By Thom Singer, CSP Influence 2026 lands in my hometown of Austin, TX, this July 25–27 at the Hilton Austin. The theme is about building a better business, and if you’re attending, you should show up ready to learn. The main stage will be strong, the breakouts will be useful, and the hallway conversations will be everywhere. … 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 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
By Shep Hyken, CSP, CPAE For this article, I’m departing from my normal NSA topics of sales and marketing, which have been the topics of every presentation I’ve ever given at a convention (now known as Influence), a winter meeting (now known as Thrive), or an NSA chapter meeting. Today, I’m writing about something that … Read more
By Amanda Gore, CSP, CPAE, GSF Wayne Dyer often used a powerful metaphor: “If you squeeze an orange, what do you get?” Of course, the answer is orange juice. His point? When life puts you under pressure, what’s inside is what comes out. After 38 years of speaking, my last five have been the most … Read more