Midyear 2011 Evaluation Contest Results

The Midyear Conference is held once a year every October. Its main purpose is for the district officers to be able meet and give updates on the progress of District 75. Other districts only have a “midyear meeting”. But here in the Philippines, we have a “conference.”

For this years Midyear Conference one of the highlights was the Evaluation Speech Contest. This was facilitated by the Discon 2011 Evaluation Champion – me. I know. I’m so humble. ^_^ But, nevertheless, I had to pass along my crown to the new champion. There where 10 contestants, one representing each of the 10 divisions in District 75. Division A, B, C, D, E, F, G, H, I, and K. Although all the contestants where good, there were three that stood out. Sadly there was one who went overtime. But then, I know the contest has been a great learning experience for everyone. For those who weren’t at the conference here are the contest results.

Evaluation Contest Results

Champion: Susanne Lauria Osorio – Division B

1^st Runner Up: Celynne Grace Echeveria – Division E

2^nd Runner Up: Jamielyn Yaneza – Division G

Discon 2012: Sama na sa Samal!

The District Conference is the biggest event of Toastmasters. It is a 3-day event that is held once a year every April. This year it was held in Manila Ocean Park. For 2012, the District officers have opted to go tropical. Why? Because the conference is to be at the beautiful island of Samal in Davao.

The 2012 Discon Chair, DTM Elisa Tay, promises to give her fellow Toastmasters an experience they will never forget. Imagine frolicking at the beach, eating delicious food and having fun with your toastmaster friends. And lest you think Discon is all fun and games, there are also educational sessions where you’ll get to hear well-known speakers from around the country. And, of course, let’s not forget the contests. There are to be three main speech competitions for Discon 2012: Table Topics, Humorous and International Prepared Speech.

Whether you are long standing member of Toastmasters or a neophyte, this is one conference you shouldn’t miss. So mark your calendars people! Here are the details for Discon 2012.

When: April 27-29, 2012

Where: Camp Holiday, Samal Island, Davao (tip: book your flights early to get a good rate)

Registration Rates:

October - December 31, 2011: P3,000

January-February 29, 2012: P3,500

March- on site: P4,000

Where to pay: BPI account number 2030-0046-07

(disclaimer: please check with Discon chair Elisa Tay to verify account number first before making a deposit)

After paying scan deposit slip and email to tmdiscon2012@gmail.com or fax to 082-228-6695.

The earlier you register, the more you save. So what are you waiting for? Don’t miss out on all the fun. Register today. See you in Samal!

For more info call or text Discon Chair Elisa Tay at 0917-700-8891.

Boracay Midyear Conference 2011

Every year, District 75 holds a Midyear Conference in order for district officers to get together and discuss the progress in their respective areas of responsibility. This is the “serious reason”. But frankly, I think the real reason for holding Midyear conferences is so that Toastmasters can get together and have funnnn! Yes. The once-a-year District Conference isn’t enough for us. That’s why we created another national conference. Did you know that we are the only District that holds Midyear Conferences? For other districts they just have a midyear meeting. The district officers sit down, discuss their progress and that’s it. But for us, we’ve turned it into one big party.

This years Midyear Conference was held on October 22 – 23 on the beautiful island of Boracay. The 2-day conference held at La Carmella de Boracay was packed full of activities. It was opened by a processional of the Past District Governors (PDG’s) present: PDG Elisa Tay, PDG Erni Limkakeng, PDG Mike Chua and PDG Noli Espina – who is currently a Region 14 International Director candidate. The District Officers, the Big 3, Lt Gov for Marketing Katrina “JJ” Letargo, Lt Gov for Education Grace Paras and of course, District 75 Gov Vic Navales also had their runway moments. There were also National and International Officers present such as Past International Director Johnny “Pawe” Uy, NaComPhilTo  (National Commission of Philippine Toastmasters) Chair Jeff Dy and the International Director of Region 14, Christine Temblique – who also happened to be our keynote speaker.


