at the overall profile of top strategic alliance experts; areas where they differ from their peers as well as areas of similarity; a pattern emerges:

* Top experts appear to be very dynamic individuals who care about and connect with people; they positively influence and motivate others.

* They are constantly reaching out and networking with people.

* They are also very strategic and likely to find and create opportunities to use their critical thinking skills and independent and innovative style.

* On the other hand, they are likely to feel bogged down if required to devote energy to a lot of strict procedural demands and attention to details. They would suffer if forced to work within a bureaucratic environment.

~~~If you would like to read the study summary, email your request to ed@rigsbee.com and I’ll forward the pdf file to you~~~

You can read more about my perspective on the fine points of alliance development at http://www.Rigsbee.com/morearticles.htm (Permission to reprint my articles is also there.)

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Executive Presentation Skills: From Ed’s Bookshelf

This week I’d like to share with you the 12 rules for speaking success from James Anderson’s book (published 1989) titled, “Speaking to Groups, Eyeball to Eyeball.” Good ideas, all of them. One caution…have a script, but do not read your script.

1. Find your action objective.

2. Know your audience.

3. Build from the closing.

4. Hook your audience instantly.

5. Create a script.

6. Keep a sharp focus.

7. Use good delivery.

8. Add impact with visuals.

9. Sell them with persuasion.

10. Keep a positive attitude.

11. Be totally prepared.

12. Follow up your success.

Executive Public Speakers, Professional Speakers, and Emerging Professional Speakers; please visit http://www.SucceedInSpeaking.com for additional ideas, assistance, and resources.

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Trade Association & Professional Society Executives: Get the Membership Two-fer

How good is your membership recruitment brochure? This is a great time to take a look. In order to combine a member recruitment campaign along with a member retention campaign, you need to have a four-color pocket sized tri-fold brochure, you know, one that neatly fits in a #10 envelope. And the brochure had better address the benefits, rather than the features of membership. Features are what you get when you join, and the benefits are how those features make your life better—by helping you to get more customers, make more money, keep the best employees, and benefits like that.

The way you get a two-fer is to motivate your current members to call on prospective members. Have a class at your next conference going over all the benefits your association delivers—your members will need to attend to get “up to speed” on the benefits so they can talk about those benefits. And, what are you doing? You are reinforcing in the minds’ of your current members that they made a good decision in joining themselves…go for the two-fer!

If you need help with this, give me a call at 800-839-1520, I mean it.

Association Executives may access association growth articles and member recruitment campaign information at http://www.GrowingYourAssociation.com

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BUSINESS IS ABOUT RESULTS, NOT EXCUSES!

Rigsbee Research Consulting Group

Your Effective Executive Letter for Business Results: 4/8/09

Please connect with me at Facebook, Linkedin, and/or Plaxo.

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1. Partnering for Profits: Supplier Relationships

2. Executive Presentation Skills: Avoid Competing With Yourself

3. Association Executives: Partner with Your Speakers

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Partnering for Profits: Supplier Relationships

Yes, this is a great time to squeeze your suppliers for an extra nickel. The economy sucks, everyone is scrambling, and you want to get more than your fair share—it’s just looking out for my company you might say.

Don’t do it!!!

You might not think so now, but your suppliers really are the lifeblood of your company. Without your suppliers, you’d have nothing to sell or service to offer. Sure it is natural to want to take advantage of a situation. But hear me loud and clear—stick it to your suppliers now, and when things get better, they’ll remember.

By partnering with your suppliers in both good times and bad, you will be making superior “Relationship Bank Deposits” in anticipation of future withdrawals. If you have not yet done it; have meetings with your key suppliers and ask for their recommendations for process and supply chain improvement, especially in this lousy economic time. I’m pretty sure they will have a few recommendations that you have not yet implemented.

You can read more about my perspective on the fine points of alliance development at http://www.Rigsbee.com/morearticles.htm (Permission to reprint my articles is also there.)

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Executive Presentation Skills: Avoid Competing With Yourself

You have most likely seen it; the speaker has a nervous habit, or several. And these habits are completely distracting. In fact, you have a hard time concentrating on what the speaker is saying. Some things to consider that will help you avoid competing with yourself the next time you give a presentation:

Playing with your eyeglasses

Playing with change in your pocket

Continual nervously sipping water

Over using “you know” and “uhhh”

Reading your speech

Dissymmetry in clothing; one coat pocket in and one out, wearing your name badge, or oversized broach

Executive Public Speakers, Professional Speakers, and Emerging Professional Speakers; please visit http://www.SucceedInSpeaking.com for additional ideas, assistance, and resources.

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Trade Association & Professional Society Executives: Partner with Your Speakers

I was just reading in the April issue of “Smart Meetings” yet another article on frugal meeting tips and found myself wondering why the author would suggest creating an adversary relationship with speakers. While the author did not say it in so many words, however the author’s recommendations said it loud and clear—limit the number of hotel nights and only give conference registration for one day. Over the last several months, I have been interviewing people that book speakers for my column in “Speaker Magazine” and a frequent criticism is that the speaker runs off after their speech.

You cannot have it both ways. If you want your attendees to have access to your speaker for more than a few minutes—you’ve got to make it work for your speaker. Providing an extra night at your conference hotel is a minimal investment compared to the value your attendees will receive. And registration for only one day—how miserly can you me? It basically costs the association nothing to give a full registration.

In your effort to cut costs, be careful not to cut off your nose to spite your face. If you really are under the budget microscope, then hire only one speaker for your entire conference—that will be the most cost effective approach possible. Your attendees will have more access to the speaker, and besides, you do want your speaker to be your partner in making your meeting successful, don’t you?

Association Executives may access association growth articles and member recruitment campaign information at http://www.GrowingYourAssociation.com

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BUSINESS IS ABOUT RESULTS, NOT EXCUSES!

Rigsbee Research Consulting Group

Your Effective Executive Letter for Business Results: 4/1/09

(April Fools Day, and without any gags)

Please connect with me at Facebook, Linkedin, and/or Plaxo.

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1. Partnering for Profits: Relate Honestly to Employees

2. Executive Presentation Skills: Use Mind Pictures

3. Association Executives: Exchange Older Members for New

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Partnering for Profits: Relate Honestly to Employees

How do you, the executive, relate to employees in this tough economic time? First, employees are scared; even if they feel their job is somewhat safe, perhaps a spouse or close family member has recently experienced a lay off? We are all being assaulted several times a day with rotten news about the economy. What are you doing to help your employees overcome this continued negative influence? Perhaps more frequent and more honest information sharing would serve everyone?

Second, your integrity will be their motivator. Your employees want to believe that everything will work out all right. They want to believe in you, and your leadership team. Your integrity in keeping your words and actions consistent will play a huge role in keeping your employees motivated—especially now with cutbacks in pay, benefits, hours, etc. Paint an honest picture, your employees will thank you for it.

You can read more about my perspective on the fine points of alliance development at http://www.Rigsbee.com/morearticles.htm (Permission to reprint my articles is also there.)

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Executive Presentation Skills: Use Mind Pictures

One of the stories that I frequently tell from the platform is about the importance of having the needed skills before one tries to implement. It is a story about when I learned to ski. My goal is to create a picture in the minds of my audience members before I start to use my body as the visual. I start the story with, “I wish you could have been there; it was a sunny fall day in Yosemite National Park at the Badger Pass Ski area…” This conjures something in everyone’s mind. Make your presentations more powerful by frequently painting mind pictures for those in your audience.

Executive Public Speakers, Professional Speakers, and Emerging Professional Speakers; please visit http://www.SucceedInSpeaking.com for additional ideas, assistance, and resources.

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Trade Association & Professional Society Executives: Exchange Older Members for New?

(First, I’d like to connect back to last week’s cost cutting. If you need a speaker to perform several activities at your next convention, for a single price, please give me a call at 800-839-1520. Have I got a deal for you!)

Why are senior association members not renewing their membership? ASAE did a study in 1999 and found that 76% did not renew memberships because of value issues. Perhaps the question behind the question might be: Is it smart for your association to let go of their older members in exchange for younger ones? Does a continual membership turnstile really serve the association and its membership?

And another question might be: What would be the cost/benefit ratio analysis to adjust programs, benefits, and membership types to keep the older speakers? (Do they have enough relevant knowledge/skills to benefit the newer members?)

The above questions have never been more relevant. Yes, you want new blood in your association. And yes, you want to honor and value the experience, knowledge and wisdom of the more senior members. While many associations have created groups for younger members, most have not done so for the older members. Creating a special group for your older members will both deliver more specific value to the senior members and possibly add a small additional revenue stream into your coffers.

Association Executives may access association growth articles and member recruitment campaign information at http://www.GrowingYourAssociation.com

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BUSINESS IS ABOUT RESULTS, NOT EXCUSES!

Rigsbee Research Consulting Group

Your Effective Executive Letter for Business Results: 3/25/09

Please connect with me at Facebook, Linkedin, and/or Plaxo.

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1. Partnering for Profits: New Book to Consider

2. Executive Presentation Skills: Audience Engagement

3. Association Executives: Fall Meeting Cost Busters

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Partnering for Profits: New Book to Consider

Strategic Alliances: Three Ways to Make Them Work by Steve Steinhilber

From Harvard Business Publishing, publication Date: Nov 3, 2008

Excerpted: “At Cisco, I manage a portfolio of alliances that crosses multiple industry sectors, technologies, and geographies, with a cumulative value of more than $4.5 billion annually in business impact to Cisco and much more than that to our alliance partners. Strategic alliances are woven into the very fabric of our company and the way we see ourselves in the world—from Chairman and CEO John Chambers on down.

You’ll see a similar picture at other alliance-savvy companies, like IBM, Eli Lilly, and Procter & Gamble—partnerships are a central part of their core strategy. If alliances are not viewed as an integral part of your strategy, then you’re working with both hands tied behind your back. You might have a few short term successes, but long term, make no mistake: you will probably fail.

Let’s assume that you have a strategy in which alliances do make sense for your company at one or more levels of your value chain. If that’s the case, you need to construct and manage each alliance as a business. Your job is to bring the right framework, the right organization, and the right relationships together and to move the project forward. Your approach needs to look at the big picture rather than short-term payoffs. “Winning” and beating the other company in negotiations may doom the relationship from the beginning. One of the biggest mistakes you can make is thinking that alliances are all about hammering out an airtight deal structure, negotiating hard, and planning for every eventuality. We had one partner whose CEO said he measured a partnership’s success “in the number of POs [purchase orders] that get written”—in other words, how much business his company generated from us. That company is no longer a partner.”

You can read more about my perspective on the fine points of alliance development at http://www.Rigsbee.com/morearticles.htm (Permission to reprint my articles is also there.)

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Executive Presentation Skills: Audience Engagement

For several months now, I have been on the editorial committee for Speaker Magazine. My job has been to author a monthly column where I interview people that book professional speakers. A point that frequently is made by these people is that they want a speaker that will ENGAGE their meeting attendees.

Earlier this month, I attended a meeting planner site familiarization trip in Breckenridge, Colorado. After the second day of skiing, rather than to join the “hot tub” group I joined the “bar” group. The entertainers, Swing Crew, a two-piece local group did an amazing job of ENGAGING their audience by bring some folks on stage and enrolling some at their tables. For this group, tips were high following their set. And the important lesson was about engaging an audience through participation. I do not think I have ever seen bar entertainers do such a masterful job of including their audience.

In an hour talk, might you be able to have two or three audience interactions? Not just asking everyone to hold up their hand or to repeat after you, but real interactions? Give it a try.

Executive Public Speakers, Professional Speakers, and Emerging Professional Speakers; please visit http://www.SucceedInSpeaking.com for additional ideas, assistance, and resources.

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Trade Association & Professional Society Executives: Fall Meeting Cost Busters

For executives at small to mid-sized associations, two important cost saving ideas for your fall meetings:

1. If you still have not signed a contract, look at higher end hotels for your meeting. Yes, you heard me right. As the corporations are scrambling to change the “location/venue perception” of their coming meetings (moving to Marriott & Hilton), the higher end properties have been hit the hardest. As such, they currently seem the most willing to negotiate.

2. For your speakers, you might be inclined to find someone local or a college professor? This might not be the best financial/benefit ratio strategy? They just might not be that good. A better strategy might be to engage a more experienced “content expert” speaker that offers a wide range of services; keynote, workshops, industry discussion facilitation, emcee, on-site consultation with members, etc. One fee, one hotel room, and one travel expense might prove to be more cost effective than a host of “f-r-e-e” industry speakers covering their travel and lodging? With only one paid speaker from the outside, you still get the prestige of bringing in an expert but at a better cost/benefit ratio. Many experienced speakers will fit this description and offer a single-price package.

Association Executives may access association growth articles and member recruitment campaign information at http://www.GrowingYourAssociation.com

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BUSINESS IS ABOUT RESULTS, NOT EXCUSES!

Rigsbee Research Consulting Group

Your Effective Executive Letter for Business Results: 3/11/09

Please connect with me at Facebook, Linkedin, and/or Plaxo.

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1. Partnering for Profits: Takeaways, Best Practices & Implications

2. Executive Presentation Skills: How Powerful Is Your Close?

3. Association Executives: Keep Your Exhibitors

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Partnering for Profits: Takeaways, Best Practices & Implications

At the recent Silicon Valley Chief Alliance Officer Roundtable hosted by Cisco at their facility in San Jose, CA on January 14, 2009; they discussed alliance takeaways, best practices & implications. There were seven key highlights of these trends and best practices.

(#4 of 7) Portfolio Evaluation Criteria Adapts as New Partner Models Emerge:

Develop a working partner portfolio model that reflects long-term priorities, but incorporates risk management for near-term objectives.
“One Size Fits All” partner criteria don’t work well.
When re-evaluating partnerships, ask the tough questions and be honest.
Innovate and invest in the partner model with your key partners during the downturn.

I believe that the important value to be received here is that of recognizing that alliance relationships might have to change in this current economic environment. You need to examine both your short-term and long-term alliance strategy. Be care though of putting too much focus in short term revenue generating alliances “to help you through” at the cost of keeping long-term alliances strong that will yield you greater profits when the economic recovery arrives.

You can read more about the fine points in my several alliance articles at http://www.Rigsbee.com/morearticles.htm (Permission to reprint is also there.)

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Executive Presentation Skills: How Powerful Is Your Close?

The members of your audience most likely will remember your opening if it is powerful and the same for your close. Ross Shafer shared his formula at the annual convention of the National Speakers Association: Open with “B” material, do your “C” material, then close with your “A” stuff. Not a bad formula, would you agree?

