In this issue:

• President’s Message from Alan Rigg
• NSA-Arizona September 8 Monthly Meeting
• Meeting Sponsor for September
• Living Room Forum for 2007-2008
• NSA Convention CDs available to chapter members
• Have You Heard About Banner’s Incredible Adventure?
• Upcoming NSA Programs
• Speech Development Lab
• Business-Building Bulletin
• Word Trippers from the Platform
• About This Newsletter

President’s Message from Alan Rigg

How Do We Stay Relevant?

This question was at the forefront of my mind as I attended this year’s NSA convention in San Diego. It took on additional importance when I listened to Mark LeBlanc deliver his address after being sworn in as NSA president. At the core of Mark’s message was a series of statements that went something like this: “We are not the National Consultants Association. We are not the National Trainers Association. We are not the National Coaches Association. We are the National SPEAKERS Association!”

OK, Mark, that’s a valid point. However, we need to keep in mind that our audiences of the future (frequently referred to as Generation Y) have been growing up in the age of Google, MySpace, YouTube, and blogging. They consume information on demand and on their terms. What’s going to compel them to transport themselves to big rooms in specific locations so they can sit and listen to us speak to them from the stage? Wouldn’t it be wise to also consider how we can make our messages available in other formats so our audiences can consume the value we provide when and where (and in segments of whatever length) they please?

It appears our NSA-Arizona members are already thinking about these questions. More than 60 of you responded to a recent seven-question survey sent out by your board of directors. There was remarkable consistency in the answers provided by both professional and candidate members. Probably the most telling question was one that asked respondents to identify their ideal mix of revenue sources. What was the ideal mix for the group as a whole? One that includes revenues from speaking fees, consulting, training, coaching, teleseminars, webinars, and product sales.

Yes, we ARE the National Speakers Association. However, we are not the National KEYNOTE Speakers Association. Speeches can be delivered in many forms and by many different media. Isn’t it smart business to leverage the value we gain from speaking to generate other (multiple) revenue streams?

Your board of directors is committed to using your survey answers to identify and invite the kinds of speakers that can help you generate an ideal mix of revenue streams. This approach also gives us what is our best chance of remaining relevant as our audiences continue to shift and change.

I look forward to seeing you September 8th at the first meeting of our new board year. Let’s make it a great one!

Sincerely,

Alan Rigg
President, NSA-Arizona

NSA-Arizona Monthly Meeting

September 8, 2007

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

Strategic Planning: How did Robert Bradford build a multimillion-dollar speaking business when he sucks at sales?

Let Robert Bradford walk you through the critical steps in strategically planning your own course to success! Learn great secrets of making money in the areas of:

• Market Segment Analysis
• Competitor Evaluation
• Identifying Strategic Competency
• Formulating Killer Strategies
• Crafting Objectives for Results

Robert will address how to get clients to call YOU, using:

• The secret to selling without selling
• How to design your “money machine”
• How to multiply every dollar you spend on marketing

A lucky few will get time in the “hot seat” to have part of your game plan critiqued and improved with specific, useable tips! You’ll learn strategies behind every great speaking business and walk. You will get worksheets to develop or fine tune your strategy and come away with clear “how to” instructions! No, it won’t be an overblown fluffy, PowerPoint presentation; Robert presents battle-tested tools that will help you make more money!

Robert Bradford left Wall Street in 1987 to build a one-person consulting business into a multimillion-dollar nationwide organization. He wrote the Simplified Strategic Planning Manual, the best-selling Simplified Strategic Planning: a No-Nonsense Guide for Busy People Who Want Results Fast!, and three other books on management. He leads strategic planning in dozens of companies in a wide variety of industries. Last year, Robert’s corporate clients increased their net profits by over $50 billion.

