Magic in Manhattan

Posted on June 18, 2015 by MarleneMB

Buckets of rain kept pouring down as we drove through the streets of Manhattan. My nephew maneuvered in and around the traffic to get me to my book signing event at Sister’s Uptown Bookstore. He was determined to get me there on-time for my “Special Event” as he called it.

The torrential rain was just another obstacle I had to face on Tuesday. The day started with me arriving at the airport only to be told that my flight. This was cancelled due to some difficulties at the arriving airport. My heart almost stopped! I told the valet that there is no way I will miss getting to New York that day. I had my book signing after all. He instructed me to go to the main reservation desk.

Wheeling my bags frantically and praying unceasingly, I found one of the JetBlue personnel who directed me to the front of a line. She told me someone would be able to help me. When I approached the counter the young man said there is a seat available at the same time to JFK instead of Westchester, my original destination. I told him I would take it. A little over an hour later I was on my way to New York.

Knowing that I made it to NYC on-time gave me the strength I needed to be optimistic that folks will turn out for the book signing despite the rain. This faith proved to be true. When we walked into the store, I was greeted by one of my sorority sisters. She came all the way from Sheepshead Bay to support me. This was more than an hours ride on the train.

Not long after, others turned out for the event. My heart was filled with joy as my friends and family came out to support me. I saw folks I hadn’t seen in years, including my brother that lives in the United Kingdom. This will be one of my favorite moments in this journey called “Life!”

If you are faced with obstacles today, here is what I recommend:

Don’t give up.
Take a deep breath and believe that it will work out.
Have faith in yourself that you are strong enough to handle it.
Enlist the aid of others that will take some of the burden off you.
Push forward and see the magic unfold.

It was a thrill to be able to conduct one of my book signing in one of the few books stores left in Harlem. I am so grateful to the owner, Jenifar (I even like the way she spells her name), and her assistant in being such wonderful hosts. If you are in Harlem, check them out at 1942 Amsterdam Ave. They were a part of my Magic in Manhattan.

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Marlene M. Bryan is a Distinguished Toastmaster, DTM. She is a certified speaker and leader by Toastmasters International. She is currently the District 47 Public Relations Officer, and leader of the Public Relations Team. She provides her services to over 3800 members throughout the district. Marlene is the owner of Marlene M. Bryan, Corp and Small Biz Evolution, LLC. She is a speaker, an author, and a coach.

So You Want to Be a Paid Speaker – Get the Blueprint

Posted on June 3, 2015 by MarleneMB

After delivering a speech, oftentimes some people will approach me about doing what I do. That is public speaking. When they tell me that they are interested in becoming a public speaker, I often ask: “What is your message?” “Do you know the group that will be willing to listen to your message?” “Do you know how to market yourself?” “Do you know how to put a value on the delivery of your message?”

The responses may vary from: the deer in the headlights look, to some attempt at explaining how they can deliver any topic to any audience. This usually indicates to me that they have not done their homework and may be in for a rude awakening.

The speaking business is just that: a business. Some people may view it as something simple to do. It is not. If you do not have a plan, you will experience more failure than success. It is not an easy business to get going. But if you learn what to do and act on it, it can become a great business.

1) First, start with defining your message. If you say you can talk about any subject. You are wrong. If you are not an expert in a particular area or have no experience in some areas, you will not be a credible speaker. You don’t want to get in front of an audience and flop.

2) Define your target audience. Not everyone is going to listen to your message. Nor should you try to speak with everyone about your message. Be smart about it. Find your target audience and spend time speaking in front of them to get the most results.

3) Identify how you would deliver your messages to your audience. Is it through books, webinars, DVDs, online videos, workshops, etc. Learning the different methods and media to reach your audience is important.

4) What is your rate? I find that most people don’t know how to put a price value on the delivery of their messages…Really this is the price value of yourself! What experience do you have? How long did it take you to get it? How much will someone pay you for it? These are just a few of the questions that one has to determine to really put a true value on your intellectual property/knowledge.

Becoming a successful Public Speaker takes some work. One of my mentors, Dawnna St. Louis, will be conducting a workshop, The Platform Expert’s Speakers Mastermind Class, on June 13, 2015 (8 a.m. to 3 p.m.) at the Hampton Inn located at 1900 NW 150th Ave, Pembroke Pines, Florida 33028. You can link to register here: http://theplatformexpert.com/.

Here is some of what she will be covering:

Pick Your Profitable Topic
Position Yourself in the market for big money
Build multiple streams of income while you sleep
Market yourself Powerfully and Profitably
Break 6 figures in the first year
Set your speaking fees and earn more than you expected
Create Books and Publications your audience crave
And much more!

If you truly want to be a Paid Public Speaker, sign up to learn from Dawnna. I certainly did.

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