February 2005 News Flash
Enjoy the Journey through 2005
President’s Message
February 12 Meeting
Living Room Forum Jan. 26, Feb. 22
Upcoming NSA-Arizona Programs
Future NSA Programs
Speech Development Lab
Business-Building Bulletin
Humor Tip
Word Trippers
Website Wisdom
Worth Repeating
About This Newsletter
NSA-Arizona President’s Message from Ted Rogers
I love the month of February. Not only because I put another birthday notch on my belt of life but because I notice the individuals who’d made frivolous and faulted resolutions on January 1st realize they will falter again. You see, February is when good things start to happen for many of these individuals. They realize it’s not half-hearted resolutions that will make a change; it’s goals and actions–the “dreamer and doer syndrome”–that has the power!
NSA legend Charlie “Tremendous” Jones speaks of “straining and stretching to find the real us” in all aspects of life. How many of us started 2005 with these generic resolutions: “get more clients and speaking gigs”; “lose more weight”; “exercise more”; “spend more time with family” and so on. We’ve heard and said them all! But what would happen if we set SMART goals, took action, and really stretched?
When we base our actions on SMART (Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Realistic, Timely) goals and apply them through persistent action and give ourselves permission to try, we move forward. Sometimes we fall short of our goals, but it’s amazing how we thrive when we start with this intent.
The great inventor Thomas Edison told his new young president Samuel Insull (when Insull was first assigned to introduce electricity to Chicago) “be a brilliant success…or a brilliant failure but whatever you do, dream and do big.” Powerful words of advice and encouragement. Do we hold these words true for our businesses and ourselves?
Interestingly, this encounter between Edison and Insull occurred only months after a New York Times newspaper columnist wrote: “… in reviewing Thomas Edison’s attempt to bring electricity to Pearl Street Station in New York, each of his endeavors has proven to be unreliable and useless in value.” And this was printed in the largest newspaper in America! How do we respond when things don’t go great for us, when we get knocked down and bruised? Do we continue to believe in our “brilliance” as Edison did? I hope so!
After all these notches on my belt of life, I’ve come to realize my only failure is when I “fail to try” or I simply don’t learn. Other than that, life is all good. SMART goals, persistent action, and our own permission to try will bring amazing results. Dream and do, stretch who you are, and you’ll thrive in 2005.
To your journey of inspiration and achievement.
Ted Rogers, President, NSA-Arizona
P.S. We hope to see you in Burbank, California, on February 4-6 for the NSA Winter Workshop. It will be loaded with information and opportunities to help you get to where you want to go! Also attend the NSA Chapter Leadership Workshop that begins on Friday, February 4th at 8:00 a.m. Take advantage of this great information and networking opportunity.
NSA-Arizona Monthly Meeting
Saturday, February 12, 8:30 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.; Candidates Program 12:15 p.m.
Our featured presenter Lois Creamer speaks from experience–hers and many others!
Since founding her consultancy, Book More Business, she has helped many speakers grow their practices, both as a cheerleader and strategist. Her clients include the superstars of tomorrow as well as many such superstars Karyn Buxman, CSP, CPAE, Roger Crawford, CPAE, Mark Scharenbroich, CSP, CPAE, Jeffery Gitomer, CSP, John Crudele, CSP, Tim Richardson, CSP, Marjorie Brody, CSP, Patti Hathaway, CSP. Count Arizona’s own Pamela Jett Aal among her clients, too.
Rumor has it that Jack Canfield of “Chicken Soup” fame is using Lois’s work to position his book Success Principles. At this session, she’ll show you how to position your business and products in today’s markets.
Voice of Experience–The Cure for the Reluctant Author
To encourage you to get that first–or next–book written, professional writer/editor Barbara McNichol spells out a variety of ways to get your ideas on paper and produce a product you’re proud of.
Candidates Program–Internet Marketing
Starts promptly at 12:15 p.m.
Alan Rigg, co-chair of the Candidates Program, shares his experiences from a recent internet marketing project that resulted in new business and speaking leads, 80+ e-book sales, and 1,500 new mini-course and newsletter subscribers–all in just 8 weeks.
