Thursday, March 25, 2010
WRITTEN OUT
Today will be a light blog day, I fear.
I have been writing and writing all day. Catching up on email.
And I am sort of working on the outline of a speech that I will give in five weeks. To 500 people.
I am more of an improvisor than a teleprompter guy. I am not sure that I want to write it.
Maybe I will outline it.
So far, I have had about fifty starting paras. All more or less the same but subtly different.
In all my years of training I never, ever had a long speech to give. Guys in the company did them but I didn't.
The people that would consult with us on marketing always pushed speaking dates to generate business. My thought was that, if that was what it took to get business, I didn't want any.
I have some proof that I was right about that. I cannot remember one piece of business that ever came in the door from a speech. Usually people who heard the speaker figured they had learned it all. Why take the course?
I recently wrote to an old colleague. He is still giving speeches. He is not particularly successful with giving programs. But he still shows up at all kinds of conventions and speaks about sales.
He lives on "honorariums". What a way to make a living.
I would think that someone who taught selling would know about face to face selling and use it but he does not. Funny.
But I digress.
So here I am. A fucking speech.
Actually, it is more a telling of my life story as it pertains to recovery from alcoholism. A familiar tale and right on the tip of my lips.
Maybe I will wing it.
Maybe I will write a speech.
Maybe I will cancel. No. I made a commitment to a friend.
It will be fine. And so will I.
