News from NSA Virginia

The Communicator

A Newsletter for Members of NSA VA

December 2011

In This Issue

Dec. Meeting

What's So Great About NSA National?

Gifts That Fit

Membership Is a Great Gift!

Upcoming Events

Board Members

Quick Links

Register Now for Dec. Meeting

More About Us

Newsletter Coordinator:

Joan Bowling

We appreciate any comments, article submissions and other ideas.

Hello NSA Virginia!

As the holidays approach, my heart is thankful for many things:

The energy, time, and talent of Michel Neray and Todd Cohen who provided excellent Chapter programs in October and November;
The commitment of each member of an outstanding Chapter leadership team (aka the Board);
and YOU! Whether you attend in person or in spirit, the NSA-Va Chapter exists for and because of you.

So in honor of YOU!, the December meeting will not have the usual front-of-the-room presenter. Instead, the first hour will have "Mastermind" tables set up with chapter experts to help you with your speaking business. Whether you need a one-sheet reviewed or you want to talk about how to apply what we've learned in the last few meetings, or you want to start or invigorate a Mastermind group, we'll be ready to serve YOU!

Then the fun really begins. The next two hours will be a Speaker Showcase. One of my goals is for each of us to know one another's "Value Proposition" better so we can refer and promote one another. What better way then to give YOU! a three minute opportunity to strut your stuff and receive feedback from a surprise panel of celebrity judges? So polish up your topic and sign up to present! (After you register, email me at irishhiker@vcu.org. National members will be

given priority in scheduling).

Keep speaking, NSA-Va, and let me know if there's anything YOU! need.

Coleen Kenny

President, NSA Virginia

2nd Annual Mastermind and Speaker Showcase

Join us December 9 in Norfolk for a meeting focused on YOU! We'll have tables set up with "experts" to help guide you on how to create or re-energize a Mastermind group, how to improve your One-Sheet, business card or other materials, and networking tables where you can learn what your fellow speakers are working on and how you can help promote one another.

The remainder of the meeting will be dedicated to strutting our stage stuff! Each speaker will have three minutes to present before a panel of surprise celebrity judges.

Spaces for "Strut Your Stuff" fill quickly, so register for the meeting and then e-mail chapter president Coleen Kenny (this e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it) if you'd like to Strut Your Stuff for the Chapter on December 9.

Click here to register for this program now!

What's So Great About NSA National?

Submitted by Mary Foley

0.7708333333333334 For the past few months I have been sharing what's so great about NSA National membership, but exactly what does it take to qualify to be a National member? Yes, you do have to qualify but the good news is that you've got options! Let's take a look behind Door #1, Door #2 and Door #3:

Door #1: This is a great option if you have been speaking about 1 - 2 times a month for the last 12 months and received compensation for it. To walk through this membership door, you have to have received compensation for 20 or more presentations within 12 months. Supporting documentation can be any of the following: contracts, paid invoices, check copies, speaker agreements, tax returns or documents showing revenue has been generated as a result of your speaking engagements. But don't just think compensation is limited to a speaking fee. Let's say right now you are generally speaking for no fee but have a book, product or service to sell. You can still qualify by simply creating a written speaker agreement with a speaker fee of only $1 (just share why with the meeting planner and often they are happy to help) and receipts showing your sales. That, my friend, is a "paid" speaking gig!

Got questions? Want to review your individual situation with a NSA staff member? Just call them at 480-968-2552 or go online. They are friendly folk and want to help!

Gifts That Fit

0.8670212765957447 For that special speaker in your life, you want that special gift at Christmas time. Here are some gift options to consider that once opened, may generate a delightful, heartfelt thank you speech to you!

BookShot 3D: Yes, you can hire a professional designer to create beautiful 3D books, software boxes and brochures but BookShot3D is an easy alternative. Attractive displays for your products can be a deciding factor for purchase. www.boxshot3d.com.
The Presentation Secrets of Steve Jobs: This book by author Carmine Gallo talks about how to be "insanely great in front of any audience" using Steve Jobs as the model. Jobs is passionate, articulate and polished in his presentations and deconstructs the ingredients so you can, too. www.amazon.com.
Zoom H2 Digital Recorder: Do you record all your speeches? Want a device that is super easy to use and the audio quality is suberb? Try the Zoom H2 Digital Recorder. It runs on batteries or power cord. Post-speech connect to your laptop via USB and copy the mp3 files to your hard drive.

NSA Virginia - A Wonderful Gift to Give Your Friends

By Pam Rambo

Listening to the success stories of the wide variety of professionals in NSA Virginia, I've decided that our organization can be of tremendous benefit to anyone who has expertise and wants to put serious effort into polishing and promoting their inner speaker. Our organization has professionals from business, defense, education, fashion, image, psychology, leadership, wellness, finance, boating, training, personal development, comedy, mass media, entertainment, healing, nutrition, tourism, spirituality, fitness training, gerontology, gender issues, theology, law, investing, information technology, political science, economics, philosophy, publishing, empowerment, writing and many other fields.

Within our organization, we have the expertise to meet just about any need that an organization seeking a speaker could want or need. That is such a powerful resource for customers but also an amazing resource for us as members. A highlight of each NSA Virginia meeting for me is talking to members. In addition to their diversity of expertise, our members are enthusiastic and generous with their advice to people who speak as part of their business or people who would like to become speakers.