Speaker Magazine PDF

OUTSOURCING INSIGHTS WEBINAR TEST DRIVE YO U R N E X T I N V E S T M E N T ?
OCTOBER 2017
What tasks to keep and The keys to selecting a platform NSA veterans offer advice on
Speaker
what to let go that will rev your sales engine building your business
TH E A R T A N D B U S I N E S S O F P R O F E S S I O N A L S P E A K I N G
Defining
Decisions
HOW ( AND WHY )
FIVE SPEAKERS
MADE MAJOR STRIKE A
CHANGES IN BALANCE
DIRECTION BETWEEN
PA G E 4 O FOCUS AND
I M AG I N AT I O N
4 STE PS TO
S E T YO U R
BUSINESS
UP FOR
SPONSORSHIP
T H E P U B L I C AT I O N O F T H E N AT I O N A L S P E A K E R S A S S O C I AT I O N | s p e a ke r m a g azi n e.co m
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CONTENTS
FEATURES
Departments
17
INFLUENCE 2017
4  LETTER Highlights and takeaways from Influence
Al Walker, CSP, CPAE, 2017 in Orlando, Florida.
Chairman of the NSA
Foundation Board of
Trustees, talks about how
members look out for
each other in a crisis.
30
6  BRIEFS
AUDIENCE ENGAGEMENT
News and notes on OR AUDIENCE ADDICTION
the art and business of Tips on amping up engagement without
speaking to help you overwhelming your audience.
make sales, save time,
BY DEBORAH GARDNER, CMP
and speak better.
12  DIY OR DFY
(DONE FOR YOU)
Make the best use of
32 36
your time and talents
WHAT’S DRIVING YOUR
with advice on which
tasks to outsource. CHOICE OF WEBINAR SET YOURSELF UP
16  CHECKLIST PLATFORMS? FOR SPONSORSHIPS
Learn the best questions to ask to If you can create enough relevant content
Get ready for takeoff
with our international narrow down your software needs. on your website, you’re just steps away from
travel prep tips.
BY ROGER COURVILLE, CSP
monetizing it. Here’s how to get started.
BY JAY BAER, CSP
50  MASTERMINDING
Advice from 20-plus-year
NSA veterans on the next
investment to make in
your business.
40
52  ASK THE EXPERT TURNING POINTS
Build your referrals Five speakers talk about the triggers behind
from word-of-mouth to their successful career pivots.
advocacy. BY MICHAEL SOON LEE, DBA, CSP
54  5 THINGS
Find out what five NSA
members learn from
activities outside their
46
field of expertise.
FO—SQUIRREL! —CUS
If you’re bad at focusing, don’t worry.
Allowing your brain to wander can actually
benefit your creativity.
BY SCOTT HALFORD, CSP, CPAE
SPEAKER • O C TO B E R 2 0 1 7 3
spk_10_2017_TOC_JW.indd 3 9/30/17 4:28 PM

Speaker
LETTER
The Publication of
the National Speakers Association
Volume 12, Number 2
OCTOBER 2017
NSA & THE FOUNDATION:
First Responders NSAspeaker.org | speakermagazine.com
in Crisis SPEAKER EDITORIAL

A DV I S O RY C O M M I T T E E
O
Linda Keith, CPA, CSP
Chair
ur NSA community continues to respond in the aftermath of
Laurie Guest, CSP
Hurricanes Harvey and Irma. President Brian Walter, CSP, CPAE, Vice-Chair
made a special video sharing the need for a relief fund, while many Justin Jones-Fosu, MBA, CSP
members reached out to NSA colleagues to make sure they were OK. Mel DePaoli, MBA
The Professional Speakers Benefit Fund (PSBF) reached out to the chapters Michael Soon Lee, DBA, CSP
in affected areas. Our leadership, staff, and Foundation Board established the Patricia Iyer, MSN, RN, LNCC
Hurricane Relief Fund and we put out the word. Patt Schwab, PhD, CSP
The Foundation contributions, combined with individual members reach- Rita Barreto Craig, SPHR, CSP
ing out to offer to cover speaking engagements, are just two ways you can see Tamara S. Hamilton, MA
the difference between NSA and other professional associations. Truly, NSA
and our Foundation were first responders.
N AT I O N A L S P E A K E R S A S S O C I AT I O N
The 85 NSA members affected by Hurricane Harvey and the 593 members OFFICERS
in Florida, Georgia, and the Carolinas impacted by Hurricane Irma were con- Brian Walter, CSP, CPAE
tacted and offered an immediate $1,000 grant. President
As I write this letter, 196 of our members have contributed $63,145, in Dan Thurmon, CSP, CPAE
President-Elect
amounts ranging from $50 to $5,000, and $31,000 has been distributed. The
Anna Liotta, CSP
stories coming out of this both break your heart and fill you with joy as mem- Vice President
bers express their gratitude. John B. Molidor, PhD, CSP
The number of members who have spent time on the phone and organizing Immediate Past President
the relief effort won’t fit on this page. A big thanks to Jim Pancero, CSP, CPAE; Christopher Packard
Marilyn Sherman, CSP; Brian Walter, CSP, CPAE; Francis Bologna, CPA; all of Interim CEO
the Foundation Trustees, and everyone else who pitched in.

Unfortunately, more hurricanes are on the way. We still need help from FOUNDER
more of our members. This is the Spirit of Cavett in action. If you are able to Cavett Robert, CSP, CPAE
contribute, please go to this member login link: nsa.ps.membersuite.com/
Login.aspx and make your donation today. N S A F O U N DAT I O N
Nido R. Qubein, CSP, CPAE
Founder and Chairman Emeritus
Al Walker, CSP, CPAE
Chair
Al Walker, CSP, CPAE
Chairman, NSA Foundation Board of Trustees EDITORIAL OFFICE
AND SUBSCRIPTIONS
National Speakers Association
1500 S. Priest Drive, Tempe, AZ 85281
tel: 480-968-2552 fax: 480-968-0911
3 Stories of Hope A DV E R T I S I N G S A L E S
Karen Bach, Director of Membership and Communications
The PSBF Committee sent grants to these members and many more: 480-968-2552 • Karen@NSAspeaker.org
1 2 3
Three weeks after A 15-year member A Florida member
Harvey, the home living on St. Martin sustained damage P U B L I S H E D BY K A R A B I N C R E AT I V E
of one Houston evacuated with to her house that Randi Karabin, Art Director
member was still his wife and son a day insurance won’t cover. Jenn Woolson, Editor
underwater. Her house, before Irma hit. All their After two wet weeks Erin Zilis, Account Manager
car, and belongings are personal property has without power, they’ve
a total loss. Fortunately, been lost. They are traveled their neighborhood
Article submissions at speakermagazine.com.
she has insurance. She’s staying in Virginia with by kayak, run a generator
running her business family, and looking at to keep the food in the
from a hotel room. While moving to Chicago. freezer from going bad, Speaker (ISSN 1934-9076) (USPS 012-886). Volume 12, Number 2.
her need was great, she They have no property and talked to mold Published monthly except February and August by the
National Speakers Association, 1500 S. Priest Drive, Tempe, AZ
unselfishly said she’d insurance, as obtaining specialists who say they’ll
85281. Periodicals postage paid at Tempe, Arizona, and at additional
gladly forgo assistance it in a foreign country is need to be out of their mailing offices. Contents Copyright 2017 National Speakers Associa-
if others were needier. prohibitively expensive. house for six to eight weeks. tion, all rights reserved. POSTMASTER:
Send address changes to Speaker, National Speakers Association,
1500 S. Priest Drive, Tempe, AZ 85281.
4 SPEAKER • O C TO B E R 2 0 1 7
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Winter Conference 2018
The Future of Speaking
See. Predict. Imagine.
FEBRUARY 16-18
BALTIMORE, MD
Why you should attend
To See... To PREDICT... To IMAGINE...

the immediate future that is already what will happen in the next 5-10 how macro trends will impact
revealing itself to those at the leading years. Learn directly from those speaking more than a decade from
edge of our business. See who has with the strategic knowledge to now. Discover how to future-proof
the most effective systems and tools. understand what’s coming next. your business.
Best pricing of $699 through Oct. 24, 2017, for members.

Visit NSAspeaker.org or call 480-968-2552 to register.
spk_10_2017_letter_mh_NEW.indd 5 9/30/17 8:44 PM

News and notes on the
BRIEFS
art and business of speaking
PROLONG
YOUR WEBINAR
PROMOTION
Want more people to
A Bureau Owner’s Advice register for your webinar?

Start promoting it earlier.
on Getting Started
According to research by
On24, nearly half of people
sign up a week to two
S
weeks before an event.
peaker bureaus work with estab- Seek feedback. Invite other profes- Another quarter sign up the
lished speakers. And while no sional speakers to your speeches, and ask day of the webinar.
Build up interest with
bureau is in the business of devel- what they think. promotion on social media
oping speakers, they often are asked for Get a coach. Find a professional and via email for a couple
advice. Cautioning that no advice is one- speaker coach, or several. Coaching costs of weeks leading up to
size-fits-all, here is the short list from the money, but you and your career are worth your webinar. Here’s a
National Speakers Bureau: breakdown of how many
the investment.
days before the event
Speak. As often as possible, at work Leverage video. Take every oppor- people register:
and for your volunteer organizations. tunity to get the video of your presen-
Develop expertise in your field. You tations, both to improve and to build a
can do this in a variety of ways: through library of videos so bureaus can sell you.
solid work experience; reading books, 8-14
Testimonials are nice, but video gets you
15+ days days
articles, and blogs; contributing to and booked. Bureaus prefer a video of a full 21%
23%
commenting on blogs; writing articles for speech rather than a sizzle real.
publication in your industry. You should Time your book right. It may be
Day of 1-7 days
also join LinkedIn groups in your field. easier to get speaking engagements to event 31%
Read the answers to questions and start promote your book if you already have a 25%
sharing your expertise. track record of speaking. Consider writ-
ing the book after you have significant
speaking experience.
(Tube)
You Have to See This!
Keep ’Em Laughing

Jeanne Robertson, CSP, CPAE, is a case study in longevity in the
speaking business, changing her business as she goes to suit her
interests and her audiences, and using YouTube to her advantage.
Her most popular video is “Don’t Send a Man to the Grocery
Store” with more than 9,170,000 views. She adds a new video
every month. Find her at youtube.com/JeanneRobertson.
spk_10_2017_briefs_JW_rk.indd 6 9/30/17 6:14 PM

“A loss does not
turn into a lesson
unless we work hard
to make it so.”
—John C. Maxwell, author of
Sometimes You Win,
Sometimes You Learn
BY T H E
NUMBERS
M O B I LE M A N I A
13
Number of global markets, including
the U.S., in which mobile accounts
for over half of all digital minutes.
comScore Mobile Metrix, 2017
How to Pick a 65%
Speaking Coach
Users who look for the most relevant
information, regardless of the
company providing the information,
when conducting a search on their
smartphones.
Google, 2015
ALL COACHING IS NOT CREATED EQUAL. The more specific
you can get about what you need help with, the better your expe- 1/4
rience will be. To really get the most out of your time, effort, and
More than one-quarter of
money, consider these factors: all global users are
now mobile only.
WHAT DO HOW DO YOU ARE THEY WHAT ELSE
comScore MMX Multi-Platform, 2017
YOU NEED? NEED HELP? RIGHT FOR DO YOU NEED
 Do you need  Do you prefer YOU? TO KNOW?
help organizing in-person or  Do they have a  How is their fee
your material, online coaching? good reputation? structure set up? 46%
developing  Do you want Does their  If someone Mobile users who would be willing
your stories, one-on-one expertise meet referred you to
improving your to give up a day off per week rather
coaching your specific a specific coach,
delivery, or a than surrender their smartphone.
or a group needs? TED find out what that
combination? experience? Talks? Keynotes? person needed Boston Consulting Group, 2017
 Do you need Corporate and how the
 Are you looking
to condense audiences? coach helped
for a long-term
your content Youth? them. Use that
partnership or a
from a training information
quick fix? Is their
format to a to decide if
personal style
keynote format? the referral is
and approach a
Or expand from relevant to your
good fit?
keynotes to needs.
training?

