nsa speakers academycontent.nsaspeaker.org/chapters/academy/01orientation.pdf · 2014-04-09 ·...

NSASpeakersAcademy

Orientation

© 2012 National Speakers Association 1

Module 1: Orientation

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Congratulations!Welcome to Day 1 of your Speakers Academy experience. This journey will be oneyou’ll remember for a long time and perhaps even a lifetime. The goal of your leader,and any others who may be brought in as additional guides in this process, is tohelp you determine two things:

1. Is a career as a professional paid speaker the right choice for you?

2. How do you become a paid professional speaker?

So, how do you answer those questions? Let’s begin by asking why you want tobecome a paid professional speaker. Place your answers below — with theknowledge that there are no right or wrong answers!

Why Do I Want to Become a Paid Professional Speaker?

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As your chapter’s Speakers Academy program serves as an interactive, in-depthexperience for you, building on the basics you may have learned from the NationalSpeakers Academy program, answering the questions below will also help toachieve your desired results.

What Do I Expect From This Program?

What Do I Expect From The Program Leader?

2 © 2012 National Speakers Association


Where Are You Now?There are many descriptions of the levels of professional speaking. There are alsodifferent levels of involvement in NSA and in the profession. Check the box that bestdescribes your current position or level of development.

� Level 1: Beginning Speaker, Part-time

Needs: Time to practice and practice

Current Status: Often high achievers and those who are successful in representing theircompany or industry. Also includes training, corporate, industry and consultingexperience, involvement in Toastmasters and church leadership• 1 to 20 years speaking at association meetings, churches and service clubs • Seldom paid

Suggested Steps for Progression to the Next Level: • Use free engagements to practice• Get involved as an association leader• Study, adapt, find niche• Focus on and invest in future• Resist comparison to other speakers• Join Toastmasters along with your academy participation

� Level 2: Part-Time Speaker

Needs: Time to develop stage presence by presenting as often as possible — paid or free

Current Status: Often consultants, college professors or have anotherjob while doing some speaking. Might also be industryspeakers, educators, church leaders, salespersons orcorporate trainers• May have been an aspiring speaker for 1 to 5 years• Sometimes paid

Suggested Steps for Progression to the Next Level: • Assume Toastmaster leadership• Enter speaking contests• Join the National Speakers Association• Have at least a simple website page• Take acting and storytelling classes • Resist comparing yourself to other speakers• Practice, and practice some more

YourPicture Here?

Where Are You Now?� Level 3: Beginning Professional Speaker

Needs: Time to build momentum

Current Status: Often consultants, leaders, corporate trainers, industry speakers, sports figures,corporate executives or individuals committed to professional speaking• Often takes 2 to 5 years to learn the ropes of the professional speaking business and get focused about topics, niche and markets

• Have a website and maybe audio recordings, an e-newsletter and part-time staff

Suggested Steps for Progression to the Next Level: • Be active in NSA. Serve on an NSA chapter committee• Attend NSA convention• Ask for help from mentors. Invite feedback• Have a well-branded website• Learn to use humor effectively• Resist comparing yourself to other speakers• Develop and invest in your unique message and speaking development• Start keeping paperwork for Certified Speaking Professional (CSP) designation

� Level 4: Established Professional Speaker

Needs: Time to enjoy success while keeping momentum up

Current Status: • Are successful consultants, corporate executives, corporate trainers, educators, established authors, leaders, salespersons or motivational speakers

• Know their niche, have a distinctive image and reliable cash flow• Often have authored articles and a book; may provide other services in addition to speaking

• Are client focused • Often spend 3 to 5 years in this level

Suggested Steps for Progression to the Next Level: • Be active in NSA. Serve on an NSA national committee• Attend NSA conventions and consider attending international conventions

• Continue to upgrade and customize materials• Perfect presentations to touch audience’s hearts instead of just their minds• Aim to become “the expert” in your chosen topic area• Become more client and topic selective• Accept bureau engagements• Write a book or create more products

YourPicture Here?