“Robert distills his experience into very clear examples, pertinent anecdotes, and humorous tales of what works and what doesn’t.” -Joe Perotto, DR Power Equipment

VOE: What Writers Need to Know About Publishing – Jerry Simmons

Do you want the behind-the-scenes, hard facts about the publishing business that authors should know? Former Time Warner VP Sales Jerry Simmons discusses how publishers manage their business, what they look for in acquiring new manuscripts, and how to avoid becoming a casualty of the system and having your career end prematurely.

Jerry spent more than 23 years in sales and management for Time Warner Communications and The Time Warner Book Group. There, he worked with best-selling authors and titles, including Megatrends, Simple Abundance, and Rich Dad, Poor Dad. Today, he helps writers become successfully published authors by educating them about the business of publishing.

Stephanie Angelo is chair of the Programs Committee 2007-2008.

Candidate Program: Your First 20: The Pathway to Professional Membership

Starts promptly at 12:15 p.m. – all morning attendees welcome.

The only thing standing between Candidate status and NSA Professional membership is 20 paid speaking engagements in one year. If your goal is to get your first (or next) 20 paid gigs this year, hold on to your hat! At this Candidate’s meeting, we’ll share our members’ best ideas, tips, and techniques for finding paid speaking engagements.

PROFESSIONAL MEMBERS: We need your experience! Where and how did you get your first paid speaking engagements? Where and how do you get them now? Please send an email to Michelle May MMay@AmIHungry.com with “Speaking for Fee” in the subject line to offer your suggestions for getting paid to speak. Please be as specific and practical as possible. And join us at this program to hear great ideas from your colleagues.

Here are two examples of what we’re looking for:

Michelle May, MD: Medical conferences sometimes feature for non-clinical topics like communication skills, stress management, running a small business, marketing, technology, leadership, humor in the work place or spirituality. Medical association websites usually have a link to their upcoming conference brochures so look at the type of topics they cover – and don’t be afraid to submit a proposal for something different as long as it is relevant.

Dave Sherman: When I first got started, I created strong alliances with Chambers of Commerce and other groups. I was able to do programs through these organizations for a per person fee. Every time I did, it counted as a paid engagement. I also did my own programs that generated good fees and I counted, also. It’s not hard to get your first 20 when you use some creative thinking.

Special note: This year’s goal for the Candidate Program is to move our Candidate members to the next level—and that may apply to Professional Members, too. Participants are encouraged to form mastermind groups for support and accountability. All featured speakers promise to deliver practical, action-oriented presentations. Get ready to take it up a notch; don’t miss a meeting!

Dave Sherman and Dr. Michelle May chair the Candidate Program Committee 2007-2008.

SUPPORT OUR MEETING SPONSOR

Sonoran Visual Media

Sonoran Visual Media specializes in professional speaker, corporate, informational, product, event, Web, and e-mail video applications. This company produces speaker demo videos including packaging and DVD design and duplication. Its NSA clients include Lenora Billings-Harris, CSP, Bob Pike, CSP, Bill Johnson, CSP, June Cline, CSP, Andrea Beaulieu and more.

Let Sonoran help you get your video live today. See samples at http://www.sonoranvisualmedia.com

For details, contact Neil Schneider, president and CEO at (602) 283-4440 or neil@sonoranvisualmedia.com

Hilari Weinstein chairs the Sponsorship Committee 2007-2008

To register for this meeting and save $10, follow these prepayment procedures.

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.

Three ways to register:

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

Living Room Forum – See You September 26

We kick off the 2007/2008 programs on Wednesday, September 26th with our first session for consultants and coaches and more to follow.

Our September Living Room Forum focuses on Consultants/Coaches. Our facilitator is Andrea Beaulieu, and our host is Kathy Marcil. Join us on Wednesday, September 26, from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m.

How do you know if coaching/consulting is for you? If it is, how can you add or expand your services to include coaching and consulting?

1. Do you have the desire, and if so, why? How will this be of service to yourself and your potential clients? Is this a way to express your purpose?

2. Are you willing to put in the time to identify how to take what you know and apply it in a consulting or coaching capacity? If so, write down three things you could do right now to support your clients as a coach or consultant.