Date: Saturday, February 12, 2005, 9:00 am - 12 noon; networking 8:30 am
Location: NSA Conference Center, 1500 S. Priest Dr., Tempe, AZ
Prepaid registration (by 5 p.m. Wed., Feb. 9): $25/members, $35/guests
At-the-door registration: $35/members, $45/guests
To register for this meeting, please follow these prepayment procedures.
Prepayment Procedures: To streamline check-in at monthly meetings, the board now requires that you prepay for your meeting attendance. Members save $10 when they prepay by 5 p.m. on the Wednesday before the Saturday meeting. Registration at the door (available as space allows) is at the full rate of $35 for members and $45 for nonmembers. Thanks for your cooperation with these new procedures.
Note from Executive Director Gwen Henson: We’re happy to keep your credit card on file for meeting payments but it’s not an automatic service. Please specifically ask us to do that.
Three ways to register:
- Online
- By email: send name, company, and number of attendees to Gwen@nsa-arizona.org
- By telephone: call (480) 968-7443
Living Room Forum
**Wednesday, January 26 Living Room Forum: Coaching and Consulting **
7 p.m. to 9 p.m.
At this forum, Marcia Reynolds facilitates a discussion about how to integrate coaching with your speaking business and how to build a solid coaching practice.
Cost: $15 members, $20 guests.
Directions: 5139 N. 10th Place, Phoenix, AZ, 85014. 10th Place is WEST of 16th Street off of Camelback. Turn north onto 10th Place.
Tuesday, February 22 Living Room Forum: Writing and Publishing
7 p.m. to 9 p.m.
This forum focuses on issues about writing and publishing at the home of Bette Dowdell.
Cost: $15 members, $20 guests.
Mark your calendars for these upcoming Forums in 2005:
Mar. 30 — Tim Davis, Humor
Apr. 26 — Michelle May, Seminar/Workshop
May 25 — Bill Johnson, Consultant/Coach
Three ways to register
- Online
- By email: send name, company, and number of attendees to Gwen@nsa-arizona.org
- By telephone: call (480) 968-7443
Future NSA-Arizona Programs 2005
March 12, 2005 — Terry Brock, CSP
April 9, 2005 — Dick Bruso, Branding
May 14, 2005 — Jane Atkinson, Promoting Your Business
June 11, 2005 — Eileen McDargh, CSP, CPAE
**Order NSA-Arizona Program Tapes **
Couldn’t attend our fabulous meetings featuring Paulson, Poynter and Poscente, Labalme and Leblanc, Calloway, Sanborn and McKain, Friedman and Sjodin, Burgett and Godek, our own Steve Tyra and more? Order their presentations (starting with Aldonna Ambler in January 2002) on audiocassette for $10.00 each. Send an email to Gwen@NSA-Arizona.org to request the order form. Additional charge for shipping.
Future NSA Programs 2005
Last Call for Winter Workshop, Burbank, California
February 4-6, 2005
Lights! Cutting-edge education will illuminate ways to improve your speaking business.
Camera! Get ready for glamour at Saturday night’s festivities.
Action! From the excitement of the main platform presentations to the rockin’ sounds of the NSA All Star Blues Band, this meeting will have it all. Make your plans to Enjoy the Journey, Hollywood Style, at Hilton Burbank Airport hotel. Go to {{link http://www.nsaspeaker.org NSA> for full details and to register.
The NSA Humor Lab: Putting Funny in Your Pocket
April 29 - May 1, 2005 — NSA Headquarters, Tempe, AZ
Do you think your presentations are funny? Guess what? They could be funnier…after you attend a weekend retreat with seven of NSA’s top “fun guns” for a Humor Lab on developing and delivering humorous material.
Here’s what’s in it for you:
- Five incredible sessions full of tips and techniques to improve the humor in your material;
- An opportunity to interact with the faculty to apply the information to meet your specific needs;
- A weekend at NSA Headquarters in Tempe, AZ;
- An opportunity to present your material and have the faculty and other participants make it funnier;
- Small group discussions where you can brainstorm and discuss the topics with one of the faculty and other participants;
- Networking opportunities;
- A chance to kiss the ring of NSA President Scott Friedman;
- The eternal gratitude of Lab Chairs, Ron Culberson, MSW, CSP and Mark Scharenbroich, CSP, CPAE.
