Sunday 01 February
Camelot launch Worldwide Lottery
Super Bowl XLIII, Tampa, Florida, USA
Evening Standard British Film Awards 2009
Monday 02 February
Buddy Holly died 50 years ago
Tuesday 03 February - Sunday 26 April
Buddy Holly Exhibition, Proud Galleries, London
Wednesday 04 February - Sunday 08 February
Cricket: W.Indies v England (1st Test) Kingston, Jamaica
Thursday 05 February
20 years ago: Launch of Sky Television
Friday 06 February
Queen's Accession Gun Salute, Green Park & Tower of London
Sunday 07 February
Rugby Union: England v Italy, Twickenham
Rugby Union: Ireland v France, Dublin
Football: Scottish FA Cup Fifth Round
Saturday, 31 January 2009
Geoff Burch In Action At Barnet FC
Geoff Burch was guest speaker at Communicate With Clarity at the beginning of December. Geoff features about halfway through this presentation:
Thursday, 29 January 2009
Confidence Falls Amongst UK's Young
Young people on the UK have lost confidence in recent times according to this report from the Daily Telegraph
Perhaps inspirational and motivational speakers will find an ever increasing role in the months and years ahead. It appears to us that youngsters are in need of a much needed confidence boost.
Perhaps inspirational and motivational speakers will find an ever increasing role in the months and years ahead. It appears to us that youngsters are in need of a much needed confidence boost.
Wednesday, 28 January 2009
Obama Speaks
Broadcaster and speaker Kare Anderson, gets the inside track on how Obama's inauguration speech was written. Makes interesting reading.
New Metropolitan Police Commissioner
Sir Paul Stephenson has been appointed as the new Metropolitan Police Commissioner.
According to the BBC website, he said his priorities would include cutting crime, and convincing all the communities of London that the Met was on their side.
According to the BBC website, he said his priorities would include cutting crime, and convincing all the communities of London that the Met was on their side.
Tuesday, 27 January 2009
Paris Hilton In Covent Garden
Paris Hilton was seen in London's Covent Garden earlier today. See the report and video clip here
Monday, 26 January 2009
Sunday, 25 January 2009
The Week Ahead - January 25th - January 31st
Sunday 25 January
Burns Night
Monday 26 January
Chinese New Year Celebrations: Year of the Ox
Tuesday 27 January
Holocaust Memorial Day, UK
Saturday 31 January
Football: Closure of Mid-Season Transfer Window
UK: Deadline for Self Assessment Tax Returns
Burns Night
Monday 26 January
Chinese New Year Celebrations: Year of the Ox
Tuesday 27 January
Holocaust Memorial Day, UK
Saturday 31 January
Football: Closure of Mid-Season Transfer Window
UK: Deadline for Self Assessment Tax Returns
Saturday, 24 January 2009
More On Obama's Speech
American speechwriter Ian Griffin takes an in-depth view on Barack Obama's speech. He wrote "It was pragmatic and direct in addressing the current situation of the country he now leads".
Read more
Read more
Thursday, 22 January 2009
Bloggers split over Obama's inauguration speech
According to this Daily Telegraph report, bloggers have mixed opinions on the 44th President of the USA. Was Obama's inauguration speech one of the best political speeches of all time? How do you find him as a speaker?
Wednesday, 21 January 2009
Twitter more popular than Digg
Tuesday, 20 January 2009
Specialist Speakers - Mark Beaumont
Represented by Specialist Speakers is miracle cyclist Mark Beaumont:
At the age of 25 most ordinary people count themselves lucky if they have achieved one small ambition. Earlier this year, Scotsman Mark Beaumont became the fastest man to cycle around the world. On Friday 15th September 2008 at 1530, Mark Beaumont cycled under the Arc de Triomphe in Paris. He arrived 194 days and 17 hours (and 18,297 miles) after he left, having circumnavigated the globe by bicycle.
Guinness World Records verified all of Mark’s data and confirmed him as the new Guinness World Record holder – smashing the previous record by an amazing 81 days. His amazing journey saw him pedalling over 18 000 miles through 20 countries, including Iran, Pakistan, Malaysia, Australia, and the USA.
A film of his journey was commissioned by the BBC and his story was picked up along the way by news agencies across the globe. Mark talks to BikeRadar about his preparation, coping with the loneliness of the journey and his new found fame.
Mark has been involved in adventure cycling since he was 12 years old. After completing a degree in economics and politics, he decided that a city job could wait and went for broke with the biggest adventure he could dream of.
“The world record for cycling around the world wasn’t particularly competitive and I knew from the outset that I could break it with the right preparation and backing,” he says. “I love the mental challenge of ultra endurance sports and wanted to push my comfort zones.”
Mark set a target of 195 days to cycle 18,000 miles – 100 miles a day with a day off every fortnight. Yet in training for this, he never did a single 100-mile training session.
At the age of 25 most ordinary people count themselves lucky if they have achieved one small ambition. Earlier this year, Scotsman Mark Beaumont became the fastest man to cycle around the world. On Friday 15th September 2008 at 1530, Mark Beaumont cycled under the Arc de Triomphe in Paris. He arrived 194 days and 17 hours (and 18,297 miles) after he left, having circumnavigated the globe by bicycle.
Guinness World Records verified all of Mark’s data and confirmed him as the new Guinness World Record holder – smashing the previous record by an amazing 81 days. His amazing journey saw him pedalling over 18 000 miles through 20 countries, including Iran, Pakistan, Malaysia, Australia, and the USA.