3. Do you have the discretionary income to develop the written and web-based information you will need to both market and conduct coaching/consulting? What do you think you would need?

4. Are you willing to get additional training and spend time testing it for free to add these services to your repertoire? If so, what kind of training do you think you might need?

Andrea Beaulieu teaches seven practices to finding and following your authentic voice–that intuitive wisdom within us all–as a speaker, workshop presenter and coach. She has owned her own marketing/communication consulting business, Andrea Beaulieu Creates, LLC, for more than 20 years, and worked with dozens of clients in the fields of health care, hospitality, the gift industry and nonprofit management.

Kathy Marcil will be hosting the evening at Lincoln and Scottsdale Rd.
When you register, you’ll receive directions via email. Please watch your inbox.

Living Room Forums are from 7 PM – 9 PM.
A light dinner will be provided.
Cost: $15 members $25 Guests
Registration and payment required in advance.
http://nsa-arizona.org/meetings/living-room-forums/sept-26/

Reserve these important dates now!

Topic	Date
Authors/Publishers	October 24, 2007
Seminar/Workshop	November 28, 2007
Humorists	January 23, 2008
Consultants/Coaches	February 27, 2008
Authors/Publishers	March 26, 2008
Seminar/Workshop	April 23, 2008
Humorists	May 28, 2008

Get more out of your membership. Get involved in the Living Room. We are looking for hosts and facilitators for these sessions. Contact co-chairs Kitty Wiemelt kitty@kittywiemelt.com or Kathy Marcil kathy@kmarcil.com

Kitty Wiemelt and Kathy Marcil co-chair Living Room Forum, 2007-2008

NSA Convention CDs available to chapter members

NSA-Arizona purchased the recordings of the 2007 NSA Convention held this July in San Diego. Whether you attended the Convention or simply heard about the value of the presentations, you’ll no doubt be interested in the opportunity to learn more by hearing these recordings.

Two of our members Vickie Bouffard and Debra Exner are preparing the CDs so that you can check them out starting September 8 at our general meeting. We’ll be tracking usage in order to determine whether the chapter will purchase future Convention recordings, so be sure to make use of this opportunity. As a courtesy to all members, thanks for returning them promptly, too!

Have You Heard About Banner’s Incredible Adventure?

In case you’re not aware of sensational rescue of Larry Colbert’s seeing-eye dog Banner, we want you to know that Banner’s story hit the news from coast to coast! We are just amazed at all the care and concern people have shown after Banner got injured on Friday, July 13 at Sky Harbor Airport.

What happened to make this such a great story? First watch the video that features Larry, Steve Tyra, and Beth Terry explaining what happened on YouTube at http://youtube.com/watch?v=YZ17L8j6bsY. Then read the The Banner Report at http://bannerboy.wordpress.com for the latest news of his recovery—and the honors earned by Southwest Airlines employees who saved his life.

Upcoming NSA Programs

NSA Jam Session: Technology Lab—Sept. 28-30—Seattle, WA Gain Control of the Technology in Your Office and Put It to Work for You! The early registration deadline for the Technology Lab is Friday, August 31.

This event covers the technology in your business office: how to make the most of what you have and how to plan for growth. Visit the Jam Session home page, http://www.nsaspeaker.org/technology_lab/index.shtml, for a complete schedule, registration and hotel information, and Frequently Asked Questions.

NSA Jam Session: Product Development Lab—Nov. 30-Dec. 2—New Orleans, LA Developing Products, Services and Platform Skills that Create Revenue Streams, Position a Unique Expertise and Help Close the Deal

SpeakerPalooza San Francisco! NSA’s Winter Meeting—Feb. 14-17—San Francisco, CA NSA’s Four Day Festival of ROCK-Solid Value for Your Speaking Business…Not a Workshop, not a University, not a Convention

NSA-Arizona Speaker Development Lab

Great news! Steve Tyra has generously volunteered to share microphone techniques with the Speaker Lab on Tuesday, September 11th. Guests are welcome to attend this special presentation, experience the magic of the Speaker Lab and learn from an expert.

