In this edition:

• President’s Message from Alan Rigg
• NSA-Arizona February 9 Monthly Meeting
• Meeting Sponsor for February
• Congrats to New VP
• New NSA-Arizona Members
• Upcoming NSA-Arizona Programs
• Living Room Forum
• NSA-Arizona Speaker Lab
• NSA National Updates
• Business-Building Bulletin
• Word Trippers from the Platform
• About This Newsletter
• “A New Outreach Forum Benefits Speakers Worldwide”

President’s Message from Alan Rigg

Leverage Your Message: Produce LARGE Incremental Revenue Streams with Profitable Products

Since this is the February NSA-Arizona newsletter and Valentine’s Day is celebrated in February, it makes sense to focus this newsletter on LOVE, right? That’s exactly what I’m going to do, but I won’t be commenting about love between people. Instead, I’m commenting on my love of leveraging a single message to produce MULTIPLE revenue streams!

How can you do this? By creating products.

Both the VOE and the main stage speaker for our February meeting will share their expertise in creating highly profitable products. This DOESN’T mean books! Rather, main stage speaker Marilee Driscoll will explain how to create products that produce an AVERAGE product order of $500. VOE Kirstin Carey will tell us about a product that generated more than $17,000 during its first 7 days of promotion. Plus, Kirstin can point to nearly $100,000 of spin-off speaking and consulting contracts that resulted from a SINGLE product sale.

What is the condition of your product funnel? More important (and directly related to the condition of your product funnel), what is the condition of your bank account? If you have been looking for information to help you leverage your speaking expertise and unique message to create significant incremental revenue streams, don’t miss the February meeting.

I look forward to seeing you there!

Alan Rigg, NSA-Arizona President 2007-2008

NSA-Arizona Monthly Meeting – February 9, 2008

Time: 9:00 a.m. - 12 noon; networking 8:30 a.m.; Business Building Session 12:15 p.m.
Location: NSA Conference Center, 1500 S. Priest Dr., Tempe, AZ
Prepaid registration (by 5 p.m. Wed., Feb. 6): $30/members, $45/guests
At-the-door registration (after Feb. 6): $40/members, $55/guests
No refunds after the early registration deadline.

Please notify us if you require any special needs for the meeting.

How Every Speaker can Create and Sell High-Profit Products–Marilee Driscoll

Marilee Driscoll’s concurrent session on this topic at the 2005 NSA national convention wasn’t even standing room only—there wasn’t that much room! When they stopped letting people in to her session, a group of about 20 people stayed in the hallway and listened to the session from there! The audio recording of Marilee’s session was the #3 bestseller-–out of 92!

From no product to average product order of $500, without pre-sales, back-of-room, corporate sales or platform selling! It’s a steep learning curve, but it just takes know-how—not money—to get started. You’ll get ideas for new products and/or how to repackage and promote current products to make them more profitable.

• You’ll discover why people will pay either NOTHING or $500+ for the same info.
• You’ll learn to how to package YOUR information into a $500+ product and reap rewards.

Learn how product development is not only a way to increase revenue, but a way to discover new speaking topics, audiences and even industries. When it comes to products, books are the lowest-margin, lowest-priced item that you can offer (so, why would you?). Speakers frequently need ways to boost their income while using the work they’ve already done.

Marilee is a speaker, author, columnist, and consultant. She speaks and writes on how business owners can raise credibility and profitability through effective marketing, branding, and PR.

Special Offer

Marilee has graciously offered 1-hour, private consultations in N. Phoenix Monday after her presentation, February 11. She has discounted her regular $350 fee to $250 per hour and has also generously offered to donate $50 per hour to our chapter. Go to http://www.Speaker123.com to sign up. If you’re not able to see Marilee in person on February 11, she offers phone consultations provided they occur within 30 days of the meeting.

VOE: Make More Money by Developing the Right Products–Kirstin Carey

Professional speakers get business the hard way and the easy way. The hard way includes expensive advertising, costly promotions, and painstaking cold calls. The easy way involves strategically created products, fantastic referrals, and great speeches. Which way would you rather run your business? Let’s face it, if you don’t have the right product, then you miss out on direct product sales and the indirect sales of speaking, training, and consulting that come from effective products. How much money and business have you lost because you don’t have the right product—or any product at all?