BRIEFS
FOCUS ON STYLE
HYPHENS
People may not notice your
TECH TOOLS: punctuation when you speak,
Your 404 Page

but using good grammar,
spelling, and punctuation is
essential on your slides,
handouts, website, and other
W
written communications.
hen visitors click on a broken link  Friendly apology, phone number, and link
Here are a few tips on
on your site, they land on the “404” to contact page with an offer to help with hyphens from grammar gurus
page. If the visitors aren’t very whatever they need Strunk and White.
motivated, they leave. You might be able to keep  A sitewide search box
them, depending on the content of your “404.”  An invite to the contact page and links to DO USE HYPHENS
T y pe yourwebsitename.com/xyz. your 20 top blog posts To join two or more words to
Unless you have an /xyz page, this will take  A video from you form a compound adjective:
 Leisure-class pursuits
you to your 404 page. Is it boring or unfriendly?  And isn’t this friendly? “But if you were
 Round-the-island race
Is it apologetic and helpful? Even a little edgy? looking for yourself, love in all the wrong
Here are some of our favorite redirects: places, or a fight, please return to your DO NOT USE HYPHENS
 “Oops! You got lost!” with your site map favorite search engine and re-query.” Between two words that can
better be written as one:
 Wild-life could be wildlife
 Bell-boy could be bellboy
Common sense might guide
Inbound Marketing Metrics you, but a dictionary is more

reliable if you’re unsure.
A 2017 State of Inbound report from HubSpot, a provider of inbound marketing software, found HYPHENS GONE WRONG
that most companies struggle with making sense of their online metrics. The solution: Make sure In Chattanooga, two
you have the right tools to track and analyze your marketing efforts. To get the full report and newspapers merged—The
learn more, visit stateofinbound.com. News and the Free Press.
The paper became the
What are your company’s top marketing challenges? Chattanooga News-Free
Press. That’s not exactly what
Generating traffic and leads 63% they were going for.
Proving the ROI of our marketing activities 40%

Excerpted from The Elements
Securing enough budget 28% of Style, William Strunk Jr.
and E.B. White, Third Edition.
Identifying the right technologies for our needs 26%
Commonly referred to as
Managing our website 26% Strunk and White.
Targeting content for an international audience 21%

Training our team 19%
Hiring top talent 16%
Finding an executive sponsor 7% STATE OF INBOUND
hubspot.com

EXPERT INSIGHTS
BY ALLISON SHAPIRA
AN OPERA SINGER’S SECRET

BREATHING TECHNIQUE
As an opera singer, I learned to harness
Live vs. Virtual

the power of my voice to inspire an
audience. As speakers, we can do the
same. Practice the four-step method
below for a few minutes at a time, espe-
Attendance
cially the day of a speech. Then relax
and focus on your message. It will calm
you down and ensure that the power of
your voice matches the power of your
words. Here is my methodology:
1. Breathe deeply into your stomach
In a quarterly survey of its Business Research panel, Meeting on a count of five, feeling your rib cage
expand as your lungs fill with air.
Professionals International (MPI) found 56 percent of respondents
2. Exhale slowly counting to five out
predict favorable business conditions. Attendance forecasts are also loud. Let the breath support your words
as if speaking on a cushion of air.
on the rise. Live and virtual attendance figures are expected to grow
3. Repeat the exercise. On the exhale
1.8 and 2.7 percent, up from 1.3 and 2.4 percent, respectively. Here’s say “Good morning!” letting your voice
the panel’s take on attendance growth forecasts: resonate with breath.
4. Use your phone’s memo recorder
to record yourself saying “Good morn-
PROJECTED PROJECTED ing!” with and without this technique.
LIVE VIRTUAL Your voice should sound richer, fuller,
ATTENDANCE ATTENDANCE and more resonant.
55% positive 57% positive
27% flat 36% flat
17% negative 8% negative COULD YOU, UM, USE HELP?
Find Allison Shapira’s video, “How
to Get Rid of Um’s and Ah’s,” at
MPI Meetings Outlook, Spring 2017 speakermagazine.com/um-and-ah.
A L L I S O N S H A P I R A is the
CEO/founder of Global Public
Speaking. She teaches public speaking
and presentation skills to emerging
Is Your ID TSA Ready? and established leaders at Fortune

100 companies, federal agencies, and
nonprofits around the world.
If you rely on your driver’s license or state-issued identification card for travel instead
of your passport, get ready for changes. Starting January 22, 2018, only ID cards
from REAL ID-compliant states (or those states with an extension) will be accepted for
domestic flights. To see the current status of your state, visit dhs.gov/real-id.

NSA ONLINE
LET YOUR VOICE
GO LOCAL BE HEARD!
Take advantage Join NSA’S Facebook
of networking and page to participate
educational events in upcoming polls,
in your area at one brainstorm with
of 36 local NSA fellow members, and
›››
chapters. Find your participate in group
closest chapter and discussions.
more information
at NSAspeaker.org/
attend/chapter- JUST STARTING
directory. OUT?
LISTEN AND LEARN
Learn how Kindra
ON THE GO
Hall, an NSA
Download the VOICES Influence 2017
OF EXPERIENCE® keynoter, built her
mobile app to listen business. Listen
to each issue of to her story, and
the award-winning her big “a-ha!”
audio magazine. Get moments, in her
nearly an hour of Speaker’s Toolkit
exciting interviews interview at
with successful YouTube.com/user/
speakers who share
Find bonus content from their experiences,
NSAspeakers.
this issue, including

CONNECT WITH NSA
strategies, and secrets
for building their
videos, downloadable brand and bottom
line. Available on the
tools, blogs, and more @ App Store and Google Follow us online for exclusive
Play, and for Amazon content and connections
speakermagazine.com. Kindle.
FACEBOOK
NATIONAL SPEAKERS
ASSOCIATION
INSTAGRAM
NSASPEAKER
TWITTER
@NSASPEAKER
YOUTUBE
Keep up to date NSASPEAKERS
on all things NSA,
discover new learning LINKEDIN
opportunities, and NATIONAL SPEAKERS
connect with your ASSOCIATION
fellow speakers at
PINTEREST
NSAspeaker.org @NSASPEAKER
spk_10_2017_online_JW.indd 10 9/30/17 6:31 PM

FEBRUARY 16-18
BALTIMORE, MD
Sarah Michel, CSP
the buyers
perspective live
Learn about the future of speaking from the perspective of multiple buyers who each hire over 50 professional
speakers a year. Discover how they plan to use speakers at their meetings moving forward and what you will need
to do to earn their business. Sarah Michel, CSP, will be moderating a lively discussion with buyers from national
associations and corporations who will be sharing their predictions and answering your questions.

spk_10_2017_online_JW.indd 11 9/30/17 6:31 PM

DIY or DFY *
*Done for you
BY CATHY FYOCK, CSP
DO YOU
HAVE THE
WRITE
STUFF?
Y
ou say you’re a terrible writer and you hate
to write. You need to hire a ghostwriter,
right?
Not so fast.
While a professional writer can no doubt get
it done, there are many downsides to going the
way of the ghost. First, you often lose your voice.
Only you can sound like you. Second, you lose
the value of digging deep and remaining fresh
on your topic when you’re not doing the work
yourself. And maybe the biggest barrier: It’s
pretty darned expensive.
So what if you aren’t a good writer? You’re a
good speaker, aren’t you? You have great ideas,
don’t you?
I strongly advise my coaching clients who are
aspiring authors to do it themselves. You don’t
have to be a great writer. You just need to have
great ideas, and then hire a good editor.
Since you’re a speaker, why not speak your
next chunk of IP (intellectual property)? Record
your presentation or podcast interview and have
it transcribed, or use a speech-recognition soft- C A T H Y F Y O C K , C S P, is The Business
ware program or app. Book Strategist, and works with professionals
Writing your blog, article, or book forces you and thought leaders who want to write a book as a
to remain current and relevant as an expert, and business development strategy. She is the author of
it can be less painful if you write regularly. In Blog2Book: Repurposing Content to Discover the
fact, a post a week can equal a book a year if you Book You’ve Already Written, and can be reached at
begin with the end in mind. CathyFyock.com.
spk_10_2017_dept_themed_DIY_JW_rk.indd 12 9/30/17 7:31 PM

SHOULD YOU MANAGE
YOUR OWN SOCIAL MEDIA?
BY LETHIA OWENS, CSP
B
ig stages, small stages, workshops, and travel. As a
speaker, you’re busy, and the time you have avail-
able to manage your social media is limited. So,
should you do it yourself or outsource? It depends. Your
social media marketing strategy should take into consid- For most speakers, a hybrid solution will work best because each
eration your goals, budget, time, and expertise. Below are business model and situation is different. Use these practices to
some tips to help you decide what could work best for you. help you create a customized social media strategy based on your
unique situation.
Decide how you want your brand to be represented online.
Social media is all about conversations and connections. No one
Do It Yourself If: Outsource If: can connect with your audience the way you do.
Look at your business goals. Evaluate what you want to achieve.
£ You have a limited £ You have limited Are you trying to build credibility, establish yourself as an expert, or
budget. time to post extend your reach?
regularly. Evaluate your resources. Determine which tasks you will per-
£ You enjoy form yourself and which you will outsource based on your resources.
connecting with your £ You don’t feel Take a skills inventory. How good are you at copywriting, graph-
audience through knowledgeable
social media. enough to ics, and social media platform skills?0 If the answer is “not very,”
effectively manage your time is better spent farming these out.
£ You have time your social media. Outsource tasks where you lack expertise. Amateur graphics
to learn how to will negatively impact an otherwise great blog post.
effectively manage £ You’re trying to Keep the tasks you enjoy. Using the results from your skills
a social media reach a larger
inventory, take on the tasks you enjoy—if you have the time.
campaign. audience in a short
period of time (e.g.,
£ You see proof that for a book launch). L E T H I A O W E N S , C S P,
what you’re doing is is a Market Domination strategist
working. £ You need help with and the CEO of Game Changers
strategy because
International. She helps experts
you aren’t getting
the results you build magnetic brands and get
desire. noticed, booked, and paid what
they are worth.

