Spoke for 2+ hours at Joe Vitale’s Awakened Millionaire Training event in Austin…

So much for trying to stay underground!

It’s a strange feeling, really.  Over the last 6 or so years, I’ve been marketing online very quietly.  Between my own projects, copywriting, product launches, etc. I’ve been been quite content living in my own little world and managing business via email and phone.

Then, a few weeks ago I received an email from Dr. Joe Vitale that turned my world upside down.  He asked if I’d be his secret guest speaker at his Awakened Millionaire Training seminar in Austin.

If it was anyone else, I more than likely would have said no.  However, it was Joe Vitale that helped me open my mind and learn how to tame this often wild and WhackedOut idea generation machine I have in my head through his books, courses, and through face-to-face time with him a couple of times at his Estate here in Texas.

I’ve never presented a full presentation before.  I’ve also NEVER spoken publicly about any of my WhackedOut Marketing ideas besides on this blog.  And… I’ve NEVER shared some of my secret product launch tactics that I shared at the event yesterday. More on that in a moment…

So of course I told Joe, yes!  I worked on my PowerPoint presentation off and on adding things, taking things out, wondering if I really should add this or that, and essentially driving myself a little crazy.

Joe has asked me to speak for about an hour, then he mentioned an hour and a half, and when I was at the event, he was totally fine if it went over.  (He gave so much great info and gave so many nuggets away that he had nearly drained all of his energy!)  More on this ‘energy’ thing in a moment, too…

Man… I wasn’t sure if I had even 20 minutes worth of PowerPoint slides.

I wasn’t nervous until the very second he called me up to the front of the room after an incredible introduction, which by the way I think I forgot to thank him for when I got up there because I was so focused on my presentation.

So I did my thing, gave away some nuggets, talked about some of my launch methods I’ve never ever released to anyone before, talked a little about Twitter, and other confidential things that you’ll only be able to see once the DVD’s become available… IF they become available…

The information shared at Joe’s event was incredible.  Sadly, it’s still going on today but we had to head back last night due to some family things.

If Joe ever decides to put on another one of these events, I’d highly suggest you do whatever you can to get there.  You’d love it and really walk away with a TON of action items to do as soon as you got back home.

This whole public speaking thing is something I’ve avoided for quite some time.  I’m not 100% sure why, I guess I just enjoyed doing things behind the scenes.  But now that I’ve done it, I realize that it isn’t all that bad.  Public speaking is the # 1 fear you know - even higher than death!

So this has me thinking… maybe this is something I should do every once in a while to share my secret WhackedOut ideas, marketing techniques, publicity tactics, etc. with a very small and select group of business owners?

Something to think about… I wonder if people would be interested in an all day event like that????

However, I do know this: public speaking literally sucks the energy right out of you.  I was amazed by this.  Of the few books I’ve read about public speaking, I don’t recall this being talked about.  Within a few hours after speaking, I felt as if I had been up for 14 days straight.

I slept longer last night than I’ve slept in MONTHS.

So if I ever plan to do my own mini secret event, or if I ever speak at another event… Remind me to do it later in the day.

I learned a lot… and thinking back I can see where I made some mistakes in my presentation.  I ‘presented’ a little too much and didn’t allow my own personality to come through.  But my biggest mistake I made as not thanking Joe for the GREAT into he gave me when I got up there.  :)  Thanks, Joe.