� Level 5: Accomplished Professional Speaker

Needs: Time to stay on the cutting edge

Current Status: Outstanding speakers, recognized as authorities, best-selling authors, havestrong images and are in significant demand. May move into celebrity statusfrom mass recognition• Often receive significant income from books, other products and Internet sales• Many years can be spent in this level

Suggested Steps for Progression to the Next Level: • Become an NSA leader• Mentor others• Continue to provide quality products• Keep materials and presentations fresh• Increase fees and speak less• Become systemized and computerized• Develop passive-income sources

� Level 6: Celebrity Speaker, Full-Time

Needs: Time to remain humble

Current Status: Are nationally known and could be television personalities, sports figures,CEOs or overnight celebrities. Often best-selling authors, war heroes,politicians, entertainers, broadcasters, talk-show hosts, business leaders,economic advisors or highly acclaimed motivational speakers• Hired because of their names, not their content. Time can be short lived as they don’t have time to grow

� Level 7: Famous Speaker

Needs: Time is limited

Current Status: Tend to be world leaders, ex-presidents, or famous leaders

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YourPicture Here?



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Where Would You Like To Be? An exchange between Alice and the Cheshire Cat in Lewis Carroll's Alice inWonderland is often paraphrased to “If you don’t know where you are going, anyroad will get you there.” Do you know where you are going? Do you know whereyou would like to be? Now that you’ve identified where you are, where would youlike to be in your professional speaking career?

What are my goals for the next 90 days?

What are my goals for the next 12 months?

What are my goals for the next 3 years?

Where do I ultimately want to end up in this business?





STRENGTHS

WEAKNESSES

Sometimes, our greatest threat is our own self-belief?

Is that true for you?

OPPORTUNITIES

THREATS

What Will Help Get You There?In order for you to progress to your next level or desired goal in the professionalspeaking business, you may find it helpful to take a closer examination of whatstrengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats are currently part of your makeupand your plan. Use this guide and your leader’s instructions to take a thoroughinventory of where you are and what will help you get there, as well as what youmight need. Remember, strengths and weaknesses are internal. Opportunities andthreats are external, but can help or hinder us from getting where we want to be.

What are the things that I most need to succeed?

NAME ________________________________________________________________

CONTACT INFORMATION Phone ________________________________________

Email ________________________________________

SCHEDULED TIME TO MEET/TALK _________________________________________

FREQUENCY OF MEETINGS ______________________________________________

PERSONAL INFORMATION

Pet Peeves

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Preferred method of communication

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GOALS

Speaking goals ________________________________________________________

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Product goals _____________________________________________________

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Business goals _________________________________________________________

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Who Will Help Get You There? Many in the business of professional speaking find it helps to have a guide on theside in addition to your Speakers Academy leader. This person can be anaccountability partner, a member of your mastermind group or merely an additionalmentor. Who will you reach out to for this type of guidance or focus on your goals?Who might you also help by serving in this capacity?





Professional Speaking Tips and Cautions1. Ask questions and get varied input before investing significant amounts of time,

energy and money.

2. At the beginning, speak as much as possible. Consider arranging for 20 freeengagements to collect endorsement statements and create word-of-mouthbuzz. You want the endorsement statements to describe the difference you andyour presentation made to the audience and/or the organization.

3. Invest in your professional development not only as a speaker but within yourcontent area. Read the most recent and established books on your topic, andmaintain your membership in associations that support your expertise. Take onleadership roles in your professional association(s).

4. Consider the additional option of Toastmasters, which provides a low-costopportunity for practice and feedback.

5. For each new program you develop, present it in front of a practice audiencethree to four times to fine tune it before you present it at a paying event.

6. Be open to feedback and making changes based on trends. Don’t bedevastated by negative comments or character attacks such as “I couldn’tstand the speaker.” These comments are more about the audience member.Useful audience feedback is when three or more people make comments suchas “The speaker spoke too fast and I didn’t hear it all.”

7. Arrange for experienced speakers to be in your audience to give you feedbackand valuable suggestions for improvement.

8. Research local speakers to find one you admire. Offer to assist him or her at anupcoming event. You could take money for product sales or help withpresentation setup. Watch, listen and ask questions following the presentation.

