Just a quick heads-up…

I’ll be attending Ken McArthur’s JV Alert Live as a panelist on September 24, 25, and 26, 2010.

The seminar is being held in Denver, a couple miles east of downtown.

I’ve never attended one of Ken McArthur’s events before, but from what I hear there is intense networking every day. Personally, I’m excited about this because networking at seminars is how I found my first copywriting clients.

It’s also how I met a business partner that led to a five-figure payday for both me and him. And that’s just one of the projects we’ve done together.

So I can personally say that seminars — especially those that have a strong focus on networking — have been a great investment for me.

But attending seminars is not just about the networking; it’s also about the education. At JV Alert Live, you’ll get to learn from marketing experts like Ken McArthur (obviously), Joel Comm, Ray Edwards, Glenn Dietzel, Frank Sousa, Simon Leung, and others.

If you have any interest in attending JV Alert Live (and meeting me in Denver), you can get additional details here.

-Ryan M. Healy

P.S. If you decide to come, please let me know by sending me an email. That way we can connect at the event and I can buy you a drink. Hope to see you soon!Similar Posts:

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If someone called you today and offered to pay you to speak at their next meeting, would you be available to speak?

Here’s why I ask…

Public speaking is one of the fastest ways to grow your business and attract new clients into your business.

And right now there are hundreds of public speaking opportunities — both local and national — if you know where to look.

But here’s the rub…

If you’re not ready when the opportunity presents itself, you may miss out on potentially lucrative speaking gigs.

Attract Clients Through Public Speaking

Do you know copywriter Michel Fortin? When he was just getting started as a freelancer, he would host small workshops to attract clients.

This strategy worked very well for him. So well, in fact, that he eventually had to stop giving free talks!

If you’re a freelance copywriter… an SEO consultant… a business growth expert… or whatever the case may be — one of the fastest ways you can attract new customers and clients is via public speaking.

My First Public Speaking Gig

Even though I took speech classes in high school, I’m a bit timid when it comes to public speaking. For years, I’ve thought about doing it — but just haven’t taken action.

Thankfully, my friend and business coach Gogo Erekosima lined up a speaking gig for me in early March 2010. I’m happy to report that it went really well. And I enjoyed it more than I expected.

And yes — even though there were only about 15 people in attendance, I did get new business from it.

This new business happened in spite of myself; I didn’t even have a close or sales pitch!

Want Public Speaking Gigs? JP Maroney Is Your Man.

JP Maroney is a business growth strategist and a public speaking expert. You might even say that public speaking is one of his “secret weapons.”

A few years ago, I went through JP’s Speaker Formula program as part of a trade. I wrote copy for him; he gave me access to his speaker training program.

So I can vouch for the quality of the training material JP has.

Anyway, JP is currently giving away over $1,250 in free speaker training. When you opt-in, you’ll discover…

• How to get booked and start collecting speaking fees fast — even if you’re completely unknown in the speaking and meetings industry.

• How to build your celebrity status as the obvious expert in your industry so you can command top dollar for your services.

• How to write a speech people will pay to hear.

• 5 ways to create a profitable product income through speaking.

• How to break into the #1 speaking market in America.

• How to speak locally on a part-time basis and still earn a healthy five-figure income.

• The essential tools you must have for marketing yourself as a speaker.

• How to set your speaking fees, plus when to raise them.

• How to use public speaking to build your existing business — even if you have no desire to become a full-time professional speaker.

If you’re even slightly interested in public speaking, you’ll want to get this information. Opt-in to watch the video now:

http://www.public-speaking-secrets.com

Ryan Healy

P.S. There’s no charge for the stuff JP is giving away. If you like what you see and ultimately buy something from JP, he’ll reward me for making the referral. If you’re not okay with that — just enjoy the stuff he’s giving you. :-)

Here’s the link one more time:

http://www.public-speaking-secrets.comSimilar Posts:

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If you’re thinking about attending the Copywriting & Direct Marketing Master Class on April 12, 2010, but you’re still on the fence, then here are 3 more good reasons you should attend.

Reason #1:

I’m going to be there.

In fact, I’ve already booked my flight into Chicago O’Hare International Airport (ORD), and I’ve made my hotel reservation.

Reason #2:

I’ll buy you dinner if you register through my affiliate link.