Learn the simple steps involved with pre-creation, development, market and selling products that will actually make you money. Find out how to make your current product more effective. Turn what you already have into fast revenue so you don’t have to work so hard for great results.

Since 1994, Kirstin Carey has been helping companies make more money, find better clients, and sell more effectively. She specializes in working with organizations in creative industries such as catering, interior design, and event planning. Her latest product series of books and audio programs called “Starving Artist No More, Hearty Business Strategies for Creative Folks” has helped leverage her business into solid success. She is Immediate Past President of the Mid-Atlantic Chapter, an NSA Chapter Leadership Consultant and Chair of Speaker magazine for 2008-2009. A Philadelphia native, Kirstin now lives in North Phoenix with her husband Tom and their two dogs.

Stephanie Angelo stephanie@hressential.com heads the Program Committee 2007-2008.

Business Building Session–More High-Profit Product-Making with Marilee

Formerly call the Candidate Program, this Business Building Session starts promptly at 12:15 p.m. until 1:30. All morning attendees are welcome.

Marilee Driscoll will expand on the topic of how to create high-profit products in this practical, hands-on workshop. Apply what you learned in the morning session to develop your own action plan for creating your next high-profit product.

Dave Sherman dave@connectionspro.com and Dr. Michelle May mmay@amihungry.com head the Candidate Committee 2007-2008.

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Prepayment Procedures: To streamline check-in at our monthly meetings, please prepay for your meeting attendance. Members and guests 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 $40 for members and $55 for nonmembers.

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.

To register for this meeting and save $10, follow these prepayment procedures. Three ways to register:

1. Online: go to http://nsa-arizona.org/meetings/februrary-9/
2. By email: send name, company, and number of attendees to Gwen@nsa-arizona.org
3. By telephone: call (480) 968-7443

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SUPPORT OUR MEETING SPONSOR–Mullins Creative

Mullins Creative is a top-notch, award-winning print communications studio that offers eye-popping graphic design, print collateral, and advanced publishing capabilities.

Since 1991, Mullins Creative has served clients of all sizes, from one-person consultancies to the world’s largest printing company. NSA members can look to Mullins for attention-getting logos, one-sheets, business cards, book covers and content design, bookmarks, pocket folders, postcards, brochures, you name it.

Top-notch speakers deserve top-notch marketing collateral. Let Mullins Creative help you hit top-notch. Contact Vickie Mullins at 480-941-8202. http://www.mullinscreative.com

Hilari Weinstein hilari@highimpactcommunication.com heads the Sponsorship Committee 2007-2008

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Congratulations to New Vice President Hilari Weinstein

The NSA-Arizona Board of Directors recently elected Hilari to the position of VP. Hilari was instrumental in helping John Coe launch the NSA-Arizona Sponsorship program, and she has served as Sponsorship Committee Chair for the past year and a half. As part of NSA-Arizona Community Service, she conducted a customized presenter training program for Students Supporting Brain Tumor Research.

Hilari holds a master’s degree in speech communication from the University of Texas at Austin and has received training from Coach University. In addition to her experience in sales and sales training, Hilari has helped clients nationwide make their presentations more effective and engaging. As well as serving on the faculty of the American Council of Engineering Companies (ACEC) Leadership Program, she is a regular columnist for Southwest Contractor Magazine. In the past year, her articles have been published in Speaker Magazine as well as The Phoenix Business Journal. She has also served as vice president of education for AZ Sales Pros.

New NSA-Arizona Members

Welcome to Les Taylor and Lea Haben, our newest professional members.

