NSA St. Louis Chapter

Members, Guests, Countrymen,

Come, lend me your insight.  Our final meeting before the summer break is on Saturday, June 12th at 8:30 and it’s going to be a powerful Mastermind session.  The theme is “Unforgettable Keynotes: Best Practices for Making Audiences Rave” and we’re borrowing a page from Amazon and YouTube who know that knowledge does not lie with an all-knowing authority figure, but rather it comes from the collected wisdom of the people.  Hence, our Mastermind.

Join us on the 12th as your fellow speakers share what they have learned about delivering knock-out keynotes, engaging audiences, and changing lives from the platform.  The meeting will be a free form exchange of ideas moderated by Mr. Nametag himself, Scott Ginsberg.

As you probably know, keynote speakers are the rock stars of the speaking industry.  They command the most respect, the most $$$, and they speak the largest audiences on the planet.  But, what are the secrets to really making audiences rave?  How do you turn a 60-minute speech into an experience that causes people to become your biggest fans and help do your marketing for you?  That’s what we’re going to talk about at the Mastermind.

Since this meeting will be a little different in structure, we’re offering it to everyone for special price of $20 a person.  Why are we doing this?  As Brook Dubman would say, “Because you like nice things.”

See below for all the details.  Can’t wait to see you on the 12th.  Be sure to bring your best wisdom, an open mind, and a blank notebook.  This meeting, like your next keynote, is sure to be unforgettable!

Happy speaking,

Steve Hughes

President, NSA St. Louis

Unforgettable Keynotes: Best Practices for Making Audiences Rave
Time: 8:30am – 11:30 pm Mastermind MeetingReserve and optionally pay online by clicking button below:

NSA St. Louis Seminar Details

Location: THE HEIGHTS
8001 Dale Avenue
Richmond Heights, MO 63117
Phone: (314) 645-1476

Investment $20.00

Ever wanted to broadcast your speech online but either didn’t know how or didn’t have the time to figure it all out? Well, a new venture offers a way to do this with a minimum of setup, and unbelievably, it is free. Check out Cover it Live on their site below. Note: I have not used them, just watched a couple of their streams.

http://www.coveritlive.com/index.php

April 10th Meeting — Corey Perlman

Proven Internet Marketing Strategies to Grow Your Business
Time: 8:30am – 11:30 pm Regular Meeting

Reserve and optionally pay online by clicking button below:

Guests and Non-Member $65:

Toastmasters, SLPA or IMC $55:

NSA St. Louis/National NSA Member $40:

NSA St. Louis Seminar Details

Location: THE HEIGHTS
8001 Dale Avenue
Richmond Heights, MO 63117
Phone: (314) 645-1476

Dominate Your Search-Engine Rankings, Flood Traffic to Your Website, Leverage Social Media and Create Lifelong Relationships with Your Customers! …

IN THIS SESSION:
This fun, interactive, multi-media presentation will have your attendees fired up and ready to take action! Corey provides real, easy-to-do strategies and techniques that your audience can apply the moment they leave your event.

Recession. Yep, I said it. It’s that enormous elephant in the room with the insides of his pockets hanging out. So what are we going to do about it? The way I see it, we have two choices: to be reactive or proactive. Since you’ve made it to this site, my guess is you have chosen the proactive path and, may I say, have chosen wisely. I wrote eBoot Camp to empower people like you to roll up their sleeves and take an active role in creating new business via the Web. It’s no secret that consumers are using the Internet to find everything that they are looking for. The question is: What are you doing to greet them in cyberspace and direct them to your business? When you’re finished with eBoot Camp, you’ll have learned the secrets to building a powerful, impenetrable online brand that will help you gain instant credibility with Internet surfers, dominate your competition on search engines, and create multiple streams of new customers for your business.

To your success,
Corey Perlman

Learning Outcomes:

By attending this session you will learn to:

• How to promote your business with a Facebook Fan Page
• Use LinkedIn to turn a cold-call into a warm-lead
• Real-world examples on how to use Twitter to grow your business
• Write articles and press releases to create buzz about your business
• Use eNewsletters and blogs to stay connected with your customers
• Why video is the quickest and easiest way to get your message out to the masses
• And so much more!