If you register for The System Seminar or either of the Master Class bonus sessions using my affiliate link… and you’ll be at the hotel on the evening of Sunday, April 11 or Monday, April 12… then I will personally buy you dinner.

Just let me know you’re going to be there by emailing me at rhealy [at] gmail [dot] com.

Reason #3:

I’ll give you a lifetime membership to Copywriting Code if you register through my affiliate link.

Right now, Copywriting Code is only $19.95 a month. That may increase in a month or two. We’ll see.

But no matter what happens, I’ll give you a free lifetime membership to Copywriting Code when you register for The System Seminar or either Master Class through my affiliate link.

Again, just let me know by emailing me at rhealy [at] gmail [dot] com.

See you soon?

So there you have it: three more good reasons to attend the Copywriting & Direct Marketing Master Class.

Get registered here. I hope to see you soon!

-Ryan M. HealySimilar Posts:

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I’m a huge fan of continuous life-long self-education. That’s why I love books and courses so much. You can go through them at your own leisure and review them as often as you like — an excellent way to learn.

And yet sometimes books and courses are not enough. Sometimes you need to actually go meet the genius behind the book. Here’s why…

Distractions Are the Rule, Not the Exception

The problem with the do-it-yourself book-learning approach is that life gets in the way.

For instance: You intend to study copywriting… to dig into all those classics on your bookshelf… to actually start writing out winning letters by hand… but you keep putting it off.

Because let’s face it. Life in the 21st Century isn’t exactly slow. We’re all serfs and vassals living in the feudal kingdom of Urgency.

Not to mention, the number of distractions that invade our lives every day is enough to make even people with ADD cry for mercy.

It’s no wonder that many of the important learning goals we set for ourselves get pushed weeks, months, even years into the future.

Often, when we finally take time to review the year, we find that we’ve not made any meaningful improvements in our education or skills.

Do This to Achieve More in a Day than You Do in a Year

One way to overcome the tyranny of the urgent is to block out an entire day — and dedicate it to one thing and one thing only.

I find that when I really want to accelerate my learning in a particular subject, it’s beneficial to block out a day or two for a live seminar or workshop.

When I’m working at home, it’s next to impossible to escape the distractions. If I wake up at 5:30 to read and study, my kids will wake up at 6:15. Not enough time to make much progress.

But imagine how much knowledge you could soak up… how much progress you could make… if you carved out a whole day and dedicated it to the advancement of just one skill or project?

3 Copywriting Masters Team Up, Promise to Reveal Closely Guarded Secrets

Right now, you have a unique one-of-a-kind opportunity to spend a full day sitting at the feet of copywriting legends Drayton Bird, Perry Marshall, and Ken McCarthy.

Each one of these guys is a genuine copywriting and advertising expert. Each one has sold millions of dollars worth of goods and services through the written word. And… each one is a published author.

• Drayton Bird, once the leading trainer for Ogilvy & Mather, is the man behind the the modern classics How to Write Sales Letters that Sell and Commonsense Direct and Digital Advertising.

• Perry Marshall, most famous for his Adwords expertise, but also a copywriting expert in his own right. He is the author of the Ultimate Guide to Google Adwords.

• Ken McCarthy is the author of System Secrets and The System Club Letters. I have purchased and read both books. And while they may not be at the top of the bestseller lists, they’re filled with direct response marketing gold.

(Not to mention, Ken is the guy who turned me on to Dick Benson’s classic book Secrets of Successful Direct Mail.)

When you attend the Copywriting & Direct Marketing Master Class, you get direct access to all three of these men’s collective body of copywriting and direct marketing knowledge.

For an entire day.

Obviously, this opportunity is not for everybody. But if you think you might be interested in being a part of this one-day Master Class, then I strongly encourage you to get more information (and get registered) here.

-Ryan M. Healy

P.S. In my experience, you will learn more insider information in a small workshop format than you will from a book. That’s because authors tend to always hold back some of their best material — only revealing it to small groups of people.

They do this to prevent their best strategies and techniques from becoming overused (a big problem on the Internet).

Plus, after the publication of a book, certain things may change. Often, the only way to get the most up-to-date information is to attend a live training event.

Anyway, I mention this because what you learn during the Copywriting & Direct Marketing Master Class may not be available anywhere else. And a whole day dedicated to the craft of direct response copywriting could pay you big dividends for the rest of your life.

