Secrets to Better Networking at Conferences

In March 2009, at the SXSW conference in Austin, Texas, I attended dozens of sessions and parties and and met hundreds of people. But it was a chance meeting with Guy Kawasaki on the trade show floor that had the most impact for me. I saw him, ran up to him and introduced myself, and offered to help him in any way I could to promote his latest book. We exchanged info, and since then, the uber-successful Guy has become a great mentor and friend to me.

Many business professionals spend time every year attending conferences. I've attended and spoken at over 200 conferences in the last fifteen years. And while it's great to be inspired and to learn at conferences, the most valuable asset of a conference is the people you meet and the relationships you can form and nurture. I've met dozens of people at conferences who have had a tremendous impact on my career and life, including Guy Kawasaki, Sheryl Sandberg, Jeffrey Hayzlett, and Randi Zuckerberg. On the heels of one of the most important conferences 
of the year, D11: All Things Digital, here are five secrets to better networking at conferences:

1) Research speakers and attendees ahead of time - and reach out.

A week or two before the conference, look at the speaker list and, if available, the attendee list. Research the people you'd most like to meet and spend time with, and then reach out via email, Twitter or LinkedIn. Figure out how you can truly help them - and then offer your help. By showing your friendship first, you'll be differentiating yourself from everyone else, who just wants to get something from them. Set up a 10-15 minute meeting over coffee or a drink. That way, you won't have to scramble and compete to get their attention once at the conference.

2) Use social media to connect with and compliment the speakers.

Chances are, you want to meet and network with speakers even more than with fellow attendees. But so does everyone else. One of the best ways to grab a speaker's attention is to engage with him or her on Twitter before the conference, and pay him/her a genuine compliment before or during the speech. I'll often then send a private message on Twitter to set up a meeting, so that I don't have to fight through the crowd after his/her speech for 2 meaningless seconds of conversation.

3) Skip a panel or two and hang out in the break room.

As valuable as the content of a conference can be, if you're there to meet people, it can be more valuable to hang out outside the panels, in the break room, trade show floor, or by the coffee or snacks. There, you'll have more time to meet people - a speaker who's just arrived, or an attendee who stepped out to take a phone call, or a sponsor you might be able to partner with. Most conferences have built-in breaks and networking time, which can be very valuable. But consider making more of this time for yourself - you can always get the notes from that panel later.

4) Forget just giving out business cards - collect them.

The traditional thinking for conferences is "Bring lots of business cards to hand out to everyone you meet." I bring my business cards to conferences. But I'd rather be in control of who I connect with - collecting cards from the people I most want to stay in touch with. So, do ask each person you meet for his/her card- and then, do connect with them on LinkedIn - either after the conference, or right then and there. Always include a personal message when connecting.

5) Ask meaningful questions of the people you meet.

Everyone else is asking, "Where are you from?" and "Where do you work?" and other small talk at conferences. 
Larry Benet taught me to ask better questions, such as "What are you most passionate about?" and "What charity do you care most about?" and "Who at this conference would you most like to be connected with?" That way, you get people talking about something they really care about, and you can form a more meaningful relationship faster. Of course, the most important question you can ask of someone is, "How can I help you?" When you ask these questions, listen well, and be genuinely interested. This will make a difference for you.

6) Have a signature style.

I have 21 pairs of orange sneakers and shoes, and I wear one to every conference I speak at or attend. It's noticeable, it's memorable, and it's a often a conversation starter. It was my orange shoes that got the 
attention of a prominent investor at a conference recently, who ended up funding my new company. Of course, this doesn't mean you should go out and buy orange sneakers - but you should think about how you can differentiate yourself. Whether it's a certain color tie you wear, signature earrings, or a blazer - having a signature look will help you stand out from the masses at conferences, meet more people, and be remembered.

Above all else, when you attend a conference, have concrete goals in mind for your networking in advance, be both interesting and interested, and spend time to get to know people and help them. If you follow these simple tips, you'll be able to meet more people and get more out of each conference you attend.

-----

Now it's your turn. Which of these tips have you used before? Which of these tips have you found to be most helpful or successful? And what are your tips for better networking at conferences? Let me know in the Comments section below, and be sure to share these tips with your network.

If You Think Short Copy Sells More, Think Again!