About Corey Perlam
Corey Perlman is the President of eBoot Camp, Inc., an education company that provides people with the knowledge and skills to effectively market their business on the Web. Through interactive books, seminars and workshops, Corey quickly transforms business owners, entrepreneurs and company employees into Internet marketing “Monsters!” Since 2005, Corey has conducted over 200 eBoot Camp workshops and seminars to public audiences as well as small and mid size companies all over the United States. With layman’s terms and a learn-by-doing approach, these workshops and seminars have earned an overall exceeded-expectations rating of over 90%. His recently inked book, eBoot Camp (Wiley Publishing), is in stores now.

When not working, this self-proclaimed Certified Propeller Head enjoys long walks with his wife through Best Buy and the occasional weekend jaunt to their favorite destination, Silicon Valley.

Learn more about Corey at www.TheeBootCamp.com.

Date: Saturday, April 10, 2010
8:30am – 11:30 pm Regular Meeting
11:30 pm – 12:00 noon Networking after presentation

Location: THE HEIGHTS
8001 Dale Avenue
Richmond Heights, MO 63117
Phone: (314) 645-1476

NSA St. Louis members, $40 (Prepaid)
Toastmasters and IMC Members, $55 (Prepaid)
Guests, $65

See you there!

Steve Hughes
Club President & Salsa Dance Instructor

Attendees show their appreciation of Jim by displaying bags o' Switzers Green Apple Licorice. Why? Because licorice is delicious. (And it's an old Irish tradition from County Clare.)

"Oh, Jim. Please don't go. We'll name a stretch of Hwy 70 after you if you'll stay." (Assuming he's not using performance enhancing drugs.)

The Canterucci Crew soaks up some juicy knowledge.

Jim describes a really big idea. (Apparently it's the size of a $5 footlong from Subway.)

Keep those cards and letters coming.

See y’all next time…April 10th to be exact.

Happy speaking,

Steve

Jim Canterucci gave us a tons of nuggets (dare I say Buckeyes) that can really help us get more out of every client relationship.  For many of us who were fortunate enough to be there, our #1 takeaway was to shift our perspective from doing “one-off gigs” to becoming a “trusted advisor” for our clients and going deeper.

Here are the learning nuggets:

• Who decides what your positioning is?  The customer does.
• If you lose your positioning with the client, then you lose your job.
• We have to keep pressing those validation buttons with our client.
• You’re not their pool boy – you’re a hired expert; so act accordingly.
• Be willing to serve, but don’t be subservient.
• Jim says, “I never sell my clients, I let them sell me.” – Bring so much value that THEY sell you internally to other people.  Create evangelists.
• Do you want to be a speaker or an advisor?  It’s the difference between a one-off speech and an ongoing contract (more speeches, consulting, training, facilitating, etc.).  Not having to constantly chase new clients.
• Become a dandelion across your client’s organization – be so good, so valuable, so practical that people will willingly blow the parachute seed pods throughout the entire organization.
• Get THEM to sell you!
• Send an article to a client/prospect that you didn’t write as value add…write your name and number ON the article (not a yellow Post-It) because they’ll make photocopies
• Charge by the value of what you create, not by the number of hours you work.
• If you charge by value, you send a signal to your client that you’re not a vendor; you’re a valued partner.
• The Five Magical Marketing Words: “What we typically do is…” – gives comfort; it’s proven, low-risk.

Jim’s Levels of Interaction with Clients (he adds value at each level without being pigeon-holed or type cast at any of them)

1. Executive Leadership Circle – C-suite executives; 6 days of “retreats” and consulting throughout the year; annual renewal
2. Change Leadership Circle – next level down; people on the cusp of becoming
3. Emerging Leadership Circle – supervisor and above;
4. Personal Brilliance Circle – for the rank and file; e-learning system

How to Rock the House with Social Media (as a Speaker)

• Share good ideas, articles, blog posts, links
• Promote others
• Be nice
• Reinforces your positioning as an advisor/expert
• Great to get the word out to other people

Other juicy nuggets:

• How can you be all things to all people? Bring value to the CEO, to mid-level managers, and frontline employees.
• Essence Feedback – this is what I felt when I was there.
• People can’t really multi-task: neuro-surgeon says you can only focus on one thing at at time; younger tech-savvy folks are just better at switching back and forth
• Twitter will help spread the reach while you are speaking
• Culture comes from repetitive action
• “I listened to the conversations you were having with people online”
• “Is he the guy who works with the CEO?”
• “How did you feel about what we did?”
• Talk about your advisory positions with other clients
• Tell the stories of success, challenges, problems, cause others will want to know.
• Find the unique twist in the business consulting model that is different from everyone else.