Click here to register for the one-day Master Class.Similar Posts:

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Here we sit at the threshold of 2010. And in the spirit of prognostication, I’d like to take a moment to make a few modest predictions for the new year.

Business Prediction #1:
It Will Become Harder to Fill Seminars

Fact: It’s hard to fill seminars and it’s getting harder.

I can say this because I’ve experienced it firsthand with a few different clients. Not only that, I personally witnessed one of the largest seminar companies in the U.S. go belly up in late 2008.

I believe there are a few factors at work. One is simply the cost of seminar registrations combined with the cost of travel. Fewer people are willing to shell out $500 to $1,000 in travel expenses on top of a $500, $1,000, or $2,000 seminar ticket.

Another factor is simply the hassle of travel. It’s already bad. But since the security breach that happened Christmas day on Flight 253, the TSA has enforced onerous rules that make air travel even worse than before.

(I, for one, do not plan to get on a plane if they prohibit me from getting out of my seat or having anything on my lap for the final hour of the flight.)

As a result of the cost and hassle of air travel, I predict that:

1. There will be more demand for quality online training, teleseminars, and webinars.
2. There will be more demand for intimate local seminars and workshops.

If you have any interest in public speaking or live training events, I believe it will become easier for you to attract attendees in your immediate geographic area — because people still enjoy live events. They just don’t want to fly to get there.

Business Prediction #2:
A Resurgence of Direct Mail

Call me crazy, but I like paper. In fact, a lot of people still prefer to read things on paper than on the computer screen. (Here, here!)

And I believe that as the effectiveness of email declines… and as the Internet becomes more heavily saturated with newly unemployed people trying to get their foot in the proverbial door of Internet marketing… the savvy business-minded marketers will start using (or return to) direct mail.

This does not mean I believe marketers will abandon online marketing. Not at all.

I just believe that direct mail is ripe for “being discovered again,” and that the marketers who are paying attention will begin to incorporate direct mail into their overall marketing strategies.

Business Prediction #3:
More Affordable Online Advertising

Just this week I’ve seen unprecedented offers for online advertising space. From one company, I just bought up newly vacated space for 26 cents on the dollar.

And another well-known PR firm is offering their flagship products for 33 cents on the dollar.

This may seem like a paradox. After all, if more people are coming online, why aren’t the rates of online advertising going up?

I believe it’s because the majority of online marketers and fledgling entrepreneurs want to get traffic for free.

They want to rank well in the search engines. They want to get “retweeted.” They want to get “stumbled.”

When the free methods prove unreliable, and they’re finally convinced that they should pay for advertising, what do they do? They get an Adwords account and start a pay-per-click campaign.

So the cost per click for major keywords on Adwords tends to go up… while the rates for advertising space on other web sites tends to stay flat or go down.

(The cost of advertising space declines even faster when entrepreneurs who don’t track anything get scared and pull the plug on their advertising campaigns.)

On the bright side, I expect there will be some great deals on online advertising space in 2010. Keep your eyes peeled.

Business Prediction #4:
The End of the Internet Marketing Guru as We Know Him

Have you noticed? More than a couple of the highest profile Internet marketers have retired and gone underground (so to speak).

I have to believe it’s a combination of the new FTC rules, shady marketing practices, and the investigative “journalism” of a well-seasoned robot.

• No longer are you going to see IM gurus shouting from the rooftops how much they made in a year (or a minute).

• No longer will you see them using black hat (unethical) techniques to “acquire” a gazillion followers on Twitter.

• No longer will they “churn and burn” every person who comes in the door.

You get the idea.

I think this seismic shift is a good one because it will allow people to get back to fundamentals and focus on building real businesses that deliver real value at a fair price.

More Predictions and Business Advice for 2010

If you’d like to read more predictions and business advice for 2010, I recommend these articles to you (each opens in a new tab or window):

• The Future of the Internet Is Cloudy – by Michel Fortin
• 5 Ways to Increase Profits in 2010 – by Terry Dean
• How to Prosper in 2010 – by Gogo Erekosima

I wish you all the best in the new year.

-Ryan M. Healy

P.S. If you have any predictions of your own, or if you agree/disagree with anything I’ve said, I want to hear it. Please leave a comment below. Thanks!Similar Posts:

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Perry Belcher has just announced he is retiring — not from Internet marketing, per se — but from the business of teaching Internet marketing.