The conference was jam-packed with educational and fun activities. We were inspired by the words of wisdom of our keynote speaker DTM Christine Temblique as she shared her experiences as a Toastmaster and a leader. She was introduced by DTM Pawe Uy where he revealed to us her deepest and darkest secrets. That was the longest – and most humorous – introduction I’ve ever heard. If he’d joined a humorous speech contest, he would have won hands down. We were motivated by 2-time International Prepared Speech Champion Michael Del Rosario as he shared with us the 4 S’s on how to “Communicate with Power”. We were also fortunate enough to hear Life Coach and Writer Raju Mandhyan speak to us about “Industry, Innovation & Integrity for Leadership Excellence”.  

Of course we do not only focus on Educational portions. As Toastmasters we have within us a competitive spirit that cannot be extinguished. That’s why no conference can ever be complete without a contest. In last years MidCon we had the Talentadong Toastmaster, Talk N Talk and the Duet Singing Contest (all not recognized by TI by the way). This year we had a “real contest”. One that TI recognizes. We had the Evaluation Contest. It was hosted by the Discon 2011 Evaluation Champion (ahem, ahem), myself. Just trying to be factual here ^_^. For the Midyear 2011 contest results click [HERE].


Now another thing we love to do is to have fun. And that was what Fellowship night was all about. Fellowship and fun. On the night of October 22 we had Ati-atihan Night. It was complete with a festive opening number by sexy babes in bikins, fire dancing and numerous contests – all of which happened to involve alcohol. I should know. I was a contestant. Sadly I didn’t win because my competitor had a more flexible back. I guess this were we got our name – “Toast”masters.

When asked about how he found the Midyear Conference District Governor Vic Navales said, “Fantastic! I had fun and the attendance was higher than ever before. I have received a lot of good reviews from the participants. The only negative comment I got was about the weather.” Well, well. Next time lets ask our Midyear Chair to do something about the rain, shall we? DTM Vic further said, “Mhel did a great job. It was amazing, flawless. It was very organized. All details were considered and no major lapses were observed. The district council meeting was very successful. The nominated district officers were unanimously approved.”

From what I have heard from our District Governor and from other participants it seems that congratulations are in order for our Midyear Chair, Mhel Sillador. But according to Mhel, the success of the conference was not only through his own efforts. He says, “It was ok because I had a very good team. We didn’t have any problems or fights within the committee and that helped a lot.”

All in all it was one heck of a weekend. Boracay was beautiful, the venue was great and the food was delicious. Who can ask for more? Oh that’s right. I know what to ask for. An extension of the conference! I had so much fun I didn’t want to leave Boracay. It’s a good thing I have Discon 2012 in Samal Island, Davao to look forward to. For those who weren’t able to join Midyear, don’t miss Discon 2012. 

How to Improve Your Speaking Skills – Overnight! (Or can you?)

We would all like to improve our speaking skills. Why? So we can give a great presentation, impress our boss at work or break up with a boyfriend – smoothly. There is no doubt about it. Good speaking skills are an asset. But good speakers are made – not born. And most people don’t want to go through all the trouble in order to be a good speaker.

So the question is how can you improve your speaking skills overnight? The answer is – you can’t! Not really. There is no shortcut to developing one’s speaking skills. Just like get rich quick schemes won’t allow you to keep your wealth for long, quick fixes won’t do the trick. The road to becoming a great public speaker is a journey. And it is not the same for everyone. We all travel at our own pace.

They say that practice makes perfect. And that holds true when it comes to public speaking. The more you do it, the better you become. My own journey in improving my public speaking skills wasn’t easy. But it certainly was interesting. Toastmasters often pushed me to step outside my comfort zone. I learned how to be comfortable in uncomfortable situations. I learned how to make it work.

I did many things to hasten my improvement in speaking. And I did see a difference. Only, it didn’t happen overnight. I played an active role in club meetings, gave speeches, said yes to hosting gigs and joined speech contests. And when I was able to compete and win in the 2011 Evaluation contest I felt that it was all worth it. Of course I lost more often that I won but that didn’t matter to me. Because every contest that I joined helped me improve my speaking skills in some way.

