My Worst Gig Ever

By Ron Tite, Guest Author

From Brad:   Ron approached me online with this story, and the absolute truth of it cracked me up.  I’ve done so many shows similar to this, and the pain is still fresh.  Want to peak behind the scenes to see and feel how comedians think?  you’ll  love this article.    Enjoy!   — Brad

While we all have our favorite artists or genres, I’ve always felt that true lovers of music simply like good music. Crappy, lowest common denominator country is not something I have Faith Hill in, but good country – Johnny Cash, Willie

Nelson, and on occasion, Merle Haggard – is certainly worth stepping off thetractor to listen to. Most Glam Rock, on the other hand, is more glam than rock but on the right day, at the right time, I will channel my inner-Oshawa, throw (Continue Reading…)

100% Guaranteed, Iron-clad Money Back Guarantee

Here’s my policy about my motivational speaking: if you don’t like what I do for your organization, I’ll give you your money back. Simple, huh? I’ve been professionaly speaking for over 20 years. Yes, I have had wild programs. Yes, I’ve had some hilarious and weird stuff happen on the platform. But I’ve NEVER had a client ask for their money back. Never. But if they would have asked, I’d have given it back no problem. So if that is my informal agreement with myself, why not make it formal?

So here it is again: If you are not satisfied with what I offer, I’ll give you your money back.

To be honest, knowing that I could re-coup a lousy speaker’s fee (Continue Reading…)

Imagine being able to send an email to your folks with this note: “Click this link to see a 40 second invitation from our keynote speaker.”  

They’ll click.  Excitement builds.  Attendance goes up.  Curiosity is satisfied.  Everybody is happy.  

What is it?

Brad has found that a unguarded, relaxed video is WAY more successful than a super-polished video. The welcome video is a cross between a voice message and a YouTube-style webcam video. In other words, it isn’t formal. Brad won’t rehearse it. There might be “ums” and “ers” in it. In this video Brad won’t come off like a spokes-model. (For several reasons, not even counting the “no hair” one.)

Social networkers have proven that off-the-cuff is better. The studies are exceptionally clear: perfect gets less results. The goal is to invite your audience in a very personal, very “real” (Continue Reading…)

I had a very bright high school student call me recently.  She kindly asked if she could interview me about my job as a motivational speaker for a paper she wrote.  She was a great kid on the phone, and as you can see by her email (and paper) below you’ll see that her teacher agreed.  

Emily:   you’re  a rock star!  Keep it up girl and let me know if I may be of further service.

Here’s her email

Dear Brad,

I am writing to you both, as you requested, to let you know about the outcome of my senior project about motivational speaking.  I wrote and presented a speech about technology to a retired men’s group, which went really well.  I wrote a paper about my research, and I mentioned both of you.  An attachment of the paper is included in this email.

The most nerve-wracking part of this entire experience was

(Continue Reading…)

This high-power magnet is your ticket to laughter and fun. While you drive. Just drop this baby in an empty coffee cup -Starbucks cardboard cups work well (leave the lid off) - put it on the roof of your car and drive around town. How you handle all of the helpful folks who wanna help you save your $3.50 mocha java is up to you, but you are guaranteed to keep you mind off the lousy traffic or how you’re late when you have one of these one the roof.

A couple of my favorite things to say to folks who point the cup to me include:
”Thanks! I’m cooling it off!”
”I know! I don’t really like coffee.”
“I’m trying to cut down on caffeine.”

But I gotta admit, I usually just wave back and act clueless. (Continue Reading…)

What is it

This little bad boy is your ticket to joy! It’s a security tag used to prevent shoplifting. This one has been modified by removing the permanent pin and adding a special clip so that you can safely put it on — and take it off! — your clothes. Why? Because it’s funny!

How to Use it

There are two ways to execute the gag. My favorite way is to wear the tag myself. I love to put it on the back of my clothes — the back of my jacket, the back of my pants, or the back of my shirt. This method takes more patience but it is funnier because people will eventually see it and wonder if you actually are unaware of the tag. Some people will see it, be (Continue Reading…)

You’ve got the talent! You’ve got the ambition! You’re sick of that corporate job! You’re ready to break out on your own as a professional speaker…or are you?

Things to Consider

Here are some things to consider before you leave that 9 to 5 job and segue into a professional speaking career:

1. Get real-world experience bfore you quit the employment ranks. People always want to know “how I got started” as a professional speaker. You don’t really j

ust “start.” I highly recommend you get some real-world training experience first. My first job in the training profession was as an employee with TRW Defense Systems. Understanding of the role of training vendors in a corporate setting is invaluable when you start approaching prospective clients, and you get paid while you learn. I then taught adjunct courses at the University of Colorado, which gave me skills in (Continue Reading…)

Do you have a presentation, speech, business meeting or other type of talk to give to a group? After speaking are you often left with the feeling that most of the audience was busy thinking about what they were going to have for lunch instead a paying full attention to what you were saying? When confronted with interviews, presentations, or public speeches, too many members of today’s business world are ill-equipped to speak their minds and engage an audience. Here are some tips to help today’s business person at any level speak better, perform better, and leave the audience remarking on the quality of the presentation rather than whether to have their bologna sandwich or go out for a cheese steak.

Preparation

Research The research tip can be summed up in three simple words: KNOW YOUR STUFF! “Stuff” should be replaced by whatever is appropriate (Continue Reading…)

You’ve reviewed all the promotional materials, you’ve watched all the videos, and you’re confident that you’ve picked the perfect speaker for your upcoming meeting. But you’re not quite ready to sit back and relax. There are still a few things you need to do to ensure that your speaker provides the kind of event that attendees will rave about for a long time to come!

8 Tips to Get the Most Out of Your Speaker

Once you’ve selected that perfect speaker, follow up with these eight tips for getting the most out of your investment:

1. Send your speaker lots of information about your meeting

Send your speaker lots of information about your organization and upcoming meeting.

Most professional speakers today provide pre-program questionnaires for you to complete. And while completing a lengthy questionnaire might seem like one more hassle in your day, it will pay (Continue Reading…)

Few things create a more vivid perception of an executive than his speaking ability. The higher execs rise in an organization, the more frequently they are called upon to address others. Ironically, little or no training is given hapless executives to develop this skill. If they become good at public speaking, it is either a gift of genetics, they get lucky, or a combination of both.

A disregard for time | Unclear purpose | Inadequate preparation | Failure to capture attention | Pomposity | Boredom | False endings

Increasingly leaders are realizing their need for skills development that falls outside of what is typically offered by their organizations. That is one reason why executive coaching has become so popular. Often one of the primary areas coaches focus on is communication, both interpersonal and public.

As a professional who makes his living giving speeches and seminars, I’ve sat through hundreds if not thousands of (Continue Reading…)