And, what about that close—consider the following:

1. Stop talking long before your audience is done listening.

2. Go out with a huge bang; story, video, or disappearing act.

3. Give your audience some action to take immediately, or upon returning to home or office.

4. Give the attendees something insightful, emotionally penetrating, or inspirational to remember.

Executive Public Speakers, Professional Speakers, and Emerging Professional Speakers; please visit http://www.SucceedInSpeaking.com for additional ideas, assistance, and resources.

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Trade Association & Professional Society Executives: Keep Your Exhibitors

On the cover of the March issue of M&C Magazine is Galen Poss, president of Hanley Wood Exhibitions. There is a very timely story about how he and others are dealing with large conference exhibitors that are pulling out of this year’s expos. Also, read about how Robin Preston at National School Boards Association kept a technology supplier engaged when they had planned on pulling out of this year’s meetings. By the way as an FYI, M&C will soon be offering web-only content, so it might be a good idea to bookmark their Web Site and visit frequently: http://www.mcmag.com/

My Question: are your exhibitors simply using the tight economy as an excuse to pull out when the real issue is most likely little perceived value in exhibiting? If so, how are you re-engineering your meetings to offer more value to suppliers, exhibitors, and sponsors?

Association Executives may access association growth articles and member recruitment campaign information at http://www.GrowingYourAssociation.com

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BUSINESS IS ABOUT RESULTS, NOT EXCUSES!

Rigsbee Research Consulting Group

Your Effective Executive Letter for Business Results: 2/26/09

Please connect with me at Facebook, Linkedin, and/or Plaxo.

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1. Partnering for Profits: Deeper Relationships with Alliance Partners

2. Executive Presentation Skills: Deep Personal Inner Exploration

3. Association Executives: Go Deeper in Member Companies

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Partnering for Profits: Deeper Relationships with Alliance Partners

A topic that I wrote about in my first book, “The Art of Partnering” back in the mid-1990s is that of going deeper (vertically) to build additional relationships beyond your immediate contacts. When you do this in our alliance partner organizations, you achieve two important alliance strengthening elements:

1. Business leaders get promoted, transferred, and fired. If this happens to your only contact at an alliance organization, chaos in the daily functioning of the alliance is sure to follow. However, if your relationships go both wide and deep in your partner organization, there is a good chance that you will already have a relationship with your new contact, be they transferred or promoted.

2. When problems in the alliance occur, and they will, it is having the deep organizational relationships that will hold things together. When partners are at war, anything one does is considered confrontational by the other. Conversely, when relationships are good, mistakes made by a partner organization are simply considered just that; honest mistakes and not cause for eliminating the alliance.

To keep your strategic alliances working like a well oiled machine, take the time and make the effort to build relationships both deep and wide in your partner organization.

You can read more about the fine points in my several alliance articles at http://www.Rigsbee.com/morearticles.htm (Permission to reprint is also there.)

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Executive Presentation Skills: Deep Personal Inner Exploration

Consider the idea of deep personal inner exploration of your core message, wisdom, and universal truths in preparation for your next presentation. My good friend, John Alston, CSP, CPAE, once told me to get rid of the “fat” around my universal truths. He told me that it is that “fat” that diffuses the power of my message.

As we endeavor, I believe, to develop content to share with others, too frequently we abandon what Mark Victor Hansen, CSP, told me is “Your Inner Knower.” Yes, we have to trust ourselves. In presenting our ideas to others there is a monumental need for you to access our inner core beliefs. This is necessary on order to muster up your passion to effectively to influence others. In contrast think about the monotone speaker reading his/her PowerPoint bullet points, one at a time—at an excruciatingly slow pace.

Compare in your mind the vision of the slow monotone speaker to that of a strong, committed and powerful speaker, like John Alston. In order to influence others you must dig deep into your soul to determine your real beliefs on any topic in order to share the subtleties of the topic through your window on the world.

Before every speech, consider spending the time necessary to quiet the static in your head, to explore your beliefs, and determine the core message (about any topic) that you want to share with your audience.

Executive Public Speakers, Professional Speakers, and Emerging Professional Speakers; please visit http://www.SucceedInSpeaking.com for additional ideas, assistance, and resources.

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Trade Association & Professional Society Executives: Go Deeper in Member Companies

As I mentioned above in the “Partnering for Profits” section, there are benefits for going deeper in building relationships in partner organizations. This applies also for trade associations and to some degree in professional societies.

By going deeper, encouraging conference attendance and membership of additional job levels, within your current member companies will serve your organization well. The cost to your organization will be appropriating the necessary resources to both develop additional levels of educational programming and appropriate conference activities.

The benefits to your organization are:

Increased membership from additional employee levels
Member retention as owners/CEOs will see additional value in their membership through providing cost effective training and other benefits for their employees
Emotional ownership in your association from tomorrow’s leaders of your member companies.
Increased convention/conference/expo attendance
Increased interest from your supplier members to participate at higher levels driven by increased meeting attendance and ability to influence up and coming users/buyers of their products and services

Association Executives may access association growth articles and member recruitment campaign information at http://www.GrowingYourAssociation.com

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BUSINESS IS ABOUT RESULTS, NOT EXCUSES!

Rigsbee Research Consulting Group

Your Effective Executive Letter for Business Results: 2/18/09

Please connect with me at Facebook, Linkedin, and/or Plaxo.

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1. Partnering for Profits: Finding Alliance Partners

2. Executive Presentation Skills: Crashing Preoccupation Barrier

3. Association Executives: 2009 Meeting Strength

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Partnering for Profits: Finding Alliance Partners

Where do I find great alliance partners is the question I generally hear. The simple answer: anywhere and everywhere. The truth is—the quality of your partner(s) does play a major role in the value you will receive from an alliance. In my book, Developing Strategic Alliances I offer several recommendations:

Your suppliers are a good place to start in your search for an alliance partner. They know your competitors and other local business people from a different window than you. You can learn about their buying habits, bill paying habits and other important information about them.
Your customers are another great place to look. They have most likely done some business with the person or company that could be seeking. Again, they have a unique window through which they have viewed your potential alliance partner.
Your professional or trade association is a fabulous environment to search if you want to build an alliance with competitors or suppliers. The executive director of the association is usually the person who is most a tune with the players in your industry.
Newspapers and trade magazines offer current information as to the movers and shakers in many industries. They compare, they research and generally dig up interesting bits of information about business people. Also research Internet blogs, articles, and postings for aggressive companies.
Local successful business people can be found at the chamber of commerce activities and mixers, civic service clubs, charitable organizations and even local seminars.
Ask those that supply you with professional services; including, consultants, lawyers, and accountants.

You can read more about the fine points in my several alliance articles at http://www.Rigsbee.com/morearticles.htm (Permission to reprint is also there.)

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Executive Presentation Skills: Crashing Preoccupation Barrier

In order for your presentation to be effective, you first have to first get your audience’s attention. Those folks sitting in the seats in front of you are thinking about their jobs, their friends, and their loved ones—and all the issues that surround them. They are preoccupied, and it is your job to crash through that barrier. Needless to say, it is best to do this at the beginning. Start with your introduction; make it short and it needs to sell you. Your introduction had better give your audience a reason or two that it would be in their best interest to listen to what you have to say.

Then your opening has to build on your introduction. Your opening is more than just what you say; it is also what you do. Check your non-verbal statements. What you wear, how you look, how you stand, your manner in approaching the platform following your introduction, all speaks clearly about you. What are these non-verbal statements saying about you?

While you are waiting to present, take the temperature of the room and determine if your meeting planner gave you the correct information about your audience. This “last chance” to adjust is crucial. I know—who wants to change at the last minute? Any quality presenter, professional or not, is willing to do last minute adjustments to better serve the audience.

The first words out of your mouth are being judged by those in your audience, it is simple human nature. Don’t fight it, go with it. Lean into your strength at the beginning. Truly attempt to “sell yourself” to your audience in the first minutes of a presentation. Your effort will make experience better for all that are in the room, including you.

Executive Public Speakers, Professional Speakers, and Emerging Professional Speakers; please visit http://www.SucceedInSpeaking.com for additional ideas, assistance, and resources.

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Trade Association & Professional Society Executives: 2009 Meeting Strength

Lately, I have been hearing from association executive directors about their fears and concerns regarding the strength (attendance) of their meetings in 2009. Yes, everyone involved in the meetings industry has huge concerns for the strength of meetings in 2009. What can you do to motivate more of your members to attend this year’s meeting and also bring along their senior staff?

Deliver more value is the answer. Most likely your members are currently having a difficult time. As an example, is a golf tournament the best use of your resources? Perhaps a better idea would be to have a consulting day? Enroll your speakers to attend the meeting for an extra day and deliver consulting sessions. There are a number of ways to administer this idea; sell the sessions, have a drawing for early registrants, or organize it so all attendees have access.

Be honest, is it networking or education that is the primary driver for your attendees? Lean into the primary attendance driver by adjusting the meeting format to better serve the real needs. If it is networking they want; rather than offering traditional lecture programs, shift to interactive programming. You may have to secure different speakers, and it will be worth the effort.

If it is education that is the primary attendance driver then select the speakers that are willing to help you build a pre-conference, conference, and post-conference educational event that is beyond anything your members have ever seen. Many speakers have eBooks, surveys, etc. that can be structured to deliver this higher-level education. Explore through new windows how you can deliver more value while still keeping costs manageable.

Association Executives may access association growth articles and member recruitment campaign information at http://www.GrowingYourAssociation.com

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BUSINESS IS ABOUT RESULTS, NOT EXCUSES!

Rigsbee Research Consulting Group

Your Effective Executive Letter for Business Results: 2/11/09

Please connect with me at Linkedin; http://www.linkedin.com/in/edrigsbee,

http://www.linkedin.com/pub/0/0b1/422, I’ll accept your “friend” request.

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Valentine’s Day is coming; (guys) you had better shop by Friday. Don’t be caught empty handed on Saturday morning.

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This week we all really should be thinking about relationships so I am going to focus on just one topic; Clicking verses Conflicting

Trust:

In both business and personal relationships trust is, in my opinion, the foremost ingredient. Trust is something that can be destroyed unintentionally and without hurtful intent. Trust is also something that once damaged, if ever, takes a tremendous amount of work to repair. By making continual “Relationship Bank Deposits” with others, your chances are less that things will fall apart. And if conflict does occur, the perception others will have of you is that there must have been a simple mistake made rather then using the situation to justify in their own mind that you are untrustworthy.

Communication:

Conveying your true thoughts, feelings, and ideas to another person is more difficult than you might think. Everyone hears/listens through their personal filter, developed from years of various experiences. It is the lack of these shared experiences that creates subtle communication challenges, frequently not recognized by either party; and that can easily cause conflict. If every person would take responsibility for both their outgoing and incoming communication, oh how much better things would be. Yes, you should be responsible for what you say, how you say it, and how the other receives it. Don’t you think? Trust me on this one, when you do this everyone around you will seem just a bit smarter.

Priority:

What matters to me might be quite far away from what matters to you, and vice versa. Without meaningful communication in the area of shared priorities, relationships fall apart. I believe this is a crucial element in the sidetracking of any relationship. Frequently, you will find it difficult to understand the priority of others, let alone care about them. Since Valentine’s Day is so close, let’s bring this one home. You want to stay home and relax, but your honey wants to go out—or vice versa. Who wins out? The person that wins that battle is ever so closer to losing the war. But the other agreed, you say. Sure they did—they really gave in. By being aware of, and sensitive to, your honey’s priorities, you are making hugely valuable “Relationship Bank Deposits” that will go a long way in smoothing ruffled feathers then you have been guilty of being less sensitive. You can take that one to the bank!

Action:

It is the action of showing, through both word and deed, that the needs and wants of another person are important that help to cement relationships. Here is a timely idea: with the economy slow and money tight consider doing something really special for your Valentine. Skip the usual last minute shopping and write a love poem, letter, or song for your special someone. Deliver it with breakfast in bed on Saturday morning. You will build trust through a new style of communication. You will also show that your priorities are in order through this action—a win for all involved. Except the retailers, oh well, let the “schlubs” go shopping—you have a better idea.

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BUSINESS IS ABOUT RESULTS, NOT EXCUSES!

Rigsbee Research Consulting Group

Your Effective Executive Letter for Business Results: 2/4/09

Please connect with me at www.FaceBook.com, I’ll accept your “friend” request.

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1. Partnering for Profits: Alliance Crash Course

2. Executive Presentation Skills: Twittering in the Back

3. Association Executives: Getting to Yes

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Partnering for Profits: Alliance Crash Course

Perhaps, now more than ever, it’s time to give your organization a crash course in alliance management? As you already know, facing 2009 are some difficult economic realities. Goods and services demand has slowed or reversed; resulting, are many organizational failures. Increased competition and consolidation naturally follow. CEO edicts; “Do more with less” have become common place. Can organizations realize more value from their alliance relationships? I absolutely believe so.

Have your alliance relationships grown organically rather than by purpose? If so, perhaps your alliance managers could use a tune-up? Like most other business development and managerial activities, alliance skills are learned rather than inherent. Do your alliance managers have the ability to see the bigger organizational picture while managing an external relationship?

Below are my Seven Steps for Alliance Development, I like to call them the Alliance Alchemy; the formula for turning your alliance efforts to gold.

1. Monitor (Determine Reasons and Need)

2. Educate (Cultural, Operational and Strategic Differences)

3. Select Alliance Type (Structure)

4. Organize (Select Partner)

5. Agreement (Written is Best)

6. Implementation (Begin Activity)

7. Maintenance (Monitor Progress and Cooperation)

You can read more about the fine points in my several alliance articles at http://www.Rigsbee.com/morearticles.htm (Permission to reprint is there too.)

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Executive Presentation Skills: Twittering in the Back

If you are presenting to an audience where there are a minimum of just a couple people under the age of 40 (perhaps 50?), I can assure you there is someone Twittering. What’s Twittering? Visit www.twitter.com/edrigsbee to see. Twitter is something like an instant blog Web Site where persons can post—from their cell phones using the text messaging function. Their friends that follow them receive a notice of the other person’s post. You may not realize it but there can very well be a number of people commenting to one another about your speech—real time, while you are speaking.

What’s a presenter to do? First acknowledge it. Say something early in your speech like, “For those of you Twittering in the back, say something nice about my speech.” This is being proactive. Let them know that you know. Also, if it is possible, leave the podium (the definition of podium is; riser or stage, not lectern) and walk toward the back of the room, you can keep them off guard and they might Twitter less. Of course this is assuming you have a wireless lavaliere microphone.

For years now presenters have been successfully dealing with those RUDE individuals that leave their cell phones on “ring” rather than “vibrate” in a belief that they (the offender) are more important than the entire audience—that it is okay to disturb others trying to glean some important bit of information. Today, presenters are also successfully enduring the second generation of “disturbance through technology.”

Executive Public Speakers, Professional Speakers, and Emerging Professional Speakers; please visit http://www.SucceedInSpeaking.com for additional ideas, assistance, and resources.

