Getting Started in Speaking, Training, or Seminar Consulting

Purchased as a resource for a client. The information is good and presented well. Both I and my client were pleased with the book.

Good book for starter. I which for a little more content.

Bly used a lot of fluff and padding throughout this book�such as lists, ultra simple forms, notes on other peoples presentations. Finally, the last 100 pages are filler lists that have little to do with the advertised purpose of the book. It is extremely easy to read as the thought content is low. To many topics are covered and with little substance. A good editor could cut the text to a third its size and lose little substance. After cutting the text to a third and dropping the near frivolous lists you would be left with less than 50 pages of material worthy of a competing book.For me one paragraph was worth more than the price of the book. I have read and reviewed on Amazon 35 books on speaking in the last 18 months. That qualifies me as an obsessive learner or researcher. When Bly pointed out that professional speakers are more about intense up-to-date research than platform skills, it is an awakening. You get paid to study provided you find a market for your subject. One of the most famous motivational speakers said that he still spends more than 50 hours preparation for each client speech. Clearly, a speaker based on specific expertise would prepare considerably more. The fee per hour expended would be an unromantic number for most professional speakers.Two books that are better for getting started in higher level professional speaking are as follows: Speaking for Profit and Pleasure by William D. Thompson. Speak and Grow Rich by Dottie Walters. If you are lacking in a topic for developing expertise and likely to spend considerable time in the training market for a public seminar company Bly�s book may be the place to start your study.

This is a well- designed guide that teaches key elements of public speaking and gives pointers on how to avoid pitfalls. The indexed references are outstanding.

This book was written in 2000 and the author even admits being hesitant about technology including Power Point. So don't go looking for this book to find a way to utilize the internet.The general premise of the book is enough to help you determine if you want to be a speaker. It also includes a good point. You should be qualified in a field to start speaking. A janitor shouldn't be trying to teach leadership skills to Fortune 500 CEO's.

A lot of valuable information for anyone starting to speak publicly - I had borrowed it from the library and decided it was too valuable a reference for me not to own my own copy.

Excellent condition. Great value. Thanks

I've been a Bob Bly fan for over twenty years. Through his books, Bob Bly has inspired and mentored me, helping me write 24 books and conduct hundreds of workshops throughout the world. Although Bob Bly has written over 45 books, I think Getting Started in Speaking, Training, or Seminar Consulting is his best one yet. It's the tightest written and most entertaining; certainly one of the most useful. It's the one I just bought for two of my friends who need the type of career enhancement that only speaking can provide.Although there are numerous "get rich quick" books on the subjhect, this is the most comprehensive, tightly organized yet readable one I've ever encountered. It's loaded with details regarding prsentation development and marketing. Numerous worksheets help you apply his ideas to your next presentation. I especially liked Bob overview of the various categories of public speaking, i.e. keynote speakers, corporate trainers, self-marketed workshops and public seminar companies. Bob details the pros and cons of each category, how you can best prepare your presentation as well as outlines the their income potential and techniques for marketing yourself.This is one of those rare books that comes from the heart. It's not a "formula" book nor does it promise more than it delivers. Bob writes clearly but with passion and obvious concern for his readers. His knowledge is augmented by numerous quotes from other successful speakers. Bob's understated integrity comes through on every page.The need for this book becomes more and more obvious as each morning's newspaper recounts the latest cutbacks and restructuring. Today, we all need to master more and more communications skills in order to preserve our present job and prepare for an uncertain future.