9. Add humor and fun to your presentations — in your stories, examples, propsand/or images. An old joke in the speaking profession is “Do you use humor inyour presentations?” Answer: “Only when I want to be paid.”

10. Learn the best way for you to add humor to your presentations. Sometimesstating a fun quotation is all that is needed. Don’t force humor if it's not a goodfit for you.

11. Use a digital recorder or video camera to record yourself and use as a continualimprovement tool.

12. Whenever possible, collect video footage. If an organization videotapes you, be sure to request a copy. Wait until you are confident in your program andhave the WOW factor on stage before editing and placing video footage on your website or creating a demo video. Make sure you get shots of an engaged audience.

Professional Speaking Tips and Cautions13. Collect video footage from media events. They can eventually be used on your

website and/or your demo video.

14. Avoid both bad mouthing and worshiping other speakers. We all have ourstrengths, weaknesses and differences. Some speakers empower, someinspire, some train and focus on content, some recite eloquently, some amazewith juggling balls, magic or a guitar, and some agitate the audience intothinking or action. However, do bring forward to the NSA Ethics Committee anyconcerns you have about unethical behavior.

15. Never steal other speakers’ material or core ideas. Develop your own contentand memorable moments. If you do use a line from another speaker or author,give the appropriate credit. As Betty Cooper says, “The difference betweenordinary and extraordinary is the 'extra' you put in.”

16. Learn to sell yourself before you ask or hire someone else to do it.

17. Be clear on your area of expertise and market before creating marketingmaterials or writing a book. As Jane Atkinson says, “Ready, Aim, Fire.”

18. Set a fee you are comfortable stating out loud. Decide if your fee is firm or if youare willing to negotiate. If you decide to negotiate, have an exchange list ofservices you are willing to accept for a reduced fee. Exchange items caninclude videotaping your presentation, receiving an endorsement letter onorganizational letterhead or other support services.

19. Learn how to stick out in the crowd of professional speakers. Think: purple cow.

20. Under-promise and over-deliver.

Tips for the Future1. Because your performance on the platform is your most powerful marketing,

consider paying for a presentation coach. A business coach may also be agood idea. These people will not seek you out, but are well known in theindustry. Ask many questions before deciding who will coach you.

2. Delegate office work. Focus on your highest-value task. Do the tasks that createthe best results, and leave the $10/hour jobs for someone else. There arenumerous online services available. Remember to ask questions and get variedinput before investing your time, energy and money.

3. Decide if you will work with speakers bureaus or not. Before you converse withbureaus learn how they operate. Don’t go directly to them; let them come toyou. They will do that when you have something they want to offer their clients.Be ready when they come.



Professional Speaking Tips and CautionsCautions1. Be discerning with the advice you receive. Other than the NSA Code of Ethics,

there are few right and wrong ways to do the business of speaking. Listen withthe mindset of, “That works for this presenter. That is his or her philosophy,point of view or strategy. Is it a good fit for how I want to do business?”

2. Do your homework before investing money in any buy or shared project. Eagerand beginning speakers have lost significant amounts of money by listening tolines such as “You deserve to invest in your unbelievable talent and bazillion-dollar future.” Ask an established and in-the-know NSA member beforeinvesting significant amounts of money. Notice how often experienced speakersask, “What do you know about this person? What has been your directexperience? Do you recommend this person and their offer?”

3. Don’t quit your day job until professional speaking is earning enough to supportyour desired lifestyle.

Adapted from Canadian Association for Professional Speakers (CAPS) Fast Track Program. ©MMXII

Question all the above tips and cautions by asking yourself:

“Are these ideas a good fit for me and my business?”



Orientation Homework

Congratulations on the completion of your first Speakers Academy session. Your journey may have begun today or some time ago. Wherever you began, homework will help you maintain the momentum.

My homework from this session is:

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journey may have begun today or some time ago. Wherever you began, homework will help you maintain the momentum.

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Orientation Homework

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nsa speakers academycontent.nsaspeaker.org/chapters/academy/01orientation.pdf · 2014-04-09 ·...

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