Email -- from an anonymous "Happy Customer"

Dear Anonymous:

I hope you enjoy your workshop this weekend in Gatlinburg with the people from ISN. In fact, I went to one of those workshops, too. What a waste of time! All they did was video tape other people who were speaking about topics I had NO interest in. Most of them were truly terrible speakers (there was one who wasn't bad) -- and I had to sit through it because that's what the workshop was.

Oh -- except for David Wright who pontificated on a few marketing topics -- nothing I wasn't already putting into practice. Of course, the whole idea was to try their tactics using the materials they would produce for you first, for big bucks, of course. What most people don't realize is that they can get those same materials printed at their own local print shop for far less money.

Bottom line -- you may be happy with ISN today, feeling excited that they are going to help you market your speaking. At that stage, I was happy with them, too! I was looking forward to developing the partnership that would help me market my abilities.

But -- talk to me in six months when you've sent them money and they haven't done what they promised they would do. Let me know when you've purchased the ability to be on their "mailing to 5,000 conference producers" or their "email to 12,000 conference producers" or their many books that you'll be included in. (I have yet to find anyone who really ended up with one of those books, by the way.)

Yup -- in six months I'd like to hear back from you to see if you're still as happy then as you are today. I'm going to bet two things: 1. That you won't be happy. and 2. that I won't hear from you when you aren't anyway.

Oh -- and by the way -- I can only imagine how much they are using Brenda Keefer's departure to blame their scam on -- of course! It's brilliant! I can hear it now -- "Yes, we know there are people who were unhappy with our service, but we figured out all the problems were coming from Brenda Keefer and she's gone now." hahahah!! Yes, that sounds good. Wonder what they're going to tell people a year from now when they don't follow through?

I do wish you luck and hope you do well.

Burned by ISN

Willow Mist -- Avoid this One, Too

I found a note in the SpeakerNet newsletter (great newsletter by the way -- I highly recommend it) -- posted by a fellow who asked about Willow Mist Professional Services. Wanted to know if they are any good.

Willow Mist Professional Services is owned by Brenda Keefer, one of the people who used to work for David Wright at International Speakers Network, one of the people who was involved in stealing my money, and based on the email I get, money from many others, too.

Brenda has just finished her 10 years of probation for stealing about a quarter million dollars from her previous employer. As I said in a previous blog post -- no honor among thieves!

So perhaps my comment here is branching out some. But my bigger picture is to save us who make our living speaking from spending money on scam artists who plan only to take your money, and then plan to do nothing with it to assist our professions.

If this seems confusing to you, read some of these other posts and comments on this blog from others who have lost their money to Bookaspeaker, the International Speaker's Network, the Innovators Group and all the other aliases they use. Know that Brenda cut her teeth on their way of doing business. And save your money!

(posted 2/17/2012 - see updates on Brenda Keefer and Willow Mist here.)