DIY or DFY
TWO
OUTSOURCING
S I M O N T. B A I L E Y, C S P, C PA E ,
Speaker Hall of Fame® keynote speaker
and author of nine books, is one of
TAKEAWAYS America’s top 10 most-booked corporate

and association speakers on Change,
Leadership, and Customer Experience.
BY SIMON T. BAILEY, CSP, CPAE
gradually increase the amount of

time and complexity the projects will
take. Don’t formalize the partnership
until you’re confident in the person’s
quality of work, consistency, and
dependability. The person you bring
in to elevate your business should
treat your business, content, and
relationships with as much care as
you do. When you find that person,
you can’t go wrong.
2. TAKE INVENTORY of what tasks

give you energy. There are always
pieces of your business you’ll want
to do yourself, no matter how much
help you have. To decide what to keep
and what to offload, spend some time
thinking about what tasks or activ-
ities drain you and slow you down.
Begin by outsourcing those things to
someone else. What tasks fill you with
energy? Let those things fuel you. For
example, if you like writing, maybe
you focus more on generating blog
content and have someone else focus
on bookings, or vice versa.
A
s a speaker, you’ll reach a point when you’ll
need some help operating your business so that
you give some time back to yourself to continue
growing your brand. When it comes time to outsource
some of your business tasks, here are two key takeaways
The person you bring in to elevate
to consider:
your business should treat your business,
1. TAKE GREAT CARE to vet your prospective contributor.
You’ll likely begin by hiring someone on a part-time or content, and relationships with as much
contract basis. In addition to reviewing their work history
and contacting references, you may want to begin your care as you do. When you find that person,
interactions with a contributor on a project basis. Start
out by giving the person small tasks to complete, and you can’t go wrong.
1 4 SPEAKER • O C TO B E R 2 0 1 7

BY JEAN HOUSTON SHORE,
CPA, MBA, CSP
S T O P ‘ S H O U LD - I N G ’
T O S AV E T I M E
BY LAURA STACK, MBA, CSP, CPAE
Just because you can update your website, create
graphics, or do your taxes doesn’t mean you should.
As professional speakers, we’re wise to rely on
other people to do things that we don’t have the
time, talent, or circumstances to do ourselves. To
grow your business, focus on the activities that
you are uniquely capable and qualified to do—and
outsource the rest.
Some tasks you’ll have to keep. So that you can
Time Is
spend your time being the brand builder, the rain-
maker, and the subject matter expert, try these tools:
TRIPIT: Travel-planning app to store travel
Money
documents, get flight alerts, share plans, and more.
 tripit.com
SHORTKEYS: Windows utility that lets you

create text shortcuts to make typing faster.
 shortkeys.com
Good accounting
PAYTRUST: Bill management service that collects,
scans, and emails paper bills and allows one-click
bill pay.  paytrust.com
practices matter
A
AWEBER: Email marketing platform to manage lists,
create e-newsletters, and autoresponder follow-up. re you stepping over a dollar to pick up a dime? You could be if you’re
 aweber.com spending loads of time on data entry or struggling with awful “free”
SURVEYMONKEY: Online provider to create, send, software because you’re reluctant to hire an accounting professional.
and analyze surveys.  surveymonkey.com Crunching financial numbers is not the point; making good decisions is.
CLICKTOTWEET: Link generator that creates G O O D ACCO U NTI N G H E LP S YO U:

unique, trackable links for your messages.  Set prices.
 clicktotweet.com  Determine your marketing budget.
DOODLE: Internet calendar tool that coordinates  Anticipate financing needs.
meetings based on user polling.  doodle.com  Identify your most profitable customers, industries, or product lines.
 Say “no” to time-wasters dressed up as opportunities.

HOOTSUITE: Social media management tool that
lets you schedule and post updates.  hootsuite.com
Even if it isn’t fun, accounting matters. But should you do it yourself
if you want to? Here’s a test: Do you know what Revenue ≠ Profit ≠ Cash
QUICKBOOKS: Software solution for managing Flow means?
payroll, sales, and other small-business functions. If this statement makes perfect sense to you, you’re smart enough to do
 quickbooks.com
your own bookkeeping and perhaps your own accounting using software. If
HIGHTAIL: Secure portal for creative collaboration not, hire someone immediately to teach you these business basics!
and reviews.  hightail.com But one thing you must always do yourself—analyze your results.
Business-level software generates reports comparing year-to-date num-
bers to that budget you painstakingly created. (What? You didn’t create a
budget? C’mon.)
Engaging with your finances shows what strategies are working and which
L AU R A S TAC K , M B A ,
ones should be scrapped. And that’s always time well spent.
C S P, C PA E , is often better
known by her moniker, The J E A N H O U S T O N S H O R E , C PA , M B A ,
Productivity Pro®. She is a C S P, works with organizations that want their
past president of NSA and a people to work together better. A CPA married to
noted authority on personal a CPA, she watches numbers like a hawk.
productivity.

CHECKLIST
BY AVA DIAMOND
International
Travel To-Dos
Traveling to another country can be an exciting
experience—if you’re properly prepared. Here’s a
quick pre-trip checklist to consider before you go.
2 TO 6 MONTHS 2 TO 4 WEEKS 1 DAY TO 1 WEEK

BEFORE YOUR TRIP BEFORE YOUR TRIP BEFORE YOUR TRIP
£ Reach out to internationally traveled col- £ Consider travel insurance £ Research whether it’s best to convert
leagues to learn about their experience speaking that covers trip cancellation, some money at home. Some countries only
and traveling in your destination country. trip interruption, medical costs, accept pristine U.S. bills. Have a backup
£ Research the customs and culture of your emergency evacuation, 24-hour plan if there is no ATM.
destination. Know appropriate dress and traveler assistance, and more. £ Give your itinerary and contact num-
behavior for your engagement and time off. £ Make physical and digital bers to key people in your life.
£ Apply for your passport. Most countries copies of your passport and visas. £ Carry an international adapter, charging
require your passport to be valid for at least Save photos of them in your cell- cords, and backup chargers.
six months after your scheduled return date, as phone and the Cloud.
£ Take your prescriptions in their original
well as a specific number of blank pages. £ Notify your bank and credit card bottles with labels.
£ Check out the visa requirements for the companies. Consider a credit card
with no foreign transaction fees. £ Take a photo of the exterior of your
countries you’ll be visiting. checked bag and the inside of your packed
£ Check with your cell service
£ Enroll in the Smart Traveler Enrollment suitcase. Put your name and destination
Program (STEP) from the U.S. Department provider for coverage at your des- inside your checked bag as well as on a tag
of State (step.state.gov/step). If you don’t tination. Consider an inexpensive on the outside. ■
enroll, take the embassy’s phone number. local SIM card, which provides
phone service and data.
£ Check out cdc.gov/travel and talk to your
£ Check luggage weight restric-
doctor about vaccinations or malaria pills.
Some require multiple doses. Keep your paper- tions, especially if you’ll be
work in case customs asks for documentation. traveling on smaller airlines.
AVA DIAMOND'S keynotes and
workshops focus on leadership,
employee engagement,
and women’s success
strategies. She’d love to
BE TRAVEL SAVVY speak on every continent.
You’ll find more pre-trip suggestions, as well as tips for during and after your trip, Contact her at
at speakermagazine.com. Search for “International Travel.” ava@avadiamond.com.
spk_10_2017_checklist_JW.indd 16 10/6/17 11:07 AM

July 8–11, Orlando, Florida HIGHLIGHTS
CONTENTS
Cavett Institute | p. 18
International Speaking Day | p. 19
New CSPs | p. 20-21
Saturday & Sunday Highlights | p. 22-23
Monday & Tuesday Highlights | p. 24-25
Youth Leadership Conference &
Pre-Conference Highlights | p. 26
PICTURED ABOVE
NSA Foundation Event & Awards | p. 27
Christine Cashen, CSP, CPAE; Michael Hoffman, CSP; John B. Molidor, PhD, CSP
CPAE Speaker Hall of Fame®/
Cavett Awards Banquet | p. 28
ALL INFLUENCE PHOTOS BY STEVEN MILLER PHOTOGRAPHY
spk_10_2017_checklist_JW.indd 17 10/6/17 11:07 AM

CLOCKWISE FROM
ABOVE: Academy
Co-Chair Gary Rifkin,
CSP; Academy Co-Chair
Chris Clarke-Epstein,
CSP; Eliz Greene; Lenora
Billings-Harris, CSP;
Lois Creamer; Cavett
attendees enjoying a day
of speaker industry best
practices presented by
the Academy Committee
CAVETT INSTITUTE
T
he Cavett Institute is an intensive
one-day learning seminar focused on
helping aspiring speakers ramp up
their business. Attendees learned the tools
for mastering their brilliance, sharing that
brilliance in front of an audience, getting
paid for their brilliance, and shining that
brilliance with integrity.
LEFT: “If I Knew Then What

I Know Now” presenters
panel with Pilar Ortiz;
Mike Domitrz, CSP;
Ruby Newell-Legner, CSP;
and Kate Delaney
spk_10_2017_Influence.indd 18 10/6/17 11:06 AM

TOP: More than
INTERNATIONAL 100 speakers from

15 countries attended
the pre-conference
SPEAKING DAY
International Speaking
Day.
BELOW:
GSF PRESIDENTS PANEL
ABOVE, LEFT TO RIGHT:
O
LEFT TO RIGHT BACK ROW:
PRESENTERS Ilja
Gustav Gous, PhD, CSP; n Friday, 104 attendees representing 15 countries and 13 Grzeskowitz, CSP;
Tom Abbott, CSP; Michel of the 14 Global Speakers Federation (GSF) associations Jonathan Low, MBA,
Poulaert; Martin Laschkolnig;
gathered to learn practical insights and tactics on how CSP; Tarran Deane;
Ruby Newell-Legner, CSP
to get booked and how to shine once chosen to speak interna- Nabil Doss; Mike
tionally. A representative shared legal and financial implications, Handcock, CSP; Sarah
LEFT TO RIGHT FRONT ROW:
Michel, CSP
Glen Sharkey, CSP; marketing/promotion, cultural acumen, and business models
Suzanne Stevens, CSP; from different regions of the world, including North America, BELOW, RIGHT:
Frowa Schuitemaker; Asia, Europe, and Australia. CO - CHAIRS
John B. Molidor, PhD, CSP
Sylvie di Giusto
and Ruby Newell-
Legner, CSP

NEW CSPs
Christopher Bianez, CSP Aram Boyd, CSP Guy Burns, CSP Mary M. Byers, CSP
Max Stanley Chartrand, David J. Chinsky, Heather Christie, JD, CSP Dennis Cummins, DC, CSP Sima Dahl, CSP
PhD, CSP DrPH, MBA, CSP
Dirk W. Eilert, CSP Lee Ellis, CSP Celynn Morin Erasmus, CSP Steve Foran, CSP Sandro Forte, FPSA, CSP
Chris Fuller, CSP Chuck Gallagher, CSP Merit Gest, CSP Charmaine Hammond, CSP Stacey L. Hanke, CSP
John M. Hannon, CSP Joel Hilchey, CSP Michelle E.W. Howison, CSP Sydne Jacques, CSP Bethanne Kronick, CSP

Alesia Latson, CSP Rob Lilwall, CSP Gary Lynn, PhD, CSP Tim Marvel, CSP Marty Mercer, CSP
Tod C. Novak, CSP Gerry O’Brion, CSP Kathleen D. Pagana, PhD, CSP Matthew Pollard, CSP Thomas Ray, CSP
Philipp Riederle, CSP Dean Savoca, CSP Jeff Shore, CSP Bill Stainton, CSP Carolyn Strauss, CSP
INTRODUCING THE 2017 CLASS OF

CERTIFIED SPEAKING PROFESSIONALS
NSA is proud to announce that 43 professional speakers earned
the CSP™ (Certified Speaking Professional) designation in 2017. The
William “T” Thompson, Jerome Wade, CSP 2017 class of CSPs was honored during a ceremony on July 8 at
JD, CSP
Influence 2017.
Established in 1980, the CSP is the speaking profession’s inter-
national measure of speaking experience and skill. Only about
12 percent of the speakers worldwide, who belong to the 14 mem-
ber associations of the Global Speakers Federation, currently hold
this professional designation. The CSP designation is conferred
by NSA on accomplished professional speakers who have earned
it by meeting strict criteria. CSPs must document a proven track
record of continuing speaking experience and expertise, as well
as a commitment to ongoing education, outstanding client service,
and ethical behavior.
To learn more about the CSP designation, please visit

Crystal Washington, CSP Ken Weichert, CSP NSAspeaker.org/certification.

