Hard Times Marketing Workshop

Yep, times are tough for storytellers, musicians, magicians, impersonators and the occasional flea circus! HOWEVER, there are still gigs out there!  

This is an invitation for you to attend an all day Hard Times Marketing Workshop on August 4th in Beavercreek, Ohio 

(see more information and the schedule below) 

This intensive all day workshop will assist you to make a paradigm shift in the way you plan and market yourself as a storyteller OR other type of performer!  

This Retreat will be a day filled with good, time tested planning, marketing and sales techniques taken from experience in other vocations that continue to prove effective for storytellers.  


Each participant will receive a Planning Workbook that includes a 2013 calendar.  By the end of the day (and with a little "out of the box" thinking) you will: 1) Identify alternative venues within your marketing area, 2) Develop programs designed to be attractive to those specific venues, 3) Create programming based on seasonal and calendar specific opportunities 4) Build a Business/ Marketing Plan with specific income goals as well as a marketing budget. 5) Establish monthly objectives that allow you to market seasonal or calendar specific programs in a timely manner.


This is an intensive workshop that will help you plan for 2013 and beyond!  The Cost is $90 per participant (reservations are limited!) and will include: 

• A Planning Workbook
• A light breakfast
• A fun lunch complete with storytelling by participants
• 8 hours of learning, brainstorming and planning specific to your goals and needs.  
• The day ends with an optional cookout and more storytelling and fellowship throughout the evening.  
• Before you leave you will schedule an individual follow up conference by phone with Stephen to discuss and fine tune your 2013 Plan!

Schedule:
8:00 - 9:00 a.m. Arrive for registration, breakfast/refreshments (donuts & pastries, fresh fruit, coffee, juice) and hobnobbing with other participants

9:00 - 11:15  Laying the Foundations for 2013
Topics will include:

• knowing your 90 minute market
   
• identifying potential venues - "The Spiral Search" 
• planning programs that "sell"
   
• The FIVE marketing tools you MUST use 
• The Internet and social networking as marketing tools

11:15-12:00 Blocking Your 2013 Calendar
During this session participants will begin to block out existing dates, potential periods for specific programming, holidays and personal time not open for scheduling.

12:00 - 1:30  Lunch and Storytelling


1:30 - 3:00 Growing your Opportunities

• Using "mini-tours" as marketing opportunities
• "Selling" What The Customer Wants!
• Small group brainstorming sessions

3:00 - 5:00  90 Days of Marketing Madness
This session will build a 90 day plan to begin filling your 2013 calendar.  It will be specific, intensive and based on time sensitive goals and objectives.  At the end of this session you will have YOUR 90 day plan to get more gigs!

5:00 - ???  Cookout/Fellowship AND Storytelling around the fire pit.  (This is optional if you cannot stay)

 Spaces will be limited in order to allow 

each participant time to develop their own 

business/marketing plan for 2013!

 For more information and to reserve your place, 

Call Stephen at 937-371-4071 or e-mail him at: stephen@stephenhollen.com

Why Choose this Workshop by Stephen Hollen?

While a number of storytellers talk about marketing and selling skills, Stephen is an experienced business professional with proven skills, years of teaching experience in the marketing/selling arena with a proven AND award winning track record.

Before Stephen dedicated his career to full time storytelling, he was an award winning marketer, sales representative and sales manager for a number of years.  Over the past 18 years he has trained hundreds of volunteers in the non-profit arena, as well as career sales representatives in effective fund-raising, selling skills, consultative selling and marketing  techniques.  

As a Sales Representative he was recognized as the Best in the Nation TWO years in a row.  His performance was recognized and Stephen was promoted to Sales Manager and a National Trainer.  After he was promoted, Stephen lead his team of pharmaceutical reps to become the best team in the nation 3 years in a row.  His team included 6 of the top 10 sales leaders in the nation during that period.  He and his team received national honors each quarter and a new award  was created just to recognize their performance.  Stephen was chosen as a top national trainer and awarded the "Star Shaper Award" for his outstanding career as a sales trainer.  He was elected to "Whos' Who in 2000, 2001 and 2005.  He was chosen as "Man of the Year" in 2006. 

Narcotic Naptime.

It is a lazy dog, hang dog, sleepy rooster afternoon
Though it is not yet summer there is a haze
Thick, damp and sticky hangin' over the house
Weighin' down my eyelids an' smotherin' my thoughts.

Sleep sings a lullaby and hints at such lovely dreams
Junebugs fall into the grass just too tired to dance
To weary to spread chitinous wings in the hazy day
Faceted eyes seekin' a welcomin' twig or leaf.

A wind pushes through once, twice but fails
Not enough bluster or strength to sweep through
Cobwebs seem to hang over my gumption
Nap time whispers like a wicked woman.












Stephen Hollen is an award winning storyteller, humorist and Mark Twain Impersonator living in Beavercreek, Ohio.  He performs and tells stories in Dayton, Cincinnati, Columbus and all through Ohio, Kentucky, Indiana, Tennessee, West Virginia, Michigan and throughout the USA.