November 2009 News Flash

President’s Message

Our next meeting falls on November 14th, which happens to be the Spirit of NSA Day in honor of our founder Cavett Robert’s birthday. The spirit of NSA is encapsulated by Cavett’s philosophy of building a bigger pie (not dividing it up into smaller slices)—as Laura Stack, CSP, talks about in this video clip spiritofnsa.wordpress.com

Each of us regularly experiences and contributes to the spirit of NSA. As members and candidates we freely share words of wisdom, honest feedback, speaking referrals, media connections, marketing advice, moral support, and much more.

Cavett Robert, CSP, CPAE, instilled and nourished this spirit from the beginning. As a result of his vision, NSA honors the leaders in our industry while encouraging continuous professional growth and development for all. We embrace diversity and innovation rather than the status quo, and collaboration instead of competition. We strive to create a welcoming environment and educational offerings that help motivated individuals fulfill their dream of making a living—and making a difference—through professional speaking.

While this may sound benevolent, it is selfish, really. Who among us wants to spend a Saturday in selling mode or toil alone with no one to share our ideas, successes, and challenges with? We encourage and enjoy our colleagues’ accomplishments in part because we intuitively know that as the water level rises, all boats float higher.

Contribute to the spirit of NSA by doing your best and encouraging others to do theirs. And come celebrate the Spirit of NSA Day by inviting a guest or two to share some pie with you and your colleagues on November 14th.

Sincerely,
Michelle May, M.D. mmay@amihungry.com
NSA-Arizona President
2009-2010

NSA-ARIZONA MONTHLY MEETING

November 14, 2009
Networking/Breakfast: 8am – 9am
Meeting: 9am – 1:30pm
NSA Conference Center, 1500 S. Priest Dr., Tempe, AZ

Prepaid registration (by 5 pm Wed., November 11): $30/members, $45/guests
At-the-door registration: $40/members, $55/guests.
Did you know you can bring your spouse/partner/staff member at the member rate?
No refunds after the early registration deadline.
Please notify us if you require any special needs for the meeting.

KEYNOTE SPEAKER: Bill Stainton

What I Learned by Winning 29 Emmys that Speakers Need to Know with Bill Stainton

There are three elements to any presentation: the Structure, the Content, and the Delivery. Bill Stainton has won Emmy Awards as a producer (Structure), a writer (Content), and a performer (Delivery). Find out how he applies lessons learned from television (and from pals like Jay Leno, Ellen DeGeneres, and Jerry Seinfeld) to his presentations. You can do the same! You’ll learn how to:

think like a producer when crafting your presentations
structure your presentations for maximum effect
use predictable unpredictability to keep your audiences awake
plan your openings and closings
employ secrets of comedy writers to make your speeches and stories come alive
apply acting tips to turn your presentation into a performance

Bill is a multiple Emmy Award-winning TV producer, writer, and performer; a highly sought-after keynote speaker; and an internationally recognized Beatles expert. For 15 years, Bill was the executive producer of Seattle’s legendary comedy TV show, Almost Live! (which also enjoyed a two and a half year run in national syndication on Comedy Central). Along the way, he won 29 Emmy Awards for his work as a producer, writer, and performer. He’s also written for HBO, NPR, and The Tonight Show with Jay Leno.

Bill has written nine corporate training programs in subjects ranging from Office Politics to Customer Service to Team Motivation. He’s the author of The 5 Best Decisions the Beatles Ever Made: A Handbook for “Top of the Charts” Success.

VOICE OF EXPERIENCE: Terry Brock

Success for Professional Speakers Today: Technology and Marketing You Need to Know

Terry Brock is known throughout NSA as someone who presents technology and marketing in a clear, English-oriented style that is fun and entertaining. You’ll love it when he comes to us this time in a revolutionary method using Skype video—a new way of presenting available for you to work with clients in places around the world.

In this video seminar, Terry shows you how you can move your professional speaking business to the next level. What you’ll learn includes:

How Skype can revolutionize your business, generating income and publicity for you without having to deal with TSA.
Hot technology that can save you time and make you money. (You’ll be amazed.)
How to use Social Media like Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, and Linkedin (the Big Four!) as a professional speaker and what to avoid at all costs.