SATURDAY
The speakers at the

Opening General Session
of Influence 2017 brought
personal and emotionally
powerful messages
of compassion and
transformation to the
main stage.
Emmanuel Kelly’s message to the world is simply “Self-Worth—We Are

All Beautiful.” It’s a message that everyone wants and needs to hear. There is
nothing ordinary about Emmanuel, neither his start in life in war-torn Iraq,
nor growing up in a Mother Teresa orphanage. However, Emmanuel says that
his damaged limbs have not held him back and never will.
Derreck Kayongo took the audience on an emotional journey

as he broke down the key factors that have led to his personal success—
(S.E.L.F.) Service, Education, Leadership, and Faith. He shared his account
of life as a Ugandan refugee and the turning point that led him to a brilliant
transformation as a social entrepreneur. NSA presented Derreck with the
Master of Influence Award.
Yassmin Abdel-Magied explored the impact of unconscious

bias on people’s ability to succeed, and invited attendees to reconsider the
assumptions made about people based on looks. She discussed the importance
of diversity and diverse teams and how to challenge and change our workplaces
and communities.
CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT:

Emmanuel Kelly; Derreck Kayongo;
Mark Lindquist, sang the national
anthem on the opening night;
NSA members from the NY
Chapter; Yassmin Abdel-Magied

SUNDAY
CLOCKWISE
FROM TOP LEFT:
Colin Sprake; Influence
attendees; Influence
audience members
light the night with their
interactive wristbands;
Vinh Giang
Colin Sprake has built an eight-figure speaking

business in only eight years and is fast on his way
to hitting $250 million in the next five years. He
walked the audience through the seven vital steps
that he considers to be the reason why he has grown
so quickly and sustainably.
Vinh Giang took the audience behind the scenes

to show how magicians are able to influence their
spectators in an incredible way. He demonstrated
techniques on blocking out negative influence, and
gaining and maintaining a positive mindset.

MONDAY
CLOCKWISE
FROM TOP LEFT:
Kindra Hall; David
Horsager, MA, CSP,
CPAE; Bill Cates, CSP,
CPAE, and Talking NSA
Referral Champion of the
Year winner Marquita
Miller; Brian Walter, CSP,
CPAE, and Denny Corby
conspired to make Saeed
Arrington think that he
was invisible; Influence
attendees
Kindra Hall believes in the power

of stories. Strategic storytelling is more
important now than ever to engage with
audiences who are as easily distracted as a
room full of elementary school students.
Kindra inspired attendees to connect to the
hearts of their audiences through storytelling,
and taught exactly how to access the
David Horsager, MA, CSP, CPAE,
shared that everything of value is built on
unlimited supply of irresistible story within. trust, from the greatest financial institutions
to every good relationship you have. David
unveiled an actionable framework for
building trust in the speaking business with
meeting planners, C-suite executives, and
audiences.

TUESDAY
LeAnn Thieman, CSP, CPAE, recounted her dramatic

experiences from the Vietnam Orphan Airlift. She shared life-changing
lessons about making a difference in the world.
Patrick Henry, CSP, shared strategies on how to connect with

audiences and clients to become a speaker of value. If you can’t create
an emotional connection with audiences, you’re going to lose them.
Walter Bond, CSP, CPAE, shared his “aha” revelations

about the speaking business and what the great speakers know but
may not tell us.
Suzie Humphreys, CPAE, believes that laughter is really

the best medicine. She shared how being able to find humor in the
most critical situations dispels fear and doubt quicker than any pill
you can swallow.
Sekou Andrews is known for disrupting the speaking

industry through poetic voice—blending speaking with poetry to help
organizations tell their stories through the power of performance.
CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT:

LeAnn Thieman, CSP, CPAE; Patrick Henry, CSP;
2016–17 NSA President John B. Molidor, PhD, CSP,
passes the presidential reins to 2017–18 NSA President
Brian Walter, CSP, CPAE; Sekou Andrews; Influence Attendees;
Walter Bond, CSP, CPAE; Suzie Humphreys, CPAE

ABOVE:
YOUTH LEADERSHIP CONFERENCE

Forty youth leaders and
more than 95 youths
spent four days learning
together from expert
T
presenters and from
each other. he NSA Youth Leadership Conference teaches participants to be the best
individuals they can possibly be. This is an opportunity for 10- to 21-year-
olds to learn from professional speakers, interact with their peers, and
much more. This year, youth participants were involved in a community service
project with Clean the World
PRE-CONFERENCE HIGHLIGHTS
B
efore Influence kicked off, new and experienced members and
attendees alike gathered to get the most out of their Influence
experience. First-time attendees met to learn the ins and outs
of Influence while members who have been with NSA for more than
20 years celebrated their established memberships. Chapter leaders
attended a half-day session of presentations and small-group discus-
sions. They worked together to develop better programs to provide
more tools, resources, and education for their members.
ABOVE: CHAPTE R LE ADE RS strategized with the

Chapter Leadership Committee to develop better
programs and provide more tools, resources, and
education for their members.
FIRST-TIME ATTE NDE E S learned how to get the

most out of their Influence 2017 experience with Thom
Singer, CSP, as their guide.
LEFT: The 20+ YEAR REUNION united members

celebrating at least two decades with NSA.

ABOVE:
NSA FOUNDATION EVENT: Giovanni Livera, CPAE,
AN EVENING OF
performing onstage with
attendees.
LEFT, TOP TO BOTTOM:
ASTONISHMENT
Neen James, CSP, and
Al Walker, CSP, CPAE;
community grant recipients
from Edgewood Children’s
A
Ranch, Inc.; Jim Rhode, CSP
t this year’s Foundation event, attendees experi-
enced the wonder, laughter, and inspiration of the
Wondermaker, Giovanni Livera, CPAE.
Proceeds from the event were donated to the NSA
Foundation, the philanthropic arm of the National
Speakers Association. The Foundation helps members
and families of our NSA community, as well as those in
need in our larger global community. It is devoted to
upholding the spirit of serving, sharing, and supporting
embodied by our founder, Cavett Robert, CSP, CPAE.
AWARDS
ABOVE, LEFT TO RIGHT:
Ron G. Wanek, Chairman of
Ashley Furniture, receives The
Nido Qubein Philanthropist of the
N
Year Award from Nido Qubein,
CSP, CPAE and Al Walker, CSP, SA is proud to recognize the men and women
CPAE. John B. Molidor, PhD, CSP who have made a difference in the lives of their
presents the President’s Award audiences and other professional speakers. From
for Distinguished Service to
guiding and inspiring other members to defining excel-
Stacy Tetschner; Pamela Benitez
Molidor, MD; Kate Delaney; Brian lence on the platform, from exemplifying ethical behavior
Walter, CSP, CPAE; and Janita to selflessly devoting time to make NSA the premier orga-
Cooper (not pictured). nization it is, these members and non-members stand out
as extraordinary and deserve a big standing ovation!

HALL OF FAME
RIGHT: 2017 CPAE

Speaker Hall of Fame
inductees: Bruce
Turkel, CPAE; Colette
Carlson, MA, CSP,
CPAE; Connie Dieken,
CSP, CPAE; 2017 Cavett
Award recipient: Randy
Pennington, CSP, CPAE;
Jolene Brown, CSP,
CPAE; David Horsager,
MA, CSP, CPAE
BOTTOM RIGHT: Awards

Banquet emcee Eric
Chester, CSP, CPAE
BELOW: YMCA parody

performers: Ron
Culberson, CSP, CPAE;
Mike Rayburn, CSP,
CPAE; John Sileo, CSP,
CPAE; Willie Jolley, CSP,
CPAE; Jason Hewlett,
CSP, CPAE; and Eric
Chester, CSP, CPAE
CPAE SPEAKER HALL OF FAME /

®
CAVETT AWARDS BANQUET

N
SA’s most anticipated annual black-tie aff air celebrates and honors
the legacy of selfless contribution. Five professional speakers who
have reached the top echelon of platform excellence were inducted
into the CPAE Speaker Hall of Fame ®, and the member whose accomplish-
ments in the speaking profession most closely parallel the illustrious career
of NSA founder Cavett Robert, CSP, CPAE, as nominated by his peers,
received NSA’s Cavett Award.

Enjoy Influence 2017
Any Time, Any Place
Relive the Experience

Enjoy on-demand access to valuable content from the premier event for
professional speaking. We’ve made many sessions from Influence 2017 available to
you for a limited time at a great price. This incredible package includes four general
session videos and over 45 audio recordings from breakout sessions, community
group educational sessions and sponsor sessions. Pricing is just $249 for members
and $499 for non-members. Some individual session recordings are
available starting at $15 for members.
Visit NSAspeaker.org/Influence17-highlights
to purchase these recordings.

BY DEBORAH GARDNER, CMP
Audience
Engagement
or Audience
Addiction
GETTING THE RIGHT MIX OF
CONTE NT, E NGAGE ME NT, RE FLECTION ,
AND TR ANSFORMATION
Y
ou’ve heard it before … Content is
king. But your content is already YOUR STARTING POINT
It starts where it always should: with the
accessible on the internet. It’s client. What is the client’s goal? Does your
portable, affordable, and everywhere. To session need to be content-heavy? Is the
focus reflection? Or are you in a time slot
a great extent, audiences no longer need
when the audience just needs a break?
you to access much of your content. So, According to a CrowdCompass and
what do they need from you and how do Edelman survey of 1,000 participants,
the top three things audiences want are:
you give it to them? • A great learning experience
• The opportunity to think bigger picture
about their job
• At least one takeaway that makes their
job easier
When you understand the needs of the
client and the audience, you can get the
content-engagement-reflection-transfor-
mation equation just right.
spk_10_2017_feat_audience_engage_JW.indd 30 9/30/17 7:51 PM

5 WAYS
TO BUILD
ENGAGEMENT
ARE YOU READY TO Try one or more of these effective
AMP UP ENGAGEMENT? experiential and interactive ideas
Debi Scholar, CMP, a corporate meet- to help engage your audiences:
ing professional, recommends you LIVE BAROMETER, also called
“experiment and be bold by amping body voting. Participants receive
up participant engagement with role a statement or challenge, then
plays, games, group discussions, and physically move and measurably
demonstrations.” ARE YOU FEEDING create solutions within groups.
That’s what Corey Perlman, a social AUDIENCE ADDICTION?
media and digital marketing expert, What could possibly be wrong with SPEED NETWORKING, an
activities that bring fun and levity accelerated networking process
does with his audiences by using col- with a bell. Participants connect
orful strings in his wrap-up activity. into the mix? According to Jeff Hurt
during multiple three- to four-
“I do this exercise to summarize my of Velvet Chainsaw Consulting,
minute knowledge rounds.
message,” Perlman says. It gets people a conference improvement firm,
moving and more engaged, and it’s a “Moments of ‘wow’ create fleeting UNCONFERENCE, also called
ton of fun. Plus, it makes for an awe- moments of dopamine-induced open space, has no agenda or
some photo op!” pleasure. Dopamine is the feel-good program. Instead, the content is
neurotransmitter.” participant-driven.
Linda Keith, CPA, CSP, starts off
her two-day training on tax return As speakers, we want to be mem- FIRESIDE CHATS are informal
a na lysis by passing out Legos. orable. We want our audiences and discussions facilitated by a
“Chatting with each participant as I meeting planners talking about us participant expert in each group.
give them toys immediately reduces long after we are gone. But is memo-
rable the same as transformational? TIME-LIMITED PRESENTATION,
their anxiety that the training will be examples include Ignite or Pecha
boring or beyond their abilities.” Keith Hurt says, “Effective conference
Kucha, where a speaker shows
also knows that some learners will planning teams identify the challenges
20 images, each for 20 seconds.
absorb the content better if they are and problems their customers need to The whole talk is done in less
engaged in doing something creative solve. Then they design the conference than six minutes and participants
at the same time. experience around those solutions. take over the rest of the session
They seek to engage the audience’s to discuss.
prefrontal cortex to engage with
deeper insights that last.”
Successful speakers understand
the goal of their presentation and
then design the mix of essential
content, engagement, reflection, and
MAKE AN
transformation that meets the client’s IMPACT
and the audience’s needs. If we can
do all of that and have everyone Visit speakermagazine.com to
talking about us long after the pre- check out these blog posts about
sentation, all the better. ■ impactful engagements:
Change the Way You Talk