Sign up today at http://www.nsaspeaker.org
The Global Speakers Summit, “Internationally Speaking–A World of Possibilities”
March 31-April 2, 2005
Hosted in Singapore by the International Federation for Professional Speakers
International Federation for Professional Speakers is comprised of the National Associations of Australia, Canada, Europe, New Zealand, United States, and soon to include Singapore.
Join professional speakers from all over the world to explore platform excellence, international business opportunities, multi-cultural protocol, and the latest technology for speakers and trainers.
The Global Speakers Summit kicks off on Thursday, March 31 with a look at the global speaking market and the many different business models that support it. Learn the latest trends and what you need to do to capitalize on them. The second day celebrates April Fool’s Day with the funniest of the funny. The event continues with a wide range of timely topics all geared to boost your business beyond the borders. With the Asian economy being the fastest growing in the world and international business booming, this is the perfect time to think universally, speak internationally, and sell globally.
If you want to develop world-class content for culturally diverse audiences, Singapore is where you want to be! You can: Attend the Global Speakers Showcase introducing you to top literary agents and vendors for international publishing, licensing agreements and worldwide distribution networks. Meet with international seminar promoters and agents to discover how to launch new markets for your products and services along the Pacific Rim. Discover the latest learning resources and technology to disseminate your intellectual property globally.
To register, please click http://www.asiaspeakers.org/online_registration.html
NSA’s National Conference
July 9-12, 2005
Hyatt Regency Atlanta
Atlanta, Georgia
Look for details in future issues of News Flash and at http://www.nsaspeaker.org
Speaker/Speech Development Lab
Join the NSA Speakers Lab every second and fourth Tuesday morning from 9 a.m.-11:00 a.m. at NSA Headquarters in Tempe. Here’s your chance to try out new material, revise current material, practice delivery, and receive feedback from NSA speaking colleagues at this Lab. It’s open to both regular and candidate members. Fees for participation are $75/year for those expecting to attend half of the meetings or more; $20 per meeting for those who drop in randomly; $50 for random attendees who want to perform and receive feedback only on the day they attend.
Questions? Contact Don Thoren, CPAE, at dthoren@cox.net or Eileen Roth at EileenRoth@aol.com
Business-Building Bulletin
This bulletin publicizes events of interest to NSA-Arizona members and to announce member accomplishments. When more announcements are sent in, you’ll receive dedicated Business-Building Bulletin issues in addition to News Flash.
Start the New Year Right with Healthy Teleseminars! Are you ready to focus on great things for the coming year? If your New Year’s resolutions include better eating and better weight control, here’s the right information to get you on target. Erleen Tilton is hosting The Healthy Fundamentals Teleseminars every week on Tuesdays from now until March 1 at 11:00 a.m. MST. Topics answer unsolved dilemmas and give healthy, low-fat menu ideas. Take advantage of this low-cost offer and share it with your friends. To find out more, go to {{link http://www.erleentilton.com/Teleseminars.shtml#tele Erleen Tilton>
Leading Achievers Coaching Group
January, February, March
Leadership coach and professional speaker Arlene Rosenberg offers group coaching that will move your business to the next level. Over three months, you’ll develop a vision and strategic plan, a new way of attracting clients, and a support system that won’t let you down. Meetings will be held the second and fourth Monday of the month during January, February, and March, 2005. It’s limited to 10 people.
Cost: $450 for the six sessions ($400 if paid before December 20). Call 732-431-0086 for full details or email alenox@thersoenberggroup.com
Jim Patterson, Lightning Source, “Demand Driven Publishing (POD)”
Monday, January 31, 2005, 5:30-8:00 p.m.