Upcoming NSA-Arizona Programs

March 8

• Vickie Sullivan, Sponsorships
• VOE: Deborah Gardner, How’s Competition Affecting You?
• BB Session: Writing Your Way to Recognition: Spread YOUR Word with Barbara McNichol and Mary Westheimer

April 12

• Karyn Ruth White, Craft Like a Comic, Sell Like A Speaker
• VOE: Dave Barnhart, Why Your Business Should Have a Blog
• BB Session: E-Marketing Excellence with Ron Cates

May 10

• 30th Anniversary Special Presidents Event
• BB Session: The Business Side of the Speaking Business with Carolyn Brown

June 14

• Mike Rayburn, 17 Ways to Get a Bazillion Bookings
• VOE: Robin Craig/Norma Ory, “Do you know your FIQ™ (First Impression Quotient)?”
• BB Session: (TBD)

Three ways to register: 1. Online: go to http://nsa-arizona.org/meetings/februrary-9/ 2. By email: send name, company, and number of attendees to Gwen@nsa-arizona.org 3. By telephone: call (480) 968-7443

December 2007 Holiday Celebration

Wasn’t that a party! As I’m sure you can appreciate, a successful event like December’s NSA-Arizona Holiday Celebration doesn’t take place without the help of a few dedicated individuals.

First, a huge THANK YOU to Marsha Petrie Sue and her husband, Al, for opening up their home to us. What a wonderful venue and Marsha and Al were the consummate hosts. You both deserve a standing ovation!

Other people who deserve our thanks include: Andrea Beaulieu for helping set up before the crowds arrived; Naomi Rhode, Ian Percy, and John Hersey for donating the gift of their “consulting time” to the Silent Auction; Chef Rachel, Debbie Allen, Marsha Petrie Sue, Victoria Mogilner, Hilari Weinstein, Janita Cooper (Master Duplicating) and Bill Johnson for their donations to the Silent Auction; Alan Rigg for recommending the caterer who was amazing to work with and reasonably priced (Personal Touch Catering - 602.840.6367); Gwen Henson for handling all of the administrative logistics; and Janita Cooper for suggesting we send cards to fellow speaker Wendy Keller, who lost her home during the fires in California. Thanks to each and every one of you!

For those of you who didn’t attend, everyone had a great time socializing with their friends and speaker buddies (and the food was great too!). The NSA-Arizona chapter has a reputation for attracting fun-loving people. If you missed this Holiday Celebration, you missed having a great time. See ya all at our next social event in August!

Neil Dempster, CSP
President-Elect, NSA-Arizona

NSA-Arizona Living Room Forum–February 27

Facilitator Debbie Waitkus, with Golf for Cause®, is a business-golf consultant, speaker and trainer. Based on her experiences as a late comer to the sport, she helps organizations and individuals—especially women and beginners—Get Out, Live Fearlessly. At workshops, educational golf outings, corporate events, and charity tournaments, her creative coaching delivers a positive message that inspires as well as educates. “Turn golf into gold!”® http://www.golfforcause.com

This forum for Consultants/Coaches takes place on Wednesday, February 27 from 7 pm to 9 pm in central Scottsdale. RSVP at http://www.nsa-arizona.org or call Gwen (480) 968-7443. Cost: $15 members, $25 Guests. Registration and payment are required in advance; no refunds. You’ll receive directions when you register.

Reserve these important dates now for future Living Room Forums!

Note: first name is facilitator; second name is host
Michelle May/Janet Miller/ Authors/Publishers Wed. March 26, 2008
Neil Dempster/Neil Dempster/ Seminar/Workshop Wed. April 23, 2008
June Cline/June Cline/ Humorists Wed. May 28, 2008

Kitty Wiemelt kitty@kittywiemelt.com and Kathy Marcil kathy@kmarcil.com co-chair Living Room Forum, 2007-2008

NSA-Arizona Speaker Lab

The Speaker “Lab” is the ultimate opportunity to test new material or refine/improve existing material. The Lab is offered exclusively to members of the “Elite” NSA-Arizona Chapter–the only chapter nationally to offer this unique service. Speakers are allotted 30 minutes to present and receive feedback. Forty-minute slots are also available upon request. Guests are welcome to visit the Lab twice at no charge.