Much of the marketing that is done is based on conjecture with little application of knowledge or bona fide data. Marketers, who never really learned marketing deeply enough, base their judgments on their opinions, which are too often shaped by misconceptions.

One of the most common misconceptions is that people nowadays will not pay attention to ads or communications that have more than a minimal amount of ad copy. The reasons most commonly given to support this notion include people…

Do not like to read,

Have short attention spans,

Are in the habit of reading short messages in texts,

Are too distracted with multiple media channels,

Have their noses buried in mobile devices.

While these reasons are often true, the conclusion that short copy sells better is not.

Everything is relative

Good marketers know that only members of the target audience can decide what is “too long” and what is “too short.” When I saw the movie Titanic, it was over 3 hours long. I thought it was too long. Teenage girls thought it was too short and watched the movie over and over again. Leonardo DiCaprio was not on the screen enough for them. If people are really interested in something, they want more. If they are not interested, they want less. You cannot have too much of a good thing, but any amount of a bad thing is too much. One of my favorite T-shirt’s of all time has a picture of Albert Einstein on it with a headline that reads, “Sit on a hot stove for a minute and it seems like an hour. Sit next to a pretty girl for an hour, and it seems like a minute. That’s relativity.”

Less can be more since we are busy or lazy

Of course, if the content creator can get the essential information into the consumer’s head with less copy, that is usually a good thing because it saves the consumer’s time – a clear benefit since most of us are either busy or lazy. However, it is nearly impossible to pick out who in the target audience wants more and who wants less. What is a good marketer to do? The answer is format the information into “bite-sized” pieces using sub-headlines and graphic elements. For those that want less, they can read the headline, look at the photo, perhaps read the subheads and then skip to where they can buy it. For those that want more, the longer body text can provide that too.

Yes, less can be more, but the way marketers should look at this is well-written long copy is usually a far more concise version of text that would otherwise be a lot longer. Most importantly, good marketers format it in a way to allow “busy or lazy” consumers to pick out the main benefits without reading, viewing, or listening to the entire content.

What marketing legends say

In his book Ogilvy on Advertising, David Ogilvy says, “All my experience says that for a great many products, long copy sells more than short … advertisements with long copy convey the impression that you have something important to say, whether people read the copy or not.”

Dr. Charles Edwards, former dean of the Graduate School of Retailing at New York University is quoted as saying, “The more facts you tell, the more you sell. An advertisement's chance for success invariably increases as the number of pertinent merchandise facts included in the advertisement increases.”

In his book, Tested Advertising Methods, John Caples says, “Advertisers who can trace the direct sales results from their ads use long copy because it pulls better than short copy… Brief, reminder-style copy consisting of a few words or a slogan does not pull inquiries as well as long copy packed with facts and reader benefits about your product or service.”

There are many more quotes from many more experts, but in deference to my recent post, I will stop here.

More recent proof from the fast-paced online world

I know what some of you are thinking. The people I quoted above are “old guys” that are long gone. What they said is no longer relevant in our fast paced, distracted, short-attention span world. While those “in the know” understand that the wisdom of these “old guys” is more powerful today than ever, I need to address this objection head on. The fact is that data shows that long copy typically sells better than short copy online too. Marketing Experiments did a series of tests for clients to show the effect of copy length on Website conversion rates. In all their tests, the long copy outperformed the short copy by wide margins. Need more proof? On the Conversion Rate Experts Web site, they share how they were able to boost Crazy Egg’s conversion rate by 363%. Can you guess how they did it? They made the home page 20 times longer!

Why longer copy typically outsells shorter copy

Even though it is counter-intuitive, why does longer copy typically outsell shorted copy? While the list of reasons could be very long, I will limit them to seven. Longer copy enables the advertiser to…

Provide more benefits, which in turn, shows more people how the product or company can help them.

Show the product or company is more important since it has more capabilities.

Answer more questions and generate more sales since selling involves answering objections.

Target the customer better so those that respond are more likely to buy.

Give those that want more information the information they need so they will be more comfortable buying your product or doing business with your company.

Give those that are “busy or lazy” and don’t want to read a lot the ability to skim the important points without requiring them to read, listen to, or watch it all. This requires good formatting.

Provide more keyword-rich copy to boost organic search engine results.

Hopefully, this post will help you convince the skeptical throngs who still believe that shorter copy sells better. Since it is a counter-intuitive notion, you need proof to support you.

