We've received several reports from the SpeakerMatchcommunity about contracts being canceled by meeting planners. Whether theconference itself gets canceled or the speaker budget gets cut, it's often thespeaker who gets a raw deal. Be sure you have a contract which addresses thispossibility!Make sure that you have a solid, signed contract backing upthe deal before you agree to fi

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Thanks to everyone who has written to us over the past 11 months, letting us know they are thoroughly enjoying their subscription to Behind the Podium. Your support encouraged us to enter a newsletter competition and it looks like we've made it into the top 20 out of 160+ entries!The competition is being put on by Linda Claire Puig, an award-winning journalist and professional writer since 1983. Y

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If you had to survive solely on the fish you catch, you would do everything possible to give yourself the best opportunity to not only catch fish, but also catch those that taste good and provide bountiful portions. You would check reports about what kinds of fish are biting and where they are biting. You would make sure you had the appropriate bait and lures for both the fish and the conditions.

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Has a customer ordered something but you can't seem to find the paperwork? Did you forget to call your client back because you became too busy with meetings and email?Organization in your office can be the key to great customer service in your business. If you seem un-organized this leads people to believe your service or product may not be that great. Having the systems in place that track re

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I have been a professional magician and speaker for well over 20 years. During that time I have learned what audiences want and I can tell you that most audiences want to be entertained. Sure, audiences want to learn new skills, ideas, and be motivated to become a better person. But in that process they want to be entertained.This is not one of those articles where I try to encourage you to le

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