Now, I don’t know Perry Belcher, and I don’t know Ryan Deiss either (although I did share a table with him at a Big Seminar dinner one year while I talked with Scott Boulch prior to his release of “The Death of Adsense”).

Neither do I know Perry’s true purpose for “retiring,” but let’s take a look at what Perry actually says.

On October 1, 2009, Perry Belcher writes, “Today I decided to end my career as an Internet marketing trainer.”

Okay, fair enough.

But you know, there are a few other Internet marketing “gurus” who have claimed they were either leaving Internet marketing for good, or that they were doing their last seminar ever (or whatever).

Mark Joyner and Matt Bacak come to mind.

Way back in 2003, Mark Joyner announced he was leaving Internet marketing. He put together a product bundle of all the software and info products he had ever created, sold it for a discounted-but-still-expensive price, and disappeared for a while.

But it wasn’t long before Mark was back. He created Simpleology and wrote three books: The Irresistible Offer, Simpleology, and Integration Marketing. These books have enjoyed strong sales due in no small part to the Internet marketing community.

Now let’s take a look at Matt Bacak.

Back in 2008, he announced that he was retiring from Internet marketing. He even registered a domain: MattBacakRetires.com. (Although you’ll find that the content that was once there has been deleted. If you doubt, you can type in “Matt Bacak Retires” into Google and you’ll find articles like this one that still link to the dead site.)

Matt Bacak’s “retirement” was attributed to the “fact” that some of his students had ripped off his system and begun competing with Matt directly. To “stick it” to these so-called thieves, Matt announced his retirement… and that you could get his $5,500 seminar for just $1.

Great story, but did Matt really retire? Not exactly…

I’m writing this post on Friday, October 2, 2009. And guess what Matt Bacak and Mark Joyner are doing together?

They are hosting a seminar on December 4-6, 2009. It’s called Survival Tactics for Tough Times, supposedly a repeat of a seminar Mark Joyner did in 2002. Here’s a screen shot:

So two well-known Internet marketing “gurus” who publicly “retired” are now uniting to teach… Internet marketing??

There’s even a video on Facebook right now with Matt Bacak announcing this new seminar. Here’s a screen shot in case he deletes the video at some point…

Here’s the thing. I know we don’t have a large sampling here, but it seems IM “gurus” have a bad habit of retiring… and then coming back a year or two later. It also seems these “Internet marketing retirees” are birds of a feather who flock together — particularly at seminars in warm-weather locales.

Which raises the question: Will Perry Belcher do the same thing? Will his retirement “as an Internet marketing trainer” be a temporary thing? Is this just a gimmick so Perry can create scarcity… then come back in a year with something new?

I hope not, mostly because I’m tired of the whole “I’m retiring, now I’m back” schtick.

But let’s turn for a moment to why Perry is retiring right now. He says:

Secondly, while there are a great many people who have shown me a great deal of love, there are a few that have shown a heavy dose of hate and anger, partially because of my past. This group has unfortunately been much more vocal and harsh.

While I can take reasonable criticism, today I have concerns for my safety and the safety of family.

What is this “past” that Perry is talking about?

In a nutshell, Perry Belcher used to run a “health” company called Selmedica. He sold a number of supplements for a variety of health conditions. Unfortunately, the products were dubious (at best), and he used false advertising claims to sell them.

Long story short, he was arrested by local authorities, his assets were seized and liquidated, and he is now serving a 10-year probation.

Some people get upset when you bring this up because they claim Perry has “paid his debt to society.” Well, I guess that depends on how you define “paying your debt.”

Biblically speaking, if you steal from others — theft seems about the best description for defrauding people of money — then you must pay back double the amount you stole to make restitution and restore the victims of injustice.

If you pay back double what you stole, you have then paid your debt to society and ought to be treated like anybody else.

Going to prison, serving probation, having your assets seized and liquidated — these are man’s ways of doing justice. And while they are unpleasant for the criminal, they do nothing for the victims.

But that’s really just a side issue at this point.

Getting back to Perry’s stated reasons for throwing in the towel — among them “a heavy dose of hate and anger” — I think the real reason is Salty Droid and his acerbic brand of investigative journalism.

Salty Droid writes a blog dedicated to exposing Internet scammers, and he’s devoted a great deal of space to writing about Perry Belcher. Here’s a screen shot from October 3, 2009:

With Salty Droid on the loose, I wouldn’t be surprised to hear that Internet marketing itself was retiring!