A film of his journey was commissioned by the BBC and his story was picked up along the way by news agencies across the globe. Mark talks to BikeRadar about his preparation, coping with the loneliness of the journey and his new found fame.
Mark has been involved in adventure cycling since he was 12 years old. After completing a degree in economics and politics, he decided that a city job could wait and went for broke with the biggest adventure he could dream of.
“The world record for cycling around the world wasn’t particularly competitive and I knew from the outset that I could break it with the right preparation and backing,” he says. “I love the mental challenge of ultra endurance sports and wanted to push my comfort zones.”
Mark set a target of 195 days to cycle 18,000 miles – 100 miles a day with a day off every fortnight. Yet in training for this, he never did a single 100-mile training session.
Calmness & Dementia
According to recent research, staying calm reduces the onset of dementia. Read this from the BBC website
Monday, 19 January 2009
RBS Loses Billions
2008 seems to have been a disaster for the Royal Bank Of Scotland. The bank, which is now 70% government owned, expects to report a loss for last year of between £7bn and £8bn. Read this from Sky News.
Ronnie O'Sullivan Wins Masters Title
"Rocket" Ronnie O'Sullivan won his fourth Masters title in the early hours as he beat defending champion, Mark Selby by ten frames to eight in an exciting final. Read the BBC report here
Sunday, 18 January 2009
Iain Dale on Setanta Sports
Speaker & Blogger Iain Dale, has another passion apart from politics - West Ham United. His "other" blog is a good read for any football fan and his latest post highlights his appearance later this evening on Setanta Sports. He'll be discussing West Ham's 3-1 victory over Fulham earlier today.
Saturday, 17 January 2009
Hudson River Plane Crash
On the BBC website, you can now see the last moments of U S Airways Flight 1549. Click here to see the video clips
Elsewhere on the BBC site, you can read Rory Cellan-Jones article about how the micro-bliggong site Twitter releases breaking news like the Hudson River incident.
Elsewhere on the BBC site, you can read Rory Cellan-Jones article about how the micro-bliggong site Twitter releases breaking news like the Hudson River incident.
Friday, 16 January 2009
So Long Dubya!
Next Tuesday sees the inauguration of Barack Obama as the 44th President of the Unites States and political correspondent Alan Caruba posts his views on the last eight years.
Some, like "blogcritic" may regard George W Bush as an average or even bad public speaker. What's your view and how does he compare to the man whose taking his place early next week?
Some, like "blogcritic" may regard George W Bush as an average or even bad public speaker. What's your view and how does he compare to the man whose taking his place early next week?
World Voice Day
This year will be on April 16th. Details of the day can be found at the website of the British Voice Association here
Thursday, 15 January 2009
Contacting Specialist Speakers
Contacting Specialist Speakers is easy just dial 0870 609 3861 and ask for Daniel Rix or a member of his booking team
Wednesday, 14 January 2009
Iain Dale meets Margaret Thatcher
Earlier this evening Iain Dale caught up with former Prime Minister, Margaret Thatcher. You can read about it here
Geoff Burch meets Nick R Thomas
At Communicate With Clarity, well known broadcaster and public-speaker, Nick R Thomas, caught up with Geoff Burch. He had this to say on his excellent public-speaking blog last week:
About a decade ago, I bought a book entitled Go It Alone: The Streetwise Secrets of Self Employment by Geoff Burch. I could see immediately that it was unlike other business guides in its humorous, no-nonsense approach.
Some years later, it helped me out of a difficult situation when I was asked to deliver a speech at a civic function - but not in my home town. I had a few anecdotes but not enough for me to feel that I had a rounded speech. I was actually on my way to the venue when it occurred to me that the town had the word 'time' in its tourism slogan and I remembered a great metaphor concerning time which was quoted by Geoff Burch in that book. I linked the two together in my speech (quoting the source, of course) and the whole thing worked much better. It wasn't the best I've ever given but an audience member came up to me afterwards and said how well it dovetailed together so thank you, Geoff!
During the autumn of 2008, Geoff Burch presented an eight-part BBC2 series, All Over The Shop, in which he visited failing small retailers and suggested ways for them to turn their businesses around. Most were sensible enough to follow his advice (although, for some reason, those in the West Country seemed to be the most resistant!) I really enjoyed the programmes.
So when I learned that this business guru and author was to be the guest speaker at the Communicate with Clarity seminar run by Jeremy Jacobs at Barnet Football Club on 2 December, that was one more reason to jump at the chance to attend!
You can read the rest of Nick's post here
About a decade ago, I bought a book entitled Go It Alone: The Streetwise Secrets of Self Employment by Geoff Burch. I could see immediately that it was unlike other business guides in its humorous, no-nonsense approach.
Some years later, it helped me out of a difficult situation when I was asked to deliver a speech at a civic function - but not in my home town. I had a few anecdotes but not enough for me to feel that I had a rounded speech. I was actually on my way to the venue when it occurred to me that the town had the word 'time' in its tourism slogan and I remembered a great metaphor concerning time which was quoted by Geoff Burch in that book. I linked the two together in my speech (quoting the source, of course) and the whole thing worked much better. It wasn't the best I've ever given but an audience member came up to me afterwards and said how well it dovetailed together so thank you, Geoff!
