Would You Have Treated Them Differently (8/14/14)

What would it be worth for you to have someone like Jack Canfield, Tony Robbins, Bill Cosby or Oprah come speak at your organization? This might be dated information, but I think for Bill Cosby it would be a mere $250,000 plus expense for a keynote speech. The vast majority of clubs and organizations can’t afford that. Now a day it’s a rarity to see a headliner work the free to low income circuits; they command more for their time.

In setting up my book tour I got to live through one of the miserable catch 22′s of success; they don’t want you until you don’t need them. In cold calling bookstore, clubs, organizations, and media outlets its like puling teeth trying to get people just to return phone calls and emails. I’m not even going to get into what it can take to try to convince someone into saying yes and taking a chance on you. This isn’t a gripe it is a basic fact that everyone without exception has to go through.

However, what if the gate keepers from the early stages of someone’s career were more receptive? What if they responded to someone in a timely manner, even if their answer was sorry we’re not interested? I don’t take it personally, but I know that I’m going to be a lot more interested in giving back to those people who supported me in the early stages. I’m keeping a list of everyone who treated me the way in which I want to be treated, and some day I will find a way reciprocate their kindness and professionalism.