"It is not the critic who counts, not the man who points out how the strong man stumbled, or where the doer of deeds could have done better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood, who strives valiantly, who errs and comes short again and again, who knows the great enthusiasms, the great devotions, and spends himself in a worthy cause, who at best knows achievement and who at the worst if he fails at least fails while daring greatly so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who know neither victory nor defeat."
Theodore Roosevelt
Michael Keesee's Pendulum Presentation
I have always been a person that would just "jump in and do something" even if I couldn't do it very well at
first, rather than be like the guy who waits till he can do it perfectly before he will begin. So I have had many,
many failures; some of which seemed devastating at the time, but now seem to be worth a lot. Those failures add to
my skills and wisdom when offering help, assistance, or advice to someone.
So I tried something new in regard to promoting an event with one my Wizard Partners, Michael Keesee. It worked out
great!
When I asked Mike to come to Kentucky and speak, he was somewhere on a beach in Mexico. He was licking his wounds
and healing from a recent downsizing in the company he worked for and at the same time a recent divorce.
Finally he answered my emails, texts and phone calls and said “OK I be happy to come to Kentucky”. Then I called
him back and asked if he'd stay an extra day and speak twice. Again he said sure. Then I set it up for him to
speak also for our local Chamber of Commerce breakfast, and again to the sales staff for 9 radio stations Bristol
Broadcasting in Paducah while he was here.
Instead of setting up one big meeting, we did four smaller ones. Michael gave the Pendulum
Presentation 4 times
in 4 different locations in two days and we had 80 butts in seats. (In the Wizards on the Road in Denver we had
about that many, and about 100 in Nashville, I think) We handed out the sheet of questions about the problems
they were having in business and had about 12 of those filled out, and got about 20 more sign-ups for my Wizard
Times Newsletter.
We planted many good seeds, and talked a few potential future clients. Michael is such a gentleman, and was so
professional and so great to work with and he made me proud to be a Wizard of Ads Partner. Many people
remarked, "Your friend is such a good speaker and he is brilliant." It is really cool to hang around
brilliant people. But most important of all Michael and I have become good friends, and a man always needs a
few good friends.
Many thanks again to Michael Keesee.
Clay Campbell
How Will You Measure Success?
The keeper of my calendar told me a few weeks ago that David Rehr had called to schedule a day with
me in Austin. I scratched my head and wondered why.
David served as a congessonal aide on Capitol Hill when he was young, then he took a broken-down trade group,
The National Beer Wholesalers Association, and turned it into one of the most powerful lobbies in Washington.
So dramatic was his sucess that the National Association of Broadcasters, the trade group for every radio and
television station in America, asked David to come and take the helm in 2005.
On May 6, 2009, shortly after scheduling his appointment with me, David Rehr resigned as President and CEO of
the NAB. Then he showed up at Wizard Academy, right on schedule. We had never met or corresponded. I was curious
what he knew of me and why he had come.
“Roy,” he said, “a lot of people really like you and a lot of people really don’t but I usually agree with what I
read in your books and magazine columns.”
Curiosity made me ask what David had been told by the people who dislike me. Most of the stories he'd heard were
true. Guilty as charged.
Thirty years as a consultant give me deep respect for an observation made by Mark Twain, “I can teach anybody how
to get what they want out of life. The problem is that I can't find anybody who can tell me what they want.”
“David, what do you plan to do with the rest of your life?”
I never suspected he might have an answer.
“I want to be President of the United States Chamber of Commerce.”
The clarity of that answer told me:
- how David Rehr became successful.
- that he and I were going to be friends.
- why he'll someday be President of the United States Chamber of Commerce.
We spent the rest of the day discussing David’s ideas for stimulating the economy of the United States and then I
got him to agree to teach a class at Wizard Academy.
David Rehr was able to state his goal in a single sentence of just 12 words.
Can you?
- What are you trying to make happen?
- How will you measure success?
- What’s the first thing you need to do to get started?
I'd like you to answer each question using no more than 12 words per answer. This means the email you send me
cannot exceed 36 total words, plus your name and contact information.
Yes, there will be prizes.
The biggest prizes will be the ones received by every participant: clarity of thought and purpose. There will
be other prizes sent by my office.
All Participants will receive advance notice of David Rehr's class as soon as dates and a course description
are available. This gives you first shot at the 14 rooms in Engelbrecht House.
Craft your 36 words. Send them to Tamara@WizardAcademy.org. Don't put it off. Do it now.
You're at a turning point.
Which way will you turn?
Roy H. Williams
Perhaps now would be a good time to have a complimentary meeting with a Wizard of Ads Partner. Links to their websites and blogs are listed down the right side of The Wizard Times. Hundreds of their articles with free insightful advice can been seen at www.americansmallbusiness.com 2009 would be a great year to attend a class at the Wizard Academy 21st Century Business School in Austin Texas. What is the Wizard Academy?
See you next week.
Clay Campbell
Wizard of Ads
PS. Need help to attract more customers and grow your business?