25 Quotes to Inspire You to Become a Better Leader

Great quotes inspire us to change, to grow, and to become our best selves. I researched thousands of quotes from successful leaders for my last book, to capture one for each chapter, covering 11 simple concepts to become a better leader. My recent LinkedIn post explaining the 11 concepts became the 2nd most read article in LinkedIn history (at 1.3 million views!) So, I'm sharing my favorite quotes here- those which inspired me enough that I published them in the book, along with the runners up. Here are my 25 favorite likeable leadership quotes. I hope they inspire you as much as they have inspired me: Listening 1) "When people talk, listen completely. Most people never listen." - Ernest Hemingway 2) "The most basic of all human needs is the need to understand and be understood. The best way to understand people is to listen to them." - Ralph Nichols Storytelling 3) "Storytelling is the most powerful way to put ideas into the world today." -Robert McKee 4) "If you tell me, it’s an essay. If you show me, it’s a story." —Barbara Greene Authenticity 5) "I had no idea that being your authentic self could make me as rich as I've become. If I had, I'd have done it a lot earlier." -Oprah Winfrey 6) "Authenticity is the alignment of head, mouth, heart, and feet - thinking, saying, feeling, and doing the same thing - consistently. This builds trust, and followers love leaders they can trust." -Lance Secretan Transparency 7) "As a small businessperson, you have no greater leverage than the truth." -John Whittier 8) "There is no persuasiveness more effectual than the transparency of a single heart, of a sincere life." -Joseph Berber Lightfoot  Team Playing 9) "Individuals play the game, but teams beat the odds." -SEAL Team Saying 10) "Alone we can do so little; together we can do so much." - Helen Keller Responsiveness 11) "Life is 10% what happens to you and 90% how you react to it." -Charles Swindoll 12) '"Your most unhappy customers are your greatest source of learning." - Bill Gates Adaptability 13) "When you're finished changing, you're finished." -Ben Franklin 14) "It is not the strongest of the species that survive, nor the most intelligent, but the one most responsive to change." –Charles Darwin Passion 15) "The only way to do great work is to love the work you do." -Steve Jobs 16) "I have no special talents. I am only passionately curious." -Albert Einstein Surprise and Delight 17) "A true leader always keeps an element of surprise up his sleeve, which others cannot grasp but which keeps his public excited and breathless." -Charles de Gaulle 18) “Surprise is the greatest gift which life can grant us.” - Boris Pasternak Simplicity 19) "Less isn't more; just enough is more." -Milton Glaser 20) “Simplicity is the ultimate sophistication.” -Leonardo daVinci Gratefulness 21) "I would maintain that thanks are the highest form of thought, and that gratitude is happiness doubled by wonder." -Gilbert K Chesterton 22) "The essence of all beautiful art, all great art, is gratitude." -Friedrich Nietzsche Leadership 23) “Management is doing things right; leadership is doing the right things.” — Peter F. Drucker 24) "If your actions inspire others to dream more, learn more, do more and become more, you are a leader." —John Quincy Adams 25) "Leadership and learning are indispensable to each other." —John F. Kennedy --- Those are my favorite leadership quotes. Now it's your turn. Which of these quotes speak most to you? What are your favorite leadership quotes? And which qualities make you a likeable leader? Let me know in the comments below- and here's to all of us becoming better leaders! business24@ecpss.com QQ: 2464003633 Skype:goodluck3801

ViewSonic (ViewSonic) VNB133C 13 inch notebook computer (cy young 900 2 g 320 g DVDRW 1.3 million camera painting appearance) champagne color-laptop

ViewSonic (ViewSonic) VNB133C 13 inch notebook computer (cy young 900 2 g 320 g DVDRW 1.3 million camera painting appearance) champagne color