Prime Hotel & Suites, 427 N. 44th St., Phoenix
$35 members, $45 non-members, with $10 discount for advance payment
Publishers and authors are looking for opportunities to maximize earnings and control costs. Growing publisher/author needs have created a new industry to support today’s changing book manufacturing–Demand Driven Publishing–an Industry Built by Demand. Jim will reveal: Why Print on Demand? A discussion of the benefits and drawbacks of short run, one-off and on-demand printing. Please register at {{link http://www.azbookpub.com>, RSVP to the ABPA hotline (602) 274-6264 or info@azbookpub.com.
Article by Kathy Marcil Published in National Magazine
Congratulations to Kathy Marcil whose article “Personal Mission Statements Challenge Clients to be Remarkable” was published in Addiction Professional, a clinical magazine for addiction treatment and prevention. Her article was edited by Barbara McNichol.
Recent Publicity for Terry, Shipman
Arizona Republic’s Business Buzz column announced Beth Terry’s appointment as Women of Scottsdale’s newest director on Jan. 8, 2005.
Professional member Eileen Roth and candidate member Sue Shipman were recently featured in an article in the Arizona Republic on organizing. Sue is president of the Arizona Chapter of the National Association of Professional Organizers.
Raleigh Pinskey, CEO of Raleigh Communications, was honored by The Arizona Small Business Association and Bill Johnson, Chairman of their Authors and Speakers Roundtable, with the Outstanding Authors and Speakers Roundtable Presentor Award for 2004.
What business-building events of interest to NSA-Arizona members are coming up? What new books and tapes will you launch soon? Send your announcements to Barbara at editor@barbaramcnichol.com
**Humor Tip **
In this month’s humor tip, Steve Tyra says “If in doubt, throw it out!”
After watching cable TV and major motion pictures and observing today’s younger audiences, you might think it’s OK to cross the line and throw in a few “off color” jokes.
Forget it–unless you are truly doing stand-up comedy in a real comedy club. There are better ways to be funny than to be offensive. Keep in mind that you offend a certain percentage of your audience just by existing. Why add to that angry mob by deliberately offending them?
Oh, and it goes without saying, self-deprecating humor is definitely the way to go. When you poke fun at yourself first, it gives the audience permission to laugh at and with you. This is especially important if you have features that can be sources of humor. For example: tall, short, bald, hairy, accents, young, old, fat, or thin. You can even have an odd name or be a former politician and make fun of it.
When you point out your “unusual attribute” and laugh at it, then the audience forgets about it and you can move on with your presentation. If that doesn’t work, you can always make fun of some imaginary friend or relative with all the human foibles and failings you can invent. And if you’re afraid to offend your imaginary friend, feel free to make fun of me!
Word Trippers from the Platform
This feature from Barbara McNichol helps you find the exact word for your presentation or written piece.
Rigid, rigorous — “Rigid” implies uncompromising inflexibility, as in rigid rules of conduct. “Rigorous” suggests hardship and difficulty as in rigorous training to become an Olympic athlete. “The team’s rigorous goals required its members to follow a rigid practice schedule.”
Rise, raise — “Rise” means to get up or move from a lower to higher position; “raise” means to lift an object or bring up something (e.g., raise children). “If you want your taxes to rise, please raise your hand.”
Rout, route — “Rout” (pronounced like shout) is an overwhelming defeat; it also means to rummage or dig up (e.g., rout through the laundry). “Route” (pronounced either root or rout) refers to a course, way, or road. “The route to being in a championship is arduous while the event itself can either be a close game or a rout.”
Word Trippers are featured in The Door Opener, an ezine that helps you open doors to your dreams through the written word. Subscribe at {{link http://www.barbaramcnichol.com> or send an email to editor@barbaramcnichol.com
**Website Wisdom **
Keep in mind the “little things” from webmaster Kendall Summerhawk that can make your website support your business more effectively.
Tip: Don’t be concerned about putting long testimonials on your website. Long testimonials do a great job of letting potential clients know the results they can expect. If you don’t want to publish the entire testimonial, edit it like this, “…part of the testimonial here like this…”
Worth Repeating
These quotations for February are from The Woman’s Book of Powerful Quotations (National Association of Women Writers).
To love what you do and feel that it matters–how could anything be more fun? - Katherine Graham
Success is liking yourself, liking what you do, and liking how you do it. - Maya Angelou
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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