Unfortunately, Internet marketing is like crack; it’s a hard habit to break. So don’t be surprised when Internet marketing comes out of retirement to host a seminar in a (warm weather) city near you.

In the mean time, Perry Belcher’s legal problems (and Salty Droid problems) bring up a timely reminder: be careful who you associate with on the Internet. It is all too easy for people to jump to conclusions (read: guilt by association).

Your thoughts? Sound off by leaving a comment below…

-Ryan M. Healy

P.S. Apparently, Howie Schwartz also announced his “retirement” from Internet marketing on August 21, 2009. We’ll see how long it lasts. My guess: He’ll be stage-speaking at IM events within 2 years.
Similar Posts:

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If you’ve ever tried to sell anything before — online or off-line — then you already know how important it is to have a compelling offer.

In fact, get your offer wrong, and “killer copy” won’t help.

But get your offer right, and even so-so copy will pull pretty strong.

That’s why I was intrigued when I learned of Gary Ambrose’s offer to provide access to a $5,000 workshop for just a $1.

I was even more intrigued when I learned that there were no hidden shipping fees and no forced continuity.

http://bit.ly/13Dst5

Of course, I know Gary isn’t doing all this out of the goodness of his heart (although I’m sure he’s a good guy).

He’s going to have some optional upsells, and he knows some people will take advantage of them.

So that’s the deal.

But no matter what, you can still get the $5K workshop videos for $1, no strings attached.

http://bit.ly/13Dst5

Please note that the workshop videos will be available after Labor Day, on Tuesday, Sep 8 at around 12 noon Eastern time.

If you’re interested, I’d suggest getting on the priority notification list so you get a head start on everybody else.

http://bit.ly/13Dst5

You might wonder, why am I promoting this?

First, based on what I know about Gary Ambrose, he’s a trustworthy guy. I don’t promote just anybody.

I won’t name names, but there are a few people in the Internet marketing space who I refuse to promote because of the sales tactics they use and/or the lack of customer support.

Second, Gary’s workshop videos (which he created with Keith Wellman) are intended to provide you with a cohesive system for building an online business.

Without the clutter. Without the distractions. Without wondering “what do I do next?”

And while I haven’t seen the videos myself, I think $1 is an extremely reasonable price to get access to them.

http://bit.ly/13Dst5

Another question you might have is, “Ryan, is this your affiliate link?”

And the answer is, yes. This is my affiliate link, and I will receive a commission if you choose to take advantage of any of the upsell offers.

Total transparency… I’m not trying to hide anything.

By sharing well-selected opportunities with you (like this one), it allows me to continue providing high-quality information for free on my blog.

I hope you’ll take a moment to check this out and get on Gary’s priority notification list for Tuesday.

http://bit.ly/13Dst5

-Ryan M. Healy

P.S. Frankly, I think it’s a bit “nutso” that Gary is running this promotion over Labor Day weekend, but hey — I ain’t in charge! :-)

I literally just found out about this today, and I believe it’s an offer worth looking into.

http://bit.ly/13Dst5Similar Posts:

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Did you know your voice is one of your biggest assets for growing your business, especially right now?

I’ve written 2 brand new PDF reports that explain why. And you can download them free.

Report #1: “The Death of Seminars & The Birth of Virtual Events”

Report #2: “How to Crush the Recession with an Ordinary Telephone”

Both PDF reports are available for instant download, no cost to you. Definitely worth reading…

http://maestroconference.com/specials?p=gp&w=pdf

Enjoy!

-Ryan M. HealySimilar Posts:

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MaestroConference is the latest development in teleseminar technology. It’s a breakthrough teleconference platform that allows you to simulate a live workshop on the phone, complete with breakout groups, hand-raising, passing the mic, and more.

If you conduct training or sell products by teleconference… or if you’re just frustrated by poor quality teleconference services that don’t live up to their promises… then you’ll be pleasantly surprised by MaestroConference.

Just as Apple changed music forever when they released the iPod, MaestroConference is already changing how teleconferences are conceived, conducted, and consumed.

Here are a few of the major improvements that take teleseminars to a whole new level…

Major Improvement #1: Breakout Groups

In most webinars and teleseminars, there are one or two speakers and a whole bunch of listeners. And unless you allow questions, the listeners are stuck in a passive state. They’re minimally engaged, at best.

Even when you do allow questions, only a fraction of your listeners are able to participate.