Price:500$
Product name: viewsonic VNB133C  
brand: viewsonic 
goods gross weight: 2.88 kg 
goods origin: China 
platform: Intel platform
Intel platform graphics: integrated graphics 
memory: 2 g
hard disk: 320 g
type: colorful fashion 
size: 13 inches

subject
Brand ViewSonic ViewSonic
Model VNB133C
Color champagne
Intel platform
Operating system
Random system DOS
processor
CPU type cy young listeria
CPU model CM900
CPU speed 2.2 GHz
memory
2 gb memory capacity
Memory type DDR3 1333
Hard disk
Hard disk capacity of 320 gb
Interface type SATA serial
graphics
Type integrated graphics
Display chip Intel GMA 4500 m
Video memory capacity of 128 m
cd-rom
Drive type DVD burning
display
Screen size 13.3 inches
Display scale widescreen opened
Physical resolution 1366 x 768
LCD screen type
communication
Modem modem no
Built-in bluetooth no
LAN 10/100 MBPS
Wireless local area network (LAN) 802.11 b/g/n
Built-in 3 g no
port
PC Card slot Express Card x 1
USB2.0 three
IEEE 1394 no
Audio port 1 x microphone interface; 1 x audio interface
Display port VGA x 1
Sound system
The speaker built-in speaker
Built-in microphone have
Input device
Keyboard has
Touch boards are
Other equipment
Web camera have
Camera pixel 1.3 million
Fingerprint identification no
Card reader 4 in 1 card reader (SD/MS/MS - PRO/MMC)
power
Battery 4 core lithium ion battery
Endurance 2-3 hours, and the specific time depending on the use of the environment and decide
Power adapter and v DC, 3.42 A / 65 w adapter
Machine specifications
Size 344.30 (long) * 237.30 (wide) * 30.61 ~ 34.60 mm (high)
The weight of 2.04 kg

ThinkPad E430C (3365 - A56) 14 inches notebook computer (i5-2430 m 2 g 500 g GT635 2 g only show Linux)-Laptop

 ThinkPad E430C (3365 - A56) 14 inches notebook computer (i5-2430 m 2 g 500 g GT635 2 g only show Linux)-Laptop

Prcice:900 $

Product name: lenove (ThinkPad) E430C (3365 - A56) 
goods  brand: lenove (ThinkPad) 
goods gross weight: 3.05 kg 
goods origin: China 
platform: Intel Sandy Bridge platform  
graphics: independent 
video card memory: 2 g  
hard disk: 500 g 
type: all-round business 
size: 14 
inches: 14 inches

Description
Brand lenove ThinkPad
Series E430c
Model 3365 a56
Color black
Intel platform
Operating system
Random system Linux
processor
The second generation of CPU type intelligent Intel core i5 processor
CPU type i5-2430 m
CPU speed, 2.4 to 3.0 GHz frequency
Level 3 cache 3 m
chipset
Chipset Intel ® HM77 chipset
memory
2 gb memory capacity
Memory type DDR3
Slot number 2 x SO - DIMM
The biggest support capacity and gb
Hard disk
Hard disk capacity of 500 gb
Speed 5400 RPM
Interface type SATA serial
graphics
Type independent video card
Display chip NVIDIA ® GeForce ® GT 635 m
2 gb memory capacity independent
Double graphics support
cd-rom
Drive type Rambo
Interface built-in
display
Screen size 14.0 inches
Display scale widescreen opened
Physical resolution 1366 x 768
Screen type HD LED backlight display
communication
Modem modem no
Built-in bluetooth no
LAN 10/100/1000 MBPS
Wireless LAN has
Built-in 3 g no
port
PC card slot without
USB2.0 3 USB 3.0, 1 USB 2.0 (Powered USB)
IEEE 1394 no
Audio port earphone, microphone epoxy resin interface
Display port VGA x 1 / HDMI x 1
RJ45 1
USB3.0 3
Sound system
The speaker built-in speaker
Built-in microphone have
Input device
Keyboard full size keyboard
Touchpad multi-point touch
Trackpoint have
Other equipment
Web camera have
Camera pixel 720 p
Fingerprint identification no
Card reader 4 in 1 card reader
power
Battery 6 core lithium ion battery
Endurance 6.2 hours, depending on the specific use environment set
Power adapter 100-240 v adaptive ac power adapter
Machine specifications
Size 339 * 234 * - 34
Net weight 2.19 kg

Xiaomi Mi-Two-Quadcore-2GB RAM-Adreno 320-720p-IPS screen-8MP camera-Pre-order-smartphone

Xiaomi Mi-Two-Quadcore-2GB RAM-Adreno 320-720p-IPS screen-8MP camera-Pre-order-smartphone