Most people only see the victories. They look at champions and think, “He’s so lucky,” or “Oh, he must be born that way.” But I’m telling you, luck often has nothing to do with success. You create your own luck in this world. If you want to win in anything you have to be willing to work hard for it. You have to be willing to get your hands dirty and roll in the mud.

Now let me ask you, do you really want to be a good speaker? Do you want to be able to sway people with your reasoning and convince them with your logic? If so, then there is one sure-fire way to do so and that is to speak. Yes. It’s that simple. Just speak. Do it as often as you can. If someone asks you to host an event, say “yes”! If someone asks you to give a presentation, say “yes”!  If your VP for Education asks you to deliver a speech next meeting, say “yes”!  There is no better way to improve as a speaker than to do just that. Speak and improvement is inevitable. 

4 Secrets to Winning a Speech Contest

I have interviewed several District Conference speech champions and I have asked them the vital question, How do you win a speech contest?  What is the big secret of Discon champions that sets them apart from the rest and makes them winners? As it turns out, it’s not really a secret after all. They all had different answers. But if I could summarize them into four points, it would be this:

Secret #1: Acquire the vision. If you can’t see it in your mind, you won’t be able to manifest it in your physical world. Champions see themselves as such before they’ve even won their first trophy. It’s called visualization. The clearer you see your goal in your mind, the bigger the chance that you will realize it. So see yourself on stage delivering that winning speech

Secret #2: Learn from the experts. No matter what we want to accomplish in life, chances are that someone has already been there and done that. Winning a national competition is not rocket science. Thousands before you have already done it. It’s not easy. But it can be done. Ask for the advice of past champions. Watch winning speeches on YouTube. Read books about public speaking. Use every resource you have to your advantage.

Secret #3: Practice, practice, practice! Seeing yourself deliver that winning speech in your head is just the beginning. Nothing can still take the place of practice. Preparation is the key to success. Public speaking is all about practice. The more you practice your speech the better you’ll become. If you can, practice in front of mentors so you can get feedback afterwards. 

Winning a speech contest is often a group effort.

Secret #4: Believe. Have faith in yourself and in your abilities. According to Henry Ford, whether you think you can or you can’t, you are right. In other words what you believe shapes your reality. Our belief is the thermostat that determines what we accomplish in our life. Therefore it is not enough that we want to win. We should also EXPECT to win. 

Toastmasters Discon 2011 Contest Results

Every year, District 75 holds a national conference to showcase the public speaking prowess of Toastmasters from all over the Philippines. This year it was held on April 29 – May 1 at Manila Ocean Park and was organized by DTM Voltaire Victoria. The main event of every district conference are the speaking competitions. There are four contest categories: Impromptu, Evaluation, Humorous and International Prepared Speech. Each category has 10 contestants one representing each of the ten divisions in the Philippines: Division A, B, C, D, E, F, G, H, I, and K.

The first two days of the conference were packed full with activities. All the contestants gave the audience a show and everyone enjoyed themselves. For those who weren’t able to go to the conference, here are the Contest results for Discon 2011.

Contest results for Discon 2011:

Impromptu Speaking Contest

1^st place: Philipp Matthys, Division D-Iloilo Executive Toastmasters Club

2^nd place: Alvin Neil Gutierrez, Division A-I-Connect Toastmasters Club

3^rd place: Mark Novem Grageda, Division F-Iligan Toastmasters Club

Evaluation Contest

1^st place: Alessandra Victoria Zeta, Division F-Iligan Toastmasters Club

2^nd place: Jenny Monastrial, Division B- TOPS Toastmasters Club

3^rd place: Stephen Michael Lumanlan, Division g-Baguio Living Synergistically Inc. Toastmasters Club

Humorous Contest

1^st place: Mark Novem Grageda, Division F-Iligan Toastmasters Club

2^nd place: Adrian Alo, Division C-Queen City Toastmasters Club

3^rd place: Eduardo Catayoc III, Division A-Camanava Brunch Toastmasters Club

International Prepared Speech Contest

1^st place: Michael Del Rosario, Division G-Pines City Toastmasters Club

2^nd place: Darwin John Moises, Division C-Lexmark Toastmasters Club

3^rd place: Ma. Cecilia Onate, Division A-Metro Manila Toastmasters Club

Analysis (courtesy of Discon Chairman, DTM Volts Victoria)


