While the scare of corporate meetings aren’t the cause of the economic slowdown, Ben illustrates how the trickle down effect has really hurt everyone in the travel industry.

I was at a Minor League baseball game with my wife and son a few weeks ago and saw this out in center field.  I couldn’t help but get all goose bumpy and feel the envy of perfection.   You, Happier.  Wow…

How would you sum up your service in a few words that engage a prospect and is about them?

Here are my answers.

Links mentioned:

Training Course

Join the Membership Site

Looking forward to seeing you!

Barry

Along the drive down beautiful Highway 101, I passed a big truck and had to snap this picture!  Talk about ALL BENEFITS!

Think about how successful Target is and then look at how they push benefits over tricky phrases, poetic language, or filler of any kind.

Four Words.  2 Sentences.  All benefits.

Let’s all learn a little lesson from Target

Maybe you won’t book the career-changing-killer corporate date through them but what the heck – for the price ($69 for six months!) it would pay for itself many, many times over with one local gig – and I’m thinking that’s what you could book with Gig Salad – local stuff.  I can’t see getting on a flight for a gig booked through Gig Salad, but who knows?!?

A couple of benefits I like right off the bat:

• It gives you some great templates for setting up an online press kit – this is extremely valuable in and of itself.  And let me tell you, that would cost way more than $69 bucks.  It’s upload and go… no programming.
• They are doing some good advertising on the web and I imagine you’d be getting some queries soon after joining.

Is anyone a member and had good/bad experiences with them?  I’m really curious.  If you can’t tell from my voice, I’m impressed.

After looking around the site and reading a few things about it online, I can’t imagine it would be a bad investment.

Barry

I have been pretty much transparent throughout this entire process and I’ll continue that right now: I’m blown away.

I have really enjoyed the conversations we’ve had on this blog and over the emails the last 6 weeks. They have been stimulating and a few times I’ve had major “Ah Ha” moments. But the turn out for the membership site really made me realize that I am not going to be alone at the dance.

I didn’t know how this would go over. I’m pleased to have so many talented performers joining the site and I look forward to working with all of you.

The idea of a membership site is very new to me and I just poured myself into it. The faucet of content will continue to run and I really look forward to the one-on-one interaction with members.

Thank you everyone who reads this blog. It’s been a great ride and it just keeps getting better.

Barry

And – it only gets better the more you do it.

If you do it once, think it’s lame, and never do it again let me know. I want to come over and kick your butt.

You can listen to it with the player below or you can download the MP3 (Right Click | Save As) and put it on your favorite device – here’s mine and it goes on every walk, hike or run I take. I pack it with brain food but I hear they work for music as well

Barry

Between Curt and the great comment that came in from Atta Boy today, I’m so excited that this stuff is getting through and making a difference.  It’s what I hoped for when I planned out this program.

The membership site goes live on Monday, 1/12/09 and there is  so much more in store for those who are action-takers and are willing to do what it takes to get where they want to be.

Enjoy this 4 minute talk with Curt Carlyle and let me know how you have used what you’ve learned over the 7-day course.

Download the Chat with Curt Carlyle (Right Click | Save As)

You can listen right here:

Or grab the MP3 (Use Right-Click | Save As) to put on your player and go do what you like to do.

On this call I announced that the membership site goes live on Monday 1/13/09 and there are three levels of membership available.

Silver: Cool Stuff

Gold: Cooler Stuff

Platinum: The Coolest Stuff plus Private Coaching

Keep an eye on your email for specifics.  If you landed here by accident and aren’t on the list, please get on it by sending a blank email to corporategigs@aweber.com and then check your email for the confirmation letter.

Enjoy the replay and I’m looking forward to working with you to get more corporate gigs.

Barry

I got a lot of questions about what to charge corporate clients.  And while I addressed this pretty heavily in lesson 5 of the 7-Day Training Course, when it comes time for the rubber to meet the road it’s nice to see what people are actually using for a demo reel, electronic press kit, and what they are charging.

So here are a few website that you can research what is currently offered to corporate clients:

International Speakers Bureau

Premiere Speakers

PM Productions

Blue Moon Talent

Funny Business

This will get you started.

But let me give you a bit of advice (pretty much a theme here on the blog, right!?), don’t get hung up on looking at what other people are doing.  Spend 5 or 10 minutes and then put that information away in your brain and get to work on YOUR career.

It’s so easy to look at sites like these and watch the critic blow in the door and start with the “you can’t do that”, “you’ll never make that much”, “yep – success belongs to other people” – it’s all a load of doo.

Nobody working corporate entertainment today was born doing it.  Everyone started with a first gig, a less-than-perfect demo reel, and no connections.  I don’t know where you are right now in your career but you can be listed on any of these sites once you have a package that gives clients enough reasons (benefits) to use you.

Stick around.  Put in your time and do something every single day to move closer to your goals in corporate entertainment.

Don’t look at sites like the ones listed above and let any part of you think it’s out of reach.  It way easier to quit before you start, but then you’ll never really know what it’s like to succeed.