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Trade Association & Professional Society Executives: Getting to Yes

Just last week, I was hosting the Cigar PEG, Inc. Annual Meeting in Scottsdale, AZ. I called the hotel front desk (from California) to be sure my attendees could check in before I arrived as the rooms and expenses would be put on my card, which was already in their system. And what do you know; the clerk I spoke with at the front desk was all about why they could not check in without…

Why in the world does one want to create conflict before the guests arrive? The primary reason I believe is twofold; a lack of training and a lack of a desire to serve. Let’s now move the discussion of your staff interacting with your members. Is there any chance that any of your staff could be guilty of this?

At the hotel, there was of course a very easy solution that (the second) front desk person offered. Perhaps the same is true when one of your members has a challenge? But why did I have to go to a second person? See the above two-fold reason.

Let’s face it, 2009 could deliver your association a membership net loss. So why in the world would you allow your staff to do anything but deliver absolutely fabulous value to your members? When staff doesn’t care or is trained poorly, the E.D. needs to look in the mirror for fault.

Please do what you can to help your staff to abandon the “sorry, it’s our policy” and stay focused on the “yes, I’m sure we can help you.” Your members will thank you.

Association Executives may access association growth articles and member recruitment campaign information at http://www.GrowingYourAssociation.com

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BUSINESS IS ABOUT RESULTS, NOT EXCUSES!

Rigsbee Research Consulting Group

Your Effective Executive Letter for Business Results: 1/22/09

:) Please connect with me at Linkedin, http://www.linkedin.com/in/edrigsbee

To connect, use: ed@rigsbee.com

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1. Partnering for Profits: Chrysler/Fiat Alliance

2. Executive Presentation Skills: Self-Confidence

3. Association Executives: Electronic verses Traditional Member Engagement

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Partnering for Profits: Chrysler/Fiat Alliance

Fiat is to take 35% stake in Chrysler under strategic alliance plan. This announcement did not get much press coverage this week due to the presidential inauguration. However it is important news. The sickly Chrysler Corp. has agreed to form a strategic alliance that would give the Fiat, Italian auto empire, a 35% stake in Chrysler and could eventually bring Fiat full control of Chrysler.

The two companies said in a joint statement that in exchange for sharing its small car platforms and fuel efficient engines, Fiat would take an initial 35% stake in Chrysler but would not invest cash.

The indication that Fiat could eventually gain full control was further backed by Mr. John Elkann VP of Fiat and heir of its founding Agnelli family, who was quoted as saying by the ANSA news agency that the company's stake could increase. [To most, this comment means that they are looking for more than a simple alliance.]

An important point that I have always made is not to partner with a sick company. However this is a very smart alliance, especially for Fiat. This alliance will give Fiat the foothold into the USA that it never had. What kind of alliance might give you a foothold into a new market that you’ve been trying to penetrate?

More articles on how to build alliances at http://www.Rigsbee.com/morearticles.htm

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Executive Presentation Skills: Self-Confidence

In speech giving, frequently your level of self-confidence will be directly proportionate to the quality of both your speech and its delivery. The two important elements of self-confidence are preparation and practice.

Excellent speech preparation includes: mastery of topic (even if you just did the research), flow of thought and/or persuasion, the quality of your PowerPoint (if you select to use it), planned emotional peeks and valleys, planned emotional releases through humor, and correct length of time. Only amateurs go over their time!

Practice is a whole different issue; defective practice yields defective speeches. While everyone wants their speech to appear to be “fresh” relying on your adlib or improve abilities is surely a mistake. While I would never recommend learning a speech word for word, I do however; recommend that you memorize your outline. Also work in your timing, allowing for audience laughter, which indeed adds minutes to your speech. If you can deliver, in your living room, a great speech to your spouse, significant other, or your children; your speech will be a hit with its intended audience.

Executive Public Speakers, Professional Speakers, and Emerging Professional Speakers; please visit http://www.SucceedInSpeaking.com for additional ideas, assistance, and resources.

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Trade Association & Professional Society Executives: Electronic verses Traditional Member Engagement

Andy Steggles wrote a quite informative article which appeared in the January 2009 issue of “Associations Now” titled, “Keeping Score of Your Online Member Engagement.” I highly suggest you read the article.

For me, this article brings to the surface the dichotomy of traditional (in person) member engagement as opposed to cyber member engagement. Up front, I’ll state that both are good, both are important, and both deliver member value.

And, what about the smaller associations that do not have the budgets that the larger associations enjoy—how might cyber engagement be possible? My quick two word answer is: Facebook Groups. Facebook groups are free and take very little skill to administer. I use a Facebook group for Cigar PEG, Inc., the 501 ( c ) 3 that I run.

What about traditional member engagement? In person and cyber member engagement will feed one another. The caution is to not get too wrapped up in cyber engagement. While cyber engagement is important, you can expect several more generations to demand and expect traditional, in-person, member engagement activities.

Association Executives may access association growth articles and member recruitment campaign information at http://www.GrowingYourAssociation.com

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BUSINESS IS ABOUT RESULTS, NOT EXCUSES!

Rigsbee Research Consulting Group

Your Effective Executive Letter for Business Results: 1/14/09

:) Follow my daily posts at www.twitter.com/edrigsbee

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1. Partnering for Profits: Webserts

2. Executive Presentation Skills: Guard the Prime Time

3. Association Executives: Partner for Advocacy

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Partnering for Profits: Webserts for 2009

Consider “websert” partnering with other (non-competing) companies that sell to the same customers as does your organization. A websert is a subtle third-party offer embedded in a transactional e-mail which offers marketers significant advantages over traditional box insert media. You may have noticed this kind of offer at/or from VistaPrint.com, 1-800-Flowers.com, or magazine subscription offers. This idea is cross-selling at its best. Effectively, this is post-purchase offers in transactional e-mails that offer companies a connection to third-party customers through inserted coupons or links. This method will drive additional revenues and (cost effectively) attract qualified customers.

More articles on how to build alliances at http://www.Rigsbee.com/morearticles.htm

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Executive Presentation Skills: Guard the Prime Time

If you were to ask most speakers just before they took the podium, why they were there, the most frequent answers would be:

“I was invited to speak.”

“I don’t know why I was invited to speak.”

“I’ve got some things I want to get off my chest.”

“I was roped into it.”

“I don’t know how I get into messes like this.”

While there are many reasons to stand in front of an audience, always remember this; for you, it’s your prime time. You will be remembered by your words; powerful or not…persuasive, or not…caring, or not.

The next time you take to the podium (by the way, look up podium; not something you stand at, but rather on) consider others by recognizing this is your prime time. Guard it well.

Executive Public Speakers, Professional Speakers, and Emerging Professional Speakers; please visit http://www.SucceedInSpeaking.com for additional ideas, assistance, and resources.

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Trade Association & Professional Society Executives: Partner for Advocacy

Just announced (Jan. 12) in New Orleans at PCMA’s annual convention; meetings industry associations have banded together in an unprecedented industry-wide collaboration focused on stressing the value of the travel and meetings industry to Congress and the new presidential administration. “This is something, frankly, that needed to happen yesterday, so it’s happening today,” said Deborah Sexton, president and CEO of PCMA. The effort will involve an alphabet soup of travel industry associations, including CIC, PCMA, NBTA, MPI, ASAE, DMAI, SITE, ACTE and IAEE. The associations will be joined by third-party meetings giant Maritz Travel. “This is way beyond the incentive market,” said Christine Duffy, president and CEO of Maritz Travel. “We’ve had clients that have received bailout money that are canceling meetings because they don’t want to be next on the Jay Leno show.”

Two points; first perceptions are real in the minds of others. For 2009, run your association’s activities through the PC perception filter. Second, like the above mentioned meetings industry coalition, think about other (like minded) organizations your association partner with to have a stronger voice in the State Houses and in Washington, DC.

Association Executives may access association growth articles and member recruitment campaign information at http://www.GrowingYourAssociation.com

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BUSINESS IS ABOUT RESULTS, NOT EXCUSES!

Rigsbee Research Consulting Group

Your Effective Executive Letter for Business Results: 1/7/09

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1. Partnering for Profits: Your First Alliance

2. Executive Presentation Skills: Let the Diamond Show Through

3. Association Executives: Lower Meeting Costs

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Partnering for Profits: Your First Alliance

Your trade association or professional society, regardless of your perception of its effectiveness, is an important alliance for you to consider in 2009. There are two important points I’d like you to consider:

Point 1: Your membership; many trade associations do a great deal of advocacy work for the people involved in the industry they serve. Any you can get a lot of the value whether you belong to the association or not. STOP BEING A FREELOADER! Join the association. This year your industry’s association or society WILL lose membership; therefore revenue. If you want to continue receiving the benefits of their advocacy work, belly up to the bar and pay your share now.

Point 2: Your participation; is crucial for you to receive high-level value from your association or society. With that said, there are many traditional, and untraditional, ways that you can participate. Some associations have NO IMAGINATION and only want members to play “within the lines,” making no waves. This is BS!!!

Regardless of how you select to participate, conventional or unconventional, look for opportunities to serve in a way that also serves you. Your trade association or professional society is one of the first reviews for 2009. Not a member, join. Dues paying member but not engaged, jump in.

More articles on alliance topics at http://www.Rigsbee.com/morearticles.htm

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Executive Presentation Skills: Let the Diamond Show Through

Last year (last week), I suggested that you make every speech an event. I mentioned, Lee Andree Davis, who I have frequently referred to as a “diamond in a garbage can.” What I mean by this analogy is that Lee had a heart of gold but wrapped it up in such a coarse package that few were able to see his diamond.

How this relates to every person that steps onto the platform, literally or figuratively, is in relation to authenticity—what many say is the number one element to a great speech. For 2009, will you take the risk of authenticity? It is easy to stand upon the platform and be “Speaker Guy or Gal,” however it is difficult to be vulnerable enough to let your authentic diamond show through. This year, more so than in any year past, I’m going to work on letting my diamond show through, perhaps you’d like to do the same?

Executive Public Speakers, Professional Speakers, and Emerging Professional Speakers; please visit http://www.SucceedInSpeaking.com for additional ideas, assistance, and resources.

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Trade Association & Professional Society Executives: Lower Meeting Costs

In order to put on outstanding meetings for your members on a budget, first may I suggest minimizing the pageantry? Then focus on great food and great speakers—that’s what your attendees will remember. After that, challenge the sacred cows, i.e., is the golf tournament losing money? If so, CHANGE THAT, or any other sacred cow that is taking you down. Here is another sacred cow to look at; are the past presidents still getting an upgraded room or suite for the regular conference room rate? If so, STOP THAT! There is nothing wrong with extending a complementary registration to your board members; you’ve got to give them some perks—but look close at the perks you give.

Here is another; do you really need to haul your staff people to the convention? Think airfare, hotel, and meals. By the way, the staff rooms are not free—your members are paying for them in their room rate. Most likely, you can hire local “temp” workers to fulfill many (or most) of the activities that staffers conduct for a fraction of the cost, couldn’t you? For 2009, ask the hard questions and make the hard decisions.

Association Executives may access association growth articles and member recruitment campaign information at http://www.GrowingYourAssociation.com

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BUSINESS IS ABOUT RESULTS, NOT EXCUSES!

Rigsbee Research Consulting Group

Your Effective Executive Letter for Business Results: 12/30/08

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1. Partnering for Profits: Alliances as Far as the Eye Can See

2. Executive Presentation Skills: Make Every Speech an Event

3. Association Executives: Recession-Friendly Speakers???

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Partnering for Profits: Alliances as Far as the Eye Can See

Sitting on my work table are over 50 magazines—all December issues, all addressed to me. While some December issues have already been reviewed and tossed, I still have quite a number to go through. I realize that you are most likely thinking, “50+ magazines, that’s obscene!” However, reviewing a large number of industries each month keeps one well informed.

I am continually amazed at the number of collaborations I read about each month from industry to industry—which keeps me questioning, “Why aren’t more companies collaborating?” One particularly interesting story this month is in “InformationWeek” which named Werner Vogels, Amazon.com’s Chief Technology Officer, “Chief of the Year,” an amazing story of both collaboration and the coming technologies that will change how business is conducted.

For my last letter of the year, I’d also like to urge you to consider the double edged sword of an economic down turn: constriction or expansion?

1. For those of the constriction school of thought, conservation of capital is paramount. A good argument can be made for capital conservation; however opportunities aplenty are left in a bankrupt void.

2. Making use of available time and capital to expand in positioning for the coming upturn. This is the end of the rainbow where the pot o’ gold is located. Some challenges that you’ll have to overcome to find that pot o’ gold are:

> How does one see beyond their nose?

> How does one think beyond their experience?

> How does one leverage their core competence?

> What other markets need this competence?

> How can these markets be most effectively accessed?

More articles on alliance topics at http://www.Rigsbee.com/morearticles.htm

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Executive Presentation Skills: Make Every Speech an Event

When you get to the point that you are giving “just another speech,” don’t! Nobody is interested in “just another speech” but very interested in what you have to say that will make their lives better. When you give “just another speech” everyone in the audience knows it, and generally they quickly zone-out and become disruptive.

The solution is to see each speech as an event. One of my early mentors, Lee Andree Davis, who I have frequently referred to as a “diamond in a garbage can” (more on that another time) would remind me to make all my activities with my children an EVENT. Not that I have always been successful at it, I have kept his words in the back on my mind. As an example, yesterday I was driving with my older son Ryan (who is home from college for the holidays) on Pacific Coast Highway through Malibu. I suggested stopping for a bite to eat. So I took him to Paradise Cove, a fabulous location, yes in a private cove and right on the beach. It was the perfect Southern California winter day; sunny, warm, no wind and a calm ocean. The perfect day and location made our lunch soirée an EVENT to be remembered.

My 2009 challenge for you is to similarly make every one of your speeches an EVENT. Do not allow yourself to fall into the trap of mediocrity. Never just stand in front of a group of people and talk. Honor them, their time, and their intelligence by making your speech an EVENT.

Executive Public Speakers, Professional Speakers, and Emerging Professional Speakers; please visit http://www.SucceedInSpeaking.com for additional ideas, assistance, and resources.

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Trade Association & Professional Society Executives: Recession-Friendly Speakers???

Here it comes again, “Let’s see who we can find to speak at our event that doesn’t charge much?” Translation: our members are not important, anybody will do, anybody can keynote the convention—our members really do not care—they’re only interested in the golf tournament anyway. Wow! Do you think so?

I got a huge giggle from the “Recession-Friendly Speakers” article in the December issue of “Successful Meetings” especially in light of my several recent interviews for the column I’m currently writing for NSA’s “Speaker Magazine” where I interview those that hire professional speakers.