Now, imagine for a moment that instead of engaging 5% of the people on your webinar or teleseminar, you could engage 100% of them. And imagine that you could do it as easily as clicking a couple of visual icons on your computer screen.

How much more would your listeners learn from your training calls if they could be actively engaged and interacting with other listeners? How much more loyal would they be to you? How much more could you sell to listeners who were fully engaged?

Here are a few real-life scenarios where break-out groups could revolutionize your virtual trainings:

Scenario #1: Workshops

Your teleconference workshops can now have the same kind of intimacy and immediacy of a real-life workshop.

You set up the exercises in advance, and then group participants in pairs or threes or fours to run through your exercises in a small private setting.

When small group breakouts are done, you can bring everybody back into a large group and have a spokesperson from each group share key takeaways with the larger group.

Want to take it a step further?

Have two or three special guests, each with a particular expertise. Invite your listeners into breakout groups according to what they are most interested in learning about.

This is done all the time at real-life seminars. Now you can do it on the phone.

Scenario #2: Training

Picture this: You’re training your multi-state sales team on how to make sales calls and improve their close rates.

After reviewing the new sales script that’s been tested and proven to get the best results, you move your sales team into pairs so they can role play over the phone.

You can even “walk the room,” dropping in on pairs to see how they are doing, just like you would in an in-person training.

In only 10 minutes, every single one of your sales people has had an opportunity to test-drive the sales script with a real human being.

Then, after you bring everybody back into the large group, you can answer questions about the sales script immediately. You can coach individuals, address concerns, and return them to the same partner for another round of practice.

Scenario #3: Virtual Networking

One of the most valuable aspects of a live seminar or training event is networking — meeting colleagues, other service providers, and potential clients.

Now imagine the value of creating a similar networking environment… on the telephone!

After everybody calls in and you welcome them to the call, simply create breakout groups of 2, 4, or however many you want, then let them introduce themselves, where they’re from, and what they do.

Give them as much time as you like to exchange information…and listen in on the buzzing “room” you’ve created.

You can then mix everybody up into different groups, and do it all over again. In perhaps only 30 minutes, all the people you’ve brought together on the phone have received immense value. What’s more, they’ve had a unique experience they will remember and tell other people about.

Scenario #4: Engaging the Team

Do you have a loyal following of people who’ve never had an opportunity to meet each other before?

Then imagine setting up a virtual training and networking event where the members of your “team” have an opportunity to meet each other by phone.

One of the strongest motivations in the world is the desire to belong. So by creating a way for people who share a common interest to meet, you’ve just made them more loyal to you and your group.

Knowing and being known… feeling a sense of belonging… these are powerful emotions that can create an unbreakable bond with the people you serve. And MaestroConference makes it easy for people to interact and be touched by others.

Scenario #5: Mastermind Groups

If you’ve ever tried running a Mastermind Group, then you already know it can be a challenge to give everybody equal opportunity to speak.

It can be even harder to give everybody equal time in the “hot seat.” Usually, one or two members dominate the discussion — and the others feel left out.

The beauty of MaestroConference is you can use the built-in timer to time each member. You can give pre-recorded audio queues when you reach certain time thresholds. And you can mute all lines except the person who’s speaking.

MaestroConference enables you to have an orderly Mastermind Group where everybody is heard and receives value from the group.

Major Improvement #2: Q&A Calls That Are Quiet, Clear and Organized

If you’ve ever opened up the lines to take questions from your listeners, then you know the kind of chaos that ensues.

As people unmute their phones, there are dozens (if not hundreds) of beeps, background noises, awkward silences… followed by a cacophony of voices competing to be noticed.

And how do you call on any one person?

Answer: You can’t.

The most persistent person wins. And, unfortunately, you never know how many people wanted to ask a question… but simply couldn’t (or wouldn’t).

And that creates a bad user experience.

Imagine: You just carved out precious time from your schedule to participate in a teleseminar or webinar, but you are leaving the call with none of your questions answered. Talk about frustrating!

This happens more often than you might think.

A person who doesn’t get his or her questions answered… and feels jilted… may go in search of an expert who is more accessible or responsive than you are. That’s a real risk.

Plus, I’m sure you’ve had one of those calls where somebody was yelling in the background… or banging pots and pans… or typing loudly… or even talking to somebody else, completely unaware they were sharing their private conversation with the world.