Division F = 7 points
Divisions A, C & G = 4 points
Division D = 3 points
Division B = 2 points

According to Discon Chairman, DTM Volts Victoria, this is Division F's highest standing over the years :)


P.S

Next year’s District Conference is going to be at Samal Island, Davao. We’ll be able to enjoy the sun, the beach and the company of our fellow Toastmasters. For those who haven't registered yet please send an email to tmdiscon2012@gmail.com or call 09177008891. 


Look for Discon Chair DTM Elisa Tay. 


 See you all there!


Read my next post Competing at Discon 2011 by Alex Zeta.

How to Use Gestures in Public Speaking

Have you ever tried cooking without the use of salt and pepper? How did the food taste? Bland would probably be an understatement. Perhaps tasteless and unsavory would be more appropriate. Seasoning is what makes food delicious and tasty. Without it mealtime would be a dull affair.


When it comes to public speaking, our gestures are the seasoning that we can put in to add zest and life to our speech. The art of public speaking is more than just you talking in front of a bunch of people. It’s about communicating to them. It’s about imparting your thoughts in a way that the audience can understand and appreciate.


A speech done without using the appropriate gestures leaves much to be desired. However, don’t get too carried away in using gestures either. Just like seasoning, too much of it can ruin the entire meal.


What are gestures exactly and how can you use them to improve your speech? A gesture is a form of non-verbal communication which conveys specific messages and a wealth of meaning. It can be used together with spoken words and body language. Gestures permit speakers to express different kinds of thoughts and feelings, from affection to anger to scorn. Gestures are considered as the most basic form of body language.


Most gestures are limited to the hands and arms. They can help place emphasis on the most salient points of your speech. However be cautious. Using the same gestures too often can end up distracting and irritating your audience.


There are two main kinds of gestures:

·         Emphatic gestures are more subjective in nature. They communicate the things that you feel. They give force and power to a speech. In using emphatic gestures, be more spontaneous. As you speak, let your emotions guide you. Make sure that it blends in with your message. Otherwise, your gestures may end up looking stiff and out of place. If you are not accustomed to using gestures, don’t despair. Look at videos of public speakers and see how they use their hands and arms to convey their message. Then practice until it starts to feel more natural.

·         Descriptive gestures are by nature, more objective. They convey size, location, position and direction. For example in describing an elephant you can open your arms wide to express to your audience how large it is. Descriptive gestures make the characters and objects in your speech appear more vivid and lifelike.

The use of the right gestures in delivering a speech is vital because it communicates your conviction and enhances your point. You might feel a bit uncomfortable in the beginning but as you make it a point to use it often it will slowly start to become second nature.

Got stage fright? Read this post and learn How To Conquer Your Fear of Public Speaking

How to Conquer Your Fear of Public Speaking

Have you ever experienced the feeling that the moment you stand up to speak in front, your heart starts pounding like crazy, your hands get all clammy and you seem to lose all train of thought? If so, then you are not alone. According to most studies, glossophobia or the fear of public speaking is the number one fear that most people have. Yes, people fear public speaking even more than they fear death!

 We all know that the most successful people, whether in business or any other field, are also the best communicators. And for this reason alone many people desire to become better speakers. But how does one eliminate the fear of public speaking?

The answer is that you don’t. I have been a Toastmaster for over two years now. I regularly give speeches during club meetings and I have joined numerous speaking contests. You’d think two years of speaking would have made the fear disappear, right? Wrong. You can’t totally eliminate your fear of public speaking. You can only conquer it. As someone once said, if you can’t get rid of the butterflies in your stomach, at least get them into flying formation.

So how do you conquer your fear of public speaking?

You can conquer your fear of public speaking the same way you would conquer any other fear. You have to face it. How? Speak in front of an audience – regularly. Or better yet, join Toastmasters. The more you speak in front the less you’ll find doing so “scary”.  Most people are afraid of the unknown. Once you get accustomed to speaking in front you’ll discover that it isn’t that bad after. In fact, public speaking can actually be enjoyable.

