International Speakers Network: Follow up with Better Business Bureau

David Wright from the International Speaker's Bureau finally replied to the Better Business Bureau. The reply started out by using my name -- and it was misspelled! Gotta love that -- to begin with, they misspelled the name of their client.

Then their reply was the same old same old about how they have been doing what they said they would do, etc etc. I have just completed my reply to the Knoxville Better Business Bureau. Included was some information that could be very helpful to you:

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re: Five Speakers Newsletter program: Let’s imagine that everything is exactly the way ISN states it is, that the email they put together was professional and, at this stage, 4,000 emails have gone out. I have been a professional marketer for more than 20 years. I have been involved in both regular postal direct mail programs for all those 20 years, and direct email programs since 1997. The usual return for postal mail is 2-3%, meaning, for every one thousand mailed pieces, there should be 20 to 30 inquiries. If the email list is targeted, as was claimed by ISN, then the generally accepted rate of return is a little higher, 3 to 5% -- meaning – for every one-thousand emails sent (and received) – there should be 30 to 50 inquiries. Knowing there are 5 people in the speaker program, then 20% of those inquiries should be about my abilities. That means, for every one thousand emails sent out, I should have received at least 6 inquiries for potential speaking engagements from ISN. They claim 4,000 emails have gone – even if 1 out of every 4 bounced back, I still should have heard from 6.

I have heard from none. Zero.

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Now we'll see what they say/do. I still believe these people have stolen my money to benefit only themselves. As I said before, I don't know how they sleep at night.

They've Ignored the Better Business Bureau

Just checked in with the Better Business Bureau in Knoxville, Tennessee (closest city to Sevierville, TN with a BBB) --

Seems that David Wright, nor Greg Wright, nor any of their associates have bothered to respond to my complaint. A second notice has been sent. They have until Weds of this week to reply (11-21-07).

If you are interested in seeing their postings for the International Speaker's Network, link here.

http://knoxville.bbb.org/WWWRoot/Report.aspx?site=57&bbb=0533&firm=11488

Please note, they are also called Insight Publishing.

I'll keep you posted.

New! Want to keep abreast of this problem? Contact me at: burnedbyisn(at)hotmail.com and I'll add you to my growing email list.

Two weeks later....

Tap, tap, tap..... still waiting....

Much has happened since I last wrote -- but none of it good -- and nothing resolved....

I did file a complaint with the Knoxville, Tennessee Better Business Bureau (BBB). They have until tomorrow to reply to the complaint. As mentioned previously, ISN (International Speakers Bureau) has an unsatisfactory record with the BBB -- wish I had been smart enough to find that out before signing up with them.

(Sevierville, where ISN is located, is about an hour's drive from Knoxville, in the eastern part of Tennessee -- not far from Dollywood and Gatlinburg -- a beautiful area of the country.)

I finally had a conversation with David Wright, the president of ISN. Very slick man. It was a pleasant enough conversation -- and he PROMISED ME -- that I would receive not only a copy of the email that was sent out to (supposedly at this point) 4,000 meeting planners, but the lists of who those meeting planners are, too.

I was going to have all of those by last Friday.

Surprise!! They sent me the same pdf they sent previously -- which showcases 4 people plus me -- BUT -- NO marketing information, NO contact information, NO way to get in touch with any of the 5 of us OR anyone at the ISN.

To remind you.... I contacted those same people the first time this information was sent to me, and this is what I learned from them:

• I had a bit of a clue of what I would hear back because of the other four people, only one even addresses health and wellness issues.
• Not one of them is supposed to be included in that mailing. None of them paid for it.
• Three of them mentioned that they had purchased services for other mailings. Not one of them has ever seen any of those mailings. As far as they know, none were ever emailed.
• None of them has ever been booked as a speaker through ISN or Book a Speaker -- not one booking among five people. Not one.

I have sent one more request for my money back to David Wright and his posse.

Honestly, I don't know how they sleep at night!

I'll keep you posted...