Two speaking engagements cancelled (for the moment)

Well, it didn't happen. As I posted yesterday, I was quite prepared to travel from snowy East Sussex to Southampton for an afternoon talk today and then on to East Dorset for another in the evening but just after 9 this morning I received an apologetic message saying that the first engagement was cancelled as conditions in Southampton were too bad to expect the mature audience to attend. I got on a train and headed for Dorset, having left a message with the second organisation to say that I was happy to speak if their meeting was still on and I received a reply saying that everything seemed OK. But within an hour I got another call to say that it had started snowing in the village where I was due to perform and people were pulling out of attending so this one was cancelled as well. I headed on back here to Bournemouth anyway.

Over the years, I have probably lost 1% of my bookings, if that. I pulled out of two through ill-health, missed a tiny number through transport problems, lost one a few years ago through a-never-to-be-repeated booking mistake on my part (lesson learned!) and there has been the odd event where continuing building work on a venue has rendered it unusable. But I have never lost two speaking engagements in one day or any because of weather conditions. Late-running trains, coughs and colds, food poisoning, swimmer's ear, severe eczema...I have turned up and spoken despite these problems (although if they had all happened simultaneously it might have been more challenging!)

But all is not lost; the Southampton booking has already been rescheduled for later in the year and I'm sure the Dorset one will be as well. And if either of these had gone ahead today despite the weather then attendances would have been well down so perhaps it's all for the best.

Public Speaking Tip #285: If an organisation has to cancel a booking for you to speak they will usually reschedule the event. This may even work out better in the long run.