In this special holiday edition:

• Holiday Party Brunch - December 8
• Message from NSA-Arizona President
• Spirit of NSA Day, November 14
• Upcoming NSA Programs
• Speech Development Lab
• Business-Building Bulletin
• About This Newsletter

NSA-Arizona Holiday Party Brunch

December 8

With the holidays upon us, NSA-Arizona is pulling out ALL the stops for its annual party. As you’ll see, we’ve made some changes.

Date/Time:

We have changed the time! Yes, you asked for it and we listened. We’re getting together for a late brunch on Saturday, December 8 from 11:00 am to 3:00 pm (hey, this will still allow you to attend other holiday events on the same day!).

Location:

We have changed the location! This year we will be partying in the fabulous home, patio, and gardens of our very own Marsh Petrie Sue. When she opened her home a few years, people had a blast. Well, she’s willing to do it again! So plan on heading to Scottsdale (90th and Cactus area) for a great time on December 8th. (You’ll receive detailed directions when you register.)

Silent Auction:

We have even changed how we do our Silent Auction! Yes, as always, we will have some fabulous gifts to bid on, but this year we have upped the ante.

Do you think that having one-on-one telephone time with leading names in the speaking business would help you reach your potential and earn more money? We can’t mention any names (like Ian Percy, Sam Silverstein, John Hersey, Lenora Billings-Harris, Naomi Rhode, and Eileen McDargh!) but trust us–you will glean value from every minute. Make sure you are there to bid on the speaker-mentor who will take you over the top in 2008! There will also be plenty of speaker products and non-speaker items such as gift certificates to bid on. In the spirit of giving, some proceeds from the auction will be donated to MotherRead/FatherRead Arizona, a national family literacy program.

The one thing we have not changed is the certainty that this will be a great way to socialize with your NSA buddies (the most fun people on the planet!). Everyone else will be there–how about you?

Register now at http://nsa-arizona.org/meetings/holiday-party/ Tickets are $40 per person ($50.00 per person after December 3rd). No refunds after the early registration deadline. Bring your spouse, bring a friend (or two), or just come on your own.

President’s Message from Alan Rigg

We hear…and APPRECIATE…your feedback!

As we head into the year-end holiday season, I would like to personally thank you for your valuable feedback. Your board of directors is SO pleased that so many of our members share their thoughts and suggestions with us, either in-person during meetings, via written comments on meeting evaluation forms, via e-mail or telephone calls, and so on.

We definitely LISTEN to your feedback. For example, several of our long-term members mentioned to Neil Dempster that the chapter had hosted daytime holiday parties in years past, and the events had been well attended. Perhaps we should consider having a daytime holiday party this year?

As a result, at the September meeting I asked for a show of hands regarding the attendees’ holiday party preferences: a brunch, a late-afternoon gathering, or an evening party. The brunch won hands down. (Pun intended!) Given these results, we decided to host a holiday brunch this year on December 8. (My wife Michelle and I LOVE brunch – we can’t wait to enjoy one with you!)

We also appreciate the feedback we receive concerning the program topics you would like to see at future meetings. It takes a while to respond to this feedback as our main stage, VOE, and Business Building Session speakers are all booked well in advance. However, the Programming Committee DEFINITELY considers your input when booking future speakers and your evaluation form feedback is a frequent topic of conversation at our monthly board meetings. So please, keep the ideas coming!

I’d like to extend a personal wish for you and those close to you to have a wonderful holiday season. I look forward to celebrating the holidays at our Holiday Brunch on December 8th. Thank you, Marsha Petrie Sue, for being our gracious hostess.

Best wishes for a happy, healthy, and successful 2008!

Alan Rigg
NSA-Arizona President 2007-2008

P.S. Thanks to everyone who contributed to the spirit of Cavett, NSA’s founder, on November 14 (Cavett’s actual birthday). We received a potpourri of responses to my request to share your activities, which appear below. This special day marks a new tradition in NSA and one I hope will continue—as Cavett’s spirit of sharing lives on.

