Speaker's Academy Information Center

Welcome to the Speaker’s Academy Information Center! I'm Kathy Potts, NSA-Central Florida's Speaker's Academy Dean for 2007-2008.

It is the mission of the National Speaker’s Association to “advance the art and value of those who speak professionally”. We are reaching many new heights at NSA-Central Florida, especially when it comes to our Speaker’s Academy.

Since our new Academy year begins in August, 2008, Our incoming Dean for 2008-2009, Hardy Smith, and I have created this page for you as an Information Center for your reference until that time. It is our hope that by reading through this page you will be directed to “just in time learning” available to you in various forms within our Chapter for your development needs as a professional speaker. We invite you to read on for an explanation and overview of the Speaker’s Academy... and then register at your earliest opportunity, as it is likely that our Academy will quickly be filled to capacity.

Six Ways to Get Started Today!

1. Check Out the “Press Room” page on our web site. Here you will find Articles you can use to spark your imagination, structure your back-office, and refine your approach to the speaking business.



2. Check Out the “Find A Speaker”page on our web site, and click on the “Topic” tab. Here you will see that we have a variety of experts in our Chapter who speak on the very things you may need to gain insight on. Use the contact information to get their websites. Often our members put tools, tips, links and advice right on their site, specific to their subject matter expertise. It is like having a virtual library just in time for the topic with which you need help.



3. Check Out the “Links and Resource” page on web site and click on “Resources for Speakers”. Here you will find templates you can download to get organized in your office and with your clients.



4. Come to the Meetings! You can register right now for the next meeting, by going to our Online Store. What you should expect to get from the meeting is practical, real-world advice from people in the field who know what they are talking about – because it is working for them. If you come with a pad of paper and a pen, and you take notes you will leave with bits of information you can use to improve your speaking business.



5. Become a Member, and gain access to the Lending Library. One advantage of being a Professional or Associate Member, is having access to our Learning Library. Our Chapter ensures that we have on hand, a comprehensive collection of recordings of all presentations at the National Convention each year. The CD’s date from 2002 all the way up to the present, including this year’s convention in San Diego. When you get a library card, you can check out a collection of CD’s to listen and learn from each month.



6. Register for next year’s Speaker’s Academy through our online store, fill out an application in Microsoft Word format, or an application in PDF format and e-mail it to us at dean@nsacentralflorida.com.

Welcome! We look forward to the opportunity of supporting you throughour Speakers Academy, and throughout your professional speaker career.

What is the NSA-Central Florida Speaker's Academy?

What if you could be a part of an elite group that would be with you while your career blossomed? Would you be willing to put forth a little effort? Would you be willing to reap the benefits?

Whether you are a beginning speaker, a moderately busy speaker, or the speaker who travels the globe selectively choosing clients from the many requests, wouldn't you like to take your career to that next level? Listed are a few of the many benefits of the Speakers' Academy:

~ Learn how to get the clients that you want.
~ Get a grasp on the power of your speaking voice and the damage you may be doing to it.
~ Learn how to keep the customers you have once you have them.
~ Practice new topic formulation and development with your own private brainstorming session.
~ Learn how to negotiate a better fee and wiggle out of tight budget objections.
~ Market yourself to market over and over and over again AND on the Internet.
~ Learn how to run a business out of your office, or your closet, in an organized, professional manner.

The NSA-CF Speakers Academy isn't just a foot in the door; it's a hand up, a mentor, a mini-mastermind, your own private network, a training class, a practice session, and the key to building your speaking business to where you want it to be.

The Curriculum Includes:

The listing below is simply a snapshot of the 2008-2009 Curriculum, focused on helping you develop in each of the 4 NSA Competencies.  To see a more detailed plan, please visit us again in the near future, as we are in the process of finalizing the dates, times and names of our professional experts for each and every session. 

We are proud of the value our Academy can bring to your speaking career.  By checking out this year’s plan we think you too will see the value ahead.

Expertise

• Positioning & Branding: Identifying Your Market Position and Developing Your Brand
• Identifying Your Features & Benefits – How to Build Your Business in One Minute or Less
• From Flyers to Evaluations – Creating Profitable One Sheets
• How to Strategically Plan Your Business as a Professional Speaker
• Speak + Record + Post = Profit; Live product creation workshop
• Working through the logistics of creating Videos, CD’s, Packaging, Storage and Shipping
• Interactive Research: Getting to the Decision-Makers Who Need What You’ve Got
• Preparing for the NSA Platform

Enterprise

• The Reality of Running A Business – Understanding the Financials of Your Business
• Preparing to Make Your Sales – Planning For, Pitching To and Managing Your clients
• Generational Product Development: How to create Generational Revenue Streams from 1 Main Source.
• Whole Brain Prospecting & Marketing – Do you Speak the Way they Think?
• How to Plan for 60 Days of Marketing
• PR and Promotions – What articles and agents can do for you
• Writing and Submitting Your Articles: How to Test your Topics and Get Them In the Editors Door
• Setting Up Your Shop: Tips, Templates and Other Resources That Will Save You Time and Effort
• Marketing Material Show US and We’ll Tell You What Your Prospects Might Think

Eloquence

• Presenting Your Personal Image by Putting your Best Foot Forward
• Creating An Effective Presentation: How to Create an Engaging Presentation for All Your Audience Members
• Stand and Deliver Workshops: 60 seconds of Feedback That Could Change the Way You Deliver

Ethics

• Managing Your Head While Running the Biz
• Getting to the Heart of What you do through Training?  Writing? Coaching? Speaking?  Consulting?

Please address any questions to our 2008-2009 Academy Dean, Hardy Smith.
Phone (386) 451-0652
E-mail: dean@nsacentralflorida.com or HSMITH1891@cfl.rr.com

Let's get you going toward that next level!

Academy Location and Directions

The Speakers' Academy will meet at:
Crowne Plaza Tampa East
10221 Princess Palm Avenue
Tampa, FL 33610
813-623-6363

Located off I-75 at MLK Blvd.
From I-75 N, exit 260b, over bridge, hotel on left inside business park.
From I-75 S, exit 260, bear right, immediate left into business park and hotel.