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4 Simple Case Studies Prove That Mimi Is The Consummate Professional
And Why She Is In Such Great Demand!
Case Study #1
Many
of the most sought after speakers are unreliable and unprofessional.
The
Challenge
A very large, nationally known consumer products company with hundreds
of retail stores had two regional conferences attended by company
executives and store managers from across the United States.
I was told in
advance by the speaker bureau that the meeting planner lived in
a constant state of fear and anxiety that he would lose his job
if the conferences didn’t go exactly as planned. Apparently,
he had had a bad experience in the past with a speaker, and so it
was no secret to those around him that he believed all speakers
to be unreliable and unprofessional. Needless to say, he was not
an easy person to work with.
The
Solution
I was consistently polite and professional in all my interactions
with this client. I eagerly participated in many conference calls
organized by him, and created special Powerpoint presentations –
with his direction and input - specifically for his audiences.
Of course, I
was a big hit at all my speeches and seminars at each conference.
In fact, the President and CEO of the company stopped in to attend
one of my sessions.
As it turned
out, I was later cornered by this same CEO, who recognized me and
asked me the following question, "Mimi, how were the conferences
for you?" "Wonderful…your people were a pleasure
to work with, " I said. "Yes, but what could we have done
better?" he asked more pointedly.
For a fleeting
instant, all the past traumas of working with his meeting planner
sprung to mind. But without flinching, I looked him straight in
the eye and said, "I wouldn’t change a thing. The conferences
were perfect in every way."
The
Results
I always make the client look good. I would never have said anything
to reflect poorly on the nervous meeting planner.
Of course, the
speaker agent was overjoyed with my good judgment and professionalism
in what could have been a sticky situation for all. In fact, the
meeting planner had told the booking agent that I was a pleasure
to work with. That’s what I call a win-win-win all around.
Case Study #2
The
Most Common Fairy Tales You'll Hear From Speakers About Their Experience
The
Challenge
The
problem is, many speakers grossly exaggerate about their past experience.
For example,
many include a Fortune 500 Company in their client list simply because
one person from that company attended one of their local, "free"
seminars.
Even more often,
speakers inflate the size of the venue at which they spoke, or they
dramatically embellish audience numbers. This can be very embarrassing
to the speaker agent if they’ve been misled about the scope
and depth of the presenter’s experience, because it invariably
shows up in front of the audience.
The
Solution
- ALWAYS ask
for specific, verifiable details about a speaker’s experience
and successes.
- I have spoken
at company-sponsored events for 32 of the Fortune 500, 18 of which
are listed in the Fortune 100.
- My perennial
best-seller, Negotiating for Dummies,
is published by John Wiley and Sons. It has sold over one million
copies worldwide and is published in 6 languages.
- I have been
the keynote speaker to large gatherings of greater than 1000 people
at least 50 times.
- I am quite
often the only non-celebrity on the keynote platform. At one conference
for over 7000 women, I followed Ann Richards to the stage. Other
speakers in the conference were Mary Lou Retton, Linda Ellerbee,
and Linda Evans. At another conference, I preceeded Colin Powell
on the mainstage. I emceed and keynoted at an event for over 2000
-- the other speakers were Suze Orman, Joan Lunden, Elizabeth
Dole, and Maya Angelou.
The
Results
I have never paid a penny for public relations, yet I have been
featured on broadcasts (TV and radio) and print media throughout
the United States. My credentials are real, and can be easily verified.
One of the managers
in the newsroom at CBS-LA remembered me from a management training
course I had done for him and other managers years before. Because
he remembered me and because I am the creator of the popular presentation
"All Stressed Up And No Place To Go," I was interviewed
in my Los Angeles office by CBS News.
After the terrorist
attacks of September 11th, I was featured as a corporate trainer
and stress management expert “offering stress busters to help
cope in these uncertain times." The segment aired Wednesday
evening, November 14th, 2001 on the CBS Evening News.
Case Study #3
Why
Do So Few Speakers Make Audiences Sing With Delight, While Others
Lay a Big Fat Egg?
The
Challenge
Many speakers don't have a legitimate background in the subject
about which they are speaking. This can be particularly dangerous
if the speaker has only a well-edited, very short demo tape –
it could be the only 4 minutes of the speaker’s “good
stuff.” They may even have used a handpicked audience of friends
and colleagues for the demo.
Make sure that
you get the whole speech – in high-quality production value
– from which to assess a speaker’s talent. What would
a speaker possibly be hiding - except a BORING presentation?
The
Solution
I hold a Masters Degree in Instructional Design from Teachers College,
Columbia University. I have the tools and experience to painstakingly
research every speaking opportunity that comes my way, and to tailor
my content to the client's specific needs.
I’ve had
years of experience providing customized content to a variety of
industries: from insurance to financial services; from manufacturing
to entertainment – all of which has provided me with over
200 well-articulated stories relevant to almost every industry and
audience.
My speeches
are incredibly lively and interactive. I control the room when I
speak…every time.
The
Results
In 1995, Million Dollar Round Table sent a committee to search for
a speaker capable of mesmerizing 7,500 insurance professionals and
their spouses. The desired topic was gender differences. I was among
the three finalists.
In their review
and selection process, the committee saw live presentations by two
best-selling authors of the definitive books on gender differences:
John Gray Men Are From Mars, Women Are From Venus
and Deborah Tannen You Just Don't Understand.
The committee was unable to see me speak live before their final
selection, but did manage to see my demo tape, which contained my
entire speech on gender differences.
I was chosen
as the superior speaker and was a resounding success. Of the 16
main platform speakers that year, I was rated number one by the
7,500 audience members
Case Study #4
Ever
Suspect That Your Speaker Is Collecting A Big Fat Paycheck By Merely
Going Through the Motions?
The
Challenge
Prima Donnas. Because they are paid thousands of dollars for a one-hour
speech, they think this gives them the right to act like celebrities,
demanding outrageous requirements and behaving rudely to staff at
the event.
The
Solution
I was once mistaken for such a Prima Donna! I was keynoting a women's
conference at the University of Idaho.
In an early
phone call, the client called me Ms. Donaldson. I said "Call
me Mimi, please," but she persisted in calling me Ms. Donaldson.
In a subsequent
phone conversation, she asked me if I would like anything special
in my limo! I said "Limo?!? Really? You're sending a Limo?"
She paused a bit and then she asked, "Don't you require a limo?"
"No! “ I said, “I can hop into a taxi if someone
can't pick me up." She seemed delighted, saying "You mean
I can come pick you up in my own car?" I replied, "Of
course! I would get to meet you, and it would save you money."
The
Results
After a successful conference, my client drove me back to the airport.
She confided that I was the second female speaker they had ever
hired from Los Angeles, and I was nothing like the first speaker.
She told me
that the woman had been a colossal “pain-in-the-___,”
demanding a certain kind of designer water backstage and in her
limo! Not only that, she had been loud, rude, and even cruel to
the staff.
No wonder they
were not excited about another female speaker from L.A.. Even the
client’s staff uniformly told her that they “really
enjoyed working with Mimi.” I am so glad I saved the reputation
of one of America's great cities.
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