They say that preparation is the key to success. This applies to public speaking as well. Before you even think about speaking in front you should learn your material. You should know it so well that you can speak without having to think of what’s next.

Don’t put too much pressure on yourself – especially if it’s your first time to deliver a speech. We learn by doing. And we’ve all got to start somewhere. So don’t expect your first speech to be perfect. Practice and then deliver it as best as you can. The best thing about being part of a Toastmasters club is that you get evaluated every time you deliver a speech. Thus, you’ll know which things to improve to make your next speech even better.

The worst thing you can do is to disregard your fear and pretend that it doesn’t exist. No matter how much we try to avoid it there will come a time when we will have to stand up and speak in front. Personally I think it’s better to be prepared so that when that time comes, we will be able to speak with such eloquence and conviction that we can get our point across effectively. 


Do you want your speech to come to life? Read this post and learn about the power of Using Gestures in Public Speaking.

Interview with Internet Marketing Guru: Jomar Hilario (Part 2)

Alex:  So after Jars of Clay, what happened?

Jomar: So after that Bo liked what I accomplished so he asked me to promote for him again. This time it was Reuben Morgan.  Eventually I became Bo’s internet marketing consultant. I was responsible for planning and deciding what content would go in Bo’s online promotional materials. I did everything – except for actually doing it. Bo had other people for that. I created Bo’s online store, video podcast and kerygmafamily.com.

Alex: How long have you been internet marketing?

Jomar: Since January 2005. 

Alex: What was the first thing you did on the net?

Jomar: The first thing I downloaded was a Sailormoon calendar. 

Alex: A sailormoon calendar? Why?

Jomar: (laughs) I don't know. It was the first thing that entered my mind.

Alex: Was it your intention to do online marketing?

Jomar: At the back of my mind, I wanted to earn online. I tried to earn for several years through blogging through Adsense. I earned several cents.

Alex: When did you start giving live seminars?

Jomar: I’ve always enjoyed teaching and speaking in front of people. When I was still with the bank I used to make powerpoint presentations. I would conduct office seminars and create a powerpoint teaching people how to use powerpoint, excel and word. I was asst manager of IT then so I had to deal with programmers and analysts. As for the live seminars, it was actually Bo’s idea. I wanted to give seminars. And at the time I was promoting a lot of seminars like the Think Rich Pinoy seminar of Larry Gamboa. So Bo suggested that I conduct my own seminar. He gave me 2 months to prepare. He managed the event and the promotion. I just showed up and did it.

Alex: How did you feel about your first seminar?

Jomar: I was very excited. I had more than 50 participants. Each had his own computer. It lasted for 2 days.

Alex: How did it go?

Jomar: I had a hard time. I did a dry run where I practiced with other people. Unfortunately most of the participants weren’t able to understand me towards the end. The topics were blogging, autoresponders, Adsense and online promotion. I tried to make it as simple as I could but there where people who didn’t even know how to use a mouse. They’d slow everyone down. It became a lesson. On my next event I said, if you can’t prove you know how to use a computer, don’t attend.

Alex: I heard you speak during Trace Trajano’s, Think Rich Quick 2 Seminar last Oct 2009. And my first impression was that you have stage presence. You can really get the audience’s attention. Plus you’re funny. Have you always been able to talk like this? How did you come to be such a good communicator?

Jomar: I got used to talking in front of a lot of people early on. I’m naturally talkative. I don’t mean to be funny either. It just comes out.

Alex: Do you think good communication skills are important in putting up and running a business?

Jomar: Absolutely. If you know how to speak well people perceive you as trustworthy. They think you’re saying the right things, they think you’re honest. There are techniques to learn in dealing with people. One of the first books I’ve read on that was How To Meet Friends And Influence People by Dale Carnegie. For those who want to pursue a career in public speaking you should master the principles in this book.

Alex: Have you used the principles in the book?