Getting Support – Working with an Assistant (here’s how Jim divides his responsibilities with his one office assistant)

Speaker/Consultant (Jim) – Strategic Responsibilities

• Client management
• Presenting
• Writing
• Podcast
• Development
• Delivery
• Interviews
• Sales
• Marketing

Virtual Assistant (Holly) – Tactical Responsibilities

• Marketing
• Sales
• PR
• Logistics
• Scheduling
• Accounting
• Editing
• Vendor relations
• Subcontractor management – wants it off her plate
• Client contracts first draft
• Phones

Again, it was another great meeting.  We’ll see you on April 10th for how to use online strategies (Google Adwords, SEO, etc.) to skyrocket your business.

Giddy up!

Steve Hughes

President, NSA St. Louis Chapter 2010-11

March 13th Meeting — Jim Canterucci

One Speaker ¨ Multiple Talents ¨ Deeper Relationships ¨ A Real Business
Time: 8:30am – 11:30 pm Regular Meeting
(12:00 noon – 1:30 pm Members Mastermind)
Reserve and optionally pay online by clicking button below:

Guests and Non-Member $65:

Toastmasters, SLPA or IMC $55:

NSA St. Louis/National NSA Member $40:

NSA St. Louis Seminar Details

The Edge of Webster
359 Marshall Avenue | Webster Groves, Missouri 63119
Phone: (314) 962-6886

Wouldn’t you like to make more and work smarter with your clients?

IN THIS SESSION:
Explore how you can utilize your multiple talents to reach every level of your marketplace, maintain proper market positioning, and your sanity. Strategically impact “all” levels without appearing to be the jack of all trades, master of …

Why leave business on the table for someone else when you have built a trusted relationship with your clients? Can the advisor to the CEO also provide great content for the lowest pay grade? The approach covered here allows you to work at all levels within the organization from the C level to the front-line and not damage your positioning.

As a frequent volunteer presenter to chapters and at NSA national events, as well as a member of the faculty of NSA Ohio’s Protrack program, Jim has a number of tips and tricks for speakers from marketing to business planning, to running your office. He will offer a menu of topics to explore and we as an audience can decide which would be most valuable to pursue.

Learning Outcomes:

By attending this session you will:

• Explore how a more robust model can affect your business.
• Review an approach that allows you to work more with a given client, without spreading yourself too thin.
• Understand how developing systems can melt away the resistance of going big while staying small.

About Jim Canterucci:
Jim Canterucci, the author of Personal Brilliance, works closely with executive teams to bring great ideas from the boardroom to implementation. Jim is also the author of Change Project Management – The Next Step, and The Skill Sets of a Change Leader. He is the founder of Transition Management Advisors and Emerging Leadership Circle. His clients include Fortune 100 companies throughout North America.

Jim is a past president of NSA Ohio. He is also a board member for CHOICES for eliminating domestic violence, and the Laughter Arts & Sciences foundation. Jim is a proud Ohio State Buckeye and lives in Columbus, Ohio.

Learn more about Jim Canterucci at www.MyPersonalBrilliance.com, www.CorpChange.com, or www.ELCircle.com .

Wow!  What a program.  I haven’t said this all year, but unless you had a really good reason for not being there Saturday (like a paid speaking gig or a kidney transplant), you missed an AMAZING program.

Dan Poynter, author of 126 books including the industry bible The Self-Publishing Manual, gave us four solid hours of ideas, insights, and actionable strategies to get your book out of your head and into print.  It was like a Bruce Springsteen concert.

For those of you who missed it, my notes in this post are shorter than usual because Dan has graciously posted his entire slide deck on his site.  Just follow this link.  So the stuff below are what I considered to be the highlights of Dan’s program.