As the call organizer, this is embarrassing.

And irritating, too!

Fortunately, MaestroConference offers an unbeatable alternative called “Instant Question Recognition”

At the start of your MaestroConference call, simply tell your callers to press 1 on their keypads any time they have a question. You will instantly see how many people have questions… at every moment of your call.

Then, when you are ready to address their questions, simply “pass the microphone” to anyone with a raised hand. That person will then be able to speak and ask a question.

Nobody else will be able to talk until you pass the mic to them. And since all the lines will be muted except one at a time, there will be peace and quiet.

All of this means:

• No more annoying beeps when people unmute themselves, and then mute themselves again.

• No more clamoring and talking over each other in an effort to be heard.

• No more callers feeling ignored and unimportant because they couldn’t ask their questions or get them answered.

• No more loud background noises that drown out the people who are actually paying attention.

• No more feeling out of control or being embarrassed by an unprofessional teleconference experience.

All these problems are solved. Because you simply keep passing the mic to each individual person until everybody who has raised a hand has had a chance to speak. Each call participant will feel valued, acknowledged, and heard.

Here’s What the MaestroConference Conductor’s Panel Looks Like…

Whenever you conduct a MaestroConference call, you’ll be using the unique Conductor’s Panel, shown above. You’ll notice the hands on the right side, listed next to the names of those on the call.

When a participant presses a button on his phone, his hand will go up. You’ll even be able to call on the person by name.

The ability to see who is on the call and when they drop off is one of my favorite features. I especially like that I can address people personally, by their name. I would never be able to do this on a normal teleseminar.

What About Screen Sharing?

A common question that comes up is whether or not MaestroConference offers screen sharing.

The answer is no, they don’t offer screen sharing at this time. Of course, you are welcome to use GoToMeeting, GoToWebinar, or Glance.net if you’d like to have a webinar component in conjunction with MaestroConference.

Although this can be a little bit tricky since you’ll have one screen open to conduct your MaestroConference (like the screen shot above) — and another screen open to show your PowerPoint presentation (or whatever it is you’re presenting).

Honestly, if you’re a presenter who just wants to give a presentation with a slide presentation, and you’re not interested in engaging your audience, then MaestroConference is probably not a good choice for you.

Because what MaestroConference does is turn you into a facilitator. No longer are you just presenting information to a mostly-passive and silent audience.

Rather, you’re engaging people, facilitating connections and discussions — all thanks to the “x-ray vision” you get using the MaestroConference Conductor’s Panel.

Is MaestroConference Worth It?

MaestroConference is perfect for coaches, trainers, speakers, information marketers, nonprofits, and relationship-focused business owners who want to deliver superior virtual learning events.

If you’re interested, it’s really best to just try it out for yourself. Right now, MaestroConference is offering a 30-day free trial to anybody who requests one. Click the link below to get a free trial now.

Click Here for a Free Trial of MaestroConference

-Ryan M. Healy

P.S. Full disclosure: I am the Affiliate Manager for MaestroConference, so I do have a financial incentive in telling you about MaestroConference. That said, this is a product I would endorse even if I wasn’t invested in it.

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A few years ago I was at Alex Mandossian’s Teleseminar Secrets Reunion. I remember he publicly stated that he HATES unpacking. So much so that it might take him a week or two to unpack after returning from a business trip.

Everybody’s got tasks they just despise. For Alex, it’s unpacking.

And I can relate a little bit. After rushing through airports, dealing with power-tripping TSA agents, and sitting like a sardine in an uncomfortable airplane seat, the last thing you want to do is open up your luggage and put everything back where it belongs.

So here’s my little common sense travel insight:

Traveling light makes unpacking light.

Make sure you’ve got your “bare necessities” (of course), but don’t overdo it.

Example: I just went to Dallas for Armand Morin’s AM2.0 seminar. I packed two sets of clothes, toiletries, business cards, notebook, and a book for the plane. That’s it.

I put it all in a small carry-on so I wouldn’t have to check it.

And I left my computer at home so I could be totally “unplugged” — and give my brain a break from the always-on Internet.

Anyway, all this means is that it took me about 10 minutes to unpack when I got home. Really simple. And as sleep deprived as I was, it still wasn’t a big deal.

So there you go.

If you hate unpacking (and even if you don’t), remember to travel light; it just makes sense.

-Ryan M. HealySimilar Posts:

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