The AM Speaker Lab is held on the 2nd and 4th Tuesday of every month.
Location: NSA Headquarters
1500 South Priest Drive, Tempe, AZ 85281
Time: 9:30 a.m. Networking / 9:45 a.m. to 11:45 a.m. LAB

February 12–1 speaking slot is available.
February 26–all speaking slots are full at this time.

Contact: Celeste Bumpus, 602-430-2786
or celeste@celestebumpus.com

The Evening Speaker Lab meets on the 3rd Tuesday of every month.
Location: Best Western Inn Suites
1615 E. Northern Ave. (SE Corner of Northern & 16th St.)
Please note this location is for evening meetings only.
Time: 6:15 p.m. Networking / 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. LAB

February 19–3 speaking slots are available

Contact: Eileen Proctor, 602-867-3647
or topdog@speaktopdogspeak.com

If you are interested in volunteering to coordinate the AM Speaker Lab in April 2008, please contact: Speaker Lab President Larry Colbert – 602-480-894-2639 or larry@drivingvision.com or Celeste Bumpus, 602-430-2786 or celeste@celestebumpus.com.

The Lab Coordinator term is 6 months (12 meetings). It’s an excellent way to build and strengthen relationships at NSA while learning from others.

NSA National Updates

SpeakerPalooza! NSA’s Winter Meeting

San Francisco, California, February 14 – 17, 2008

NSA’s SpeakerPalooza, brings you more education and networking than any other NSA Workshop in the past. Be sure to arrive in time for the Opening Session with John Miller on Thursday evening, February 14, 2007. 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.mynsa.org/sanfrancisco/

Speaker 2 Speaker Milestone Reached

As of November 30, NSA reached a milestone of recruiting 100 new members thanks to members like you. Great job!

Would you like to go to the 2008 NSA Convention for a discount? NSA has started a new contest for people who bring in new recruits between December 1, 2007 and February 29, 2008. The winner wins 50 percent off of his or her registration fee for the 2008 Convention in New York City! Refer a potential member by calling (480) 968-2552 or contacting Diane Paradise at diane@nsaspeaker.org. We’ll send your referral membership information and you will get the credit when they join. (Recruits from July 1 through November 30, 2007 do not count toward this new contest, but they do count toward the overall campaign.)

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

Bumpus Launches New Book on Nutritious Eating

Are the Blueberries in Your Waffles Really Blueberries? is a guide designed to make eating healthy easier. After all, you can make better eating decisions if you know what’s really in your food! This book decodes over 2,000 whole and processed foods. It’s available for pre-sale at Barnes and Noble online, Amazon.com, and http://www.celestebumpus.com

Schneider’s Video Wins Cutting Edge Award

A video e-mail produced by Neil Schneider and Sonoran Visual Media received the Arizona Society of Association Executives Cutting Edge Award for 2007. Video e-mails are an exciting new technology that allow videos to stream in recipients’ e-mail inboxes. The 45-second video email promoted attendance at the Southwest Landscape and Nursery Expo (SNLE).

NSA-Minnesota Member Starts Speakers Outpost

To read about a new online discussion forum for the speaking industry, see the article at end of this newsletter.

Veteran Speakers Retreat (VSR) to Feature Arizona NSA Members

The annual VSR is held each year in the Washington D.C. area. This year, previously honored “Legends” Don Thoren and Ed Scannell will be introducing two of the five new Legends. Bill Johnson will introduce the posthumous award presenter Past NSA President Don Hutson. Those to be inducted will be Past NSA Presidents Jim Cathcart, Mike McKinley, and Thom Winninger along with Ed Foreman and Danny Cox. Posthumous honors will be accepted by family or friends of the late Dr Kenneth McFarland and Joe Batten.

Speaking Skills Course – Feb. 12, 19

Speaking Skills course to be conducted in a two evening format Tuesdays 5:30 to 8:30 February 12 & 19th. The second evening includes take home videos of participants’ practice speech. The class is limited to 12 attendees with bonus offer of CD set to NSA members/Candidates. Bill@BillJohnson.com 602-870-3333 http://www.speakertools.com/secrets/

New Seminar Leader Opportunity Certification Class – March 10-12

Just released is Ron Willingham’s book Ten Laws of Wealth and Abundance. A course leader’s guide and seminar workbook is being professionally produced as an opportunity for speakers needing additional track for new audiences and revenue. Check out the web site http://TheTenLawsofWealth.com to view the book and program content.

