A New Year, More Speakers and Authors Will Pay

I use "International Speakers Network" as a google news alert, and noticed right about the first of the year that ISN popped up more and more in the news. Seems David Wright has published another one of his books where he promises people he will include them along with some of the chicken soup book people, and others, in those books.

I hear sometimes from people who paid for inclusion, and woops! the publisher forgot to include them! They are told their information will be included the next time around...

Except that it doesn't get included.

Don't get caught. Read more on this blog about the International Speakers Network, book a speaker, and all the other company names these people work under.

Then save your money.

More Inquiries about the International Speaker's Network

Seems some folks on Twitter are looking for information about ISN now, too.

Hopefully they realize there is a whole group of people who wish they could do anything to get their money back from this bunch of scammers!

If you found this blog from Twitter -- welcome -- and please read through some of the posts on this blog to learn more about Insight Publishing, the International Speakers Network, the Innovators Group and the other names they use.

If you want a quick study, try:

http://burnedbyisn.blogspot.com/2008/08/does-this-email-from-isn-sound-familiar.html

http://burnedbyisn.blogspot.com/2008/08/isn-strikes-again-hope-this-makes-you.html

http://burnedbyisn.blogspot.com/2008/04/ripoff-report-check-this-out.html

http://burnedbyisn.blogspot.com/2007/12/heard-back-from-better-business-bureau.html

http://burnedbyisn.blogspot.com/2007/09/more-september-experiences-with.html

And many more....

Do yourself a favor. Don't waste your money. Save it to use for something that might actually help you. and pat yourself on the back for spending the time reading this blog post, assuring yourself you've made the right decision.

ISN Gets Its Due at LinkedIn

Looks like the International Speakers Network is getting the recognition it deserves -- at one of the groups of speakers at Linked In.

See what they have to say. It ain't pretty!

I believe it is like internet karma, you know?

Watch Your Credit Card - Bogus Charges from ISN

Margie commented on my last blog post....

It seems that when she realized she had been scammed by the International Speakers Network, she went back to her credit card company, and they removed the charges from her credit card. Great!

But then, two months later, they charged her credit card for $250 worth of stuff she never even ordered!

See her post here.

Honestly -- I would stop blogging except that I know YOU may be the person who will save your money and not get taken by these people.

More Money Saved Because People Found This Blog

As the economy tanks, we can be sure of one thing.... I have saved many people money -- speakers like you and me who work hard for our money and don't have extra to throw away on non-services like those offered by ISN or Book a speaker, or any of the other names they are using these days -- because they have found this blog.

At last count, at least 14 people have told me they were thinking of signing up, but found the information on this blog, and decided against it. That means I've saved folks at least $7000 and maybe more!

Joseph is the latest. He asked, "what's the scoop with these folks?" So I told him. I've also noticed a speaker named Lt. Col. Bob Weinstein just attended one of their workshops. I hope he learns what they WON'T do for him before he spends any more money. He certainly sent out enough press releases talking about it.

It truly helps me sleep at night to know I've saved so many people grief, stress and hassle. Thanks for listening.

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.)