Come prepared for this breakthrough session that represents how programs can be delivered in the future.

Terry Brock helps businesses around the world (35 countries at last count) market more effectively. He helps clients (including Fortune 500 companies and many associations) generate more business combining the best practices of Relationship Marketing with practical, cutting-edge technology. Terry was recently inducted into the Speakers Hall of Fame, earning the prestigious CPAE. He also holds the CSP designation and has his master’s in business administration in marketing. Terry is a syndicated columnist in 40 Business Journals across the U.S. and coaches people in the areas of marketing and technology implementation.

EXTREME SPEAKER MAKEOVER: Speakers Lab Featuring Don Thoren and Maggie Hunts

One of the most valuable services offered by NSA-Arizona is the Speakers Development Lab. All members from past national presidents and CPAEs to new candidate members are welcome to attend.

This “Lab” will operate much like a Hollywood “Actors Studio” where people go to try out new material, revise current material, and practice delivery techniques. This Makeover features a “mini-Lab” in which two presenters will deliver 3- to 4-minute vignettes from their presentations. Attendees can offer positive reinforcement and enriching suggestions to the speakers while learning how give helpful, safe feedback. The net effect is to show ways to increase your skills as a speaker.

This session also promotes involvement in our bimonthly Speakers Labs in two ways: Observe: You get to observe presentations, listen to the positive feedback and the constructive suggestions, and enjoy a vicarious learning experience for what you do. Speak: You can give a portion of one of your speeches and see how the other lab members react to determine what works well and get suggestions for improvement. Because the session is video taped, you can study both your presentation and the reactions of others.

Says Don, “Evaluating other speakers and sharing your observations makes you keenly aware of how each element of your speech contributes to (or distracts) from the total impact. You’ll notice subtleties in word choice, gestures, and organization that either capture listeners’ emotions or leave them cold. You gain a sharper awareness about how what you say and do could be holding you back. Then you’ll seek out discerning peers and ask them to evaluate you. Why? Because you realize that good feedback is the core of any plan for successful growth.”

Note: Don Thoren dthoren@cox.net and Maggie Hunts maggiehunts@itsasweetlifenow.com are happy to answers questions about participating in NSA-Arizona’s unique Speakers Lab.

Special thanks to Marilyn Snyder, The PowerPoint Lady, for creating our ESM opening!

BUSINESS BUILDING SESSION Building Your Business with Video

The Business Building Session starts promptly at 12:15 and ends at 1:30 p.m. The Business Building session is designed to provide members with information and tools necessary to successfully build their speaking business. The format being used is based on Jim Cathcart’s Eight Professional (Speaker) competencies. All morning attendees are welcome.

The days of a static website are over. Today you need to Show and Tell!

If you don’t grab your visitors as soon as they land on your page, you’ll lose them. Take a lesson from any rock star’s website; their sites aren’t filled with text explaining how great they perform and how excellent their music is; their pages perform! You can hear (and buy) the music, and see them on stage!

Imagine your visitor being welcomed with a short video clip of excerpts from a live performance that shows the excitement, power and humor you offer. Learn how simple and easy it is to turn your site into a selling tool for your speaking, products, and events!

Rocky Heyer, Chief Engineer at Master Video Disc and Design, has worked in the audio and video business since the mid-eighties. This award-winning audio engineer has been the mastering engineer for NSA’s Voices of Experience Audio series since 1994 and has worked with many of the most successful in the Speaking Business.

Janita Cooper janita@masterdup.com and Celeste Bumpus celeste@celestebumpus.com head the 2009-2010 Program Committee.