Jomar: Of course. The principles are pretty basic but very effective. Smile, remember people’s names, make them talk about themselves…It was when I got to college when I started becoming very talkative. I was an active member of the church choir. I got my training in terms of dealing with people at church.

Alex: Well you certainly have come a long way. What do you think is the best way to improve one’s speaking skills?

Jomar: Practice. Give free seminars. If you are given the chance to speak in front, go and speak. Or make your own event. I did a seminar on how to invest in the stock market for free. I prepared everything. If you want to improve in public speaking, make your own powerpoint presentation regarding something you’re good at, dress up and present.

Alex: What is the best thing about running your own business?

Jomar: Your imagination is the only limit to your earning. You can create things. If you use your imagination enough you’ll be able to create new products and services….You can have fun. In the office there’s a format you have to follow or else your boss might get mad at you. But when you have your own business nobody can tell you what to do.

Alex: How many employees do you have?

Jomar: No employees, only 4 VA’s.

Alex: Why are you teaching people how to do online marketing?

Jomar: When I was still working at the bank my time for my family was very limited. And I couldn’t do the stuff I wanted to do because of work. I don’t want that to happen to other people as well. I want them to experience the same financial freedom I am enjoying right now.

Alex: If you could name the top 3 things you think are essential to succeed in business what would they be and why?

Jomar: First, learn how to sell. Selling is a personal skill that can only be learned by doing. Second, learn how to market. Third, know why you are doing what you are doing. Know why you’re in business in the first place. You need to be sure why you are in business so that you’ll succeed. If you’re not sure you won’t last 5 years in any business. 

Alex: What are you passionate about?

Jomar: Surfing the net for technology news.

Alex: What is one thing you’d do for free?

Jomar: Delivering presentations.

Alex: Did you have any fears when you started your online marketing ventures?

Jomar: I had a lot of fears, mostly about “financial security”. I was scared to resign because I was used to employment. I wasn’t prepared to get out of it.

Alex:  So when did you resign?

Jomar: I didn’t. I prayed and God fired me. I got retrenched. Ang galing ni God. It was a blessing in disguise.

Alex: When you got retrenched what was the first thing you did?

Jomar: I went to the mall. I went shopping. I didn’t even look back. Most of my co-workers were afraid and angry. But I didn’t have the same problems. I was ready. At the time I was earning online already through seminars, blogging and affiliate selling.

Alex: What is the most surprising experience you have had in your online marketing business?

Jomar: It was when I joined an affiliate contest. I didn’t really expect to win because there were a lot of really good internet marketers who joined. But I was able to join the top 10. I was the only Filipino there. I won an Ipad for that.

Alex: Do u know any other Pinoy internet marketers?

Jomar: Yes but not much. There are only a few of us because it takes a lot of time and motivation to learn. You have to show yourself to people so they’ll believe you. You have to dress the part and speak the part. I don’t know if you can find an internet marketer who doesn’t know how to speak. Speaking is part of the whole thing. Whatever you do, you will need to speak sometime.

Alex: Who or what inspires you and why? 

Jomar: Bo Sanchez. He’s very dynamic and creative. He can do a lot of things. He runs a lot of businesses plus ang payat pa niya. He takes care of his health. If you can attend the feast, he really knows how to put on a good show. But one of his greatest strengths is that he listens. And that’s why he’s very powerful. And of course,Tony Robins. I want to be as good a speaker as him someday.

Alex: Any last words to your students in online?

Jomar: For whoever is listening bumili ka nang mahal na notebook na walang laman. Then write down why you want to be successful. Fill up the entire notebook. Then move towards your dreams.

Alex: Thank you for your time Coach Jomar. I know that you have inspired a lot of Filipinos to follow in your footsteps and earn online. I guess the internet is good for more than just online gaming and Facebook after all.