During the autumn of 2008, Geoff Burch presented an eight-part BBC2 series, All Over The Shop, in which he visited failing small retailers and suggested ways for them to turn their businesses around. Most were sensible enough to follow his advice (although, for some reason, those in the West Country seemed to be the most resistant!) I really enjoyed the programmes.
So when I learned that this business guru and author was to be the guest speaker at the Communicate with Clarity seminar run by Jeremy Jacobs at Barnet Football Club on 2 December, that was one more reason to jump at the chance to attend!
You can read the rest of Nick's post here
Geoff Burch's Business Motto
Geoff Burch, who spoke at Communicate With Clarity on December 2nd, has this business motto:
"Finding and keeping customers is the only activity that can generate revenue; everything else motivates cost.”
Barnet Football Club........
Was the venue for Jeremy Jacob's "Communicate With Clarity" seminar on December 2nd. Guest speaker was Geoff Burch who is represented by Specialist Speakers
The event organiser can be contacted in the UK on 08453 31 31 71
The event organiser can be contacted in the UK on 08453 31 31 71
Geoff Burch in the Press
Just before "All Over The Shop" went live, the This Is Gloucestershire website published this article about Geoff Burch.
BUSINESS guru Geoff Burch is set to become the Gordon Ramsay of the business world – but without the f-word.
Blunt speaking Ramsay pulled no punches when he sorted out ailing restaurants in his hit TV show Kitchen Nightmares and now Geoff, from Cheltenham, is set to do the same for struggling small businesses.
His BBC 2 TV series, All Over the Shop, which goes on air for the first time next week, will see Geoff tackle some of the problems businesses are facing, and offer hard-nosed, straight-talking advice to help turn things around.
And in the process he will be using shops in Cheltenham as model examples of how to successfully beat the credit crunch.
Geoff said: "Britain is supposed to be a nation of shopkeepers, but up and down the country you'll find countless examples of retailers getting it wrong. They know they've got problems, but they need a kick up the backside!
Click here!
"In the series I'll be looking at several businesses that have found themselves in trouble, and showing them various ways to get back on track. Then a month later I come back to see whether results have improved.
"During each episode I take struggling managers on 'inspirational' visits to businesses which are managing to thrive despite the credit crunch, and I've used several examples of this in Cheltenham.
"As a centre for retailing excellence the town is a leading light, with people coming from all over the country to do their shopping."
Local retailers featured in the series as success stories include gentlemen's' outfitters Horace Barton and Son, Blushes hair salon, The Body Shop, William's Cycles, perfume and linen traders Cologne and Cotton, Chapel Spa, and Cheltenham Kitchener.
All are described by Geoff as "companies that have chosen their specific market, and managed to nail it".
He added: "I suppose you could compare the series to Gordon Ramsay's Kitchen Nightmares, but without all the swearing! It has been a real pleasure to work with the businesses involved and I have found it hugely satisfying to help get them back on track.
"I think the public will enjoy the programme, and many viewers will be able to relate to the problems faced by businesses in the current climate."
The first episode of All Over the Shop will be on Tuesday at 7.30pm on BBC2, and the series will run for the next eight weeks.
BUSINESS guru Geoff Burch is set to become the Gordon Ramsay of the business world – but without the f-word.
Blunt speaking Ramsay pulled no punches when he sorted out ailing restaurants in his hit TV show Kitchen Nightmares and now Geoff, from Cheltenham, is set to do the same for struggling small businesses.
His BBC 2 TV series, All Over the Shop, which goes on air for the first time next week, will see Geoff tackle some of the problems businesses are facing, and offer hard-nosed, straight-talking advice to help turn things around.
And in the process he will be using shops in Cheltenham as model examples of how to successfully beat the credit crunch.
Geoff said: "Britain is supposed to be a nation of shopkeepers, but up and down the country you'll find countless examples of retailers getting it wrong. They know they've got problems, but they need a kick up the backside!
Click here!
"In the series I'll be looking at several businesses that have found themselves in trouble, and showing them various ways to get back on track. Then a month later I come back to see whether results have improved.
"During each episode I take struggling managers on 'inspirational' visits to businesses which are managing to thrive despite the credit crunch, and I've used several examples of this in Cheltenham.
"As a centre for retailing excellence the town is a leading light, with people coming from all over the country to do their shopping."
Local retailers featured in the series as success stories include gentlemen's' outfitters Horace Barton and Son, Blushes hair salon, The Body Shop, William's Cycles, perfume and linen traders Cologne and Cotton, Chapel Spa, and Cheltenham Kitchener.
All are described by Geoff as "companies that have chosen their specific market, and managed to nail it".
He added: "I suppose you could compare the series to Gordon Ramsay's Kitchen Nightmares, but without all the swearing! It has been a real pleasure to work with the businesses involved and I have found it hugely satisfying to help get them back on track.
"I think the public will enjoy the programme, and many viewers will be able to relate to the problems faced by businesses in the current climate."
The first episode of All Over the Shop will be on Tuesday at 7.30pm on BBC2, and the series will run for the next eight weeks.
Jeremy Jacobs - Corporate Host
At the beginning of November, Jeremy Jacobs was corporate host at the Silver Investment Summit which was held in London.