Please Pre-pay for Meeting Attendance
To streamline check-in at our monthly meetings, please prepay for your meeting attendance. Members and guests SAVE $10 when they prepay by 5pm on the Wednesday before the Saturday meeting.
Register Now
Prepaid Registration (by Wed., November 11 at 5 pm): $30/members $45/guests
Did you know you can bring your spouse/partner/staff member at the member rate?
At-the-door registration (available as space allows)
$40/members $55/guests

Please Support Our Meeting Sponsor – Capital Insight Partners

Steve Nelson, CFA, is CEO of Capital Insight Partners—the CFO to the affluent. With offices in Scottsdale and Las Vegas, this firm protects wealth for some of America’s wealthiest families nationwide. They strive to grow clients’ assets through deliberate, disciplined, and thoughtful management. Clients include executives, entrepreneurs, and athletes. Go to www.capitalinsightpartners.com for more details.

Opportunities abound to be a Sponsor for future NSA-Arizona chapter meetings. Open your Contact List and recommend a viable candidate to Susan Ratliff Susan@exhibitexpertsaz.com who chairs the 2009/2010 Sponsorship Committee.

Congratulations to Susan O’Daniel! Susan O’Daniel won a FREE meeting attendance by submitting her program evaluation form at a previous meeting. Hand in your form at the next meeting to participate in this monthly drawing for free attendance.

Candidate Teleseminar

“Speaking of Meetings … Talking Points on What Today’s Meeting Planners Want from Speakers”

Saturday, December 19, 11:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.

Join Deborah Gardner, a 26-year hospitality sales expert, an 18-year MPI member, immediate past president of the Arizona Sunbelt Chapter, and a certified meeting professional for this informative teleseminar on working in the meetings industry. Deborah will provide insights on what it takes to work with decision makers and meeting planners, especially during tough economic times.

Hear what clients are sharing about the value of business meetings and

Realize what the planner’s profile consists of in today’s meeting world
Learn what meeting planners expect from speakers
Find out what planners are nervous about today when dealing with speakers
Learn tips on how to become a strategic partner.
Discover 5 essentials that meeting planners need when working with speakers

Deborah Gardner, CMP is principal and founder of DG INTERNATIONAL LLC and a speaker/trainer for COMPETE BETTER NOW! LLC. Both companies translate competition into higher sales, better customer service, stronger negotiations, improved team performance along with greater personal and professional development. In addition to being past president of the Arizona Meeting Planners International (MPI) chapter, she is the ASU Project Director for the MPI CMP on-line study guide. Go to DeborahGardner.com or contact her at Deborah@DeborahGardner.com.

There is no teleseminar for November due to NSA’s Fall Conference.

Vickie Bouffard chairs the Candidate Program for 2009-2010 with Kathy Marcil.

Living Room Forum—Wednesday, November 18

Topic: Coaching for Our Business Clients
Time: 7:00 to 9:00 p.m.
Facilitator: Deborah Dubree
Host:

Calling all coaches. This Living Room Forum features a lively discussion on how coaching can benefit your business model, along with recommended ways for best practices in coaching from our facilitator, Deborah Dupree. She will ask three key questions to lead a discussion and then open it up for input. Register at www.NSA-AZ.org, and come prepared to share your ideas and questions.

Deborah Dubree, president of ClearEdge Consulting, LLC, believes that “simply existing is for sissies.” She coaches and trains serious achievers on how to stop wasting time, money and energy, and instead experience clarity, confidence, and courage—consistently—as they strive to be “THE” #1 Best in their Category.

Cost: $15 members, $25 Guests
Registration and payment required in advance; no refunds. For additional information, call Gwen Henson (480) 968-7443.

Living Room Forums are held the 4th Wednesday of every month from 7:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. September to May (except November, which will be third Wednesday). Contact Bonnie Mattick bmattick@q.com and Dan Ferguson dan@danfergusonspeaker.com, chairpersons, for additional information.

Congratulations to NSA-Arizona’s Newest

PROFESSIONAL MEMBERS
None this month

CANDIDATE MEMBERS
Debby Raposa
Mary Noland
Greg Peterson
Steve Saffron
Renee Dee
Jodi Low

Speaker Development Lab

To participate, please contact Maggie Hunts for open speaking slots/scheduling at 602-315-7788. Click here to find out more about NSA-Arizona’s exclusive Speaker Development Lab.

Larry Colbert chairs the Speaker Lab, assisted by Don Thoren, Maggie Hunts and Bill Johnson.

