Speaker Machine is LOOSE!

Speaker Machine is LOOSE!

I’ve just published my first website in more than a year! Speaker Machine is for people who want to leverage their speaking business to sell their products or services or create a profitable and sustainable fee-based speaking business. This project has really got my creativity and passion flowing and I invite you to take a [...]

Read more
gold-medal

CSP CPAE EIEIO?

In doing some research for this site I happened to open up an article on the NSA website from their very creatively named magazine Speaker. It only took 3 paragraphs to encounter the hysterical use of CSP/CPAE in the endless ass kissing worship of people who have been members the longest. If anything demonstrates the [...]

Read more
meeting-planner-female-phone

What Meeting Planners Really Want in a Keynote Speaker

I’m probably going to get into a lot of trouble here, (what’s new?) but, the mythology about what meeting planners are looking for, and willing to pay big bucks for, in a keynote speaker is widespread. The National Speakers Association under the leadership of past president Mark Sanborn conducted a useful survey that shed a [...]

Read more
Kickin’ the Big Butts of Life Keynote Video

Kickin’ the Big Butts of Life Keynote Video

Rick Butts LIVE $10,000 fee keynote speech “Kickin the Big Butts of Life – Control, Clarity, Courage” for Washington Mutual International Conference in Hawaii before 4000 attendees. _evpInit(‘aGF3YWlpLXRlYXNlci5mbHY=’); The full video presentation is available exclusively to Stardust Business Incubator Members only. [private_incubator] Kickin’ the Big Butts Of Life Part 1 _evpInit(‘aGF3YWlpLXBhcnQxLmZsdg==’); Kickin’ the Big Butts [...]

Read more

How to Create Your $2500 – $5000 Keynote Business Audio

“There is a significant amount of mythology about the real world of paid professional speaking.” Rick Butts

In this rambunctious and energetic audio Rick shares his experience and the unvarnished truth about:

  • Public Speakers vs Professional Speakers
  • The Market for Paid Speaking – Where to Get Booked
  • The Truth About the Meeting Planner Gig
  • What Meeting Planners REALLY Want
  • Typical 3 day conference and where paid speakers are used
  • Horrors of speaking after dinner (booze nightmares)
  • The morning keynote (YAY!)
  • How to handle the noise of speaking at luncheons
  • How to never speak while servers are in the room (killer tip)
  • Keynote plus breakout = 50% fee increase tip
  • The number 1 challenge trainers have in becoming keynote speakers
  • Read more
WordPress Dream Theme 2.0 Rocks!

WordPress Dream Theme 2.0 Rocks!

Regardless of whether the Saints or the Colts win the Super Bowl today, I can tell you with dead certainty that the WordPress theme you use to run your blog/website is crucial. Yeah, it needs to look professional and cook, and it needs to be easily navigable, (and of course it needs to SELL your [...]

Read more
speaker bureaus

Why Speaker Bureaus Won’t Return Your Calls

Most speakers (and meeting planners) have a love/hate relationship with most speaker bureaus. I use the word “most” as a modifier because there are some terrific people in the bureau business, once you get past the myriad of obstacles that keep most speakers on the outside looking in. But first, I must make a full [...]

Read more
standing-ovation

The Most Important Tool of the Professional Speaker is a Great Speech

The single most important tool you’ll ever have as a speaker is a killer keynote speech delivered with maximum skill. “A great speech will carry you further, get you booked easier, keep your calendar full, make you more money, and cost you less, than any other endeavor you’ll pursue in your speaking career.” Being a [...]

Read more
keynote-audience-laughter-bw

Welcome to Stardust Factor

A blank sheet of blog paper turns into a new and unique place for a strange little group of people who want to be speakers. Am I talking to you? Whether you are a successful professional speaker looking to sharpen your biz, just getting started, or anywhere along the way, this site will help you [...]

Read more