While you do not always “get what you pay for,” generally you do. During my career as a professional speaker, I’ve seen three meeting “down-turn” cycles come and go. And, the same erroneous paradigm each time; get a cheap speaker, an industry speaker, or perhaps an academic to keynote the convention—we need to save money.

You KNOW what the result will be, you KNOW it is not going to work, but you allow your volunteer board to do it anyway. Why?

Back to my recent interviews with people that hire professional speakers. Why do they pay the dollars they pay? Engagement is one of the reasons most frequently given. If you want your conference delegates to return in 2010, keep “ability to engage” on the top of your mind as you consider speakers for your 2009 meetings.

Association Executives may access association growth articles and member recruitment campaign information at http://www.GrowingYourAssociation.com

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BUSINESS IS ABOUT RESULTS, NOT EXCUSES!

Rigsbee Research Consulting Group

Your Effective Executive Letter for Business Results: 12/17/08

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1. Partnering for Profits: Emotional Ownership

2. Executive Presentation Skills: Hot Seats

3. Association Executives: Combined Event

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Partnering for Profits: Emotional Ownership

As the economy further dips, layoffs are running rampant. Business owners and leaders are constricting in most areas. Employees’ lives now suck! Today you are at a crucial juncture; keep constricting until you squeeze the lifeblood from your employees, or work to motivate them to have an emotional ownership in the success of your business? You’ve got to make a choice.

Now is when employee partnerships matter most. If your employees are scared, they will be disengaged; they will work slower and unknowingly (possibly on purpose) sabotage your success, further sending your business in a downward spiral.

If you can’t motivate your employees to have an emotional ownership in the success of your business, hire someone to come in and do it for you. Today, this employee motivation is crucial. It is difficult to suggest the above without sounding self serving. However, you cannot afford not to seek help. If every one of your employees is operating around 70%, if you are lucky, multiply that, times the hours in a day they work, times the number of your employees, times each day you wait. Then you’ll know how much money you’ve already thrown down a rat hole. It’s a pretty big number. Get some help today!

More articles on this topic at http://www.Rigsbee.com/morearticles.htm

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Executive Presentation Skills: Hot Seats

One of the most effective methods of creating value for attendees is offering “hot seat” slots during your presentation. This is generally less effective in keynotes but can work well in general and concurrent sessions. Several of my colleagues do this “hot seat” process quite well. Examples are Robert Bradford, CSP, Kirstin Carey, and Ford Saeks. Attendees get value from both, being in the hot seat, and listening. Effectively what the speaker does is deal with the “hot seat” person’s issues as related to your subject matter. Challenge, share, and learn; your presentation attendees surely will.

Executive Public Speakers, Professional Speakers, and Emerging Professional Speakers; please visit http://www.SucceedInSpeaking.com for additional ideas, assistance, and resources.

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Trade Association & Professional Society Executives: Combined Event

Fabtech International and the American Welding Society, along with Metalform, will partner with the Association for Manufacturing Technology to produce a new annual event. The first official combined exhibition will take place in November 2009 at McCormick Place in Chicago. Their goal is to combine the strengths of all exhibitions and their sponsoring associations, thereby helping both attendees and exhibitors to focus on only one event. Have you looked into the possibility of doing the same within your industry?

Association Executives may access association growth articles and member recruitment campaign information at http://www.GrowingYourAssociation.com

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BUSINESS IS ABOUT RESULTS, NOT EXCUSES!

Rigsbee Research Consulting Group

Your Effective Executive Letter for Business Results: 12/3/08

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1. Partnering for Profits: The Art & Science

2. Executive Presentation Skills: Love Your Audience

3. Association Executives: Hats-Off to RIMS

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Partnering for Profits: The Art & Science

Lately, I have put a fair amount of energy into talking to you about the science of making strategic alliances work. As we approach the end of the year and get close to the holidays, talking about the art of alliances is appropriate. In my presentations on “Alliance Alchemy” I share my formula; 7 steps and 3 behaviors for developing successful and profitable alliance relationships.

The first of these behaviors is that of bridge building, also known as focusing on getting things done rather than obsessing on being right. The basic idea is decide in times of conflict if you want to operate from “I’m Right!” or if you are willing to come from a place called, “I’m trying to learn.”

Essentially, if you are involved in an argument, you are operating from the place of I’m right. My suggestion is to skip the argument and come from a place called: I’m trying to learn. Then there will be no argument, as it takes two to argue. Try it for the month of December; I bet the idea will work for you.

At http://www.rigsbee.com/selectvideo.htm, you’ll find a 79 minute VENDOR SUMMIT video presentation will be valuable to you in future training sessions for your vendors and procurement department. Better yet, call to check Ed Rigsbee’s availability to keynote your next meeting.

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Executive Presentation Skills: Love Your Audience

Yes, I know it might sound a bit odd coming from a high-content speaker like me. However, the advice is sound! Think about it, you have the attention of a number of persons waiting to hear what you have to say; they are giving a piece of their lives to you, why not respect that?

While you are waiting to speak, think about the above, it will both relax you and put you in the correct frame of mind. When you start your speech, send “mental” appreciation to your audience. This appreciation will also show up in your voice, facial expression, and body language. It is a great way to start a speech. Try to keep the idea of “loving your audience” in your conscious mind throughout your speech; I assure you, it will make a positive difference.

Executive Public Speakers, Professional Speakers, and Emerging Professional Speakers; please visit http://www.SucceedInSpeaking.com for additional ideas, assistance, and resources.

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Trade Association & Professional Society Executives: Hats-Off to RIMS

If you overlooked the cover story article in the November 2008 “Meetings and Conventions Magazine” (M&C), dig into that pile of publications in the corner of your office and read the article. The article outlines how the Risk and Insurance Management Society’s million dollar Web Site rebuilding decision delivered both continual membership increases and a return on investment in three years.

If your association or society does not enjoy membership ranks of 8,000 plus members, you might read the article and think the idea does not apply to you? However, keep economies of scale in mind. While a large society might have the money to re-launch their Web Site, and you do not; the larger point here is that of creating value for members. RIMS did a fantastic job of creating new and additional value for their members.

Now that the USA is “officially in a recession” it is even more important for trade associations and professional societies to focus on activities that directly help members TODAY! Yes, green meetings are important. Yes, social responsibility is important. And yes, you really do need to FOCUS in helping your members to resolve their CURRENT challenges.

Here is my December challenge to all association executives, “What can the association do for its members today?”

Association Executives may access Ed Rigsbee’s association growth articles, member recruitment campaign information, and video presentation of Rigsbee’s Member Value Process™ at http://www.GrowingYourAssociation.com

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BUSINESS IS ABOUT RESULTS, NOT EXCUSES!

Rigsbee Research Consulting Group

Your Effective Executive Letter for Business Results: 11/24/08

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1. Partnering for Profits: Partnering with Suppliers

2. Executive Presentation Skills: Stage Fright

3. Association Executives: Emotional Ownership

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Partnering for Profits: Partnering with Suppliers

In my last letter I spoke of sponsorship dollars and the expectations of those that supply those dollars. Sponsorship is effectively buying advertising and advertising has the goal of pulling customers; a reasonably simple expectation. These sponsorship/advertising partners are in actuality, suppliers.

As we are getting close to the end of the year, perhaps you are reviewing which suppliers to keep and which to eliminate based on their fulfilling of your expectations? With our current economic climate, this review would be a good idea. Below I’ll reiterate some elements to look for in strategic sourcing partners:

1. The best overall value; not the best price this week but the lowest total cost of procurement for the fiscal year.

2. The best on time delivery record because you know the cost in lost productivity when del ivers are late.

3. The best complete fulfillment record for a similar reason as above however magnified ten times.

4. The best communication because this is the root of most strategic sourcing failures. When your supplier has superior communications, you can anticipate and adjust for swings in the market and supply chains.

5. The best in follow up, meaning relationship reporting. Call it report cards or score cards, but whatever you call it; you want your suppliers to excel at relationship success reporting which will enable continual procurement cost and effectiveness improvement.

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Executive Presentation Skills: Stage Fright Cause & Cure

If one had to give Stage Fright an aka, it would be; Stress. While a little bit of stress generally gives one a sharper edge and improves performance, too much will most definitely cause one to become inhibited and ineffective.

Cause:

1. Unrealistic expectations of self

2. Unrealistic expectations of others

3. Listening to the prophets of doom

4. Overreaction of your role

5. Worry and anxiety usually caused from poor preparation

6. Unnecessary time pressures; real and imagined

Cure:

1. Keep your role as a presenter in perspective to the entire event

2. Don’t amplify your concerns, aka fears

3. Seek help in developing tactics for pre-presentation relaxation; simple self-hypnosis is excellent as is deep diaphragm breathing

4. Build self-confidence through all-inclusive presentation preparation

5. Use Po werPoint as an aid rather than a crutch. Po werPoint should be your notes as opposed to your script

6. Activity before your speech is more relaxing than standing around thinking about what is to come. Go around and introduce yourself to members of the audience before your presentation. The by-product of this action is that you’ve already made friends in the audience. When you start your speech, focus on your new friends, this will relax you.

Executive Public Speakers, Professional Speakers, and Emerging Professional Speakers; please visit http://www.SucceedInSpeaking.com for additional ideas, assistance, and resources.

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Trade Association & Professional Society Executives: Emotional Ownership Trumps Buy-In

Scott Whitaker wrote a nice article titled, “Who’s with Me?” that appeared in the November issue of “Association Now” published by ASAE and the Center for Association Leadership. The articles leaned heavily on John Kotter’s 1996 book titled, “Leading Change” and offered some good points on getting staff to “buy-into” causing organizational change.

For nearly two decades I have been researching and writing about organizational effectiveness and I’m here to say that emotional ownership trumps buy-in any day of the week! While some might argue that the difference between buy-in and emotional ownership is semantics, I can guarantee you that the difference is so much more. It’s the difference between long-term sustained success and failure.

Forcing another to “buy into” your ideas is tyranny as opposed to helping another to have an emotional ownership in an idea which is democracy. Organizational tyranny leads to immobility where organizational democracy leads to collaboration and increased productivity. Let me be clear, I am not suggesting that the janitor set organizational policy, but I am suggesting that the janitor should be consulted on how to best keep the facilities clean and orderly.

I highly suggest you read this article (page 25) and insert “emotional ownership” where you find “buy-in.” I can assure you that using the tactics offered will then become much more effective.

Association Executives may access Ed Rigsbee’s association growth articles, member recruitment campaign information, and video presentation of Rigsbee’s Member Value Process™ at http://www.GrowingYourAssociation.com

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BUSINESS IS ABOUT RESULTS, NOT EXCUSES!

Rigsbee Research Consulting Group

Your Effective Executive Letter for Business Results: 11/14/08

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1. Partnering for Profits: Sponsor Partnering

2. Executive Presentation Skills: Sloppy Stories?

3. Association Executives: Better than a Holiday Card

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Partnering for Profits: Sponsor Partnering

Recently, I was the keynote speaker for an organization that was holding a sponsor summit for the recipient organizations of their sponsorship dollars. At dinner, the evening before, the marketing folks were mentioning to me that they were trying to change the perceptions of folks who were at the receiving end of their largess.

Apparently, for several years this organization had been sponsoring sporting teams, local festivals and a tourism organization without really having any ROI value expectations. Things changed; and now they are on a campaign to communicate their desire to receive a reasonable ROI for their sponsorship dollars.

Two points here: first, when you have no expectations of your partner, that’s what you’ll likely, receive from them—not much. Second, your past partners might not be capable of delivering value so you might have to re-evaluate your partner selection strategy. I’ve said it time and time again, if you pick your partners wrong, you deserve the partners you selected. Select your partners carefully from the beginning.

At www.rigsbee.com/selectvideo.htm, you’ll find a 79 minute video presentation: “Vendor Summit” that should prove to be valuable in future training sessions your vendors and procurement department.

Executive Presentation Skills: Sloppy Stories?

Last week I was presenting in Birmingham, England for the United Kingdom Professional Speakers Association at their annual convention. A friend, see www.grahamdavies.co.uk, that is a far better executive presentations coach than I--was in attendance. Since I knew he would never comment on my speaking without my asking, I asked him to tell me one thing that I could do better. His answer was to tighten up my bookends (stories). This is a lesson for us all to consider.

Stories that I have been telling for some time, over time, have gotten a bit sloppy—my bad! As I will be doing over the next couple weeks, working on tightening up my bookend stories—so might you consider the same action. If you too have fallen into the same trap as I, work on making your stories as crisp and tight as possible. Write out your stories to determine if there is any “fat” that can be eliminated. I guarantee your audiences will appreciate your effort.

Professional speakers and emerging speakers, please visit http://www.SucceedInSpeaking.com for additional ideas, assistance, and resources.

Trade Association & Professional Society Executives: Better than a Holiday Card

Does your association send out holiday cards to its membership? If so, what’s the cost? After all is said and done, I bet you have a minimum of $2.00 cost per card. If you have 2,000 members, well, that’s $4,000. You can give your members so much more.

Suppose you commissioned a 20-30 page special report on a topic crucial to your members’ current challenges. Then you spent a few bucks with a graphic designer making the final PDF version look sharp and professional. And while you are at it, have the graphic designer create a festive eCard with the link to this special report that you uploaded to the association’s web site.

Now you have a valuable holiday gift for your members. This gift shouldn’t cost any more than the planned card mailing. Let’s face it, just sending a holiday eCard to your members is basically worthless, and tacky. Sending them a real holiday card is expensive, and gets tossed in a few weeks. But, send them a holiday eCard (with hyperlink) announcing the timely and topical (PDF formatted) special eReport, now that’s member value!

Association executives may access my association growth articles, member recruitment campaign information, and member value video presentations at http://www.GrowingYourAssociation.com

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Grow your organization (for profit or non-profit) with smart alliances—why not get started now? Call me at 800-839-1520 for a consultation. We see 5-20% market share increases almost instantly from targeted marketing alliances. Might there be an opportunity you are missing?

Need a dynamic keynoter? View four of my full-length videos at http://www.rigsbee.com/selectvideo.htm

BUSINESS IS ABOUT RESULTS, NOT EXCUSES!

Ed Rigsbee, CSP

Rigsbee Research Consulting Group

Your Effective Executive Letter for Business Results: 11/5/08

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1. Partnering for Profits: Employee Partnering

2. Executive Presentation Skills: Easy Listening

3. Association Executives: Mutually Beneficial Partnership

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Partnering for Profits: Employee Partnering

I recently found myself dealing with a “Lord of a Lesser Corner” when I took back an “Office Depot” brand printer ink cartridge to my local Big Box Store. The experience got me thinking of the issues I covered in my customer service book; written, but never published (another story there).