Spirit of NSA Day, November 14

Thanks to everyone at NSA-Arizona who participated in the first Spirit of NSA day Wednesday, November 14. It was created to honor NSA Founder Cavett Robert and continue NSA’s legacy of sharing and giving. Check out stories and comments on the Spirit of NSA Community Board!

A potpourri of activities from our members:

Cavett brought me into NSA before it was an official association in 1973. He was a world-class “giver of himself”… from time to time I drive by the modest home where he and Trudy raised their five children near 7th Street and Thomas…. To celebrate, I made an email offer to all Arizona Candidate members to answer questions about the business and speaking or history of NSA. Nice response from the “speakers of our future.” I also enjoyed a wonderful dinner as guest of NSA-Arizona President-Elect Neil Dempster, CSP, and his wife Jessica. Naturally, we toasted to Cavett on the 14th! - Bill Johnson, CSP

I participated in a free teleseminar hosted by Alan Rigg on selling techniques and gaining new clients. Alan gave an excellent overview of the process for gaining a client’s interest and getting the business. Thank you, Alan! I also gave a business referral to another speaker and hope that develops into a good consulting project for her. - Bonnie F. Mattick, CPT

I delivered a free talk to a women’s networking group in Scottsdale and donated a couple of my books for their drawing. - Beth Terry, CSP, past NSA-Arizona president

I had a networking lunch on that day with a colleague who does similar work to what I do. I brought NSA literature with me to my meeting… and we should be having a new member shortly! - Sally Goldberg, PhD

NSA-Arizona Upcoming Programs

Members, Save on Your 2008 NSA-Arizona Meeting Registration

Register and prepay today for the first six programs of 2008, and you’ll save $30! The member registration rate for 2008 meetings is $30 per meeting, but if you purchase our six-pack deal, the rate is $150, or just $25 per meeting. It’s like rolling back time to the 2006 price rate! Plus, you’ll get a great year-end tax deduction when you purchase by Dec. 31, 2007.

Just think, you’ll only have to pull out your credit card or check book one time, and you’ll be registered for all six of these exciting 2008 programs. Check out who you’ll see and hear in the new year.

2008 Programs

January 12
- Cheewa James, Build on Your Own Uniqueness: From Marketing to Presentation: Be Different!
- VOE Joe Contrera, Conquering Fear
February 9
- Marilee Driscoll, High Profit Product
- VOE Kirstin Carey
March 8
- Vickie Sullivan, Sponsorships
- VOE Deborah Gardener, How’s Competition Affecting You?
April 12
- Karyn Ruth White, Craft Like a Comic, Sell Like A Speaker
- VOE (TBD)
May 10
- 30th Anniversary Special Presidents Event
June 14
- Mike Rayburn, 17 Ways to Get a Bazillion Bookings
- VOE (TBD)

Your prepaid registration is for these six meetings only. No substitutions or exchanges. Three ways to register:
1. Online: go to http://nsa-arizona.org/meetings/general-membership-meeting/six-pack-deal/
2. By email: send name, company, and number of attendees to Gwen@nsa-arizona.org
3. By telephone: call (480) 968-7443

Winners Winners

Congratulations to Chef Rachel Albert-Matesz and Darren Elder. They both won free attendance to attend future NSA-Arizona meetings. Their names were randomly drawn from all participants who completed an evaluation form at the November and October meetings. They’ll be the first to remind you: Fill out your form at all upcoming meetings you attend!

NSA-Arizona Speaker Lab

The Speaker Lab provides a chance to practice new material and/or learn from others. Speakers are allotted 30 minutes to present and receive feedback (40-minute slots available on request). Guests are welcome to attend the Lab twice at no charge.

The AM Speaker Lab meets on the 2nd and 4th Tuesday of every month @9:30 a.m. Our next meeting will take place on Tuesday, December 11th. The Speaker Lab will not be held on December 25th due to the holidays. Contact: Celeste Bumpus at celeste@celestebumpus.com or 602-430-2786

The Evening Lab meets on the 3rd Tuesday of every month @6:15 p.m. There will be no evening lab in December. Our next meeting is on Tuesday, January 15, 2008. Contact: Eileen Proctor at 602-867-3647 or topdog@topdogbizboosters.com

For membership details and location information, please visit http://www.nsa-arizona.org.