At a cost of $75 per year (easily paid at the NSA-Arizona website www.nsa-arizona.org), attending this Lab is a true bargain. Please attend the Tuesday morning Speakers Lab at 9:30 a.m. to 11:45 a.m. and/or the evening Speakers Lab at 6:15 to 8:30 p.m.

Upcoming Lab dates:
Tuesday, September 11 – AM Speaker Lab – all slots are filled.
Tuesday, September 18 – PM Speaker Lab – slots still available.
Tuesday, September 25 – AM Speaker Lab – all slots are filled.

To schedule a speaking slot or to be placed on a waiting list, contact the coordinators below:

The AM Speaker Lab held on the 2nd and 4th Tuesday of the month is coordinated by Celeste Bumpus. She can be reached at celeste@celestebumpus.com or 602- 430-2786. Location: NSA Headquarters, 500 South Priest Drive, Tempe.

The PM Speaker Lab held on the 3rd Tuesday of the month is coordinated by Silver Rose. She can be reached at 602-354-7193 or silver@silverspeaks.com. Location: Sherman Training Center, 4600 E. Shea Blvd, Phoenix, AZ (main cross streets are Tatum & Shea).

Business-Building Bulletin

AzMPI’s Educational Conference and Trade Show September 11

Register to attend the 5th Annual MPI Arizona Educational Conference & Tradeshow, “Event and Meeting Solutions for the Global Community” being held Tuesday, September 11 at the new West Building of the Phoenix Convention Center. This year’s event features a full-day educational component developed to meet the needs of a seasoned meeting planner or a beginner to the business.

Member Achievements

Eileen Roth has recently earned her CPO—that’s a Certified Professional Organizer. Eileen became one of just 200 people nationwide to become a CPO.

Loretta Love Huff has received the prestigious MBE (Minority Business Enterprise) Supplier of the Year Award for 2006 from the Grand Canyon Minority Supplier Development Council (GCMSDC). Loretta enjoys the unique distinction of having received this award two out of the last three years. “We are impressed with the contributions Loretta has made over the years and this award is a well-deserved expression of her impact,” said Ron Williams, CEO and President of GCMSDC, which is the Arizona affiliate of the National Minority Supplier Development Council.

Somers White was honored as Legend of the Speaking Profession at a Washington D.C.-area dinner on August 25. Somers is a founding member of NSA and our NSA-Arizona Chapter. The honor is given to five speakers each year chosen on an International basis by the Veteran Speakers Retreat. Past presidents of NSA founded the annual event. Also honored were past NSA presidents Dr. Terry Paulson and Al Walker.

Bill Johnson is offering a special CD set to each NSA-Arizona member who enrolls in “Speaking Made Fun and Easy,” which will be held at ASBA on September 25. http://www.SpeakerTools.com/Secrets/

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

Word Trippers from the Platform

Ever get tripped up by confusing common words? This column helps you select the perfect word when it matters most—whether you’re writing or speaking.

Voracious, vicious – “Voracious” means having an insatiable appetite. “Vicious” means characterized by violent or destructive behavior. “Voracious viewers of action movies are more likely to mimic the vicious behavior they see on screen than those who don’t.”

Waver, waiver – “Waver” (verb) means to move unsteadily back and forth, to show indecision, to falter; to tremble or quaver in sound; to flicker or glimmer in light. “Waiver” is an intentional relinquishment of a right, claim, or privilege (also the document that evidences such relinquishment). “The officials didn’t waver in their decision about accepting any liability for injuries. They made the athlete sign a waiver of responsibility before allowing her to compete.”

Weary, wary – “Weary” means to be physically or mentally tired due to hard work, exertion, strain; it also means to be impatient or dissatisfied with something (e.g., weary of excuses). “Wary” is being watchful or cautiously on guard against danger. “Even if you become weary while driving, being wary of the traffic around you is your first priority.”

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.

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