About Change ¢ Learn the two
elements necessary for audience
transformation.
DEBORAH GARDNER,
Seated Ovations: How to Measure
C M P, provides Meeting News
For Speakers™. As a CMP, she has Your Presentation’s Success
presented to hundreds of meeting ¢ How to get your audience to
industry organizations. Reach her at think and feel deeply.
Deborah@DeborahGardner.com.
spk_10_2017_feat_audience_engage_JW.indd 31 9/30/17 7:51 PM

BY ROGER COURVILLE, CSP
That’s a meeting Get a full list at
platform. There are speakermagazine.
NO 150 of them and com/webinar-
WHAT’S
any one will do. platforms.
DRIVING YOUR That’s a video.
CHOICE OF
What you want is
NO a digital marketing
WEBINAR
system, not a
webinar software.
PLATFORM?
You’re in
the wrong
YES business.
Get a job.
START
HERE
Focus on key features DO YOU NEED
and kick the tires A REGISTRATION

PAGE? NO
Good
to
know.
to find the option that
revs your sales engine WOULD YOU PLAY
A VIDEO OF YOURSELF
SORTA AT A SPEAKING GIG
I
AND CALL THAT
f you were shopping for an A SPEECH?
automobile, how important

would it be to you that the
exhaust system “sounds sporty” “Simulated
live” lets
or that the infotainment system you play
is “intuitive”? Apparently, it is to HUH? prerecorded
content at
the Consumer Reports reviewer of a specific
time with live
the 2017 Honda Civic. WILL THE chat/Q&A.
“What’s the best webinar YES SESSION BE LIVE?
software?” is like asking “What’s

the best car?” That’s
The best software for you will a training
YES platform.
be based on a very personal set of Not many
specialize
criteria. And with more than 150 in that.
webinar solutions on the market,
there are a lot of questions to ask,
and the answers can get very tricky.
DO YOU NEED
TO “BREAK OUT”
YES PARTICIPANTS
IN A PROGRAM?
TURN THE PAGE

FOR A FULL LIST OF NO
WEBINAR SOFTWARE
FEATURES TO HELP
YOU FIND THE BEST
SOLUTION FOR YOU.
spk_10_2017_feat_webinars_JW.indd 32 9/30/17 7:55 PM

NARROW DOWN 1. MEETINGS are the
most frequent form
of communication/
2. SEMINARS,
WEBINARS, or
PRESENTATIONS
3. TRAINING is a specialized
use case and offers two
key differentiators:
YOUR NEED
collaboration in the imply there is someone • Breakout rooms to mimic
business world, so onstage for an event. in-person group work
virtually every vendor Features include: • Management of multiple
offers a meeting • Preregistration function sessions with functions
Software vendors platform. They have • Polls and surveys such as a “catalog page” for
configure their products the fewest features • Easy ways to publish registration, ability to limit
for three different and are the least and share recordings class sizes, and “class is
corporate use cases: expensive options. • Richer reporting full” notifications
Features Adobe Connect

and flexibility
Great presenter Webex Event Center

experience
Post-session
WHAT DO YOU production and TalkPoint Convey
PRO VALUE MOST? analytics
Driving leads like BrightTALK

a TV channel
Is popular in
higher education
Integrated CRM
& email marketing ClickWebinar
GoToWebinar
Webinato Unique features Webinato

WebinarJam
(EverWebinar)
WHAT DO YOU Ease of use, GoToWebinar
TalkPoint
VALUE VALUE MOST?
broad acceptance
Solid value AnyMeeting

Adobe Connect
Webex Training Center Selling from the WebinarJam
virtual stage
GoToTraining
Zoom Works with my
Skype for EventBuilder
Blackboard Collaborate YES Business account RegSimple
All-in-one
Skype for Business

is included
DO YOU SPEAK YES but doesn’t have
FREE FOR FREE? registration built in.
DO YOU HAVE
MICROSOFT
COOL. THIS IS NO OFFICE 365?
CLASSIC WEBINAR
SOFTWARE.
DO YOU WANT PRO,
VALUE, OR FREE?
NO

WHAT
FEATURES
2 LIVE SESSION
DO YOU NEED? If you want to be more engaging than “talking over
PowerPoint,” these features of your webinar software
Depending on how you plan to use will help or hurt your cause:
the webinar platform, there are GREENROOM/POST-EVENT ROOMS: Convene “back-
dozens of features that can enhance stage” privately, before and/or after the event, and
the experience—for you and your enable free movement “onto and off stage” at any time.
users. Learn more about each of
them here. AUDIO: Allow participants to hear and speak—using
their telephone and/or computer speakers/microphone.
VIDEO, LIVE: Appear on camera and connect to
external cameras.
VISUAL SHARING (SLIDES, DESKTOP): Share
PowerPoint or your computer desktop in a non-
video-oriented manner.
CHAT: Enable participants to chat to presenters, and
PRE-EVENT FEATURES
among themselves.
1 Q&A: Manage questions by flagging/marking,
answering, or dismissing.
FILE SHARE, HANDOUTS: Distribute files flexibly.
What happens before an event impacts how effec-
tively the webinar contributes to your goals. Which POLLS, SURVEYS: Offer multiple-choice questions.
features do you need? Which are already covered by BRANDING (AUDIENCE CONSOLE): Customize
other software you use, such as a stand-alone CRM the audience participation console with different
or shopping cart? Here’s what to look for: colors, layouts, or images—including a partner
PORTALS FOR MULTIPLE EVENTS: Host multiple logo, for example.
events on a single page. Useful for ongoing series or VIDEO, ASSET UTILIZATION: Use prerecorded video
multi-part classes. assets (uploaded or on YouTube).
REGISTRATION PAGE BRANDING: Customize FEEDBACK: Give audiences the ability to provide
layouts, images, and colors of a registration page. nontextual clues (e.g., handup, emoticons, atten-
REGISTRATION PAGE FEATURES: Enable a variety of tion meter).
functions, such as question types, including a video, LIVE UX (PRESENTER): Provide the presenter with
and allowing registrants to sign up using a social intuitive and flexible tools that allow a feature to be
media ID. turned on and off.
E-COMMERCE: Process a credit card and not
complete registration until payment is made.
EMAIL PROMOTION: Send independent, non-event
emails from within the system. Some offer a CRM
database that lets you manage/segment your list.
SOCIAL MEDIA PROMOTION: Embed publish-to-
social media tools, like “share this event.”
SOURCE TRACKING: Generate multiple URLs
for promotion, each of which is tracked uniquely
allowing you to evaluate the effectiveness of various
4 POST-EVENT
promotional channels.
After a live session, what you do with the recording
AFFILIATE MARKETING: Track referral payments in
has the potential to be useful well beyond “share a link
a shopping cart system.
to the recording.” These features can help:
CONFIRM, REMIND EMAILS: Deliver participation
RECORDING FORMAT: Record to the Cloud or to a
details and reminders to registrants.
hard drive and choose the output format.
CMS (CONTENT MANAGEMENT SYSTEM): Manage
PLAYBACK UX: Select the user experience when
assets across multiple events with a centralized
watching your webinar recording. Some offer
database.
fast-forward, rewind, and chapter controls.
REHEARSE: Practice your presentation with your
presentation team in the same virtual room where
you’ll be for the live event.

NEXT
STEPS
TAKE IT FOR
A TEST DRIVE
Have a good idea of
what you want? Get
3 SIMULATED LIVE EVENTS a free trial and take
it for a spin. Find
Simulated events were once the domain of the B2C out who in your
hawker crowd, but there are increasingly use-cases in NSA social media
the context of larger organizations as well. Examples:
tightly controlled/scripted events (e.g., financial ser- groups uses the
vices) or those where a presenter has limited avail-
ability. These specialized features can help:
platform you are
SIMU-LIVE: Host a live event that uses prerecorded considering and ask
content but enables synchronous/attended
interactions.
them about their
EVERGREEN: Set up ongoing or repeat events where experience. Ask to
real-time interaction is optional. attend one of their
webinars to test the
user experience.
ASSET UTILIZATION: Extend use of COMPARE

your webinar as a content asset.
PLATFORMS
ASSET MANAGEMENT: Create and Even an industry ROGER
manage online folders holding veteran like me COURVILLE ,
multiple webinar recordings. doesn’t have intimate C S P, is an
knowledge of every 18-year veteran
REPORTS, WEB: Review reports of the webinar
online in a browser or PDF. solution on the
industry, multiple-
market, so I’ve built book author, and
REPORTS, EXPORT, OR API: Export a quantitative way to Chief Aha! Guy at
or extract data. evaluate them. You can EventBuilder, a 17-person team
of virtual event professionals
REMARKETING: Continue promo- access the evaluation who boast software that turns
tional activity of on-demand assets, worksheet at Microsoft’s Skype for Business
speakermagazine.com/ into a webinar platform. And
such as digital marketing tools. he thinks butter should be a
webinar-platforms. food group.

