Got the final word from the Better Business Bureau. They have done what they can do, the International Speakers Network is unwilling to budge.
They would rather keep the $950 they owe me than follow through on what their contract with me is, or reimburse the money they stole from me.
Yes -- I use that word "STOLE" -- because in good faith, I paid them for services they have not rendered. It's been more than six months and I have nothing to show for the money I gave them to help market my speaking abilities. Zippo. Nada.
I will continue being a thorn in their sides.
If you are considering joining their organization, or doing business with them in any way -- please consider my experience before sending your hard earned money to these people who make promises they don't keep.
I ask again: David Wright, Greg Wright, Brenda Keefer and others -- how DO you sleep at night? You call yourself good Christians. I believe instead that you give Christians a bad name.
Saturday, December 15, 2007
Saturday, November 24, 2007
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:
...........................
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.
.........................
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.
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:
...........................
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.
.........................
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.
Monday, November 19, 2007
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.
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.
Tuesday, November 13, 2007
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:
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...
Tuesday, October 30, 2007
Is this smear blogging?
I did write to ISN yesterday. Heard back from Greg Wright who said it was the first time he had heard about my disappointment with their service. That's possible.
I made a correction and suggested my disappointment was about their LACK OF service.
He asked me to desist with my smear blogging. I told him this blog is merely a recount of my experience.
He told me that in fact, all the mailings I had contracted for had been sent and he had directed Brenda to send me the confirmations.
The program he's referring to is an email that was supposed to be sent out to 12,000 conference planners with a pdf listing me as a Top 5 speaker.
So I asked him to send me -- within the hour -- a copy of the pdf. Afterall, if it's already been sent out to the conference planners it shoud be nothing at all to send me a copy, right?
So far nuttin. In fairness, all this took place at 5:30 in the afternoon. Perhaps I'll receive it this morning.
I also told him I want the names and contact info for three of the people it was sent to so I can talk to them to verify they received it.
I'll keep you posted.
I made a correction and suggested my disappointment was about their LACK OF service.
He asked me to desist with my smear blogging. I told him this blog is merely a recount of my experience.
He told me that in fact, all the mailings I had contracted for had been sent and he had directed Brenda to send me the confirmations.
The program he's referring to is an email that was supposed to be sent out to 12,000 conference planners with a pdf listing me as a Top 5 speaker.
So I asked him to send me -- within the hour -- a copy of the pdf. Afterall, if it's already been sent out to the conference planners it shoud be nothing at all to send me a copy, right?
So far nuttin. In fairness, all this took place at 5:30 in the afternoon. Perhaps I'll receive it this morning.
I also told him I want the names and contact info for three of the people it was sent to so I can talk to them to verify they received it.
I'll keep you posted.
Monday, October 29, 2007
Still playing dumb....
If you've read this far, and you are still considering spending your hard-earned money with the International Speaker's Network (located in Sevierville, TN ) -- consider my experience:
It's been 4 months since I spent nearly $1,000 to sign up with Book A Speaker, an ISN service, and to be included in an email that supposedly goes to meeting planners. Nothing. Still nothing.
And -- they are claiming they don't owe me any money. However -- I'm still fighting it.
I wish I didn't get mixed up with this bunch! I've contacted almost a dozen of their other speakers and to date I can't find one single person who has ever been booked through their program -- not one.
Nor can I find any conference producers who have ever even heard of them!
These are the business names they use:
BookaSpeaker.net
Insight Publishing
International Speakers Network
The Innovator's Group
The Better Business Bureau listing cites Greg Wright as the contact person -- I think he is David Wright, the owner's son. Doesn't make David much of a role model, does it?
In my experience, corraling us speakers is just their way of getting us to print our speaker materials -- except -- the promises they make to me as a speaker are empty. It makes me wonder what their promises are to authors?
I'll keep you posted.
It's been 4 months since I spent nearly $1,000 to sign up with Book A Speaker, an ISN service, and to be included in an email that supposedly goes to meeting planners. Nothing. Still nothing.
And -- they are claiming they don't owe me any money. However -- I'm still fighting it.
I wish I didn't get mixed up with this bunch! I've contacted almost a dozen of their other speakers and to date I can't find one single person who has ever been booked through their program -- not one.
Nor can I find any conference producers who have ever even heard of them!
These are the business names they use:
BookaSpeaker.net
Insight Publishing
International Speakers Network
The Innovator's Group
The Better Business Bureau listing cites Greg Wright as the contact person -- I think he is David Wright, the owner's son. Doesn't make David much of a role model, does it?
In my experience, corraling us speakers is just their way of getting us to print our speaker materials -- except -- the promises they make to me as a speaker are empty. It makes me wonder what their promises are to authors?
I'll keep you posted.
Friday, October 5, 2007
I want my money back
OK -- so I've written a letter to David Wright and asked for my money back. They owe me $950 all together because in almost 5 months now -- nuttin. None of the service I've paid for has been delivered to me.
I'm an inch away from calling this bunch total scam artists. And yes -- they got me.
I'm an inch away from calling this bunch total scam artists. And yes -- they got me.