NSA Updates

Extra Value at SpeakerPalooza! NSA’s Winter Meeting

San Francisco, California, February 14 – 17, 2008

NSA has added an entire extra day to SpeakerPalooza, bringing you 30 percent more education and networking than any other NSA Workshop in the past. Be sure to book your flight to arrive in time for the Opening Session with John Miller on Thursday evening, February 14, 2008. And you won’t want to miss the Closing General Session with New York Times bestseller Chip Heath on Sunday morning. For a complete list of sessions and programming information, visit the online schedule at http://www.nsaspeaker.org/sanfrancisco.

2008 Convention Presenter Proposal Form

If NSA is truly going to rock New York City, we need incredible programming that will tear the house down. The selection committee is searching for fresh, powerful, unique concurrent sessions across a variety of topics and competencies, and we’re committed to bringing only the very best to our members and guests to the 2008 NSA Convention in New York City, August 2-5. Click here to complete a proposal to present.

Business Building Bulletin

Don’t miss this opportunity to tell fellow members about your achievements. This bulletin publicizes events of interest to NSA-Arizona members and announces member accomplishments. Send your information to Barbara McNichol at editor@barbaramcnichol.com

Ed Scannell to be Recognized by Convention Industry Council December 11

Congratulations to Ed Scannell, CMC, CPAE, for being named to the Convention Industry Council’s (CIC) Hall of Leaders. He will be inducted at the 2007 Hall of Leaders Gala on December 11. Ed has been creatively involved in industry leadership roles for 30 years, leading many organizations including Meeting Planners International (MPI), American Society for Training and Development (ASTD), International Federation of Training and Development Organizations, and National Speakers Association. In 1992, he received NSA’s highest award, the Cavett Award.

Rosenberg on the Radio

Arlene Rosenberg will be on the radio at 620AM KTAR in the Phoenix area on Saturday, December 1st at 6:30 a.m. and on 98.7FM The Peak on Sunday, December 2nd, also at 6:30 a.m.

Our November Sponsor in Print

Susan Ratliff’s article “Exhibit A: Trade shows are the best kept secret in the business” was published in Speaker magazine, November 20007. Susan’s company Exhibit Experts was our November 10 program sponsor.

Congratulations to “Dr.” Reynolds

Marcia Reynolds, CSP, past president of our chapter, recently submitted her doctoral thesis.

“Earning Your CSP”

The December issue of Speaker magazine features an article titled “Client Logos on Your Website—An Ethical Dilemma?” by Neil Dempster, CSP. He was also interviewed for the December Voices of Experience CD on a segment called “Earning Your CSP.” Look for them in your mailbox!

Personal Growth Program on Abundance

Bill Johnson, CSP, provides a fresh opportunity for members and candidates seeking new product and speaking opportunities. He will offer a certification class in Phoenix for a program developed by Ron Willingham, prominent speaker and author of The Inner Game of Selling and Integrity Service. The seminar will be rollout of Willingham’s book and system for financial savings and planning. For a sneak preview, go to www.thetenlawsofwealth.com. Bill will be offering a special teleconference at no charge the first week of December to review details of this program. Contact Bill for time and date. Bill@BillJohnson.com

Keynote Retreat Jan. 24-26

Are you serious about creating or upgrading your speech for 2008? Marcia Reynolds is holding a keynote retreat on January 24-26 in Phoenix for 6-8 participants. She says, “I guarantee that if you attend the entire retreat, you will walk away with a speech that you are passionate about, that includes a powerful opening and closing and is structured as a keynote.” You receive individual coaching and a chance to practice and develop your stories. Call Marcia Reynolds at 602-954-9030 or Marcia@Outsmartyourbrain.com

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.

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