Upcoming Events

NSA NY Affiliate Membership

Join or Renew your Membership in the NSA NY Telechapter

As an Affiliate member of NSA-Virginia, you also have the opportunity to become a member in the NSA-New York, a tele-chapter for only $10. NSA-Virginia members who are also National Members will receive a complementary membership to NSA-New York tele-chapter from our chapter.

Online Regsitration

So You Think You Can Speak?

Friday April 19, 2013 from 8:00 AM to 12:00 PM EDT

Join us for this once a year speaker lab and learn from the Best Speakers in Virginia!

DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel Richmond Airport

2013 National Speakers Association Convention

Pam Rambo, Ed.D

NSA VA President 2012-13

NSA Virginia is known for having one of the best speaking academies in the US. Modeled after the national academy with some special tweaks from in-house residents Harold Wood, Gloria Thomas and Nancy Giere, the NSA Va. Pro Track Speaker's Academy is now enrolling for fall 2013. I can't overestimate the value of our speaker training program which has launched so many successful speakers and served as an incredible incubator for member businesses.

Our lineup this fall will include the most successful members of our chapter as well as some of the most famous speakers in the country. If you have not treated yourself to the Pro Track experience, the time is now! Space is limited to the first 15 people who sign up. If you have any questions about the Pro Track curriculum, consult with Gloria Thomas, Nancy Giere or Harold Wood. If you are ready to sign up or want to know about program logistics, please contact me. I'd love to talk to you!

As a member of NSA-Virginia, you also have the opportunity to become a member in the NSA-New York, a tele-chapter for only $10.   This unique chapter was organized when the professional speakers in the great state of New York realized that they would be best suited to harnessing the power of the tele-seminar for their education. We believe that enjoying their tele-seminar series in addition to attending NSA-Virginia's monthly meetings, that you'll find outstanding networking and learning opportunities that will definitely advance your speaking career and business.

NSA-New York Membership is available to all Virginia Chapter Members in May of each year for only $10!

NSA-Virginia members who become National Members will receive a complementary membership to NSA-New York tele-chapter from our chapter. Please contact the NSA-Virginia Administrator to arrange to receive your own password. Then go to the telecast archives page. Click on any program to listen to the telecast in MP3 format. If you'd like to save it, Right click and drop down to the Save Link As option to save the file to your computer.

New Member Spotlight: Tom Parker

By Joan Bowling, NSA VA Membership Chair

What do you get when you combine a successful entrepreneur, a sales management leader and a seasoned national speaker?   You get our newest NSA/Virginia member, Tom Parker.   Tom Parker is a Senior VP of Yukon, Inc. which is a Richmond based company specializing in customized negotiations training.

Tom's love for Virginia began with earning an MBA from UVA. He then joined Rubbermaid Commercial Products running their Office Products Division. His next stop was at AMF Bowling. Tom was brought in to restructure and refocus the Sales group. Tom's sales vocabulary and play book includes creating: compensation systems, business plans, budgets, quotas, sales contests and incentive plans. In addition to his corporate career, he owned and operated two small service businesses.

Tom's business connections in Virginia Beach led him to an introduction to NSA/Virginia. The energy and the outreach of NSA/Virginia members and the opportunity to expand his speaking network are what hooked Tom to join. The workshop nature of our programs combined with the practical advice from our featured guests have been a bonus, too!

Adding author to Tom's resume includes the co-authoring of a book on sales professionals called: "Is That Your Hand In My Pocket?" This is a book on negotiations for sales professionals. As a new author Tom received this practical advice once a book hits the book stores which he is happy to share: autograph all your books. Why? Because people love signature copies and the books can't be returned!

As Tom's passion for the next new adventure unfolds, his commitment to a healthy lifestyle enables that to happen. You will catch him at the gym lifting weights or in yoga class. He and his wife live in Richmond and have two grown sons.

Please join me in welcoming Tom to NSA/Virginia.

How to Improve Without Really Trying 

Harold Wood, Motivational Entertainer

As  a professional speaker who coaches speakers, I'm often asked for my top three  pieces of advice to give speakers. Number one on my list is to be clear and concise about your message. Many speakers ramble on without making their point. What is your main topic point? What do you want your audience to do, feel or say after they have heard you speak? Once your main point is identified, stay on target. Don't take side trips. The typical audience today has a short attention span. The desire for them to check email, face book and twitter accounts on their smart phone escalates dramatically as you drift from your main point or theme.   Stay focused and make sure you have the correct message for your audience. Be able to answer their question, what's in it for me? Why should they listen to you? If you can't stay on topic and keep it relevant they will tune you out.

My second piece of advice is to be memorable. Simply put memorable speakers get invited back to speak again and again. Long after you have left the meeting, people may forget your message but they will remember how you made them feel. I have people tell me that they heard me speak five, seven or ten years ago and they still remember me! They remember the story with the oranges, the trash bags and the unicycle. Find a way to connect with your audience, be memorable and likable. If they like you, they don't care what you said. They care about how you made them feel. If they don't like you and your not memorable, they don't ask you back nor do they buy your stuff that you have for sale in the back of the room.