Xiaomi Mi-Two-Quadcore-2GB RAM-Adreno 320-720p-IPS screen-8MP camera-Pre-order
Item condition:New
Quantity:1
Price:US $600.00
Shipping: FREE Standard Shipping from outside US 
International items may be subject to customs processing and additional charges.  
Item location: china 
Ships to: Worldwide
Delivery:Estimated 10 or 15 business days 
Please allow additional time if international delivery is subject to customs processing.
Payments:Bank wire and Western union 
Returns:14 days money back, buyer pays return shipping 
Description:
Item specifics
Condition:
New: A brand-new, unused, unopened, undamaged item in its original packaging (where packaging is applicable). Packaging should be the same as what is found in a retail store, unless the item is handmade or was packaged by the manufacturer in non-retail packaging, such as an unprinted box or plastic bag. See the seller's listing for full details. 
Brand: Xiaomi
Operating System: Android Model: Mi-Two
Storage Capacity:16 GB Carrier:Unlocked
Style: Bar Contract: Without Contract
Camera: 8.0 MP

!!!Now in stock!!! 
Shipping within three business days.
If you want 32GB version($40 extra), wait for my invoice after purchase.

Christmas Special!!
Now the phone comes with the following extra items for free:
1- Extra battery
2- Battery charger cradle
3- OTG cable
4- Screen protector
5- Hard plastic case (Black or Dark Red)


Payment for this listing has to be made within 48hrs after buying.


Phone Specs:
Processor: 1.5GHz quad-core Snapdragon S4 Pro processor (APQ8064)
RAM: 2GB
GPU: Adreno 320
Screen: 4.3" IPS LCD with 1280 x 720 resolution (342ppi)
Camera: 8MP camera on the back (F/2.0 aperture, 26mm FoV), 1080p@30fps and 720p@90fps. 2MP on the front
Operating System: Android 4.1 Jelly Bean in MIUI
Storage: 16GB of built-in storage
Battery: 2000mAh
Frequency: WCDMA/GSM
                   2G: GSM 850/900/1800/1900MHz
                   3G: WCDMA 850,1900,2100 MHz
Data services: GPRS / EDGE / HSPA + (42Mbps)
GPS: GPS + AGPS GLONASS
Bluetooth: Bluetooth 4.0 Bluetooth HID
WIFI: WIFI Display, WIFI Direct
Measurement: 126mm x 62mm x 10.2mm
Weight: 145g


What is in the box:
-Mi2 phone
-Battery
-Connection Cable and charger
-User manual


(Must Read!!)Frequenty Asked Questions:

Does this phone support micro-sd card for added storage?
No, this phone does not have a built-in micro-SD card slot. Luckily, the device supports USB On-The-Go, so you can still pop in your USB thumb drive and manage your data.

Does this phone support LTE and NFC?
No

Which languages does this phone support?
Out of the box, this phone supports Chinese and English only. But as it has Android 4.1 (Jelly Bean) with Xiaomi’s custom MIUI ROM, it won't be that hard to modify it to include any other language. There is already a Multi-Lingual MIUI ROM available at : "http://miuiandroid.com/community/threads/2-9-29.18281/" with tutorial to install/update it here : "http://miuiandroid.com/community/threads/how-to-update-upgrade-miui.15424/". I don't take any responsibility if you brick/damage your phone in the process.

Does this phone come with a 2000mAh battery or 3000mAh battery?
This phone comes with 2000mAH battery out of the box. A 3000mAH battery can be bought separately.

Does this phone come in different colours?
This phone comes from factory in white or black back casing. User can purchase different colour case separately to exchange it.

Does this phone use micro-sim card?
No. This phone uses full length sim card.

How can i contact the seller ?
Skype:goodluck3801
business24@ecpss.com

Gambling Merchant Accounts

As an online gambling merchant, you understand the importance of real-time payment processing to keep your business booming. So does ECPSS. That is why we provide credit card processing merchant accounts to legalized sites.


Gambling Merchant Accounts

Why do online gambling merchants need their own Merchant Account?

All legalized, online gambling sites require Internet merchant accounts in order to allow their customers' the ability to make a deposit or place a bet with their credit card.

It is virtually impossible to run a profitable online gambling operation without a merchant account that provides real time credit card processing solutions for customers. Most merchant account providers shun these merchants. The business may be lucrative but most find it riskier than the adult services and may allow adult service providers in their merchant panel but ban online casino sites.