Willingham’s previous programs—Integrity Selling, THE CUSTOMER, and Managing Goals Achievement—have been attended by 1.5 million people in 80 different countries. The first certification class will be held in Scottsdale March 10-12. For copy of the book and to see the materials contact Bill Johnson, CSP. 602-870-3333.

Word Trippers from the Platform

These featured Word Trippers are perennial “stoppers” when it comes to being accurate. I encourage you to pay SPECIAL attention to them—they’re so commonly misused, it’s easy to mistake them for correct.

Affect, effect – “Affect” is a verb meaning to change or influence; “effect” is a verb meaning to bring about; “effect” is also a noun meaning result or outcome. “Your quick action affects (influences) the outcome.” “You can effect (bring about) a change easily.” “The story has a desired effect.”

Among, between – “Among” occurs with MORE THAN two things or people; “between” happens with ONLY two things or people. “Among the 128 members, 92 have e-mail access. Between AOL and Earthlink, AOL is the more popular choice.”

Anecdote, antidote – “Anecdote” is a short account of an incident, a mini-story. “Antidote” is a remedy to counteract the effects of a condition (e.g., poison, disease, etc.). “Telling an anecdote that’s funny is an antidote for boredom.”

Word Trippers are featured in The Door Opener, a newsletter on persuasive writing to open doors to your dreams. Subscribe at http://www.barbaramcnichol.com or send an email to editor@barbaramcnichol.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.

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

A New Outreach Forum Benefits Speakers Worldwide

Stevie Ray, NSA Minnesota Chapter

It was late at night last November and Jerome Mayne, a speaker based in Minnesota, was doing what a lot of us do. He was sitting in his office, by himself, wondering whether he was doing “the business” right. Even though he had developed his speaking business for over five years, he still felt like, in some areas, he was operating blind. Too many questions were answered by assumption instead of fact. Were his fees appropriate for his service? How could he get two engagements out of one? How could he expand his market? He made a few phone calls and sent a few emails, but didn’t hear back right away. Jerome shared the same frustration that many professional speakers face; he was alone. He worked alone in his office. Traveled alone. And spoke alone.

As a member of NSA, he got a lot out of meetings and seminars, but there wasn’t always enough time to talk with other speakers. Sometimes it was impossible to attend meetings since he was often traveling. He also felt like there were so many speakers to connect with from around the country or across the ocean; not just in his local chapter. He thought, “If there were only a way to communicate with all of them, I’d certainly get answers and ideas.” And he might not feel so alone in this business.

The next day he went on his computer and created Speakers Outpost (www.speakersoutpost.com), an online discussion forum for the speaking industry. He started contacting speakers, asking them to join. He certainly didn’t expect the response he got. Launched in early December, the forum already has over 150 members from the United States, Canada, England, Germany, Spain, Israel, Australia, South Africa, and Singapore. The forum is not affiliated with the National Speakers Association, so members include those from within NSA, as well as speakers and service providers from elsewhere in the industry.

The concept is simple. Membership is free, and after registering, members can post questions or reply to other speakers’ posts. Comments can include any subject from negotiating fees, to marketing tips, speaking internationally, client management, even attractions not to miss when speaking in a new city. The feel is informal and friendly, and as such, self-promotion is discouraged.

Part of the success of Speakers Outpost is the variety of members. You not only connect with new and experienced speakers, but service providers, speakers’ bureaus, publishers, and clients. Early response to Speakers Outpost has been very positive.

The goal of all speakers is to grow their business and impact the audiences they serve. What better way to do that than to connect with hundreds of fellow speakers from around the world and share-or debate-the issues that affect us all. You are encouraged to go to Speakers Outpost and share your wisdom, post a question, and help the speaking industry stay connected. Who knows? Someone from across the ocean may have an idea that gets you booked right next door.

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