BY JAY BAER, CSP
set
FOUR RULES TO DOUBLE YOUR
BUSINESS WITH CONTENT
yourself
up for
sponsorships
S peakers are content creators. Whether it’s onstage, on
video, via blog post, podcast, infographic, or beyond, if
you’re a speaker circa 2017, you’re likely packaging your
expertise into bite-sized chunks of online content.
Creating content is monetized indirectly, and over time, by
increasing the likelihood that meeting planners will find you online,
and be convinced to hire you. It increases awareness of you and your
message, and yields more inbound opportunities.
But, creating content can also be monetized directly, through J A Y B A E R , C S P,
sponsorships. has spent 20-plus years
If you can create enough relevant content, you can get paid to in digital marketing and
consulting for more than
make it. How? The audience for your content wants what your spon- 700 companies, including
sors are selling, and you are a valuable conduit for that relationship. 31 Fortune 500 clients.
I have almost doubled my business through sponsorships, and Baer’s Convince & Convert
if you’d like to attempt to do the same (and you should!), I’d like Consulting division works
with leading brands on
to share with you these four rules that will help you create enough social media and content
content—in the right places—to make sponsorship a reality. marketing strategy. His
Media division educates
marketers and business
people through blogs,
podcasts, e-books,
webinars, and more than
50 keynotes annually.
spk_10_2017_feat_sponsorships_JW.indd 36 9/30/17 8:12 PM


RULE #2:
GIVE AWAY
EVERYTHING 2
1
What do you put on your home base?
Everything you know.
In today’s fast-moving, hyper-com-
HOW TO STRUCTURE
petitive environment, information
eventually becomes free, or nearly
A SPONSORSHIP
so. There are countless blogs, videos,
podcasts, and more about every con-
AGREEMENT
ceivable topic. All of them are free. Especially when first getting
started, you want just a few
Even newspapers and magazines have sponsors, as it’s easier to
been forced to give away most of their manage a smaller number of
RULE #1 BUILD A content, attempting to monetize it
through sponsorships instead of sub-
expectations and relation-
ships. Your sponsorship
HOME BASE scriptions. You are not going to be able
agreements should:
¢ be packages that include
to buck this trend.
Eventually, you’ll have a presence in many digital several elements such as
Instead, take the entirety of your home base ads, podcast
locations, but you must have one place that is your knowledge, break it up into small, sponsorship, email ads, and
primary residence. This is where you put all your easily digestible pieces, and method- one webinar.
stuff, especially your best stuff. It’s where you aggre- ically give it away for free on your ¢ last for 12 months ideally,
gate your expertise, and it becomes a magnet for your home base. six months minimum.
audience and your sponsors. For an example, see how former ¢ describe exactly what
It’s critical to not try to build your home base NSA President Shep Hyken, CSP, you will do for the sponsors,
on rented land. A robust Facebook page or YouTube CPAE, does this on his home base at
what they need to supply,
channel may seem like a viable home base, but it’s and when.
hyken.com/blog (although I would
not. Your home base needs to be your own website; Fees for sponsorships
advise Shep to take this terrific blog are typically invoiced
something you actually control. and put it on a separate site). monthly to sponsors.
Remember, however, that the website you use for
speaking (which is often yourname.com) may not be
a particularly effective home base. Your home base is
about a topic, not about you.
If your topic is leadership, create and main-
tain a website or blog about leadership and run
it in parallel to your speaking site. For me, I run
ConvinceAndConvert.com—my home base about
GIVE SPONSORS WHAT THEY NEED
Once you have 20,000 monthly visits to your home base, it’s
digital marketing and online customer service. It time to find sponsors to monetize your content directly.
exists side by side with JayBaer.com, which is about It’s important to remember what sponsors want. It’s not
my speaking. to be in the proximity of your magnificence. They want you to
introduce them to their future customers.
The audience for your home base is the people When thinking about which companies are viable sponsors
who benefit from your expertise. Your speaking web- for your content, consider what products and services are
site is for people who book you to speak. relevant to the people who are interested in your topic. At every
Put another way, your home base is about help. event at which you speak, visit each of the sponsor booths.
Do these companies want to sell to people who consume the
Your speaking site is about hype.
content you create? If so, they are potential sponsors.

3 RULE #3: RECRUIT SOME HELP
It is essentially impossible to create enough content to attract sponsors if you
are creating all of the content yourself.
My home base at ConvinceAndConvert.com now features almost 100 dif-
ferent authors per year, all of them contributing interesting blog posts and other
information. At one point, I wrote every word on that site. Now, I write about 15
percent of it, and our traffic keeps going up.
Partner with other speakers and experts on your topics to create more content
on your home base. And each of those contributors will bring their own audience
to the effort, which benefits everyone.
which he runs in parallel with

JasonDorsey.com. Recently, his
team published a blog post called
“Millennials don’t want to buy
Baby Boomers’ homes.” Jason and
his team could atomize this infor-
mation in these ways (at least):
¡ 3-minute video overview on
WHAT YOU
YouTube or YouTube Live
¡ 90-second video overview on
Facebook or Facebook Live
¡ Rewrite the blog post slightly
and publish on LinkedIn
¡ Rewrite the blog post a bit and
CAN SELL TO
SPONSORS
4
publish on Medium
¡ Rewrite the blog post slightly
and publish on Facebook as a Note There aren’t really rules
¡ Podcast episode devoted to the for what can be sponsored,
topic so your creativity and
imagination can govern
¡ 15-second Instagram video link- what you offer sponsors.
ing to the blog post (link in bio) But here are some potential
¡ Tweets, Facebook posts, or options:
LinkedIn status updates featuring ¢ Sponsor ads on your
the headline of the blog post, and home base
ideally a summary photograph or ¢ Sponsor ads (graphics or
illustration text) in your email updates
¡ Infographic emphasizing the ¢ Sponsor mentions in your
key points, posted on Pinterest blog posts on LinkedIn,

Medium, and beyond
¡ Short PowerPoint presentation
RULE #4: ATOMIZE overview of the information,
uploaded to SlideShare
¢ Sponsor commercials in
your podcast
YOUR CONTENT This is one blog post, atomized

in many different formats, and in
¢ Sponsor acknowledg-
ment in your videos (need
How do people interested in your topic know to visit to be “tagged” as such)
your home base? Eventually, Google and other search many different places. Each of ¢ Webinars in conjunction
engines will start to direct people your way. these outposts creates new aware- with sponsors
But you need more than that. You must atomize your ness, and new audiences. ¢ Sponsor-contributed
content, which means you take the pieces you publish on Following these four rules will content on your home base
your home base, and then repackage and republish them give you a solid, topically specific
on other online destinations. These destinations are your home base—the kind that attracts
“outposts.” They are used to create more awareness of sponsors. You will have enough
your topic, and to drive people back to your home base. content, because of your collab-
For example, my friend Jason Dorsey is a terrific orators. And you’ll have enough
speaker on generational habits. His home base is the audience, because of your atomi-
Center for Generational Kinetics (genhq.com/blog), zation on your digital outposts. ■

BY MICHAEL SOON LEE, DBA, CSP
TURNING
P INTS Five successful NSA members talk about
the defining moments behind
major changes in their businesses

PIVOT
SIGNPOSTS
Did you know that Twitter started as a network where people could find and It might be time for you
subscribe to podcasts? It was called Odeo. And you probably haven’t heard of to make a change if:
it because when iTunes came on the podcast scene, Odeo realized it couldn’t 3 Engagements start
compete and would have to reinvent itself. That pivot led to a micro-blogging declining.
platform called Twitter. 3 There’s more
Whether because of competitors, changing client needs, your own inter- competition.
ests, or other reasons, a major change in your topic or even your business 3 People start
model may be in order. These five NSA speakers successfully pivoted their questioning your fee.
businesses — sometimes more than once. 3 Your clients’ industries
are changing.
3 Audiences are asking

M I C H A E L S O O N L E E , D B A , C S P, a 20-plus-year NSA member, for something that you’re
is a past president of the NSA–Northern California Chapter and a past chair of not providing.
Voices of Experience®. Lee speaks around the world about overcoming cultural
differences and has written eight books, including Cross-Cultural Selling for 3 You feel less
Dummies and Black Belt Negotiating. Reach him at michaelsoonlee@gmail.com. professionally fulfilled
than you used to.
Here’s how Michael successfully pivoted his business:
For 20 years, I trained real estate companies and new-home builders how to
sell to multicultural customers. In 2007, the housing market collapsed and dried
up overnight. Here was my pivot plan:
1. I constantly monitored the real estate market, so I knew a collapse was
coming. But no one knew how deep or long it would be.
2. I repurposed my marketing and content for three major industries:
new-car sales, financial services, and insurance.
3. I contacted the sales managers in these industries and sold them on
my new programs.
4. I rebuilt my business from the ground up.
spk_10_2017_feat_pivot_profiles_JW.indd 40 10/6/17 11:11 AM

THE POWER OF DIVERSIFYING
Patricia Fripp, CSP, CPAE, has always looked for friends. The president’s reply was, “I wish I were one of your
ways to improve her skills, but she found that she friends.” This got her thinking about shifting her business
really came alive when speaking to NSA chapters from keynoting to doing more presentation skills coaching.
about improving presentations. That feeling was The new direction was set an hour later when she
validated when, after delivering a speech at a received a voicemail from a woman saying, “I don’t know if
Fortune 500 company, the national sales manager you do this, but if you do, I want to give you to my husband
came up to her and said, “Patricia, I liked your for his birthday.” That got her attention!
speech. However, I loved how you delivered it. Can The message continued, “Seven members of my sales
you help our sales teams speak that way?” team came to your speaking class and raved. My husband is
That conversation led to a pivot from being an a good speaker and has a really important speech coming up.
in-demand keynote speaker on “Getting, Keeping, Can I hire you to help him?” From that day, Patricia officially
and Deserving Customers” to a new focus on added the title of executive speech coach to her repertoire.
“Presentation Skills”—and to becoming a speech Today, 25 percent of her work consists of keynotes and
coach and sales presentation skills expert. breakouts, 35 percent teaching sales presentation skills, and
Another pivot was put into motion when, 40 percent speech coaching executives or with teams.
after delivering a keynote speech, the company This diversification not only keeps her calendar full, it
president asked, “Do you do speech coaching?” also protects her business from a downturn in any one of
Patricia replied that she did, but mostly for her these areas.
WORDS
OF
WISDOM
“Listen to your audience.
q When your message must be memorable, your presentation powerful, They will always tell you what you
and your sales successful, PATRICIA FRIPP, CSP, CPAE, can help. She was
named “One of the 10 most electrifying speakers in North America” by should be speaking about.”
Meetings and Conventions magazine.

DEEPER CONNECTIONS
In 2001, at the age of 27, life shifted in an instant for Chad Hymas, last 14 years trying to fill the void that Art’s death left
CSP, CPAE, when a 2,000-pound bale of hay shattered his neck, in the world, keynoting and traveling to 52 countries
leaving him a quadriplegic. As a result, he was depressed and across all seven continents.
struggling with how to go on. A few years ago, Chad noticed that the keynotes
His father wanted to know what he was going to do with this started leaving him feeling a bit empty, so he shifted
“opportunity,” because just two months before the accident he his business to providing more in-depth programs.
had attended a seminar by Art Berg, CSP, CPAE, and had pur- Today, Chad still keynotes to keep the pipeline
chased his videotapes and books. Art was a quadriplegic who filled, but afterward he proposes a deeper dive that
was a motivational speaker and wheelchair athlete. His father can last as long as five years, and involves custom-
persuaded Chad to watch Art’s videos over and over. It wasn’t the ized training for supervisors, leaders, and front-line
words, but Art’s joyful attitude toward overcoming his physical employees to be more productive and safe in the
limitations that changed Chad’s life. workplace. Doing more coaching, training, and con-
Chad became hooked on Art. So his father ordered more ducting assessments gives him the opportunity to
tapes, which Art delivered personally to Chad’s hospital room go deeper with employees and integrate more of the
and demonstrated how to adapt to his limitations. At that knowledge he’s gained.
moment, Chad decided to pivot and focus on what he could
change, not on what he couldn’t.
They became friends, and Chad even attended the Pro Bowl
WORDS
in Hawaii with Art on February 16, 2002. Three days later Art OF
passed away at the age of 39. Devastated, Chad has spent the WISDOM
“There’s no one way to succeed in speaking,

just like there’s no one way to put on a shirt or
q CHAD HYMAS, CSP, CPAE, is a best-selling author and president a pair of pants. You have to adapt every day to
of Chad Hymas Communications, Inc. He is a recognized world-class the circumstances you find yourself in.”
wheelchair athlete. Chad speaks on leadership, team building,
customer service, and mastering change.