Why ECPSS provides Merchant Accounts for online gambling businesses?
ECPSS started out providing merchant accounts to online gambling businesses in 2008. Some of these companies have since become Blue-Chip companies on the UK and other European stock exchanges, whilst others have remained private and continue to process millions of dollars every month through their online merchant accounts. We realize this market will continue to develop worldwide, ECPSS therefore shall continue to provide online payment processing for online gambling businesses for years to come. ECPSS Would Reverse Online Gambling Ban (in the US)
What are the general Rates adult Merchants pay for their credit card processing accounts?

Online Gambling merchant account rates are assessed on a case by case basis. Gambling merchants with high monthly sales turnover in excess of $1 million generally pay higher buy rate for their merchant account, whilst start up gambling merchants and, those online gambling merchants with low monthly sales turnover (less than $50,000 per month) generally receive the lower buy rate .

What is the usual timeframe from when I submit my merchant account application to actually receiving a merchant account approval?
ECPSS generally receives an answer from one of its' merchant acquiring bank providers within 3 working days. Upon receiving a merchant account approval notice an ECPSS Account Manager communicates all the credit card processing terms and conditions of the bank to the merchant. If the merchant accepts the offer, a merchant account contract is emailed to the merchant for them to sign and return the contract back to ECPSS. Live processing can usually start 24-48 hours later.
Our approval rate is 98% and if you think your business will be a success we offer you the chance to prove it!

SIGN UP TODAY

Applying and processing for a new merchant account is easy and takes a very short time. Send us your request by completing the application below. 

skype:goodluck3801
business24@ecpss.com

I Have a Dream

I am happy to join with you today in what will go down in history as the greatest demonstration for freedom in the history of our nation.

Five score years ago, a great American, in whose symbolic shadow we stand today, signed the Emancipation Proclamation. This momentous decree came as a great beacon light of hope to millions of Negro slaves who had been seared in the flames of withering injustice. It came as a joyous daybreak to end the long night of their captivity.

But one hundred years later, the Negro still is not free. One hundred years later, the life of the Negro is still sadly crippled by the manacles of segregation and the chains of discrimination. One hundred years later, the Negro lives on a lonely island of poverty in the midst of a vast ocean of material prosperity. One hundred years later, the Negro is still languished in the corners of American society and finds himself an exile in his own land. And so we've come here today to dramatize a shameful condition.

In a sense we've come to our nation's capital to cash a check. When the architects of our republic wrote the magnificent words of the Constitution and the Declaration of Independence, they were signing a promissory note to which every American was to fall heir. This note was a promise that all men, yes, black men as well as white men, would be guaranteed the "unalienable Rights" of "Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness." It is obvious today that America has defaulted on this promissory note, insofar as her citizens of color are concerned. Instead of honoring this sacred obligation, America has given the Negro people a bad check, a check which has come back marked "insufficient funds."

But we refuse to believe that the bank of justice is bankrupt. We refuse to believe that there are insufficient funds in the great vaults of opportunity of this nation. And so, we've come to cash this check, a check that will give us upon demand the riches of freedom and the security of justice.

We have also come to this hallowed spot to remind America of the fierce urgency of Now. This is no time to engage in the luxury of cooling off or to take the tranquilizing drug of gradualism. Now is the time to make real the promises of democracy. Now is the time to rise from the dark and desolate valley of segregation to the sunlit path of racial justice. Now is the time to lift our nation from the quicksands of racial injustice to the solid rock of brotherhood. Now is the time to make justice a reality for all of God's children.

It would be fatal for the nation to overlook the urgency of the moment. This sweltering summer of the Negro's legitimate discontent will not pass until there is an invigorating autumn of freedom and equality. Nineteen sixty-three is not an end, but a beginning. And those who hope that the Negro needed to blow off steam and will now be content will have a rude awakening if the nation returns to business as usual. And there will be neither rest nor tranquility in America until the Negro is granted his citizenship rights. The whirlwinds of revolt will continue to shake the foundations of our nation until the bright day of justice emerges.

But there is something that I must say to my people, who stand on the warm threshold which leads into the palace of justice: In the process of gaining our rightful place, we must not be guilty of wrongful deeds. Let us not seek to satisfy our thirst for freedom by drinking from the cup of bitterness and hatred. We must forever conduct our struggle on the high plane of dignity and discipline. We must not allow our creative protest to degenerate into physical violence. Again and again, we must rise to the majestic heights of meeting physical force with soul force.