From NSA Headquarters

Presenting at NSA Events

If you’ve ever considered speaking at an NSA convention or workshop, you can find the proposal form at http://sn.im/nsa-proposal.

Upcoming NSA National Events

Mark your calendar for these fabulous NSA events:
2009 Fall Conference – November 19-22, 2009 in Phoenix, Arizona
Note: NSA is offering offering Fall Conference daily registrations.
2010 Winter Conference – February 11-14, 2010 in Nashville, Tennessee
2010 NSA Convention – July 17-20, 2010 in Orlando, Florida
2011 NSA Convention – July 30-August 2, 2011 in Anaheim, California

For more details, go to the NSA website at www.nsaspeaker.org

Upcoming NSA-Arizona Events

Dec. 12 – Holiday Party
Jan. 9 – Dale Irvin CPAE, CSP: Talk About Funny
Feb. 20 – Ford Saeks: Innovative Marketing Mastery
Mar. 13 – Sarah Singer-Nourie: Using Innovation to Help People Experience Learning
Apr. 10 – Glenna Salsbury CPAE & Naomi Rhode CPAE: The Heart and Soul of Speaking
May 8 – Corbin Ball: Emerging Technology for Speakers and Events
June 12 – Vic Osteen: Be the Exception, Not the Rule!

BRAVO Corner

We’re connected on Twitter, Facebook, and YouTube. Follow us at http://www.twitter.com/nsaaz or http://www.facebook.com/nsaaz or YouTube at http://www.youtube.com/NSAAZ

Special Announcement: CAPS Foundation Fundraiser

Whether you’re building a house, a career, a business, or a non-profit group, starting with a strong foundation helps you stand the test of time. As a fundraiser for the CAPS Foundation, the leadership of CAPS (Canadian Association of Professional Speakers) offers an inspiring eBook in which 30 top experts help you build the foundation for your speaking career. Called Building Blocks for Personal & Professional Success, the eBook’s proceeds go to Canada’s equivalent of the NSA Foundation. Its authors include NSA, CAPS, and IFFPS experts who contributed their wisdom to create this amazing e-book. Among them is our own past president, Neil Dempster, CSP. Click here for full details.

Nov. 11 – 14: PubWest’s National Publishing Conference and Book Industry Trade Show, Tucson, AZ

“Pressing Forward” is the 2009 theme for the National Publishing Conference and Book Industry Trade Show of the Publishers Association of the West (PubWest). It will cover everything from the nuts and bolts of editing and designing to the best ways to reach media-savvy readers and to stretch your marketing dollars for maximum profit. Plus there will be the chance to meet with many publishing vendors (printers, designers, freelance editors, etc.) under one roof.

HUMOR TIP OF THE MONTH

By Robert Mac Robert@robertmac.com

Specific-er is better. The more specific the picture you paint with your words in your punch line, the easier it is for audience members to see it—and laugh at it.

WORD TRIPPER FROM THE PLATFORM

By Barbara McNichol editor@barbaramcnichol.com

Be precise! Don’t let this pesky pairing trip you up on the platform or the page.

Endemic, epidemic – As an adjective, “endemic” means natural to or characteristic of a particular locality, region, or people; as a noun, it is a disease that occurs regularly in a particular area. “Epidemic” means spreading rapidly and extensively, such as a disease by infection, affecting many individuals or regions where it does not usually occur. “Although infections due to endemic yellow fever occur regularly in Africa, only the epidemics make headlines.”

Barbara will give away her Word Trippers ebook, a $16.95 value, to the first person who emails her with “NewsFlash Free Ebook” in subject line.

About This Newsletter

Email your News Flash announcements to editor Barbara McNichol at editor@barbaramcnichol.com or call 520-615-7910 by 15th of each month. Thanks to Terry Sprouse, Robert Mac, and Dennis Skinner for proofreading this issue.

To view back issues of the newsletter, click on Newsletters in the menu at the right and select the edition you wish to view.

National Speakers Association – Arizona!

The Voice of Professional Speakers in Arizona