Geoff Burch in Barnet
Communicate With Clarity is taking place on November 11th and December 2nd. It's a seminar on how to be more effective on the telephone. Geoff Burch will be speaking on December 2nd. You can e-mail the organiser:
events@communicatewithclarity.co.uk
Iain Dale In Israel
Iain Dale recently visited Israel. His trip was sponsored by the CFI (Conservative Friends of Israel). There's a blogpost here about his first full day.
Specialist Speakers - Iain Dale
Specialist Speakers represents:
Iain Dale is one of Britain’s leading political commentators, appearing almost continually on TV and radio. He was formerly the Chief Anchor of the world’s first political internet TV station, 18 Doughty Street and is now the publisher of the monthly magazine, Total Politics. He writes a political column for the Daily Telegraph, a diary for the Eastern Daily Press, a column for GQ magazine, for The Spectator, the House Magazine and Parliamentary Monitor and contributes weekly to The Guardian’s CommentIsFree.
He is a newspaper reviewer for both Sky News and News 24 and appears on Sunday AM with Andrew Marr. ‘Very few indeed are better informed than Iain Dale – his style may be easygoing and humorous but he has a mind like a meat-cleaver’
Iain is Britain’s best recognised and leading political blogger with 70,000 regular readers a month; he is a widely respected journalist, accomplished broadcaster, political commentator and raconteur.
Iain stood as a Conservative candidate at the last election and was Chief of Staff to the Rt Hon David Davis MP in the recent Conservative Party leadership election. He is a former political lobbyist, financial journalist and publisher and was the founder of Politico’s Bookstore. He is the creator and host of the theatre production A Night With Ann Widdecombe, which tours provincial theatres all round the country.
He is a former financial journalist with Lloyds List, and was a political lobbyist before setting up his own political bookselling and publishing company, Politico’s, in the late 1990s. He was a presenter of radio 5 Live’s Sunday Service programme alongside Fi Glover and Charlie Whelan from 2000 to 2004, and presented 5 Live’s 2001 election night documentary Counting Chickens.
The following are among his programme credits: Breakfast with Frost, Today Programme, Simon Mayo Show, Question Time Extra, 5 Live Breakfast, 5 Live Drive, Victoria Derbyshire, the Jon Gaunt Show, The Panel (Irish equivalent of Have I Got News for You), Steve Wright Show, The Sandy Toksvig LBC Show, Newsnight, News at Ten.
Iain has written or edited more than twenty books including Margaret Thatcher: A Tribute in Words & Pictures, the Little Book of Boris, 500 of the Most Acerbic, Witty & Erudite Things Ever Said About Politics and is currently writing two books - 100 People Who Are Screwing Up Britain (And Alastair Campbell is #59) and Who’s Who in the Conservative Party.
Iain’s latest venture is the magazine TOTAL Politics, the magazine which launched on 23rd June at Milbank Tower and had over achieved launch subscription levels before even printing a single page and achieving an interview and a good luck message from PM Gordon Brown for it first edition – unheard of in magazine history. The magazine features the latest in news and comment from Politicos, policy makers and commentators alike.
Iain Dale’s substantial reputation as a wise and witty political observer, publisher, entrepreneur and satirist has made him one of the most popular speakers currently available.
Iain Dale is one of Britain’s leading political commentators, appearing almost continually on TV and radio. He was formerly the Chief Anchor of the world’s first political internet TV station, 18 Doughty Street and is now the publisher of the monthly magazine, Total Politics. He writes a political column for the Daily Telegraph, a diary for the Eastern Daily Press, a column for GQ magazine, for The Spectator, the House Magazine and Parliamentary Monitor and contributes weekly to The Guardian’s CommentIsFree.
He is a newspaper reviewer for both Sky News and News 24 and appears on Sunday AM with Andrew Marr. ‘Very few indeed are better informed than Iain Dale – his style may be easygoing and humorous but he has a mind like a meat-cleaver’
Iain is Britain’s best recognised and leading political blogger with 70,000 regular readers a month; he is a widely respected journalist, accomplished broadcaster, political commentator and raconteur.
Iain stood as a Conservative candidate at the last election and was Chief of Staff to the Rt Hon David Davis MP in the recent Conservative Party leadership election. He is a former political lobbyist, financial journalist and publisher and was the founder of Politico’s Bookstore. He is the creator and host of the theatre production A Night With Ann Widdecombe, which tours provincial theatres all round the country.
He is a former financial journalist with Lloyds List, and was a political lobbyist before setting up his own political bookselling and publishing company, Politico’s, in the late 1990s. He was a presenter of radio 5 Live’s Sunday Service programme alongside Fi Glover and Charlie Whelan from 2000 to 2004, and presented 5 Live’s 2001 election night documentary Counting Chickens.
The following are among his programme credits: Breakfast with Frost, Today Programme, Simon Mayo Show, Question Time Extra, 5 Live Breakfast, 5 Live Drive, Victoria Derbyshire, the Jon Gaunt Show, The Panel (Irish equivalent of Have I Got News for You), Steve Wright Show, The Sandy Toksvig LBC Show, Newsnight, News at Ten.
Iain has written or edited more than twenty books including Margaret Thatcher: A Tribute in Words & Pictures, the Little Book of Boris, 500 of the Most Acerbic, Witty & Erudite Things Ever Said About Politics and is currently writing two books - 100 People Who Are Screwing Up Britain (And Alastair Campbell is #59) and Who’s Who in the Conservative Party.