In Big Box stores, many of the managers are (as my Kiwi friend, James Parsons, puts it) Process Monkeys. The challenge is that they are either poorly trained as to how they can resolve the issues of customers, when the issues do not fit in one of the menu choices on the cash register’s screen, or they have such an ego (Lord of Lesser Corner) that they do not want to resolve issues but rather show everyone that they are IN CHARGE!

What does this mean to you? If you want your employees to truly assist you in becoming partners with your customers, suppliers, and others; you have to give them the training necessary, the tools necessary, and the emotional ownership necessary for doing the “right thing” for those with whom you want to partner. They cannot cook up success for you with an empty pot.

Executive Presentation Skills: Easy Listening

My wife of 34 years, Regina, is from Austria. She is bilingual, and I’m not. I speak a little German, and stress, a little. Over the years, when we have had Austrian visitors who usually spoke little English stay at our home; evening discussions were rarely in English.

I understand more German than I can speak, so I could generally follow the discussion to a reasonable degree. And, at the end of the evening I would always be exhausted! I finally realized just how much energy I was outputting, just to follow along.

What about your audiences? How much energy is required of them just to follow along? In many meeting rooms there are quite a lot of ambient noise distractions; air-conditioners, behind the swinging door kitchen noise, and even outside road noise in some cases.

What can you do to make it easier for your attendees to stay awake, follow along, and not lose interest in what you are saying? SPEAK UP! Having a powerful voice is equally as important as having good stories and great information to share. Oh yes, 95% of those people that say they have a strong voice and do not need a microphone, are sadly mistaken. Do your attendees a favor, speak up.

Professional speakers and emerging speakers, please visit http://www.SucceedInSpeaking.com for additional ideas, assistance, and resources.

Trade Association & Professional Society Executives: Mutually Beneficial Partnership

In following up from last weeks discussion of partnership as opposed to sponsorship; if you have decided that you believe partnership will serve your association best, now comes the challenge of developing a mutually beneficial relationship.

As the American, and World’s, economies become increasingly more volatile, sponsors that in the past have given money to be a “good industry citizen” will be looking in the future for more—partnerships to be specific. Ready yourself for them requesting/demanding more return on their investment (ROI). Be prepared for greater sponsor value demands, which are also measurable. Brace yourself for sponsor requests that you most likely have never heard before.

My recommendation is to be proactive rather than reactive. Meet with your board now, and make sponsorship request/offer adjustments. Perhaps offering benefits cafeteria style rather than banquet style will allow you to have the flexibility to serve the pressing needs of those that sponsor your organization?

Association executives may access my association growth articles, member recruitment campaign information, and member value video presentations at http://www.GrowingYourAssociation.com

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Need a dynamic keynoter? View four of my full-length videos at http://www.rigsbee.com/selectvideo.htm

BUSINESS IS ABOUT RESULTS, NOT EXCUSES!

Ed Rigsbee, CSP

Rigsbee Research Consulting Group

Your Effective Executive Letter for Business Results: 10/30/08

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1. Partnering for Profits: Results vs. Excuses

2. Executive Presentation Skills: The Mirror

3. Association Executives: Partnership or Sponsorship?

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Partnering for Profits: Results vs. Excuses

The wrong business relationships can cost you dearly—prevent the devastation of ineffective business relationships, before they go bad. Tough times can bring out the worst in partners, so it is tome to take a closer look at the results you want from an alliance.

You built your alliance to expand your business, increase your profitability, and do it while decreasing costs. Imagine developing alliances that really do deliver more market power, increased productivity and profits, and doing it in a down economy.

If you have not recently conducted a “Relationship Value Update” (RVU) with your partner(s), it is quite conceivable that you are not enjoying the results you want. Business is about results, not excuses. To access my RVU form, please visit: http://www.rigsbee.com/dsa3.htm. There is no charge to access the form.

Executive Presentation Skills: The Mirror

As a presenter, how close can you place the mirror to your audience members? This is a hard one. I personally find that the mirror NEEDS to be placed much closer than most can tolerate. What’s the mirror? It’s showing your audience members their faults, foibles, failures, and inadequacies. And who likes that shoved in their face?

Here is the rub; if you place the mirror too close-up you cause your audience members to close down and not hear a word you say. If you do not adequately address their issues, you really have not served your audience. Yes, it is a conundrum.

Many folks do it well. Here are two examples; Larry Winget, a professional speaker uses humor as the buffer, and then gets close. Steve O’Rourke, a corporate lawyer (not a professional speaker) uses Ely, a cartoon character upon which he can load the criticism and not alienate his audience. What ever tool or skill you select for your presentations, be careful how close-up you put the mirror.

Professional speakers and emerging speakers, please visit http://www.SucceedInSpeaking.com for additional ideas, assistance, and resources.

Trade Association & Professional Society Executives: Partnership or Sponsorship?

In the October issue of ASAE’s “Associations Now Magazine” was an outstanding article about sponsorship titled, “All Out of Tune.” I highly suggest that you read it. The article pointed out the need many associations have for sponsorship to help the association to be financially viable—this I believe is a dangerous scenario!

If an association cannot survive on membership dues and conference and/or educational profits, do the members deserve to have an association? Hypothetically, the members receive value from association with colleagues. If they are not willing to pay for that value, should they have the opportunity to gather? This also begs the question of associations delivering value to members.

The ethical issue for association executives on sponsorship is very real. If an association has to promise too much, at the expense of its membership to get the cash to survive, who is really being served? Has the association left their mission of serving the industry and moved to simply becoming a commercial mouth piece?

I believe that sponsorship is one thing and partnership is another. Too frequently the definitions get quite muddied in neglect. Sponsorship is a buy/sell agreement, completely transactional. On the other hand, partnership is transformational. Partnership is an environment/agreement to create mutually beneficial value. Upon which is your staff currently working?

Association executives may access my association growth articles, member recruitment campaign information, and member value video presentations at http://www.GrowingYourAssociation.com

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Need a dynamic keynoter? View four of my full-length videos at http://www.rigsbee.com/selectvideo.htm

BUSINESS IS ABOUT RESULTS, NOT EXCUSES!

Ed Rigsbee, CSP

Rigsbee Research Consulting Group

Your Effective Executive Letter for Business Results: 10/22/08

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1. Partnering for Profits: Partnerships Through Web 2.0

2. Executive Presentation Skills: Which Side for Notes?

3. Association Executives: Help Your Members

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Partnering for Profits: Partnerships Through Web 2.0

Social networking is a current phenomenon with unknown values that seem to continually be emerging. I have found Linkedin to be the most valuable with Plaxo and FaceBook just a bit behind. I have found the “groups” to be quite beneficial. Linkedin has a group for alliance professionals; I belong to the ASAP (Association of Strategic Alliance Professionals) and have met (online) alliance professionals from around the globe. I plan to visit a couple alliance professionals I’ve met online next month during my trip to the UK. I have found FaceBook to be helpful in keeping in contact with my network of professional speakers.

If you want to play in the social networking "sandbox" devote half an hour a day--you'll be surprised at the value you receive. Also, in social networking one must be proactive rather than reactive. Being reactive only, delivers you little value. Learn the capabilities of the various social networking sites and work to discover innovative uses for the various capabilities.

While it does take a bit of time to learn the networks and their different capabilities, I completely believe there is both short-term and long-term value if you just work them a few minutes each day. Try it; I’m sure you’ll like it. If you want to connect with me at any or all of the above networks, please put in your invitation something about my eLetter so I make sure to accept your invitation.

Executive Presentation Skills: Which Side for Notes?

This week, I attended a community business presentation given by an executive from a local Fortune 50 company. I noticed that the executive kept looking completely away from then audience; I realized that he had put his notes on the wrong side of his computer at the lectern.

Here is the set up; lectern in the front corner of the room and the screen in the center—acceptable so far. The audience was mostly to the LEFT of the speaker. But, he put his notes to the RIGHT of his computer. For the first few minutes, especially since the executive was nervous, he kept looking at his notes to the right, even though the audience was moistly to his left. It was obvious that he had used the company’s standard public PowerPoint presentation because of his reliance on his notes.

This “which side” situation was a simple mistake, but with huge consequence. It took the executive quite a while to recover. Why add stress? At your next speech, if you have some notes along, be sure to set them on the lectern TOWARD the audience rather than AWAY from them.

Professional speakers and emerging speakers, please visit http://www.SucceedInSpeaking.com for additional ideas, assistance, and resources.

Trade Association & Professional Society Executives: Help Your Members

The economy is in the toilet—okay, now I’ve said it. As an association executive, now is the time to make sure your association is delivering maximum value to your members. While conventional wisdom might dictate hunkering down and pushing for more sponsorship dollars to help run the association; you had better keep your eye on member value.

This is also the time to re-evaluate some of your “fringe” or “feel good” programs. Sure thing, when there is lots of money; you can do the socially conscious work that a small percentage of your members embrace. Yes, I’ve done some research on this; the numbers are less than you might want to believe.

But, when your members are in battle for their own survival, your programs need to be focused toward helping your members to GET MORE BUSINESS! You’ve heard me say it before: “Business is about Results, Not Excuses!” So please, help your members to get more business and worry about the “nice stuff” for when the economy is better.

Association executives may access my association growth articles, member recruitment campaign information, and member value video presentations at http://www.GrowingYourAssociation.com

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Need a dynamic keynoter? View four of my full-length videos at http://www.rigsbee.com/selectvideo.htm

BUSINESS IS ABOUT RESULTS, NOT EXCUSES!

Ed Rigsbee, CSP

Rigsbee Research Consulting Group

Your Effective Executive Letter for Business Results: 10/15/08

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1. Partnering for Profits: Employees as Partners

2. Executive Presentation Skills: Speech Preparation

3. Association Executives: Levels of Membership

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Partnering for Profits: Employees as Partners

Your employees can operate as partners or as saboteurs. Much of this depends on the management and executive leadership’s view of the business world. They are watching what you do more than they are listening to your words. What do you think is the real cost to your organization, and its alliance partners, for allowing employees to be disgruntled?

While the idea disgruntled employees is the opposite of engaged employees, in this tough economic time it is important to address. Let’s face it, your employees are reading daily about the failures of financial institutions, and of the obscene severance pay that many of the executives are receiving for their incompetence.

Now is a crucial time to “take the temperature” of your employees and act on any negative issues. Otherwise, these same unhappy persons might just be, in the shadows, dismantling that quality relationship you have been cultivating with your alliance partner.

Executive Presentation Skills: Speech Preparation

How deeply do you feel your subject? This question could prove to be most crucial. Depending upon the depth of your feelings for a topic, might be the tell tale sign of the energy you devote to preparation.

If the purpose of your speech is beyond simple knowledge transfer, to the area of influencing how others think and act—then you’ll want to contemplate your subject over a reasonable length of time.

Today, laying out your bullet points in PowerPoint allows for the elimination of notes. But PowerPoint can also be a devastating crutch, minimizing your passion and…effectiveness.

For your next important speech, read your notes each night before you retire and then again when you arise—this definitive action will keep the topic at the fore of your consciousness, thereby forcing your active brain to search for innovative solutions.

Professional speakers and emerging speakers, please visit http://www.SucceedInSpeaking.com for additional ideas, assistance, and resources.

Trade Association & Professional Society Executives: Levels of Membership

Perhaps this difficult economic climate is urging Boards of Directors to review membership types, levels, and prices? One of the huge challenges with various membership levels (and prices) is the services offered. Is it possible that a caste system is being developed within your association? If you answer yes—be careful.

Difficult economic times generally justify the taking a closer look at memberships. If you jump in to this challenge, it is crucial to the success of your organization that you take the time to determine the value received for the price requested (ROI), because your members will be watching closely. Good Luck,

Association executives may access my association growth articles, member recruitment campaign information, and member value video presentations at http://www.GrowingYourAssociation.com

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Need a dynamic keynoter? View four of my full-length videos at http://www.rigsbee.com/selectvideo.htm

BUSINESS IS ABOUT RESULTS, NOT EXCUSES!

Ed Rigsbee, CSP

Rigsbee Research Consulting Group

Your Effective Executive Letter for Business Results: 10/8/08

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1. Partnering for Profits: Why Do Alliances Fail?

2. Executive Presentation Skills: Posture by Design

3. Association Executives: Membership Drain

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Partnering for Profits: Why Do Alliances Fail?

In the 2006 publication titled, “Managing Alliances for Business Results” it was reported that there were three basic alliance failure causes: Number one, at an astonishing 46% was poor strategy and business plans. Following in the number two position was poor or damaged relationships between firms at 40%. And in the rear at number three were bad legal and financial terms and conditions showing at 14%.

In my opinion, all of the above could be thrown into a single category; poor planning. As the profession of alliance manager leaves infancy, an increasing number of alliance metrics has appeared. While this is wonderful for maintaining a properly developed alliance, it still falls short in the area of alliance development.

Here is a recommendation; bring alliance managers into the negotiations earlier. Generally it is the business development department that builds an alliance, however the alliance managers are the ones that make things work—so why not bring them in at the onset of negotiations rather than in the organizational phase?

Executive Presentation Skills: Posture by Design

For every presentation you give you can select either casual or authority posture, or just let your natural style decide for you. Posture by design connotes you selecting, rather than a choice by any other than your conscious mind.

The challenge for a person that might naturally have an authoritative posture is in selling any kind of relationship or trust idea. Conversely, the person with a more casual or relaxed posture might have trouble selling organizational policy or directives.

If you keep your feet planted, that is authority posture. Put your hands in your pocket, that’s casual posture. Body erect is authority while slightly leaning against a table or lectern is casual. Correctly selecting the right posture for selling a specific issue is crucial. Select your posture by design rather than simply take a chance.

Professional speakers and emerging speakers, please visit http://www.SucceedInSpeaking.com for additional ideas, assistance, and resources.

Trade Association & Professional Society Executives: Membership Drain

“…the number of association members can reasonably be expected to rise over the next 10 years, from about 51 million members at present to about 55 million by the year 2015.” So stated in the 2005 “Generations and the Future of Association Participation” white paper published by the William Smith Institute for Association Research.

The report also acknowledged that unforeseen events can greatly affect their predictions. Not too many predicted the current financial crisis, and there will be fallout with association membership. I believe one of the important keys for current member retention is proving value.

I continue to study association membership recruitment material that only reveals features of membership and not translated into the actual value a current or new member might receive. Keep going down that path and you can be assured of membership drain. Help your members to justify their membership investment by creating a new recruitment vehicle that clearly reveals VALUE. This will help current members justify their investment, and encourage new members to join their industry strategic alliance.

By the way, it is only value if it makes their life better; and advocacy, while important, is not a direct member benefit—everyone gets that value, regardless of their membership status.

Association executives may access my association growth articles, member recruitment campaign information, and member value video presentations at http://www.GrowingYourAssociation.com

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Need a dynamic keynoter? View four of my full-length videos at http://www.rigsbee.com/selectvideo.htm

BUSINESS IS ABOUT RESULTS, NOT EXCUSES!

