a grant from the NSA Foundation to
help during my recovery, to which
I am forever grateful.
good-bye, michigan!
Leaving Michigan on Sept. 26, 2015,
Dave and I said “good-bye” to a handful of our blended family who live in
the state, then made our way to
Ontario, Canada, where the first stop
was a deserted campground, followed
by lunch in London the next day with a
few CAPS members, arranged by Jane
Atkinson. What a great way to start our
adventure I thought, as I embraced my
first-ever camping experience.
In exactly 200 days, the Nancy Vogl
Bureau Tour traversed 22,000 miles and
34 states, an action-packed whirlwind
of greeting meeting planners and speakers face-to-face, from coast to coast, just
as I had envisioned, with Dave the
Chauffeur driving every mile. Each
morning I’d research opportunities in
the location, calling an association or
company in advance for permission to
stop by. Each call was a brief introduction with a request to drop off my catalog (offering something of value was the
door opener). In over six months, I
managed to hand deliver 384 copies of
my speaker portfolio.
Some meeting planners only had
time for brief conversations, but several
visits were longer. When my targeted
planners were unavailable, I left my catalog in a pretty package: a handwritten,
personal message on a beautiful card
with matching envelope, held in place
with a purple paperclip.
During the tour, I spoke to the
NSA—New England chapter, conducted several “fireside chats” with
other chapters, and had delightful get-togethers with numerous speakers as
we covered the map. We even partied
with NSA Colorado during the holidays, and made it to Austin for the NSA
2016 Winter Conference.
We lived in our tidy little van most of
the time—with its scant 60 sq. ft. of living space—staying at one campground
after another. For an occasional respite,
several speakers invited us to “pull
in/plug in” at their homes for fun
overnights. Some of our hosts were
speakers I’d not met before, but we now
share wonderful friendships, including
Steve Gamlin, Larry Chatterton, Julie
Holmes and Guillermo Mendoza.
When strategizing the bureau tour, I
didn’t anticipate seeing much of a return
for at least a couple of years. Even with a
foot in the door, it usually takes time to
nurture connections into relationships.
However, while traveling, several meeting planners connected with me, booking a handful of speakers as a result.
While traveling through Kansas, I
discovered the National Association of
Trailer Manufacturers. The meeting
planner loved my story—and our little
trailer, which, to my surprise, bore
their sticker. She was also impressed
that I knew quite a bit about their
industry. I ended up booking Mark
Scharenbroich, CSP, CPAE, and Jim
Pancero, CSP, CPAE, for the association’s annual convention.
During the entire trip, I conducted
business in the passenger seat as if I
were at my desk in Michigan—
everything from emails to preparing contracts to making calls. One day, while
traveling on Route 66, I received a call
from a prospective client looking for a
speaker. After gathering some information, I asked how the client heard about
me. He said, “I’m driving right behind
you!” Naturally, we both pulled off at
the next exit so I could give him a copy
of Portfolio of Speakers.
The trip confirmed that my instincts
about personalized marketing were spot
on. Most people want to connect on a
human level in a meaningful way. They
want to be heard and understood. They
want to know they matter. Technology
is a marvelous tool, but it isn’t a rela-
tionship builder. The overall reception I
received was warm and welcoming,
with many amazed at my efforts to con-
nect with them right where they are. At
a small association in Delaware, the
executive director said, “I can’t believe
you took the time to come see us.”
As speakers and influencers, we
encourage people to create their mis-
sions, set goals, and move forward
despite possible setbacks. For me, with
a positive mindset and a relentless sense
of humor, I was determined to not let
anything interfere with my goal of cir-
cumventing technology and building
relationships face-to-face. Taking this
journey was one of the bravest things
I’ve ever done. Since our first road trip,
Dave and I recently completed a second
mini-tour. And, yes, I’m still wishing
for a house. It will happen!
Nancy Vogl, president of Nancy Vogl Speakers
Bureau, nudged into the industry by her
mentor, Og Mandino, has been booking
speakers for nearly 27 years. She’s also an
award-winning writer and songwriter, an
aspiring screenwriter, and an occasional
speaker. When not on the road, she serves
clients from Traverse City, Mich. Contact
her at Nancy@NancyVoglSpeakers.com.
Celebrating the holidays with NSA-Colorado
Chapter members Nora Burns and Debra Jason.
Visiting NSA member Gerard Braud, CSP, and
his wife, Cindy, in New Orleans.