Iain’s latest venture is the magazine TOTAL Politics, the magazine which launched on 23rd June at Milbank Tower and had over achieved launch subscription levels before even printing a single page and achieving an interview and a good luck message from PM Gordon Brown for it first edition – unheard of in magazine history. The magazine features the latest in news and comment from Politicos, policy makers and commentators alike.
Iain Dale’s substantial reputation as a wise and witty political observer, publisher, entrepreneur and satirist has made him one of the most popular speakers currently available.
Specialist Speakers - John Willman
Specialist Speakers represents:
John Willman is Business Editor, chief leader writer and associate editor at the Financial Times. At the beginning of 2002, John was appointed Chief Leader Writer and Associate Editor. Based in London, he is responsible for leader columns in all the FT's editions, working with editorial staff around the world to produce incisive comment on the most important issues each day.
Having joined the FT in 1991, he held several positions, including Banking Editor, Consumer Industries Editor, Features Editor and Public Policy Editor. His first jobs in journalism were with Which? Magazine and Assessment. He previously lectured in Economics.
In 2002, John was named the winner in the Banking category at the ‘Business Journalist of the Year’ awards. In 2001 he won the ‘Financial Journalist of the Year’ at the British Press Awards and was winner of the Norwich Union ‘Healthcare / Medical Journalists' association awards in 1998.
John is widely recognised as the foremost and most trusted interpreter from the margins of where politics, policy and business meet. He has written and contributed to several books, including the annual Lloyds TSB Tax Guide, The Which? Guide to Planning and Conservation, The Major Effect and A Better State of Health.
He has extensive broadcast experience and has appeared frequently on BBC TV and radio, Sky News and CNN.
John graduated from Cambridge University in 1971 with a first-class degree in Social and Political Sciences despite this, he retains a first class sense of humour.
The current climate has led to an even more marked increase in John’s popularity with senior management and banking groups who clearly like bad news delivered with a hint of humour.
John Willman is Business Editor, chief leader writer and associate editor at the Financial Times. At the beginning of 2002, John was appointed Chief Leader Writer and Associate Editor. Based in London, he is responsible for leader columns in all the FT's editions, working with editorial staff around the world to produce incisive comment on the most important issues each day.
Having joined the FT in 1991, he held several positions, including Banking Editor, Consumer Industries Editor, Features Editor and Public Policy Editor. His first jobs in journalism were with Which? Magazine and Assessment. He previously lectured in Economics.
In 2002, John was named the winner in the Banking category at the ‘Business Journalist of the Year’ awards. In 2001 he won the ‘Financial Journalist of the Year’ at the British Press Awards and was winner of the Norwich Union ‘Healthcare / Medical Journalists' association awards in 1998.
John is widely recognised as the foremost and most trusted interpreter from the margins of where politics, policy and business meet. He has written and contributed to several books, including the annual Lloyds TSB Tax Guide, The Which? Guide to Planning and Conservation, The Major Effect and A Better State of Health.
He has extensive broadcast experience and has appeared frequently on BBC TV and radio, Sky News and CNN.
John graduated from Cambridge University in 1971 with a first-class degree in Social and Political Sciences despite this, he retains a first class sense of humour.
The current climate has led to an even more marked increase in John’s popularity with senior management and banking groups who clearly like bad news delivered with a hint of humour.
Iain Dale on Blogging
London, UK
Specialist Speakers promote blogger and political pundit Iain Dale. Here he is being interviewed for Leicester Square Television by presenter, Jeremy Jacobs about his highly successful blog, Iain Dale's Diary.
Specialist Speakers promote blogger and political pundit Iain Dale. Here he is being interviewed for Leicester Square Television by presenter, Jeremy Jacobs about his highly successful blog, Iain Dale's Diary.
Specialist Speakers - Jonathan Gabay
Specialist Speakers represents:
Jonathan Gabay is a creative branding expert, founder of Brand Forensics and on the core faculty of the world’s biggest and most influential marketing institute, The Chartered Institute of Marketing.
As a journalist, Jonathan regularly delivers incisive comment and analysis in the national and trade press, including the Independent, Guardian Unlimited, Scotsman, mad.co.uk, Creative Match, What’s New in Marketing, as well as on CNN, SKY, BBC, Channel 4, Five and ITN – in the last few weeks alone he has commented on Madonna, England Football team, Dubai Film Festival, Lewis Hamilton.
He has addressed business gatherings all over the world and graduates at various academic institutions including, the London School of Economics, Management Centre Europe and Newport University. Jonathan is rated in the top three most popular lecturers at the Chartered Institute of Marketing, delivering lectures to senior managers around the world. Space on his courses are highly sought after and always oversubscribed. He recently contributed to the Institute’s White Paper document on a new global definition of marketing and earlier this year he represented the CIM at a major business debate at the House of Commons concerning global warming and marketing. He Won! …….Emphatically!
Leading business organisations as well as UK FTSE companies in sectors ranging from finance and technology to FMCG and travel, feature Jonathan’s award winning copywriting and marketing strategies and he is popularly regarded as one of the foremost independent creative’s in the field.
His vast experience of working for some of the best known creative agencies and cutting edge brands in the industry – including heading up departments at the UK’s top agencies - has shaped his work as an author, Jonathan has authored 12 best selling business books, many of which are now recognised at benchmark texts for marketing study and have been translated throughout the world.