Third on my list is to remember that a speaker speaks. The more you present your program the better it will be. It's a matter of "stage time." We all need time on stage to hone our speech and make it better. What is the difference between the seasoned professional and the new emerging speaker? The seasoning! How did they acquire it? Stage time. When you're starting out, take every chance to speak to a live audience. (Talking to your dogs does not count.) Think of every event as a showcase for your talents and a learning opportunity. The more you do, the better you will be!

For the last 28 years, Harold has been helping

speakers improve their programs.

Harold Wood

(757) 877-4845

Are YOU Being Seen?

In December the the Virginia Chapter- If you have not yet created your e-speakers profile then you are NO LONGER beeing SEEN on the NSA VA Chapter Website.  As a NSA VA Chapter Member you can have a FREE espeakers profile on our chapter website.  You will need a Credit Card to activate your profile; however it will not be charged. CLICK HERE to activate your eSpeakers profile today! At the minimum your eSpeakers profile need to profile photo, entry in the "one-line bio" and "bio" fields to show on our site.

If you have already created an espeakers profile and it is not showing please do the following: Login to your profile, be sure you have selected the Virginia Chapter as your NSA Chapter and send an email to administrator@nsavirginia.info requesting you be added to the Virginia Chapter Website. If you cannot recall your eSpeakers password you will need to contact them directly at support@espeakers.com.

For more information, contact Jim Gordon (804)399-4444.

Tools of the Trade

By Dave Miles, NSA VA Publicity Chair

• 17-May-13, Williamsburg, Grow Your Business with the Growth Expert, Ed Robinson, CSP
• 21-June-13, Norfolk, Do It Well, Make It Fun and Laugh All the Way to the Bank,  Ron Culberson, CSP and NSA President

       Please note: As we strive to have the highest caliber of speakers, with that comes last-minute changes at times. Therefore, speakers and topics are subject to change. Watch your email for details on these meetings. Registrations for these workshops will be open soon! 

View Photos From Past NSA Virginia Workshops 

Welcome to Kg's Korner!!!

By Kittygayle McMoon, NSA VA Librarian

Wow!!!  53 NEW CDS!!!!!  I couldn't believe my ears or my eyes!!!  53 New CDS!!!
Yes, guys and gals, we at NSA-Virginia are now the proud owners of the WHOLE collection of the July, 2012 NSA Convention in Indianapolis, Indiana!! 

Imagine the excitement as I picked them up from Shirley T, our awesome treasurer!!! As I documented and recorded them so they can be lent out, I became filled with anticipation to hear all this information from the Professionals who spoke at that convention.   "With which one will I begin?" I wondered.  Since "Start at the very beginning" seemed a good idea, I picked "Understanding the Professional Competencies Four-In-One: What It Takes to Be Successful and Competent in the Speaking Business" by John B. Molidor.
 As he "unfolds" the how of The Four Competencies (the four E's), he brilliantly explains how they apply to the Speaking Business and how to identify where they fit in the Speaking Business.  He then goes on to describe the "Other Four Competencies"!!! Surprise!!  John, also, turns the tables over with a few fallacies which, he explains, are not true, i.e.  it takes 21 days to form a habit.  NOT!  (It's 66 days.)  He warns us to check our information.  How true......He's really good. 

I look forward to exploring the rest of the 53 "Newbies," especially..
"Storytellers PEG:The Power of Metaphors in Storytelling; An Hour of Masterful Coaching to Make Your Speech More Informative, More Inspiring and More Influential" by Glenna Salsbury, Tim Gard & Max Dixon. These are just TWO of the awesome titles newly acquired in our Library!!!  Can't wait to inhale these Wondrous Words of Wisdom!  How about you? 

Make sure you are here in Richmond for our next meeting, April 19th, so you can be FIRST IN LINE to check these CD's out!!! Until next time.....happy listening!!!

NSA National Convention Trip for NSA Virginia Members

The NSA National Convention is a career-changing experience for speakers and entrepreneurs. It is a chance to connect with the most successful speakers and business owners in the country and learn new ways to monetize your skills, reach your niche customer and evaluate your brand.

The great news for NSA Va. members is that the 2013 national convention is on the east coast this year. Join your NSA Va. colleagues in Philadelphia July 27-30. Registration for the convention has begun at www.nsaspeaker.org. Save money by registering early by May 31. Early registration is $727 for national members and $977 for state chapter members who are not national members. Staff members, spouses and partners can attend for $657. Children between the ages of 10 and 16 can attend the NSA Youth Leadership Program at the early bird rate of $525. Early bird lodging is only $159 per night at the Marriott for reservations made through June 26.

Getting to Philadelphia is inexpensive. Philadelphia is an easy drive but will involve parking fees. Amtrak has great fares from Newport News, Williamsburg and Richmond. For example, The 94 Northeast Regional from Newport News to Philadelphia (9:15 am from Newport News and 10:29 am from Richmond July 16 arriving in Philadelphia at 3:54 pm) and 95 Northeast Regional return from Philadelphia to Newport News round trip fare is $159. For more information about Amtrak service to and from the convention, go to www.amtrak.com. US Airways is currently advertising a $292 roundtrip fare for convention week.

Some of the members of NSA Va members are already planning to take Amtrak. Join us on the Amtrak 94 Northeast Regional on July 16th from your neighborhood Amtrak station. Whether you go by car, train or plane...see you at NSA 2013!

CLICK HERE to learn more about this wonderful opportunity!