PS

Do you want to work from home and earn more at the same time? Jomar Hilario can help you out. You can sign up for his online coaching program HERE

Interview with Internet Marketing Guru: Jomar Hilario (Part 1)

Earning online used to be something that seemed hard-almost impossible to do. But times have changed. More and more people are now starting to discover that earning online is not rocket science. It is doable and achievable. Last October 2010 I met, Jomar Hilario, one of my online marketing mentors at Trace Trajano’s Think Rich Quick 2 Seminar. Jomar Hilario is an internet marketing guru, endorsed by Larry Gamboa and Bo Sanchez. For many years he has taught online marketing concepts to thousands of Filipinos. He can teach you how to earn dollars through internet marketing, blogging, being a Virtual Assistant and more. He is touted as the Tim Ferris and Tony Robbins of the Philippines. His success in this field has inspired many people (me included) to learn how to earn through the internet. It has also prompted me to ask, “How did he do it?” “Where did it all begin?” “Did public speaking skills play a role in his success?” With this in mind I decided seek an interview with the internet marketing guru of the Philippines, Jomar Hilario.

Hi Coach Jomar, good evening. First of all I’d like to thank you for granting me the honor of interviewing you. I know you’re such a busy person. So as you know I have a public speaking blog. The aim of my blog is to inspire people to become the speakers and leaders that they are meant to be. We all know how crucial good communication skills are to success in life and in business. Not many people really take the time and effort to improve their speaking skills. The reason why I’d like to interview you is because you have achieved so much in the online marketing industry. You have online marketing seminars and you have live VA and marketing seminars. These seminars have helped a lot of people learn how to do internet marketing and how to basically make a living online.


Alex: How did your journey as an internet marketer begin?


Jomar: I started off as a bank employee. I worked in the bank for 15 years. I discovered the internet by myself. I started to play around with it. That was way back 2001. I began blogging and talking to people online. That was also the time when Kiyosaki’s book, Rich Dad, Poor Dad became popular so I started in real estate. I joined an investment club and met Bo Sanchez through that. I found out that Bo was bringing Jars of Clay to the Philippines. They were scheduled to perform at the Araneta. So I volunteered to promote their concert. Since I had a day job then, the only way I could really promote it was online. That was my first try in online marketing. I had 1 month to promote the concert. I did it on Friendster, Multiply and Blogger. The thing I didn’t know was that I was the main promoter. Bo was promoting it mostly inside Kerygma. Araneta’s capacity was 20,000 people. We managed to sell about 5,000 tickets.


Alex: 5,000 tickets in one month? Not bad.


Jomar: Yes. It wasn’t bad at all.


Alex: How did you do offline promotion?


Jomar: After prayer meetings, I would talk about the concert. Before revealing who was going to perform I would ask people if they knew this song, then I would sing. As for the online promotion, since I didn’t have an internet connection at home, I would go out and work in cafes.


Alex: Did you have any fears when you were promoting Jars of Clay? Like maybe the fear the people wouldn’t listen to you or that you’d get rejected.


Jomar: I wasn’t really concentrating on my fears. With the concert only a few weeks away I felt that I didn’t have the time for that. So I was just concentrating on selling tickets – on getting the message across. Also, this was the first time that a foreign artist was going to hold a Christian concert in the Philippines. So I was very excited. During Sundays we would go to the Alabang New Life Church and we would meet people on their way out of church and offer to sell them tickets.


Alex: How did that go?


Jomar: Merong natuwa, merong hindi. But at that time I was really focused. I didn’t care whether I’d get rejected or not anymore as long as I sold tickets. If you have a goal, the goal becomes more important than shame or anything else. So it really helps if you have a big goal to believe in. And I believed that Jars of Clay could inspire people. I started promoting the concert online as well. It was my first time to promote anything online but somehow I knew what to do. We promoted the concert like crazy and as a result, we sold 5000 tickets in a month. And I was glad to do it for free. My reward was getting to meet Jars of Clay in person.

Alex: So how were they?


Jomar: They were very American. They were also very serious people. They kept on talking about the metaphysics of the church and stuff like that. But they were also a lot of fun to be with.


Alex: So after Jars of Clay, what happened?


...Find out what happened in Part 2 of the Jomar Hilario Interview. 


PS

Do you want to work from home and earn more at the same time? Jomar Hilario can help you out. You can sign up for his online coaching program HERE