S H I F T I N G H E R AT T E N T I O N
Ten years ago, Neen James, MBA, CSP, was asked her, “What do you really want?” She answered, “I want
speaking about productivity. But she found the world to pay attention!” To her, that means truly listening
that the space was full of speakers professing to with your eyes, heart, and soul. It means being present in the
be time management and productivity experts, presence of others. She never wants anyone to feel invisible.
making it difficult to stand out from the crowd. She wants people to be seen and heard.
Plus, she realized that she never really So, Attention Pays™ was born. This led to a total rebrand,
believed in time management. In her book updated website, fresh keynotes, and a brand-new book by
Folding Time™, she says, “Time management the same name. All these deliverables were the direct result
is OUT.” Neen realized that productivity is a of the evolution of her message.
powerful combination of time, attention, and As a corporate business speaker, she’s found that people
energy that gets results. She noticed that the are overwhelmed, overstressed, and overtired. They are more
lesson her audiences and clients were really distracted and disconnected than ever before. Attention
responding to was how to pay attention to what Pays™ is fast becoming her most popular keynote, and she
really matters. is now building an assessment tool and creating a series of
Then a strategic counseling conversation books. She is creating an “Attention Movement.”
with the legendary Mark Sanborn, CSP, CPAE, Neen says, “I believe that attention is the evolution of the
kick-started the pivoting of her brand. He productivity conversation.”
WORDS
OF
WISDOM
q Dubbed the “energizer powerhouse” by event planners and
“As we evolve as speakers, our topics meeting organizers worldwide, NEEN JAMES, MBA, CSP, is the
queen of using attention to increase productivity.
need to evolve, too.”

A NEW AGE OF EXPERTISE
In 1998, Eric Chester, CSP, CPAE, started speaking to young Eric always knew that speaking about millen-
people to help them prepare to enter the workforce. Then he nials had an expiration date—eventually he would
discovered that companies were struggling to understand young be talking to millennials about themselves. So, he
people in their workplace. As a result, he pivoted his business to expanded his market to help anyone who is called
help employers understand how younger workers think differ- “boss” to get their employees to work harder, per-
ently about the workplace and technology. form better, and stay longer. No longer confined to
Eric had to create the market for this new topic by helping talking about younger workers, he now addresses
employers recognize their pain points. He suspected that they the changing workplace demographics of multi-
were dying to know why young workers were always texting, so cultural employees, older workers, and others. His
impatient, and questioned everything. He sent thousands of post- fourth leadership book, On Fire at Work: How Great
cards and made hundreds of phone calls, and slowly the business Companies Ignite Passion in Their People without
started coming in. Burning Them Out, shows employers how to find,
Companies shared their tactics and techniques they used to develop, and keep great employees.
recruit, manage, train, and motivate young people. Using this Always proactive, Eric still remains ready to
knowledge, he pivoted again from talking about generational pivot at a moment’s notice.
differences to providing more solutions. That led to his first book
about millennials, Employing Generation Why, in 2002.
Eric became wildly successful speaking about millennials, but
WORDS
the market became saturated with competition, so he decided to OF
pivot again. Instead of continuing to fight for a piece of the pie, WISDOM
he decided to create a new pie.
“Look to the stars for longevity. How did

Madonna, Michael Jackson, and David Bowie
have such long careers? They continued to
q Since 1998, ERIC CHESTER, CSP, CPAE, has been the leading pivot by constantly reinventing themselves,
voice in attracting, managing, motivating, and retaining the emerging
workforce as an in-the-trenches workplace researcher and thought looking at where they were, and asking,
leader. He has cracked the code on the tactics and strategies ‘Have things changed and should I change?’”
companies that are recognized as “best places to work” in their
respective industries are using to win the talent wars.

FINDING CHANGE FROM WITHIN
Pivoting is nothing new for Peggy O’Neill, who’s and work through the challenges that were weighing on her heart.
made several significant changes throughout her She discovered that her “inner, deeper” self was more substan-
adult life, and through 20 years as a professional tial, more real, than her physical self. With that realization, came
speaker. the understanding that her “diamond-like value” outweighed the
As a kid, Peggy endured persistent teasing and opinions of others.
name-calling because she was much shorter than Peggy knew she had a gift for connecting with others and an
others. Later challenges included a series of failed important message to share, so she embarked into the professional
romantic relationships and the dean at her college speaking world with the power to share her message and rock it!
saying that no one would hire someone who was Working through the bulk of her challenges, she now feels for the
only 3'8" tall. As a result, Peggy developed a deep first time that she is fully equipped and fully confident to work with
sense of inadequacy and doubt that others would the audiences that used to intimidate her, particularly corporate.
take her seriously. In spite of this, she managed to “If you want to make a pivot in your life or career,” Peggy says,
develop a business speaking to youth and women’s “if you want things to get better, pay attention to and work through
groups about overcoming challenges. the challenges that life brings you. They are perfectly designed for
A few years ago, Peggy pivoted her whole life by your next step of learning, growing, and evolving. Doing this, we
taking a sabbatical from speaking to travel, study, come to appreciate that the challenges of our lives help us fulfill
our potential and our destiny.”
WORDS
OF
WISDOM
q PEGGY O’NEILL is the messenger
“You may want to take some time off before and the message, and exemplifies
walking tall! For more than 13 years, she
pivoting your career. You’ll discover that has inspired powerful positive change
your spirit is stronger than you think.” in corporate and women’s groups across
the U.S.

FO CUS Squirrel!
spk_10_2017_feat_focus_squirrel_JW.indd 46 9/30/17 8:36 PM

BY SCOTT HALFORD, CSP, CPAE
Learn to make the

most of your brain’s ability
to focus and wander
You are not naturally good at one of the most prized attributes in today’s
world. I don’t mean you specifically. I mean all of us. Humans have a
tough time paying attention to one thing. We would rather look up and
around and into our technology to see what else is going on. Squirrel!
It is easy to distract the human brain, and it takes intensive energy
to focus it. And yet focus—paying attention to the moment at hand—
is the activity that helps you complete tasks. It gives you a rewarding
neurotransmitter bump when you achieve a goal, and it’s a very good
predictor of overall success. So, why are you so bad at it?
THE FOCUS OF A LIONESS VS. SQUIRREL!

Picture a lioness as she stalks her dinner. The intense focus she uses to
mask the sounds of her several hundred pounds crushing brush under
paw and the sense to hide her whereabouts are otherworldly. At the pre-
cise moment that she needs it, her brain’s survival network sets up a
cascade of chemistry that allows her to pounce and succeed. She doesn’t
muse, “Hmm, if I don’t get this antelope, is there another one nearby? I
wonder what my mate is doing right now? I wonder if the dry cleaning is
ready to pick up?” No. She focuses.
Humans, unlike the lion, do not naturally focus on the present. We
have a different natural and remarkable capability. We can dream up
things that do not exist and that have not been imagined by mentally
wandering into the future. It’s called prospection. You may not realize
this, but you do this throughout the day.

MULTITASKING =
MULTI-FAILING
Do you feel more productive when
you double up your tasks? You’re
not.
¢ Multitasking decreases IQ by a
minimum of 10 points.
¢ Multitasking is associated with

decline in gray matter.
¢ Multitaskers cannot distinguish

irrelevant stimuli, so they pay
attention to everything.
¢ Multitaskers teach themselves

to be good at multitasking, but not
good at focus.
¢ Multitaskers activate large pieces

Here’s an example: You can type an email and almost simultane-
of neuro-architecture not relevant
to the task and thus exhaust their ously think about what you will make for dinner tonight. This ability
capability to focus. to mentally roam to the future is our default. When it is recognized
and nurtured, it’s responsible for creating the next best-selling book or
¢ Multitaskers cannot manage incredible speech, or inventing the rocket that goes to Jupiter.
working memory well. This is the
ability to recall recent bits of rel- Your brain may be mentally wandering right now—Squirrel!—as it
evant data that will help in task has epiphanies while reading this article. When you allow it, you are
completion. This is also why many an insight-generating machine that can prospect on a topic and imagine
small random tasks fall through new things.
the cracks—remembering to pick
up milk on the way home from
work or that we agreed to forward C U LT I V A T I N G C R E A T I V I T Y
information to a client by the end A N D F O C U S AT T H E S A M E T I M E
of the day. Interestingly, the much-heralded attribute of focus is at neural odds with
generating new insights and is difficult for humans, yet both are criti-
cal to accomplishing new things. A research study by social networking
company Draugiem Group shows that we can stay optimally absorbed
for 52 minutes—a sort of mental sprint—that is followed by a 17-minute
diversion. The “distraction” may include mental wandering while sitting
quietly or taking a walk; or allowing the brain to be used differently; for
example, laughing with a friend, doodling, or playing a game. The key is
to walk away after the energy-intensive sprint, and allow your brain to
do something else before the next sprint. If you do this, you’ll gain more
overall stamina, deeper thinking capability, and greater output.
You might be thinking, “I want to focus on being creative.” What you
really want to do is allot time to mentally wander (the creative part) and
to make it productive. To do so, make a point to record your tangential
thoughts. Then, use your focused, mindful network (called the exec-
utive or orienting network) to keep you present and absorbed for the
mental sprint of doing the analytical and structural work.
This process is a perfect circle that begins with the ideas born from
mental wandering, and ends with getting things done through focused
effort. We need both. Embrace the permission to mentally wander while
balancing the demands that you place on your executive network. You
will soon see improvement in your productivity and your energy.

THE PROS AND CONS
O F M E N T A L LY W A N D E R I N G
You may believe that you are wasting time when you are wander-
ing. On the contrary. While you are awake, your brain doesn’t
rest. Quiet activities like meditating, knitting, going on walks,
or exercising, all activate brain circuitry called the default
mode network. During this type of wandering, new ideas are
generated because your brain is unfocused and more prone to
tangents and what-ifs. It’s what your brain does when you’re not
paying attention to one specific thing. When you wander, try to
capture your thoughts, and you may uncover the beginning of a
life-changing idea. You will thank yourself for purposefully let-
ting your mind do what it is exquisitely designed to do. Imagine
productively.
Evaluation (the On the flip side, not all wandering is good. If you don’t turn
off your prospection, it can become harmful. Without discipline, SCOTT
analytical process) you may end up trying to multi-task through your day, which is
effectively, multi-failing. Your brain can hold only one thought
HALFORD,
C S P, C P A E , is
a writer and longtime
and innovation at a time because it is a linear processor. When you attempt to be

cognitive about two things at once, you cheat them both.
And you need to figure out when focus is required. Focus
educator of business
people worldwide. He
focuses on effective
(the creative helps with tasks that require accuracy. You want to be seri-
ous when balancing your fi nances, for example. The moment
performance through the
lens of neuroscience. His
neuro-musings can be
process) are neural you feel—Squirrel!—your accuracy may suffer because you’ve
switched into the creative default mode network.
found in Entrepreneur
magazine and Huffington
Post. Scott is the author of
networks at odds As professional speakers, this has tangible implications as we

strive to produce quality content on a regular basis. “One thing
Activate Your Brain, a Wall
Street Journal best-selling
with each other that at a time” should be our mantra because it is what the brain book, and Be a Shortcut:
The Secret Fast Track to
is chanting as we attempt to juggle multiple items. When you Business Success.
try to take action on multiple great ideas—create video blogs,
do not operate at the learn new technology, redesign your marketing; and then, on
top of that, rewrite a speech from scratch—you are courting an
same time. Make anxiety-stricken, chaos-driven unfocused mess of a mind that
will negatively affect your business. Research published in the
time for both. Harvard Business Review shows that companies that have fewer
priorities, have higher stock value.
My bias follows this research. Do fewer things better. It’s
brain friendly and more profitable. ■
PRIME CONDITIONS
In order to focus well for about 50 minutes, the brain needs to be:
WELL-RESTED. Aim for seven to nine hours of sleep a night.
FED COMPLEX CARBOHYDRATES. Eat small amounts every
one and a half to two hours while working.
HYDRATED. Dehydration leads to distraction and bad moods.
Drink a glass of water each break.

