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By Mark Sanborn, CSP, CPAE, Cavett Award Recipient “Hello, and thanks, Bob, for that great introduction. Really, I appreciate it. You read it just like I wrote it..ha ha! And good to be here with you tonight. Dinner was really good. Did you enjoy it? If you did, let’s give a round of applause to … Read more
By Courtney Clark, CSP and Dr. Andy Neillie, CSP You’re not just a speaker. You’re not just a storyteller. You’re not just a subject-matter expert with a killer keynote. You’re also—whether you like it or not—a salesperson. That sentence might make you cringe. For many of us in the speaking profession, “sell” can feel like … Read more
By Bruce Turkel, CPAE People often come up to me after a keynote and say, “I want to do what you do.” Sometimes they’ve done a little public speaking themselves, and they’ll tell me how good they are. That’s usually when I ask, “Tell me about the last time you bombed.” They almost always smile … Read more
By Stephen Shapiro, CSP, CPAE In mid-2024, I published what I believed to be my most important book yet. It tackled today’s biggest business buzzwords, including uncertainty, volatility, disruption, and AI, and offered practical frameworks to help people and organizations regain a sense of clarity, stability, and focus. As someone who’s spent decades thinking about … Read more
By Thom Singer, CSP As professional speakers, we are part of the meetings industry. Not separate from it. Not a side hustle to it. Not an add-on to the agenda. We are in it, fully. But too often, I wonder if we forget that? We get caught up in perfecting our keynotes, crafting our personal … Read more
By Jane Jenkins Herlong, CSP, CPAE Want to raise your speaking fees? Simple—be more valuable. The more impact you bring, the more you are worth. So, how do you make yourself invaluable on stage? Here are some practical (and slightly funny) ways to add value—both for your audience and your bank account. … Read more
By Larry Long Jr. Commitment is KEY! “When you’re committed, you move and you shake in a whole different way.” — Larry Long Jr. Commitment is the foundation of success. Think about your current level of commitment to your speaker business, and specifically, your sales efforts. On a scale from 1-10, where do you stand? … Read more
By Jon Petz, CSP, CPAE There’s much more to being a great keynote speaker than simply having on-stage skills that inspire and amaze. It’s about creating moments—those powerful, emotional points that bring an audience to the brink of tears or laughter—and then sending them out the door feeling their time was not just spent but … Read more
By Meridith Elliott Powell, CSP, CPAE I think the speaking business is one of the toughest ways I have ever chosen to make a living. Making sales calls to land consulting jobs or new coaching clients, I have always found easier than winning a speaking engagement. There are so many reasons this business is hard: … Read more
By Traci Brown, CSP When describing what you offer your clients, there’s a secret phrase you can use that’s guaranteed to get them almost 20% more engaged with your sales pitch. Before you can use it, there are a few things you need to know. You have to know the difference between features and benefits. … Read more
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Rob Ferre
Member since 2015
It's been awesome to see exactly what NSA has done to create a great hybrid virtual experience and also making sure that everyone feels safe in this environment while producing great content.
Helen Turnbull
PhD, CSP, Global Speaking Fellow, Member since 2007
I’m delighted that I could still be a part of Winter Conference even though I was at home and I still had so many takeaways.
Lisa Koenecke
Member since 2020
I love the variety, I love the level. I love the content that's happening. As a new speaker, it's giving me lots of ideas on how to scale my business and seeing people that I've heard about for so long.