This rare fusion of corporate experience, strong audience rapport and outstanding creativity gives Jonathan significant status on the speaking and conference circuit. By avoiding jargon, ‘the camouflage of the incompetent’ and dry analytical prose, Jonathan’s approach provides insight and entertainment in equal measure and his incisive comment on brand-related issues will get to the heart of any event.
Jonathan Gabay is a creative branding expert, founder of Brand Forensics and on the core faculty of the world’s biggest and most influential marketing institute, The Chartered Institute of Marketing.
As a journalist, Jonathan regularly delivers incisive comment and analysis in the national and trade press, including the Independent, Guardian Unlimited, Scotsman, mad.co.uk, Creative Match, What’s New in Marketing, as well as on CNN, SKY, BBC, Channel 4, Five and ITN – in the last few weeks alone he has commented on Madonna, England Football team, Dubai Film Festival, Lewis Hamilton.
He has addressed business gatherings all over the world and graduates at various academic institutions including, the London School of Economics, Management Centre Europe and Newport University. Jonathan is rated in the top three most popular lecturers at the Chartered Institute of Marketing, delivering lectures to senior managers around the world. Space on his courses are highly sought after and always oversubscribed. He recently contributed to the Institute’s White Paper document on a new global definition of marketing and earlier this year he represented the CIM at a major business debate at the House of Commons concerning global warming and marketing. He Won! …….Emphatically!
Leading business organisations as well as UK FTSE companies in sectors ranging from finance and technology to FMCG and travel, feature Jonathan’s award winning copywriting and marketing strategies and he is popularly regarded as one of the foremost independent creative’s in the field.
His vast experience of working for some of the best known creative agencies and cutting edge brands in the industry – including heading up departments at the UK’s top agencies - has shaped his work as an author, Jonathan has authored 12 best selling business books, many of which are now recognised at benchmark texts for marketing study and have been translated throughout the world.
This rare fusion of corporate experience, strong audience rapport and outstanding creativity gives Jonathan significant status on the speaking and conference circuit. By avoiding jargon, ‘the camouflage of the incompetent’ and dry analytical prose, Jonathan’s approach provides insight and entertainment in equal measure and his incisive comment on brand-related issues will get to the heart of any event.
Geoff Burch On BBC2
BBC TWO Listings
All Over the Shop
Tue 21 Oct, 7:30 pm - 8:00 pm 30mins
Business guru Geoff Burch is on a mission to improve Britain's small shops by teaching them how to turn a profit and please their customers. After scouring the country in search of retailers needing his help, he serves up straight talking advice in a bid to show them how to thrive and not just survive. Will they listen?
Geoff pounds the pavements of Cardiff's suburbs to underline the importance of marketing for small businesses. He meets a bridal shop owner who's a bit of a wallflower, a toy shop and cafe owner who's neglected to tell anyone he's opened up, and a pet shop owner who simply hates selling
All Over the Shop
Tue 21 Oct, 7:30 pm - 8:00 pm 30mins
Business guru Geoff Burch is on a mission to improve Britain's small shops by teaching them how to turn a profit and please their customers. After scouring the country in search of retailers needing his help, he serves up straight talking advice in a bid to show them how to thrive and not just survive. Will they listen?
Geoff pounds the pavements of Cardiff's suburbs to underline the importance of marketing for small businesses. He meets a bridal shop owner who's a bit of a wallflower, a toy shop and cafe owner who's neglected to tell anyone he's opened up, and a pet shop owner who simply hates selling
Geoff Burch in the Daily Telegraph
Geoff Burch was featured in a Daily Telegraph article:
All Over the Shop
Business guru Geoff Burch tells Michael Deacon about, All Over the Shop, his new series making over Britain's small businesses
All Over the Shop, BBC2’s new factual series which starts this week, is both heartening and slightly scary. Heartening because, in these difficult times, it tries to demonstrate that small businesses can improve their fortunes with a dash of fresh thinking and a few inexpensive changes. Slightly scary because it shows British shopkeepers making blunders that would be endearingly comical if only their financial troubles weren’t so severe.
While filming the series, its presenter Geoff Burch came across shops which had misspelt signs – or which didn’t have a sign at all. In Taunton he found a flower shop with no flowers outside it. He asked the owner why not. ‘Well,’ she said, ‘if you put the flowers out, they’ll die…’
Geoff Burch: the sorry state of our small shops and how a Cheltenham business guru can sort them out
Burch’s mission was to help these failing businesses save themselves. It’s a familiar idea: in a recent series also on BBC2, Mary Queen of Shops, presenter Mary Portas revitalised fashion boutiques. But aside from the fashion angle, the main difference between the two is cost, Burch says.
‘Our programme is a sort of Blue Peter way to save your small business – it’s sticky tape and Fuzzy Felt,’ he says. ‘If I had a shop and Portas came in I’d be happy, because she’d make over my whole shop. But as a viewer, it wouldn’t tell me a lot, as I couldn’t afford to do what she does. Anyone could afford to do what we did.’
The ‘sticky tape and Fuzzy Felt’ line is only a small exaggeration. Burch’s advice to the shopkeepers is of the simplest, most practical kind, to do with presentation and pricing.