MASTERMINDING
BY JIM PANCERO, CSP, CPAE
Join the
Survivors
20-plus-year speakers suggest the next
investment to make in your business
W
hat’s the best investment you can make right now
that will generate the strongest payback and growth VETERAN ADVICE
for your speaking business? Who are you asking for
advice on where best to invest your money in your business or
what to work on next as a professional speaker? “Don’t spend money on
I attended the Influence 2017 20-plus-year members’ reception anything that doesn’t
in Orlando to listen to suggestions and advice from some of the
tie into your plan.”
most respected survivors in our industry. Here’s what they shared:
—Gayle Carson, EdD, CSP
A S S E S S YO U R S TR E N GTH S
AND WEAKNESSES
No matter how much money you have to spend, or what stage
“Don’t let your ego “Minimize your
your speaking business is in, the most frequent advice is to take fall prey to publicist’s investments until
an inventory of your strengths and weaknesses as a professional promises until you are your presentation is
speaker. This advice is not just for startups. Most survivors do this really ready. You’re ‘Awesome!’”
periodically. It’s how survivors survive!
What are your most- and least-developed areas of the business?
seeing yourself on —Richard Hadden, MBA, CSP
How strong are your: TV, but there are
• technical/topic skills? better places to invest “You have to spend
• platform/presentation skills?
your money in the money to make money
• selling/promotional skills?
• business/financial skills? beginning.” in this business. The
—Elaine Dumler, CSP wisdom is in making
the right spending
decisions at the right
time. Occasionally, I’ve
spent way too much on
websites, PR, videos,
newsletters, and
speaker management
staff. At other times,
I’ve had great success
investing in the very
same things.”
—Ron Culberson, CSP, CPAE
spk_10_2017_dept_mastermind_JW.indd 50 10/6/17 11:10 AM

W H AT ’ S
THE NEXT
INVESTMENT
F O R YO U R
BUSINESS?
HIRE A COACH. Speaking,
business, or life.
 UPDATE YOUR WEBSITE.

Improve the look and make it
mobile responsive.
 ADD A WEBSITE. Consider

both a “speaker” website and a
“topic” website.
 IMPROVE YOUR BACK OFFICE

OR SALES SOFTWARE. Customer
relationship management (CRM),
automated marketing, accounting,
project management, or e-commerce.
 ADD STAFF. Virtual? Contract or

employee? Part-time or full-time?
 IMPROVE YOUR MATERIALS.

Hire a graphic artist and/or editor to
improve the quality of manuals and
other collateral materials.
Short-term success can be achieved by investing more money in  SELF-PUBLISH YOUR BOOK.
your already strong areas. But long-term success, in the opinion of  HIRE A RESEARCH FIRM TO
these seasoned speakers, comes from investing in the weakest areas
CONDUCT ORIGINAL RESEARCH.
of your business—even the areas you personally dislike.
Add credibility and depth to
your content.
TA K E A D V I C E , B U T K N O W T H Y S E L F
We’re all biased. If you ask me, a 35-plus-year sales expert, where  COMMIT TO MORE
to spend your money, I’ll suggest improving your website, posting CONTINUING EDUCATION.
YouTube videos, doing promotional mailings, or investing in a
Go deeper on a current area of
bureau’s showcase.
expertise or try something new.
Now, that’s great advice, as long as it’s a good fit for you and
your business. You will have a clearer understanding of your  ADD ONLINE LEARNING. Use
opportunities and alternatives if you ask a variety of people. membership software and a learning
Then look for the best fit for you. management system (LMS).
The National Speakers Association was founded on the J I M PA N C E R O,
philosophies and encouragement of Cavett Robert: We will C S P, C P A E , has  PROTECT YOUR INTELLECTUAL
always be stronger helping each other than we will ever be just been a sales and sales PROPERTY. Follow the trademark
fighting alone. Get involved in your local chapter, volunteer to leadership speaker
process and file any necessary
and trainer as well as
work on a committee, or start a mastermind group. a proud member of documentation.
Keep asking others for their opinions on how to best grow NSA for over 35 years.
your business, at every stage of your business. The person with Jim is also a loyal and
the smallest ego tends to get the best advice. The more voices active member of the
NSA–North Texas
you consider, the lower the risk in whatever you decide to Chapter.
invest in next. ■
spk_10_2017_dept_mastermind_JW.indd 51 10/6/17 11:10 AM

ASK THE EXPERT
BY BILL CATES, CSP, CPAE
ADVOCACY LEADS KEEP TALKING NSA

Send experts
Word of mouth. Nice to get.
In fact, anyone worth a hill of beans
TO ACTION
who speak to should be getting these unsolicited
JoinNSA.com.
(After all, we’re referrals and introductions.
not the National Referrals. Often, they go
Listeners something like this … “Call
The highest form of referral Association.) George Smith and use my name.”
Prospects have a million messages
coming at them, so old-style
leads are no longer enough to cut
through the noise.
Recommendations. Clearly a
step up. Your referral source says,
“You should talk to her. She’ll do a
great job for you.”
Introductions. Introductions
move the process forward. Our
referral source connects us with the
Advocacy prospect—quite often in the form
of an email “handshake.” Now we
have an actionable connection!
Introductions Advocacy. The pinnacle of this
hierarchy is advocacy. An advocate
will make a strong recommenda-
tion and follow through on the
Recommendations connection to make sure it leads to
further action.
referrals ADVOCACY FOR NSA

Is a bigger NSA a better NSA?
Most of our members say, “Yes.”
Word of Mouth We know that more active pro-
fessional members bring more
brainpower to our meetings,
improved access to people and
resources between meetings, and
better budgets for higher produc-
tion value at our meetings.
Help NSA grow with the right
F
types of members—those who
acebook founder Mark Zuckerberg said, “Nothing give to get. Our prospective member funnel demon-
influences people more than a recommendation strates the value of being an NSA member and makes
from a trusted friend.” Here’s the King of Social joining a smooth process. ■
Networking telling us that before we get all enamored
with social media, to make sure we master how our
clients prefer to meet us—through a recommendation BILL CATES, CSP, CPAE, is the president of Referral
from someone they already trust. Coach International, a member of NSA’s National
Board, and one of the founding
HIERARCHY OF REFERRAL members of NSA’s Million Dollar
You’re familiar with Maslow’s hierarchy of needs? I Speakers Group. He is the author
think the fi rst level is shelter. Then water, food, beer, of several books on referrals,
and Monday Night Football. Right? Here is the Cates’ including Beyond Referrals and
Hierarchy of Referrals from bottom to top. Don’t Keep Me a Secret.
spk_10_2017_dept_ask_the_expert.indd 52 9/30/17 8:39 PM

FEBRUARY 16-18
BALTIMORE, MD
Michael Dominguez
the future
of THE MEETINGS INDUSTRY
The future of speaking is much like the future of all industry and business, it is changing at a pace never seen before
in history. To succeed today, one must think like a start-up! This means move fast, be nimble and fail often. That is a
scary proposition for many of those who have been in the speaking field as this is far from the norm. Authenticity
has never been more important and an understanding that “context” versus “content” rules the day.

spk_10_2017_dept_ask_the_expert.indd 53 9/30/17 8:39 PM

5 THINGS
1
I LISTEN TO THE NPR
PODCAST HOW I BUILT
THIS. The show has
insightful interviews of
entrepreneurs and what has
made them successful.
—Simon T. Bailey,
CSP, CPAE
2
4
I TEACH JUNIOR
ACHIEVEMENT FINANCIAL
LITERACY PROGRAMS
in elementary schools. I
love working with kids and I BOUGHT A MOTOR HOME
feeling like I am helping THAT REQUIRES ME TO KNOW
solve the financial illiteracy NOT ONLY HOW TO DRIVE IT,
problem in our country. but to hook up hoses, clean
—Linda Keith, CPA, CSP sewage, and problem-solve
when things go wrong. I am
3
ready to work when my time
comes onstage because of the
complete focus I need away
from work to deal fully with
I’M ADDICTED TO ORANGE the motor home.
THEORY FITNESS, a group —Jason Hewlett, CSP, CPAE
training workout that boosts
5
your endurance, power, and
strength. It teaches you how
to be super-efficient and
organized with your time,
yet spontaneous in spirit I SING IN A CHOIR. The
and execution. narration of my latest book
—Connie Dieken, into audio format was better,
CSP, CPAE I believe, because of my
improved diction from singing.
Outside
And my choir came to be
part of the audience for my
successful audition for TedX.
Great support!
Influence
—Linda Swindling, JD, CSP
What we learn from taking a step away

Ever wonder what some of the most accomplished
speakers do outside of their field that contributes to
their business success? We caught up with several
and asked them to share a few of their favorites.
spk_10_2017_5things_JW.indd 54 9/30/17 8:41 PM

I love sharing the
NSA experience with
others! We all gain
from a bigger NSA.
Jon Petz, CSP
You Can Be a Part of

NSA’s Referral Program!
Every time someone you refer joins NSA at the national level,
you’ll be entered into a monthly drawing for a $100 Visa gift card.
Additionally, the member with the most referrals between June 1, 2017,
and May 19, 2018, will become the next referral champion and will win
a complimentary event registration and hotel stay.*
The winners are announced on the first of each month via NSA’s
Members Only Facebook group.
Send prospective members to JoinNSA.com

*Must be an active member of NSA to participate.

Department
High Point University Welcomes

Netflix Co-Founder
MARC
RANDOLPH as our
ENTREPRENEUR IN RESIDENCE
Marc Randolph
Netflix Co-Founder and High Point University’s
Entrepreneur in Residence
ACCESS TO INNOVATORS
“Nobody knows what is going to work in advance. The only way to figure out if it is a good idea or not is by taking a risk.”
- Netflix Co-Founder, Marc Randolph
Marc Randolph is a veteran Silicon Valley entrepreneur, advisor and investor. Randolph, along with Apple Co-Founder Steve Wozniak, Twitter
Marc was Co-Founder of the online movie and television streaming service Co-Founder Biz Stone, former Yahoo Vice President
Netflix, serving as their founding CEO, as the executive producer of their Seth Godin and a list of other global influencers have
web site, and as a member of their board of directors until his retirement all been attracted to the HPU campus and spent time
in 2004. with students. When students meet these individuals
and receive their guidance and mentorship, no longer
Although best known for starting Netflix, Randolph’s career as an are they influential icons of an industry. Suddenly,
entrepreneur spans more than four decades. He’s founded more than half they are advocates for the success of students – a real
a dozen other successful start-ups, served as a mentor to hundreds of early person with real words of advice and encouragement.
stage entrepreneurs, and invested in numerous tech ventures.
The simple lesson learned – I can do it.
Now Marc Randolph is taking on a new role as High Point University’s
Entrepreneur in Residence. Through an ongoing partnership, Randolph To learn more about the school U.S. News and
will connect with HPU students and faculty for experiential learning. The World Report ranks #1 Best Regional College in the
partnership with Randolph stems from HPU’s focus on providing access South for the sixth consecutive year and #1 Most
to innovators for students. Innovative College in the South, visit highpoint.edu.
Department
High Point, North Carolina
AT HIGH POINT UNIVERSITY, EVERY STUDENT RECEIVES AN EXTRAORDINARY EDUCATION IN AN INSPIRING ENVIRONMENT WITH CARING PEOPLE.®

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TAKEAWAYS America’s top 10 most-booked corporate

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