Ed Rigsbee, CSP

Rigsbee Research Consulting Group

Your Effective Executive Letter for Business Results: 10/1/08

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1. Partnering for Profits: Management Driven Alliance Disruption

2. Executive Presentation Skills: Story Heroes

3. Association Executives: Value through Publishing

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Partnering for Profits: Management Driven Alliance Disruption

Recently I found myself involved in a dispute between a company that purchased a service and the service provider company. After a bit of research, it was very clear to me that the conflict emanated from the fact that the CEO of the purchasing company put a person in charge of the project that was simply incapable of managing the project.

The project manager sent out “red herrings” to hide their incompetence, hopeful that with enough conflict created, the service provider would take up the slack in the area which the project manager lacked competence.

This project manager created much more stress in the lives of the people involved than was ever necessary. Who is to blame? The CEO is in my opinion; he put the wrong person in charge of the project. What about you? Are you selecting the correct and competent person to manage your alliance relationships? If not, rest assured that this “wrong person” is KILLING your valued relationships.

Executive Presentation Skills: Story Heroes

Everyone knows the benefit if story telling; catching the attention of audience members and giving them a framework for remembering your points of wisdom. To make your stories even more powerful; who should be the hero of your story?

OMG, I hope you did not say “me.” You should never be the hero of your own stories because then the story is simply about you. Much better is to have someone else as the hero, even if you really do believe that you are the hero.

By making someone else the hero, your audience members will better relate to you, remember your story, and respond to your efforts to move them from point “A” to point “B.”

Professional speakers and emerging speakers, please visit http://www.SucceedInSpeaking.com for additional ideas, assistance, and resources.

Trade Association & Professional Society Executives: Value through Publishing

The economy sucks! Okay, I said it. Your members are struggling. Are your publications serving the needs of your members today? As an example, if you are currently working on an article in the area of social responsibility, which is a nice topic—are you writing it through the window of how your members can truly profit through social responsibility?

Your publications belong to your members. Are the articles helping them solve today’s problems? You most likely have a covey of suppliers that would love to write “generic” solution driven articles simply for the benefit of “exposure.” In today’s difficult economic situation, are you leveraging the knowledge of your suppliers? Or, is your Board saying, “We can’t let them write for us; first it wouldn’t be fair to the other suppliers and second, they wouldn’t buy ads in our publication.”

Get past these provincial beliefs and move toward delivering true value to your members. Leverage the strengths of your industry suppliers. Just be aware of the difference between an “advertorial” and a solution driven article. Help your members to succeed.

Association executives may access my association growth articles, member recruitment campaign information, and member value video presentations at http://www.GrowingYourAssociation.com

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Need a dynamic keynoter? View four of my full-length videos at http://www.rigsbee.com/selectvideo.htm

BUSINESS IS ABOUT RESULTS, NOT EXCUSES!

Ed Rigsbee, CSP

Rigsbee Research Consulting Group

Your Effective Executive Letter for Business Results: 9/24/08

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1. Partnering for Profits: Alliance Lifecycle Disruption

2. Executive Presentation Skills: Authenticity in Speech Titles

3. Association Executives: Employee Performance Appraisal

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Partnering for Profits: Alliance Lifecycle Disruption

You plan your alliance, launch the alliance, and hope to enjoy the benefits before the alliance comes to an end. However, sometimes an unexpected or unanticipated event comes along and changes things for you.

Let’s explore what these events might me; merger, acquisition, changes of current business conditions. With the highly talked about American financial crisis, the business environment has most definitely changed and this is affecting the alliance strategies of financial organizations—the ones that survive, that is...

With mergers, there is a better chance of having the time to adjust and plan. But with an acquisition—that could come and blind side your alliance. The above three events could disrupt the success of your alliance and force you, or your partner into the exit phase of alliance lifecycles. Be alert!

Executive Presentation Skills: Authenticity in Speech Titles

Some people don’t have much to say, but you have to listen so long to find it out. At a recent conference that I attended there was a presentation titled, “Marketing 101 for [the industry will go unnamed]” and I made a special effort to attend the session. Wow, was I disappointed. After 30 minutes of a 90 minute session the speaker had said NOTHING! And, he was monotone—thereby boring. He just read his PowerPoint bullet points. The content was so elementary that I gagged.

Wanting to give the guy a chance, I thumbed through the handout to discover the rest of the presentation would be devoted exclusively to advertising (something the speaker sold). Now, let’s look at this; dishonesty in title, and boring—as would you, I left.

What I hope this means to you is that you are honest with your presentation titles, and if you really do not have anything to say, don’t accept the speaking engagement.

Professional speakers and emerging speakers, please visit http://www.SucceedInSpeaking.com for additional ideas, assistance, and resources.

Trade Association & Professional Society Executives: Employee Performance Appraisal

I was recently looking through the various employee performance appraisals uploaded at ASAE & The Center for Association Leadership’s Web Site. Looking at the method frequently employed is that similar to how one was graded at school; A, B, C, D, etc. OMG, haven’t we had enough of that?

Looking at these forms reminded me of an interview I had conducted, for my first book, with executives from Mitsubishi Motor Sales of America. They had been doing the same thing but realized during a time when they were trying to improve productivity that they could no longer grade their employees like when they were in school. They abandoned the 90% or better as an “A” method for a “kinder and gentler” three choice rating: (1) Exceeding Expectations, (2) Meeting Expectations, (3) Needs Improvement. Yep, that simple!

Perhaps now is the time to review, how you review your staff?

Association executives may access my association growth articles, member recruitment campaign information, and member value video presentations at http://www.GrowingYourAssociation.com

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Need a dynamic keynoter? View four of my full-length videos at http://www.rigsbee.com/selectvideo.htm

BUSINESS IS ABOUT RESULTS, NOT EXCUSES!

Ed Rigsbee, CSP

Rigsbee Research Consulting Group

Your Effective Executive Letter for Business Results: 9/16/08

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1. Partnering for Profits: Will They Be There for You?

2. Executive Presentation Skills: What’s Your Style?

3. Association Executives: Relationship Bank Deposits

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Partnering for Profits: Will They Be There for You?

When stuff happens, it’s your alliance partner that either will, or will not, be there for you. Hopefully when it “all hits the fan” you’ll have made enough relationship bank deposits to allow you a withdrawal?

During times of calm, your alliance partner simply keeps things in motion but, what about in times of chaos? Make your relationship bank deposits now, and do it frequently. This way, your alliance partner will hopefully be there for you when you really need them. That day might be tomorrow.

Executive Presentation Skills: What’s Your Style?

This week, I’ve been enjoying a biography on Frank Sinatra; the subtitle being, “How You Wear Your Hat.” The book is not typical in that it does not keep a chronological time line but rather covers topics around how Frank intentionally decided to live his life. Frank was largely influenced by Humphrey Bogart who told Frank to find his own style.

That leads me to this week’s question, “What’s your style?”

In effectively communicating your ideas, this is hugely important. Number one; you cannot copy someone else’s style, you’ll just look foolish. Yet, how does one find their own authentic style? Yes, that’s the $64,000 question (old term, some X or Y Gens might not get it—sorry).

Finding your own style is, I fear, a journey rather than a destination. Things change, you’ll change. The best I can offer is this: The Universe knows, and when you are truly ready to learn, your teacher will appear. Your teacher might appear in a form other than what you’d expect. So do your best to quiet the static in your head so you can listen intently to the universe. You might be amazed at what you’ll hear.

Professional speakers and emerging speakers, please visit http://www.SucceedInSpeaking.com for additional ideas, assistance, and resources.

Trade Association & Professional Society Executives: Association Relationship Bank Deposits

When an association signs up a new member, generally a membership package of some sort is sent to the new member. Unfortunately, that package generally falls short of delivering any outstanding value to the new member. Then, too frequently, that is the extent of the association’s relationship bank deposits.

Now comes the next year when the association asks for a membership renewal. If the member does not renew, that person is then seen as being uncommitted to the association. Is there something wrong with this picture?

Association Executives around the globe—why no relationship bank deposits between sign-up and renewal request? “Oh, we sent them our magazine,” you say, “Isn’t that enough?”

NO!

If you want to keep your members, ask yourself, “What have we done for that member lately?” And no, it is not enough to state that they could have attended our convention.

What are you doing for your members, today?

Association executives may access my association growth articles, member recruitment campaign information, and member value video presentations at http://www.GrowingYourAssociation.com

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Grow your organization with smart alliances—why not get started now? Call me at 800-839-1520 for a consultation. We see 5-20% market share increases almost instantly from targeted marketing alliances. Might there be an opportunity you are missing?

Need a dynamic keynoter? View four of my full-length videos at http://www.rigsbee.com/selectvideo.htm

BUSINESS IS ABOUT RESULTS, NOT EXCUSES!

Ed Rigsbee, CSP

Rigsbee Research Consulting Group

Your Effective Executive Letter for Business Results: 9/10/08

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1. Partnering for Profits: Annual Alliance Summit

2. Executive Presentation Skills: Evoke Emotion

3. Association Executives: The Who Cares Filter

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Partnering for Profits: Annual Alliance Summit

Why hold an annual alliance summit? Actually, you should hold two. The first annual alliance summit is for all your organization’s people that are involved with a particular strategic alliance. The purpose of this summit is to give your organization’s people an update as to how things are going with the alliance and to also share any change of governance or functionality within the alliance. You are making sure your organization’s people are all pulling in the same direction.

The second alliance summit is with your alliance partner, and all of the people from both organizations that are involved. Similar to the above, this is the time to clear the air, resolve conflict and commit to another year of alliance excellence. The benefit is the “breaking-of-bread” among the people that are charged with making the strategic alliance work. When people get along, businesses, and alliances, move forward.

Executive Presentation Skills: Evoke Emotion

Emotion is a powerful motivator for change, and/or action. Your speech is generally intended to get your audience to take some sort of action. Use emotion to help. Ways to evoke emotion in your presentation:

1. Use real pictures, as opposed to clip art, in your PowerPoint. Check www.istock.com; they have a great selection and are reasonably priced.

2. Use music during your presentation. Buy the music form the web sites that offer royalty free music to resolve license issues.

3. Use video clips.

4. Use cartoons.

5. I like to save the best for last...tell stories that make your point. The subliminal message in a story can have an amazing anchor and stay with people for years. Stories must have a purpose and relate your points of wisdom. Is it okay to embellish your story a bit to make it better, funnier, or more effectual? Absolutely you can...if it helps your audience to learn.

Professional speakers and emerging speakers, please visit http://www.SucceedInSpeaking.com for additional ideas, assistance, and resources.

Trade Association & Professional Society Executives: The Who Cares Filter

The economy is in the toilet! Membership renewals have shrunk! We’ve got to make some cuts!

Is this the time to cut your member recruitment budget? Perhaps, but I don’t think so. Keep your budget, and find ways to make your member recruitment dollars work better for your association. While I continually write about accessing your members to do the leg work, they cannot do it effectively without your help.

Take a close look at every piece of printed, and electronic (your web site and pdf files) member recruitment collateral material. As you read through, take notice of your organizations positioning. Then read through it all again and ask, “Who Cares?” If your answer is anything but “prospective members,” it is time to accept the fact that your collateral materials are ineffective!

Now the question is, “What are you going to do about it?”

Association executives may access my association growth articles, member recruitment campaign information, and member value video presentations at www.GrowingYourAssociation.com

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Need a dynamic keynoter? View four of my full-length videos at http://www.rigsbee.com/selectvideo.htm

BUSINESS IS ABOUT RESULTS, NOT EXCUSES!

Ed Rigsbee, CSP

Rigsbee Research Consulting Group

Your Effective Executive Letter for Business Results: 9/3/08

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1. Partnering for Profits: Your Core Competency

2. Executive Presentation Skills: Check Your Energy Level

3. Association Executives: Prospective Member Benefits

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Partnering for Profits: Your Core Competency

It’s time to take stock of your core competency and the value you can deliver to a potential partner. We are now approaching the fall, which for strategic planners is an important time to measure the year’s performance—while there is still time to adjust.

If you are in your “adjustment” cycle, perhaps you should look at additional alliance relationships that might be available to you, especially in the area of distribution. If you need a shot in the arm, a distribution partner might be what the doctor ordered?

Before you approach a potential partner, be clear of the value you have to offer them. This puts you in a stronger bargaining position. Approaching a potential partner with your “hat-in-hand” is not the best approach if you want to do well. By knowing what you have to offer, your potential partner will quickly understand “what’s in it for him” and be more willing to negotiate.

Oh, as a sidebar, the BEST person I know to get your strategic plan developed and implemented is Robert Bradford, President at Center for Simplified Strategic Planning; www.cssp.com. If it is a marketing plan you need, then the best is Dr. Revenue (John Haskell). Contact him through www.drrevenue.com.

Executive Presentation Skills: Check Your Energy Level

Good varying energy equates to an influential speech. Low energy, you’re your audience will go to sleep. Too much energy for too long of a period of time will tire out your audience. They’ll feel like they just ran a marathon.

Word articulation adds energy and commitment. This helps your audience to perceive of you as an expert.

Lazy Mouth: Barely open your mouth when you speak and you’ll mumble with a listless, lackluster sound. This is the antithesis of good energy.

Anger; inject vigorous meaning into words and say them as if you really mean them. Used only once or twice during your speech, and it will create a varied energy—good for keeping your audience on their toes.

Professional speakers and emerging speakers, please visit http://www.SucceedInSpeaking.com for additional ideas, assistance, and resources.

Trade Association & Professional Society Executives: Prospective Member Benefits

Arm your members with the correct recruitment tools and let them go. Some might think the correct recruitment tool is a perk or incentive for the member that does the recruiting—I disagree! This way, the member has a motive that is “less than pure” and the members your association gets most likely will not stay beyond a year or two.

The right tool is a brochure loaded with BENEFITS, and not features. It’s a brochure that lists the real-dollar value of membership, what’s in it for the prospective member. With this tool, your members can go through the benefits with a prospective member in a logical and orderly fashion.

Recently, I spent some time surfing the web, visiting association web sites and looking at their online member recruitment brochures. Hey folks, it’s time to take a class in selling. Most of what I saw online was nothing but feature after feature—and you wonder why people are not finding your association on the web and signing up?

Your collateral material must be written through the eyes of prospective members. And, everything written must pass the “So what!” test—what a prospective member might say when they read your brochure.

Association executives may access my association growth articles, member recruitment campaign information, and member value video presentations at www.GrowingYourAssociation.com

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Need a dynamic keynoter? View four of my full-length videos at http://www.rigsbee.com/selectvideo.htm

BUSINESS IS ABOUT RESULTS, NOT EXCUSES!

