Frequently Asked Questions

My formal education includes a Bachelor’s degree in Speech and Political Science. My Master’s degree is in Speech-Communication and Sociology. And my Doctorate is in the field of Interpersonal Communication and Psychology.

After 15 years of work as a university professor, I founded the Zimmerman Communi-Care Network, Inc. in 1985, a speaking, training, and consulting company … with offices in two states and employees in two countries. As the president of that company, I have delivered hundreds of presentations across the world and maintain a 92% repeat and referral business.

In addition to my presentations, I have developed dozens of audio, video, and written materials to reinforce the skills and strategies that I teach. Click here for a list of available resources.

Besides teaching and speaking, I’ve worked in the international import business, a small business that I started, owned and operated in my teenage years. In addition, I’ve worked in retail sales, radio broadcasting, recreation management, and prison therapy.

And, of course, I’ve learned a great deal by working with hundreds of organizations, having access to their leaders, and consulting with the top decision makers in business, government, health care, and education. For a more detailed biography, please click here.

People often wonder how I can travel so much, speak so often, and yet be so energetic. There are several things I do.

First, I avoid mind binders. In other words, I don’t tell myself negative self-fulfillingprophecies. Whereas some people will say, “I couldn’t handle the travel,” I avoid suchstatements. I simply decide I don’t have time for jet lag.

Second, I tell myself lots of positive affirmations. I keep telling myself such things as: “I cando it…I am filled with energy…I am positive and enthusiastic about every moment of my life.”

Third, I am very careful about what I eat and the exercise I get. Although I’m far fromperfect on this, I take very good care of myself. Being self-employed, there’s no such thing as sick days, and so I very rarely get sick.

Quite accidentally. I served as a university professor, was very good at it, and truly enjoyed my work. I had no plans of ever becoming a full-time “professional speaker.” In fact, back then, very few people even heard of such a profession.

During those teaching years, I gave lots and lots of free presentations to various service clubs.People in those audiences asked me to speak in their organizations. When I wasn’t teaching atthe university, I accepted their invitations to give a keynote address or deliver a seminar forthem.

The invitations and “paid” engagements kept coming and coming, and I was soon faced with the challenge of having two careers on my hands. I was a full-time professor, and I was a full-time speaker. I couldn’t do both and maintain the quality of work and balance of life that was important to me.

So I resigned my tenured professorship and “began” my career as a full-time, professional speaker. That year, with no marketing, no brochure, no calling, and no video, I booked 167 fullfee speaking engagements. I simply responded to a ringing phone. I had unknowingly built up a backlog of demand and business that I couldn’t handle when I was teaching.

Since that time, I have delivered more than one hundred paid engagements each and every year. My business has enjoyed more than 25 years of double-digit growth, and it is my plan to keep on serving others.

Every day that I’m speaking, someone asks me this question. It’s a dream that many people have. Let me begin with a warning. It is a very difficult business. About 85% of the people who attempt such a career do not make it. Within a year or two, they’ve gone back to more traditional employment, or they stay part-time speakers almost forever.

If you’re serious about becoming a speaker, there are three things you must have: expertise, platform skills, and business smarts. If you are lacking any one of these three elements, your chances of “making it” are very slim.

First, you need expertise. I assume you already have this. In other words, you’re an expert on something. Audiences don’t want to listen to someone who is simply paraphrasing a few books they have read. Perhaps you have expertise that comes from real life experience, or you have expertise that comes from your work or formal education. A combination of all three is usually best.

Second, you need platform skills. In other words, you must know how to build and deliver a presentation. You have to look and sound good on the platform. If you haven’t mastered that, I suggest you join Toastmasters. There are thousands of Toastmasters Clubs across the world that meet on a weekly basis, and their only purpose is to help you become a better public speaker. Their service is basically free, and there is probably a chapter close to you. Another option is your local college. Almost all of them offer beginning and advanced public speaking courses. Again, the fee is nominal, but the training may be very helpful.

Third, you need business smarts. You may have some expertise, and you may be an excellent speaker, but that’s not enough. If organizations don’t know you exist, if you don’t know how to market your services, if you don’t know how to run a speaking business, your chances of success are not very good.

For this information, there is only one option. You must join the National Speakers Association.They have chapters across the country, and each of them offers monthly programs on everyaspect of the speaking business. Contact them at http://www.nsaspeaker.org /

Yes. I refer to several books in each of my programs. I’m constantly reading, researching, andupdating my knowledge and my skills.

Of course, I couldn’t list all the books I’ve read over the years. That would number into the hundreds. But click here for a long list of books I recommend. I’ve categorized the books according to topic and added a few of my own comments to guide your choices.

Well, I’m not a medical doctor, so I would never presume to prescribe a medical course ofaction. All I can say is what worked for me.

When I was having great difficulty in walking, I began an extensive reading program. I wanted to read everything I could find to see what other people had done to overcome a similar illness. The book that caught my attention and turned me around was the book by Dan Dale Alexander, called Arthritis and Common Sense. It describes a simple dietary change that worked miracles for me.

You may have other questions I didn’t address. Please feel free to ask. I will answer you. All you have to do is email Alan@DrZimmerman.com. Or if you prefer, call me at 952-492- 3888. I may not be in the office, but my staff will arrange a time for us to talk.