He says he knows how to solve his subjects’ mistakes because in the past he made most of them himself. In his twenties, he ran his own businesses – haulage, recycling, electronics, all sorts – before starting up a business sales training consultancy. For the past 20 years he’s been a business speaker, and written books with titles such as The Way of the Dog: the Art of Making Success Inevitable. He sounds like David Brent’s hero – an impression reinforced, a little unfortunately, by his personal website, which shows the Cheltenham-born 57-year-old posing in shades, beside a potted biography which describes him as ‘a phenomenon who delights audiences throughout the world… possibly the most original business guru in the world… Geoff will provide a very high level of excitement…’
Still, there’s no denying it – in the series, his advice helps. His first subject is Peter Hall, a 46-year-old from Cardiff who runs Rainbow – an unusual combination of a toy shop and coffee shop. Hall took over the premises in 2006 and was doing them up when a BBC producer from the area arrived and said she was looking for subjects for a makeover series. ‘Next thing you know,’ says Hall, ‘her researcher’s coming over and saying would I like to be involved because they hadn’t got a start-up business by someone who should know better.’
The cheek of this approach didn’t put him off, and he agreed to participate. It may seem remarkable how willing people are to be the subjects of makeover programmes – to have a Gordon Ramsay or Mary Portas or Geoff Burch stride into their lives and highlight, before the nation, their various failings. Hall says he did it because his father told him, ‘Any publicity is good publicity.’ Anyway, he soon had bigger worries than the impending arrival of a television crew – business was so bad that some days he didn’t sell one toy.
When Burch arrived to film last autumn, Hall found him friendly and fair, after a difficult start: ‘I remember him getting out of the taxi, quite irate that the poor taxi driver couldn’t find my shop because it didn’t say “toy shop” outside,’ says Hall, sounding a bit sheepish. The producers gave Burch no information in advance about the shops he was to visit – presumably to maximise his horror the moment he saw what a shambles they were. Still, he resisted the temptation to dish out some Ramsay-style putdowns. ‘If somebody’s an alcoholic, there’s no point capering round them them with a pig’s bladder shouting, “You’re an alcoholic”,’ he says.
Hall says Burch’s ideas – such as adding a children’s menu and high chairs, and giving out toys for children to play with free of charge while their parents drink coffee – worked well, and takings went up. But the programme hasn’t solved his problems for good. Filming on Hall’s episode ended ten months ago. After a great Christmas, Hall’s shop suffered a quiet spring and summer. Television makeover shows may give good advice, but they can’t stop the credit crunch taking place. Hall admits that he’s stopped watching the news on television because it gets him down.
Burch, however, thinks the credit crunch may not be so bad for small businesses. ‘It’s almost a window of opportunity because they can be faster and more flexible [than big chains],’ he says. ‘If you’ve got a one-man version of an M&S food hall, you can make it a one-man version of a Lidl’s food hall overnight.’
All the same, he urges owners of small shops not to slash their prices: ‘It just scares customers off.’ Instead, make your shop look classier, he says – this will make your prices seem lower. If a rival shop is doing well, pinch their ideas: ‘It’s not stealing, it’s “benchmarking”,’ he says.
Only at Christmas will we find out how well Britain’s small shops are coping with the crunch. Despite everything, Hall remains optimistic: ‘I sell books, and I think the book industry might have a good year: parents aren’t going to buy the big expensive gifts for little Johnny. I think they might come back to the Guinness Book of Records and the annuals. So I’m very upbeat about this Christmas.'
All Over the Shop is on BBC2 on Tuesday, 7.30pm
All Over the Shop
Business guru Geoff Burch tells Michael Deacon about, All Over the Shop, his new series making over Britain's small businesses
All Over the Shop, BBC2’s new factual series which starts this week, is both heartening and slightly scary. Heartening because, in these difficult times, it tries to demonstrate that small businesses can improve their fortunes with a dash of fresh thinking and a few inexpensive changes. Slightly scary because it shows British shopkeepers making blunders that would be endearingly comical if only their financial troubles weren’t so severe.
While filming the series, its presenter Geoff Burch came across shops which had misspelt signs – or which didn’t have a sign at all. In Taunton he found a flower shop with no flowers outside it. He asked the owner why not. ‘Well,’ she said, ‘if you put the flowers out, they’ll die…’
Geoff Burch: the sorry state of our small shops and how a Cheltenham business guru can sort them out
Burch’s mission was to help these failing businesses save themselves. It’s a familiar idea: in a recent series also on BBC2, Mary Queen of Shops, presenter Mary Portas revitalised fashion boutiques. But aside from the fashion angle, the main difference between the two is cost, Burch says.
‘Our programme is a sort of Blue Peter way to save your small business – it’s sticky tape and Fuzzy Felt,’ he says. ‘If I had a shop and Portas came in I’d be happy, because she’d make over my whole shop. But as a viewer, it wouldn’t tell me a lot, as I couldn’t afford to do what she does. Anyone could afford to do what we did.’
The ‘sticky tape and Fuzzy Felt’ line is only a small exaggeration. Burch’s advice to the shopkeepers is of the simplest, most practical kind, to do with presentation and pricing.