Ed Rigsbee, CSP

Rigsbee Research Consulting Group

Your Effective Executive Letter for Business Results: 8/27/08

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1. Partnering for Profits: Supplier or Partner?

2. Executive Presentation Skills: Four Categories of Presentation Visuals

3. Association Executives: Motivate Your Board to Drive Member Recruitment

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Partnering for Profits: Supplier or Partner?

Meet Steven Schaffer, vice president and general manager, global partners, Boeing Commercial Airplanes—yes, it’s a long title. His job, since 2005 has been turning 787 Dreamliner suppliers into partners. At Boeing, they have changed their former “supply management and procurement organization” to “global partners” which they believe better reflects their current business philosophy.

For Boeing, outside partners are the key to their success. The new 787 Dreamliner family of airplanes touts 70% partner production as compared to their other airplanes with 55% to 60% partner production.

What are you doing to turn your suppliers into valued partners?

Executive Presentation Skills: Four Categories of Presentation Visuals

There are four basic categories of visuals you can use in presenting your ideas in an effort to influence others.

1. Yourself; you are your most important visual. Your body position, stance, and language do more than anything else (positive or negative) to affect your audience. Your body movement and facial expressions act as your most powerful tools.

2. Props; the things you bring along to show your audience can cause a huge effect in the thinking of your audience members. The props can make points, cause humor, sadness, and curiosity.

3. PowerPoint and Video; you’ve heard it before…make your PowerPoint a benefit, not a boring crutch. If your PowerPoint’s text is too small, the slides are cluttered, or the color is incorrect—the PowerPoint ceases to be of benefit to the audience. The same goes for video footage you might show; the sound has to be good, the video resolution quality has to be high, and it better be interesting.

4. A person; bringing up an audience member(s) or invite an “expert or celebrity” to join you on the platform can have a powerful effect on your presentation. The only thing to be careful of is that they do not take control of your presentation and that they are interesting. Otherwise they will take away, rather than add to your presentation.

Professional speakers and emerging speakers, please visit http://www.SucceedInSpeaking.com for additional ideas, assistance, and resources.

Trade Association & Professional Society Executives: Motivate Your Board to Drive Member Recruitment

In today’s economic situation, member recruitment is crucial! If you cannot get your board members to drive your grassroots membership recruitment campaign, why bother? Inherent in the term, “grassroots” is the idea of something being done at the simplest common denominator. In your organization, your members are just that, and your board members are too. Your board members have only arisen from the ranks for a short time to lead, and then they will return. And it is the member leaders that must lead in this effort—NOT the paid STAFF!!!

I know, you are thinking, “Great Ed, but how do I get them motivated?” There are two primary motivators; ego and desire for gain. In the area of desire for gain, you have to help the board members to understand how a larger association can help them personally and professionally. They must see in their mind’s eye how greater association success would look. They need to understand how this is in their personal best interest. It is the job of paid staff to help the volunteer leaders to see this.

In the area of ego, it is close to the buying motive; fear of loss. Continually reiterate to them how it would be a shame for the association to digress on their watch. Talk about how awful it would be for their legacy, if the association fell behind. I realize it is negative reinforcement; however that is what you have to do in dealing with people that are motivated by fear of loss.

Association executives may access my association growth articles, member recruitment campaign information, and member value video presentations at www.GrowingYourAssociation.com

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Need a dynamic keynoter? View four of my full-length videos at http://www.rigsbee.com/selectvideo.htm

BUSINESS IS ABOUT RESULTS, NOT EXCUSES!

Ed Rigsbee, CSP

Rigsbee Research Consulting Group

Your Effective Executive Letter for Business Results: 8/13/08

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1. Partnering for Profits: Great Partner No More?

2. Executive Presentation Skills: Structure for Receivers

3. Association Executives: Are Member Surveys Valuable?

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Partnering for Profits: Great Partner No More?

“Chain Store Age” announced today, that CVS Buying Longs Drug for $2.7B

CVS Caremark Corp. said Tuesday that it is buying Longs Drug Stores Corp. in a deal valued at $2.7 billion. The $71.50 per-share cash offer, announced after the end of trading Tuesday, was a 32% premium over Walnut Creek, Calif.-based Longs' closing price of $54.04.

Longs Drug operates 521 drug stores, mostly in California, and also has sites in Hawaii, Nevada and Arizona. Executives at CVS said the acquisition will give the chain a significant presence in fast-growing West Coast markets where property is often unavailable or expensive to acquire.

I have known the Longs Drug chain intimately since 1975. They were a customer of mine from 1975 to 1990—in my days of selling sunglasses. This has been a chain that has continually embraced the paradigm of partnering. With the acquisition, my bet is that their partnering capability and desire will greatly diminish. Remember, partnering relationships generally have a sunset, so make partnering hay while the sun is shinning.

Executive Presentation Skills: Structure for Receivers

Rather than structure your presentation for yourself, consider structuring your presentation for the receivers of your ideas. Ask yourself, “What idea pattern will most likely hit my intended target?” Presentation structure can be divided into two basic areas; (1) logical sequences and (2) psychological sequences.

With logical sequences, the basic purpose is that of conveying ideas. Some of the (self-explanatory) methods are: (1) Time sequence (2) Space sequence (3) Important elements sequence (4) Problem-analysis-solution sequence and (5) Proposition-proof-conclusion sequence.

When employing psychological sequences, your primary goal is to control your receiver’s “emotional feeling” so that he or she is willing to listen and accept your ideas. Psychological sequences include: (1) Familiar to unfamiliar sequence (2) Common to uncommon sequence (3) Belief-to-greater-belief sequence and (4) Belief-to-action sequence.

Professional speakers and emerging speakers, please visit http://www.SucceedInSpeaking.com for additional ideas and assistance.

Trade Association & Professional Society Executives: Are Member Surveys Valuable?

Are member surveys valuable? My answer would be a resounding, maybe. Conventional wisdom would have you believe that surveys are valuable. And, I’d say this is true if the correct questions are asked. However, if the wrong questions are asked, then the strategies implemented resulting from the survey responses would be faulty at best.

One can structure a particular survey to elicit just about any answer desired. The real question is, “Do you want honest feedback?” The next time you conduct a survey, stay focused on learning from your membership. Let your members “assist” you in building a better association rather than “insist” that the membership follow its leaders in unquestioned lockstep rhythm.

Association executives may access my association growth articles, member recruitment campaign information, and member value video presentations at www.GrowingYourAssociation.com

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Need a dynamic keynoter? View my full-length videos at http://www.rigsbee.com/selectvideo.htm

BUSINESS IS ABOUT RESULTS, NOT EXCUSES!

Ed Rigsbee, CSP

Rigsbee Research Consulting Group

Your Effective Executive Letter for Business Results: 7/30/08

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1. Partnering for Profits: Benefit from Differences

2. Executive Presentation Skills: Repetition for Memory Lock

3. Association Executives: “Hands-On” Member Recruitment

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Partnering for Profits: Benefit from Differences

One of the unintended partnering pitfalls is homogenization. This is where partners in a collaboration attempt to overcome differences in culture, operations, and strategy by “beating” one another into sameness. Initially, the reason for the collaboration is to overcome core weaknesses and share competencies. However, in the name of alliance management; compromise and cooperation, there is the natural attempt of the larger partner to “urge” the smaller partner to do business “their” way. This is a mistake!

While alliance management is a bit more difficult when the partners’ culture, operations, and strategy are different—the power is in that difference. Look for ways to leverage the value of partner differences rather than to succumb to the natural tendency to attempt to get everybody on “the same page.”

Executive Presentation Skills: Repetition for Memory Lock

Sure, you’ve heard it before; tell them what you are going to tell them—tell them—then, tell them what you told them. While this is good advice, I would like to suggest you go further—to a place of hypnotic repetition. Subliminally lock in your key ideas by continually repeating them—like a mantra. You can repeat your key ideas both verbally and visually (on your PowerPoint slides). The next time you present, give this idea a try. I believe you will be positively surprised with the quality of your results.

Professional speakers and emerging speakers, please visit http://www.SucceedInSpeaking.com for additional ideas and assistance.

Trade Association & Professional Society Executives: “Hands-On” Member Recruitment

Are you ready to ask your board of directors to accept a “hands on” approach to member recruitment? Now is the time; economy slowing, things uncertain, members dropping off. For the health and survival of your association, now is the time to urge your board members to roll up their sleeves, and call in some favors from their association friends and start connecting with past and prospective members.

Too many volunteer groups, I have noticed, have abdicated their member recruitment responsibility to the paid staff. And, the paid staff really does not have the time to be the driving force behind member recruitment. Member recruitment should be at the grassroots level, where every member is regularly suggesting membership to their friends, colleagues, and suppliers that are involved in the industry. Give your members the proper recruitment tools and set them loose.

Association executives may access my association growth articles, member recruitment campaign information, and member value video presentations at http://www.rigsbee.com/association.htm

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Need a dynamic keynoter? View my full-length videos at http://www.rigsbee.com/selectvideo.htm

BUSINESS IS ABOUT RESULTS, NOT EXCUSES!

Ed Rigsbee, CSP

Rigsbee Research Consulting Group

Your Effective Executive Letter for Business Results: 7/23/08

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1. Partnering for Profits: Collaborations in the News

2. Executive Presentation Skills: Pictures for Humor

3. Association Executives: Precarious Situation

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Partnering for Profits: Collaborations in the News

In yesterday’s “Wall Street Journal” (7/22/08), there were two very interesting articles on collaboration. The first was about General Motors collaborating with a number of utilities that operate in 40 states to develop an infrastructure for the coming Chevy Volt due to hit the market in 2010—good looking car in my opinion. It will be fueled primarily by electricity. BMW is also trying to promote alternate fuel. They have developed a 7 series that will use liquid hydrogen; however BMW has not yet developed the needed production and fueling station infrastructure to support their new car.

The second collaboration mentioned is a new social networking site, utilizing www.Ning.com, for the specialty coffee industry to share information. The site is currently getting about 15,000 unique visitors a month. Especially, at the heels of Starbucks’ recent announcement to close 600 more stores, the independent specialty coffee houses are poised for a strong showing. Ning is available to anyone that wants to create a specialized Internet community, there is even one you younger professional speakers; www.NSANext.com.

Where ever you look, folks are partnering. What are you waiting for?

Executive Presentation Skills: Pictures for Humor

If you find your “delivery of content” lacking in humor, and you really do not consider yourself to be funny or humorous, make your life easier; use funny pictures or cartoons in your presentation PowerPoint to help you make your key points. This will visually break things up and allow your audience to get a few laughs while relating to your topic. And, most likely your audience members will better remember your key points resulting from the use of applicable visual humor?

Professional speakers and emerging speakers, please visit http://www.SucceedInSpeaking.com for additional ideas and assistance.

Trade Association & Professional Society Executives: Precarious Situation

As the economy sputters you are, or will soon be, finding yourself in the precarious situation where you must decide the cause of weakened member retention. You’ll meet with your board on the topic and perhaps everyone will agree that it is simply the economy. DON’T DO IT!

Now is the time that the people in your industry need their trade association the most. Now is the time that they need the assistance you offer. Now is the time to do the same thing you recommend to your members; increase marketing to eclipse the competition and position yourself for the coming recovery. Now is the time for every trade association to increase their member recruitment and member retention efforts. Think about it-

Association executives may access my association growth articles, member recruitment campaign information, and member value video presentations at http://www.rigsbee.com/association.htm

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Need a dynamic keynoter? View my full-length videos at http://www.rigsbee.com/selectvideo.htm

BUSINESS IS ABOUT RESULTS, NOT EXCUSES!

Ed Rigsbee, CSP

Rigsbee Research Consulting Group

Your Effective Executive Letter for Business Results: 7/16/08

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1. Partnering for Profits: Wanna be Right, or Get Things Done?

2. Executive Presentation Skills: Speaking in an Open Position

3. Association Executives: Meeting Planner Activities

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Partnering for Profits: Wanna be Right, or Get Things Done?

Business is about relationships and relationships are about understanding the needs of others. Too frequently in partnering workshops, I have seen participants overly focused on “selling” their point, which I also call having the need to “be right.” The challenge with obsessing in being right is that the important alliance activities never get done. Important activities like measuring the success of an alliance or exploring new alliance possibilities.

The next time you catch yourself in the behavior of “being right,” I suggest you stop yourself cold and ask yourself this question, “Why do I need to be right?” Then, you can hopefully change your behavior to that of focusing on getting things done. Would you rather be right, or get your important relationship work done?

Executive Presentation Skills: Speaking in an Open Position

Have you ever been at a presentation in which a very short person is speaking from behind a lectern? What did you see? Most likely only part of them that you saw was the top of their face. Speaking from behind something is speaking in a “protected” position. This protected position can be perceived by many as the speaker is in fear or is hiding something. The very best position on the podium (riser or stage) is front and center, with nothing between you and your audience. This is an open position. And this still holds true, even if you have to hold your notes.

Professional speakers and emerging speakers, please visit http://www.SucceedInSpeaking.com for additional ideas and assistance.

Trade Association & Professional Society Executives: Meeting Planner Activities

Are you best utilizing your meeting planner? In a recent “MeetingNews” survey, this question was put to meeting planners, “So, what is it you do?” This question was in reference to the principal responsibilities for meeting planners. 77.6% stated logistics and management; 65.4% said negotiation; 57% responded with tracking expenses; 37% said it was strategizing; 30.4% stated marketing for the meeting; 24.2% responded with educational planning; 12.8% said limiting legal liability; and 8.1% suggested other activities.

If you have a desire to mentor your meeting planner to some day take over your position, more planner work needs to be focused on strategizing. It is this activity that most executive directors have told me is their planner’s weak link.

Association executives may access my association growth articles, member recruitment campaign information, and member value video presentations at http://www.rigsbee.com/association.htm

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Need a dynamic keynoter? View my full-length videos at http://www.rigsbee.com/selectvideo.htm

BUSINESS IS ABOUT RESULTS, NOT EXCUSES!

Ed Rigsbee, CSP

Rigsbee Research Consulting Group

Your Effective Executive Letter for Business Results: 7/9/08

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1. Partnering for Profits: Managing Collaborative Networks

2. Executive Presentation Skills: Speaking with Notes

3. Association Executives: Membership, it’s a Good Business Decision

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Partnering for Profits: Managing Collaborative Networks

Perhaps you are attempting to develop an enterprise wide collaborative effort? However, various silos throughout the enterprise have independently developed their own alliance, partnering, and/or strategic sourcing relationships. The challenge is to manage the overarching need for the entire collaborative network management.

It has been said that collaborative networks are “fit-for-purpose” structures. They organize themselves in the manner most appropriate for achieving their objectives. Thus it should be no surprise that there is an infinite number of ways in which collaborative networks are managed.

