They will parade new speakers in each month who will tell you just enough to get you excited and then sell you into a 3 day to teach you what to do, but not how to do it. 

I personally have never been much about the REI clubs I have been guest speaker at many here on the West coast  LA  SF PDX... and I find them to be full of a lot of very nice people.. you have your folks that run it and are experienced and then you have all your beginners.. its quite a give back to be a regular at those events..

Yes, the speakers often (not always) have something to sell, but in my experience they provide good content before their pitch.

No one in the class knew I was the  speaker on the program I just asked questions and offered senarios that contradicted what the realtor was saying.

That's pretty sharp because that cuts right past politics and to a core dissatisfaction people have been feeling for quite sometime....and it plays the guilt button which, as Obama illustrated, is quite effective.The second thing she did, which was brilliant, was the same week that Obama announced he was coming into town to campaign for Coons - she had a rally called "Democrats for O'Donnell" and had as her featured speakers LOCAL Democrat leaders who were dissatisfied with what Washington has been up to lately.

Christmas lights and crappy speakers hanging from the ceiling.

Has anyone heard of Robert Woodruff with North American REIA and he also says he runs the Charleston Investors Real Estate Association and Woodruff Investing I am in the Tulsa OK area and seen on Meetup he is the speaker for the Tulsa REIA meeting tonight.

You then build size to attract speakers.

I know of a speaking guru who charges 30k for his program-- 5k down and 25k from the fees you will make when you become a fabulous, nationally-recognized speaker.

Borrow some really powerful speakers and play party music all night.