He says he knows how to solve his subjects’ mistakes because in the past he made most of them himself. In his twenties, he ran his own businesses – haulage, recycling, electronics, all sorts – before starting up a business sales training consultancy. For the past 20 years he’s been a business speaker, and written books with titles such as The Way of the Dog: the Art of Making Success Inevitable. He sounds like David Brent’s hero – an impression reinforced, a little unfortunately, by his personal website, which shows the Cheltenham-born 57-year-old posing in shades, beside a potted biography which describes him as ‘a phenomenon who delights audiences throughout the world… possibly the most original business guru in the world… Geoff will provide a very high level of excitement…’
Still, there’s no denying it – in the series, his advice helps. His first subject is Peter Hall, a 46-year-old from Cardiff who runs Rainbow – an unusual combination of a toy shop and coffee shop. Hall took over the premises in 2006 and was doing them up when a BBC producer from the area arrived and said she was looking for subjects for a makeover series. ‘Next thing you know,’ says Hall, ‘her researcher’s coming over and saying would I like to be involved because they hadn’t got a start-up business by someone who should know better.’
The cheek of this approach didn’t put him off, and he agreed to participate. It may seem remarkable how willing people are to be the subjects of makeover programmes – to have a Gordon Ramsay or Mary Portas or Geoff Burch stride into their lives and highlight, before the nation, their various failings. Hall says he did it because his father told him, ‘Any publicity is good publicity.’ Anyway, he soon had bigger worries than the impending arrival of a television crew – business was so bad that some days he didn’t sell one toy.
When Burch arrived to film last autumn, Hall found him friendly and fair, after a difficult start: ‘I remember him getting out of the taxi, quite irate that the poor taxi driver couldn’t find my shop because it didn’t say “toy shop” outside,’ says Hall, sounding a bit sheepish. The producers gave Burch no information in advance about the shops he was to visit – presumably to maximise his horror the moment he saw what a shambles they were. Still, he resisted the temptation to dish out some Ramsay-style putdowns. ‘If somebody’s an alcoholic, there’s no point capering round them them with a pig’s bladder shouting, “You’re an alcoholic”,’ he says.
Hall says Burch’s ideas – such as adding a children’s menu and high chairs, and giving out toys for children to play with free of charge while their parents drink coffee – worked well, and takings went up. But the programme hasn’t solved his problems for good. Filming on Hall’s episode ended ten months ago. After a great Christmas, Hall’s shop suffered a quiet spring and summer. Television makeover shows may give good advice, but they can’t stop the credit crunch taking place. Hall admits that he’s stopped watching the news on television because it gets him down.
Burch, however, thinks the credit crunch may not be so bad for small businesses. ‘It’s almost a window of opportunity because they can be faster and more flexible [than big chains],’ he says. ‘If you’ve got a one-man version of an M&S food hall, you can make it a one-man version of a Lidl’s food hall overnight.’
All the same, he urges owners of small shops not to slash their prices: ‘It just scares customers off.’ Instead, make your shop look classier, he says – this will make your prices seem lower. If a rival shop is doing well, pinch their ideas: ‘It’s not stealing, it’s “benchmarking”,’ he says.
Only at Christmas will we find out how well Britain’s small shops are coping with the crunch. Despite everything, Hall remains optimistic: ‘I sell books, and I think the book industry might have a good year: parents aren’t going to buy the big expensive gifts for little Johnny. I think they might come back to the Guinness Book of Records and the annuals. So I’m very upbeat about this Christmas.'
All Over the Shop is on BBC2 on Tuesday, 7.30pm
Geoff Burch's TV programme
Geoff Burch appears on BBC2 next week. It's the start of his series "All Over The Shop". Here's a brief synopsis:
All Over The Shop Tuesday 21 October
7:30pm - 8:00pm
BBC2
Business guru Geoff Burch is on a mission to improve Britain's small shops by teaching them how to turn a profit and please their customers. Geoff pounds the pavements of Cardiff's suburbs to underline the importance of marketing for small businesses. He meets a bridal shop owner who is a bit of a wallflower, a toy shop and cafe owner who has neglected to tell anyone he has opened up, and a pet shop owner who simply hates selling
Geoff will be speaking at "Communicate With Clarity" at Barnet FC on December 2nd
All Over The Shop Tuesday 21 October
7:30pm - 8:00pm
BBC2
Business guru Geoff Burch is on a mission to improve Britain's small shops by teaching them how to turn a profit and please their customers. Geoff pounds the pavements of Cardiff's suburbs to underline the importance of marketing for small businesses. He meets a bridal shop owner who is a bit of a wallflower, a toy shop and cafe owner who has neglected to tell anyone he has opened up, and a pet shop owner who simply hates selling
Geoff will be speaking at "Communicate With Clarity" at Barnet FC on December 2nd
Tuesday, 13 January 2009
Geoff Burch at Barnet
London, UK
On December 2nd, Geoff Burch was guest speaker at Communicate With Clarity. The event was the second of two sessions on telephone cold canvassing. Although primarily aimed at local businesses in the London Borough of Barnet, anyone who wanted to improve their telephone sales skills could have a attended.
On December 2nd, Geoff Burch was guest speaker at Communicate With Clarity. The event was the second of two sessions on telephone cold canvassing. Although primarily aimed at local businesses in the London Borough of Barnet, anyone who wanted to improve their telephone sales skills could have a attended.
Welcome
This is a new blog for Specialist Speakers. Specialist Speakers is run by Daniel Rix, formerly of the London Speaker Bureau.
On this blog, we'll be tracking some of the events covered by the team at Specialist Speakers as well as giving you the news about some of the clients, who include business guru Geoff Burch and political pundit, Iain Dale.
On this blog, we'll be tracking some of the events covered by the team at Specialist Speakers as well as giving you the news about some of the clients, who include business guru Geoff Burch and political pundit, Iain Dale.
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