The important issue for most organizations is to first realize the complexity of the collaborative network, and then be flexible enough to determine a viable management path. Using your old management tools might not work too well here because the various internal and external relationships need different management techniques to survive and prosper.

Executive Presentation Skills: Speaking with Notes

The age old question; “to, or not to, use notes.” My answer is; “What makes you more comfortable?” I’ve seen some of the biggest names in keynoting using notes—frequently taped to the floor so the audience will not know they are in use. And I’ve been put through the cruel and unusual punishment of having to endure a speaker reading his or her speech—in a monotone voice. Speech reading is for heads of State, where every word or omission is being scrutinized. For the rest of us, it is about connecting with the audience—and if you are more comfortable using notes, and you can connect—who cares about your notes?

BUT, don’t read every line on your PowerPoint slide—that’s also cruel and unusual punishment for your attendees. Your speech is a conversation between you and those in your audience. It is your effort to help your audience move from one point to another. If you are engaged in the audience, they will be engaged in you. How in the world can you be engaged if your nose is always in your computer reading your PowerPoint bullet points?

Notes or not, make it a point to connect. Engage!

Professional speakers and emerging speakers, please visit http://www.SucceedInSpeaking.com for additional ideas and assistance.

Trade Association & Professional Society Executives: Membership, it’s a Good Business Decision

“Membership, it’s a Good Business Decision” is the title the Mechanical Contractors Association of South Carolina selected for their new member recruitment brochure. In it they proved to prospective members that for every dollar invested in membership and participation, the member would receive four dollars back in personal and organizational value. That’s a heck of a deal in anybody’s book. Do you know how much ROI your members receive from their membership investment? If not, watch my video at the link below and then give me a call.

Association executives may access my association growth articles, member recruitment campaign information, and member value video presentations at http://www.rigsbee.com/association.htm

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Need a dynamic keynoter? View my full-length videos at http://www.rigsbee.com/selectvideo.htm

BUSINESS IS ABOUT RESULTS, NOT EXCUSES!

Ed Rigsbee, CSP

Rigsbee Research Consulting Group

Your Effective Executive Letter for Business Results: 6/25/08

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1. Partnering for Profits: Competitor Alliances

2. Executive Presentation Skills: Strength, Authority, and Energy

3. Association Executives: Is it Member Value?

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Partnering for Profits: Competitor Alliances

Now why in the world would you want to partner with your competitors? Won’t strengthening them just hurt you in the long-run? Not necessarily. Partnering with a competitor of similar size to ward off a larger or new competitor can be a smart alliance (i.e. the recent Yahoo and Google agreement to keep Microsoft at bay). Also, as is common in the California boutique wine industry, equipment and resource sharing is beneficial to all by minimizing the individual winery’s need for large capital investments.

In today’s economic uncertainty, I encourage you to be less fearful of smart competitor alliances and be more aware of potential threats looming around the next corner. Smart competitor alliances might include: distribution, marketing, co-production, and R&D. Read chapter #1 from “Developing Strategic Alliances” for more ideas: http://www.rigsbee.com/dsa1.htm

Executive Presentation Skills: Strength, Authority, and Energy

Strength is an important attribute for any executive that takes the platform attempting to inform or influence. You show your strength through erect posture, a powerful voice and determination in your eyes. With these three elements you send a call-to-action message loud and clear—without it, you do not.

Authority is both granted to you by your title and through your personal power, with the latter being the most important. Your perceived authority is also built upon a foundation of strength.

Energy on the platform is your clincher. Even with strength and authority, if your audience senses a lack of energy, they will perceive it as you having a lack of passion for the words you are sharing. Your energy helps your audience to motivate themselves into action. Your lack of energy only creates immobility within your listeners. Choose all three: strength, authority, and energy for your next presentation.

Professional speakers and emerging speakers, please visit http://www.SucceedInSpeaking.com for additional ideas and assistance.

Trade Association & Professional Society Executives: Is it Member Value?

Is the important legislative work that your association or society does a benefit of membership? The disturbing news is; not really. The reason I say this is not to anger you but to get you thinking about the benefits that your members receive because of their membership. If your entire industry (everyone) benefits from your legislative work, regardless of membership status, then it really is not a “member benefit” because all enjoy the benefit—regardless of affiliation.

When you talk about the value of membership in your organization, focus on the perks that are available only to those that join. If you find your organization lacking in this area, meet with your board to determine additional benefits your organization can offer to its membership. Perspective members are looking for ROI.

Association executives may access my association growth articles, member recruitment campaign information, and member value video presentations at http://www.rigsbee.com/association.htm

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Need a dynamic keynoter? View my full-length videos at http://www.rigsbee.com/selectvideo.htm

BUSINESS IS ABOUT RESULTS, NOT EXCUSES!

Ed Rigsbee, CSP

Rigsbee Research Consulting Group

Your Effective Executive Letter for Business Results: 6/18/08

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1. Partnering for Profits: Partner Up for Market Share

2. Executive Presentation Skills: Dealing with the Junior Trainer

3. Association Executives: Defensive Meeting Contracts

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Partnering for Profits: Partner Up for Market Share

With whom can you partner up to increase market share? What organization in your industry or ancillary industry has a core competency that you could use to increase your market share?

Aries Hospitality Group LLC, an affiliate of Chicago-based mortgage banking firm Aries Capital, has recently formed a strategic alliance with HI Group LLC, with offices in Chicago and New York.

The Aries Hospitality Group/HI Group strategic alliance will provide hotel investment banking in order to jointly source, process and close hotel equity and sales transactions. The alliance specializes in mid-market and upscale institutional hotel quality assets valued from $15 million to over $100 million in the U.S., Europe and the Caribbean, the companies add.

"The strategic alliance of these two market experts will enable the group to provide a unique consultative approach, focusing on establishing and building quality relationships," says Weimer, alliance leader. "This is an exciting venture, and we are confident that together, Aries Hospitality and HI Group will create a valuable resource for those seeking assistance with hotel investment banking services."

The important question to ponder, “What value, connection, or resource does the organization need that can help to gain an unfair advantage in the marketplace?

Just up on my Web site at www.rigsbee.com/selectvideo.htm is a 79 minute video presentation: “Vendor Summit” that should prove to be valuable in future training sessions your vendors and procurement department.

Executive Presentation Skills: Dealing with the Junior Trainer

If you are the CEO, this will be less of a problem for you. However, for everyone else; what do you do when a person in your audience either continues to ask too many questions or is disruptive by raising their hand and not asking questions but rather makes a series of statements? Either situation will drive the rest of your audience crazy because they know you, the presenter, will never get through all the planned material or are simply tired of listening to the attendee go on and on, enjoying listening to their own voice.

The attendee needs the affirmation that they are a valuable person, so give it to them and cut them off politely. You can say, “That’s a great point and I’d like to explore it further with you. Can we take this off line and talk about it after the presentation?” Whatever you do or say, be polite, acknowledge the value they offer, and quickly cut them off. To keep them from doing it again, avoid eye contact with this person—when they catch your eye, they think it is permission to disrupt again. If they ask a question, give a quick answer and move on, don’t fall prey to feeling the need to expand. If the attendee continues to ask more about the same question say, “Let’s talk about this after the presentation.” More times than not, they will not talk to you about it afterwards because they are not getting the adulation of speaking to the whole group.

Professional speakers and emerging speakers, please visit http://www.SucceedInSpeaking.com for additional ideas and assistance.

Trade Association & Professional Society Executives: Defensive Meeting Contracts

My avocation is running a 501 (c)(3) non-profit charity. Like you, I also get the pleasure of reviewing and signing hotel contracts. I recently spent some time with an attorney that specializes in association/hotel contracts—he blew my mind. Oh yes, he was a hotel sales executive before he went into law. His name is John Foster, Esq., CHME. John taught me to look at hotel contracts through a whole new window of what might happen. John calls this “negotiating defensively” when working out the details. Together, we reviewed a hotel contract that I was about to sign. I had no clue as to how open I was leaving my organization to potential damages that the hotel could demand; for things over which I have no control.

Here is the point: even if you have been signing hotel contracts for decades, you might want to have an association contract attorney look over a recent or upcoming agreement? Law is dynamic—things change. You might not know how open you could potentially be to damages litigation if something you had not considered went wrong. And here is a huge tip: if you do get billed for non-performance based on your attrition clause, should the recovery be for gross or net profit? Should you have to pay the hotel for food they never purchased? Depends on how your contract is written?

If you want to contact John Foster, call him in Atlanta at 404-873-5200 or email him at John.Foster@FJGLaw.net

Association executives may access my association growth articles, member recruitment campaign information, and member value video presentations at http://www.rigsbee.com/association.htm

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Strategic marketing alliances will help you to increase your market share for far less than going it alone—why not get started now? Call me at 800-839-1520 for a consultation. We see 5-20% market share increases almost instantly from targeted marketing alliances. Might there be an opportunity you are missing?

Need a dynamic keynoter? View my full-length videos at http://www.rigsbee.com/selectvideo.htm

BUSINESS IS ABOUT RESULTS, NOT EXCUSES!

Ed Rigsbee, CSP

Your Effective Executive Letter for Business Results: 6/11/08

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1. Partnering for Profits: Inherent Alliance Tensions Affect Governance

2. Executive Presentation Skills: Vacant Passengers

3. Association Executives: Associapedia

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Partnering for Profits: Inherent Alliance Tensions Affect Governance

Be aware of the inherent tensions that are generally found in alliance relationships and fueled by alliance governance changes. Guard against these issues controlling your alliances. Because many alliance partners are also competitors, the fine line between collaboration and competition will generally evolve over the life of the alliance. As such there is sure to be necessary adaptations to the alliance governance structure.

Research reveals that almost half of the structured alliances have experienced some sort of governance structure change. This can even happen when an alliance has not experienced change for some time and alliance managers second guess themselves and adopt change for change sake.

Corporate leadership change at either alliance partner company can fuel tension and drive changes in alliance governance, especially when introducing new mechanisms for alliance monitoring. While alliances are particularly useful in turbulent industries, the rapid industry change can also drive tensions and create the need for governance adjustment.

Every alliance manager is looking for a structure that copes with the evolving internal and external tension dynamics, without having to go through a complex alliance renegotiating process. This is for the obvious reasons of costs and time savings. However, the realistic alliance manager realizes that change is just around the corner.

Ed’s 12-Minute Strategic Alliance interview on Cisco’s BizWiseTV:

http://www.businessvideos.tv/collaboration/?surveyCode=2712&keyCode=156095_4

Executive Presentation Skills: Vacant Passengers

What happens when your audience chooses not to go along for the ride? You have heard it from me before, a presentation must be an interesting journey for the listener. If not, they close down or worse become disruptive.

The number one reason for vacant passengers at a presentation is when the speaker is so focused on his or her material that they loose sight of the reason for the presentation—to persuade listeners to go on a journey from point “A” to point “B” with the speaker.

It is all about the audience. If you are confident in your personal grasp of the material that you are sharing and understand the needs of your audience, you are half-way there. The other half is continual audience monitoring. If you are simply reading a PowerPoint, you are too focused on reading to pay attention to the fact that you are not engaging your audience. Know your stuff, make it relevant, and monitor your audience--then you’ll be engaging enough for them to want to take the ride with you.

Professional speakers and emerging speakers, please visit http://www.SucceedInSpeaking.com for additional ideas and assistance.

Trade Association & Professional Society Executives: Associapedia

If you haven’t visited ASAE & The Center for Association Leadership’s Web Site lately, http://www.asaecenter.org/ then you have most likely missed Associapedia, ASAE & The Center’s new Internet wiki (interactive encyclopedia) at http://www.asaecenter.org/wiki/index.cfm. Check it out, it’s loaded with information that any association executive should find interesting.

I found the topic of association verses charity interesting:

501(c)3 versus 501(c)6

Stated at the wiki, “There are plenty of associations that are 501(c)(3)s, but there are NO charities (that I'm aware of) that are 501(c)(6)s. Although trade associations commonly organize as 501(c)(6)s because of the effect that has on what the organization is allowed with regards to lobbying, trade associations don’t necessarily HAVE to organize as (c)(6)s. And many - but not all - individual membership associations are 501(c)(3)s.”

There was also some interesting information for speakers presenting to international audiences. Among the tips were:

1. Avoid ‘nation-centric’ expressions, idioms or slang.

2. Do not use sports or war analogies, ever!

3. Limit the use acronyms or internal lingo and jargon unless previously described/explained.

4. Do not tell jokes!

Check it out at http://www.asaecenter.org/wiki/index.cfm

Association executives may access my association growth articles, member recruitment campaign information, and member value video presentations at http://www.rigsbee.com/association.htm

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Need a dynamic keynoter? View my full-length videos at http://www.rigsbee.com/selectvideo.htm

BUSINESS IS ABOUT RESULTS, NOT EXCUSES!

Ed Rigsbee, CSP

Rigsbee Research Consulting Group

Your Effective Executive Letter for Business Results: 6/4/08

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1. Partnering for Profits: More than Giving it Away

2. Executive Presentation Skills: What’s in it for Me?

3. Association Executives: Member Recruitment

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Partnering for Profits: More than Giving it Away

Partnering is more than giving up profit or control. Alliance relationships need to create more value as a collective than you, or your partner, could have created individually. With this said, I can’t tell you how many times I’ve heard something like this, “Let’s partner, I want a discount.”

Partnering with you, needs to be more than me giving you a discount. I must receive some value too. If your potential alliance partner does not have the ability to wrap their arms around this concept—run, not walk, away as fast as you can.

Ed’s 12-Minute Strategic Alliance interview on Cisco’s BizWiseTV:

http://www.businessvideos.tv/collaboration/?surveyCode=2712&keyCode=156095_4

Executive Presentation Skills: What’s in it for Me?

When I say me, I’m referring to your audience. What’s in it for your listener? When you focus on what’s in your presentation that will help make the lives of your audience member’s better, then you’ll have their attention. What is it that we all want? We want to be happy, make more money, have more sex, thinner thighs, etc.

When you prepare your presentation, keep in mind what it is that your audience members want and reposition your talk to help them get what they want through what it is that you are selling or attempting to persuade.

Professional speakers and emerging speakers, please visit http://www.SucceedInSpeaking.com for additional ideas and assistance.

Trade Association & Professional Society Executives: Member Recruitment

In the world of Web 2.0, of what many call the interactive Internet there are new technologies that can be easily applied to your member recruitment activities. I’ve written about helping your members to become evangelists in promoting your association and today I’m going to talk about video on the Internet as a tool for member recruitment.

YouTube.com, Brightcove.com, and Tubemogul.com are your friends, not just a place where kids upload silly stuff. I personally use all three and you can too. If you have a promotional DVD about your association, it should at a minimum, be upload