Frequently Asked Questions

Customizing Events

As your speaker, I want to get up to speed on your group or company. Your groups challanges, goals, and history are all important for me to know. Help me succeed by providing what's important for me to understand.

It's so important that presentations be customized. By customizing I don't mean that I'll throw around the name of your organization a few times, I mean customization. There is no extra charge for customizing. Here's how I usually do it:

• I'll conduct a search of your industry, your company, and if you send me the companies you feel are your competition, I'll check them out, too.
• Whenever possible, I'll interview 3 audience members and sometimes use their quotes in the presentation visuals.
• I'll review your trade publications and newsletters. If you have 3-5 back copies to provide me, that's great.
• Send me information about your organization/company history, mission and goals.
• If you own a shop in my area, I'll visit it beforehand.
• You'll receive handout materials that reflect your industry or meeting with titles and subjects that are customized to your event.

Send publications to Elevating Your Business, 19906 Hamilton CT NE Suite A, Poulsbo, WA 98370.

How long are your presentations?

My presentations range from 45 minutes to three days and are created to fit your schedule.

How can we save money with Maria

Ask me to do two programs at your meeting or conference. Many groups have me do, for example, two break-out sessions. Or be a panelist and a break-out session speaker. You'll receive a big discount on the second presentation and you'll save travel and other expenses.

How do you handle expenses?

First, our standard expenses for USA/CA events include ground and air transportation (coach), hotel, meals, and parking. When we travel internationally, we travel first class.

We prefer to schedule our own air time and hotels, but we also work with your meeting planners on this, too.

We can jnvoice you for these out of pocket expenses after the event. And other clients prefer to have a single line-item fee for the program so that they know the total amount in advance. Tell us which you prefer and we'll make it easy for you.

Maria travels from Sea-Tac, in Washington or wherever her last speech is taking plan. If Maria works for more than one client on the same trip she pro-rates the expenses and everybody saves money!

What do you need from us?

Call 360-271-8418 or out of the USA 425-440-9659. Oh, and from the moment you engage me (schedule a date on my calendar), I'll start my research, and might have additional questions to ask you. I'll ask you for the names and phone numbers of two people who will be in attendance, your competition's names, and to mail me a few trade papers.

Tax Information

Federal Tax ID and Washington State UBI number are available upon request. All materials sold in the state of Washington will be charged the gross receipts tax rate of that city, unless a tax exempt certificate is provided to Elevating Your Business (Tax exempt certificates are not valid for services.)

Audio and Visual Requirements

Audio for groups of 30+

Please provide a professional sound system appropriate for the venue when more than 30 people are in the audiance. Maria needs a cordless, wireless lavalier (lapel microphone) and does not use a handset or headset microphone. Please bring extra batteries for the lavalier. Do please provide a hand-held microphone (with a cord) to be used as a back-up.

Lights

Maria must be well-lit and does walk around a lot.

Room Setup

If the event is being conducted for less than 100 people and there isn't a stage, then there must be plenty -- and I mean plenty -- of walk around room around the tables. Nothing is worse than not clicking with an audiance because I can't get through to meet them where they sit.

The distance from the first row of seats/tables and the stage should be no more than 8-10 feet. The platform should be at least 18 inches off the group although higher is always better. And the bigger the platform the better, too.

Stairs

It's helpful sometimes for Maria to leave the stage so please arrange to have stairs to the platform.

Table

Maria will need a very small table for use on stage or in the area she speaks. A good size is 3 feet wide by 2 feet deep by 3 feet tall. This will hold Maria's paperwork, copies of books, water, etc.

Waitstaff

Nothing is more distracting to an audiance than the noise of dishes being cleared from tables. Please instruct the catering manager to ask the entire waitstaff to leave before the program starts.

Video, Audio, Pictures

If an event is video or audio taped, Maria will receive (at no additional charge) copies of everything the organization is doing. Maria is to approve client use of said materials

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© 1998-2010 Maria Marsala & Elevating Your Business.com

Legal Disclaimer: Every effort has been made to accurately represent our products and services and their potential. Any claims made of actual earnings or examples of actual results may not apply to the average purchaser and are not intended to represent or guarantee that anyone will achieve the same or similar results. Results will depend on the unique skills and business of the individual and as with any business endeavor, there is an inherent risk of loss of capital and there is no guarantee that you will earn any money. Any or all guarantees that Maria provides clients is submitted first in an email, and then in writing.