The marvelous new militancy which has engulfed the Negro community must not lead us to a distrust of all white people, for many of our white brothers, as evidenced by their presence here today, have come to realize that their destiny is tied up with our destiny. And they have come to realize that their freedom is inextricably bound to our freedom.

We cannot walk alone.

And as we walk, we must make the pledge that we shall always march ahead.

We cannot turn back.

There are those who are asking the devotees of civil rights, "When will you be satisfied?" We can never be satisfied as long as the Negro is the victim of the unspeakable horrors of police brutality. We can never be satisfied as long as our bodies, heavy with the fatigue of travel, cannot gain lodging in the motels of the highways and the hotels of the cities. We cannot be satisfied as long as the negro's basic mobility is from a smaller ghetto to a larger one. We can never be satisfied as long as our children are stripped of their self-hood and robbed of their dignity by signs stating: "For Whites Only." We cannot be satisfied as long as a Negro in Mississippi cannot vote and a Negro in New York believes he has nothing for which to vote. No, no, we are not satisfied, and we will not be satisfied until "justice rolls down like waters, and righteousness like a mighty stream."¹

I am not unmindful that some of you have come here out of great trials and tribulations. Some of you have come fresh from narrow jail cells. And some of you have come from areas where your quest -- quest for freedom left you battered by the storms of persecution and staggered by the winds of police brutality. You have been the veterans of creative suffering. Continue to work with the faith that unearned suffering is redemptive. Go back to Mississippi, go back to Alabama, go back to South Carolina, go back to Georgia, go back to Louisiana, go back to the slums and ghettos of our northern cities, knowing that somehow this situation can and will be changed.

Let us not wallow in the valley of despair, I say to you today, my friends.

And so even though we face the difficulties of today and tomorrow, I still have a dream. It is a dream deeply rooted in the American dream.

I have a dream that one day this nation will rise up and live out the true meaning of its creed: "We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal."

I have a dream that one day on the red hills of Georgia, the sons of former slaves and the sons of former slave owners will be able to sit down together at the table of brotherhood.

I have a dream that one day even the state of Mississippi, a state sweltering with the heat of injustice, sweltering with the heat of oppression, will be transformed into an oasis of freedom and justice.

I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character.

I have a dream today!

I have a dream that one day, down in Alabama, with its vicious racists, with its governor having his lips dripping with the words of "interposition" and "nullification" -- one day right there in Alabama little black boys and black girls will be able to join hands with little white boys and white girls as sisters and brothers.

I have a dream today!

I have a dream that one day every valley shall be exalted, and every hill and mountain shall be made low, the rough places will be made plain, and the crooked places will be made straight; "and the glory of the Lord shall be revealed and all flesh shall see it together."²

This is our hope, and this is the faith that I go back to the South with.

With this faith, we will be able to hew out of the mountain of despair a stone of hope. With this faith, we will be able to transform the jangling discords of our nation into a beautiful symphony of brotherhood. With this faith, we will be able to work together, to pray together, to struggle together, to go to jail together, to stand up for freedom together, knowing that we will be free one day.

And this will be the day -- this will be the day when all of God's children will be able to sing with new meaning:

My country 'tis of thee, sweet land of liberty, of thee I sing.

Land where my fathers died, land of the Pilgrim's pride,

From every mountainside, let freedom ring!

And if America is to be a great nation, this must become true.

And so let freedom ring from the prodigious hilltops of New Hampshire.

Let freedom ring from the mighty mountains of New York.

Let freedom ring from the heightening Alleghenies of Pennsylvania.

Let freedom ring from the snow-capped Rockies of Colorado.

Let freedom ring from the curvaceous slopes of California.

But not only that:

Let freedom ring from Stone Mountain of Georgia.

Let freedom ring from Lookout Mountain of Tennessee.

Let freedom ring from every hill and molehill of Mississippi.

From every mountainside, let freedom ring.

And when this happens, when we allow freedom ring, when we let it ring from every village and every hamlet, from every state and every city, we will be able to speed up that day when all of God's children, black men and white men, Jews and Gentiles, Protestants and Catholics, will be able to join hands and sing in the words of the old Negro spiritual:

                Free at last! Free at last!

                Thank God Almighty, we are free at last!³