Writing a book…

• Is like giving yourself an advanced degree in your subject
• Makes you an authority
• Gives you exposure and notoriety
• Becomes a profit center – it’s passive income
• Plus, it’s fun to wake up in the morning and see how much money you made while you were sleeping [great movie tie in idea]
• Allows you to charge higher fees

People buy non-fiction for one of two reasons:

1. To learn something
2. To solve a [specific] problem

Selling books

• Sell your books in the front of the room – let people stare at them the entire time you’re speaking, plus people tend to rush the stage and you want your books to be where you are
• After a speech, let people buy with a self-service form; go by the honor system
• You don’t have to run a store, instead spend time talking to people and answering their questions

General thoughts on book writing

• Do research at a big bookstore; check out your category; find a book you like (design, layout, page color, type size, etc.), buy it, and use it as your model
• eBooks are the future of publishing – do them IN COLOR, because it doesn’t cost you anything to print them
• Packaging matters!  Rainbow book = 25,000 copies; Free Stuff for Kids = 500,000 copies and #6 on NYT Bestseller list
• Do an “Afterword” at the end of your book – an encouragement to readers

Getting started – use the Binder System

• Get a 3-ring binder!
• One that has a clear plastic sleeve on the outside to put your cover art and back cover,
• Make sure it has a pocket on the inside for pieces of information, articles, clippings, printouts of research, and things you collect
• Carry it with you EVERYWHERE you go to take advantage of those little bits of time you find in your everyday life to work on your book
• Plus, you never know where that next really great idea for your book is going to come from.  Be ready to capture it in your binder.

Dan’s final charge to us was this: “Next year, when I see you at the NSA Convention, will your book still be in your head or under your arm?”

Thank you, Dan!

Happy speaking (and writing),

Steve Hughes

President, NSA St. Louis 2010-11

February 20th Meeting — Publishing Expert Dan Poynter

Author (120+ books), Publisher (since 1969), Speaker (CSP)
Time: 8:30am – 12:30 pm Regular Meeting
(1:00 pm – 2:30 pm Members Mastermind)
Reserve and optionally pay online by clicking button below:

Guests and Non-Member $65:

Toastmasters, SLPA or IMC $55:

NSA St. Louis/National NSA Member $40:

NSA St. Louis Seminar Details

The Edge of Webster
359 Marshall Avenue | Webster Groves, Missouri 63119
Phone: (314) 962-6886

Would you like meeting planners to call you, rather than the other way around?

Would you like MORE exposure, MORE credibility and MORE speaking opportunities?

Would you like to know how to turn your book into a profit center?

IN THIS SESSION:
Meeting planners want to hire the expert—the most knowledgeable person on a subject. The expert is the author of the book.

Your book will bring you more exposure, more credibility and more speaking opportunities. And, a book provides you with an additional profit center (some speakers actually make more money on their back-of-the-room sales than on speaking.)

You will discover how to:

• Ensure there is a market for your project
• Find time to write.
• Find material to fill your manuscript — without leaving home
• Break your project down into easy-to-attack chunks
• Get illustrations – practically free
• Find relevant quotations & stories
• Get the project ready for the printer
• Make the choice between looking for an agent or publisher and publishing yourself

Background info on Dan Poynter:
Since 1969, Dan Poynter has written and published more than 120 books including Writing Nonfiction, The Self-Publishing Manual, The Skydiver’s Handbook and The Expert Witness Handbook. Dan is an author and he is a publisher. One of the pioneers of modern self-publishing, he has experienced every phase of the book publishing process. He has sold his manuscripts to other publishers, he has published other authors, he has published his own books and his books have been translated and published in six other countries.

Dan does not just work in the book publishing business, he studies the book publishing business. He doesn’t just talk about book promotion, he teaches book promotion. Dan joined NSA more than 15 years ago and began immediately to help speakers with their books. He served as chair of the Writing/Publishing PEG and founded the PEG newsletter. He is a Certified Speaking Professional (CSP).

In order to expand his product line and reach more people, Dan began recording his speeches and selling the audios.

To learn more about Dan Poynter click here.

8:30 am – 12:30 pm Featured Speaker
12:30 pm – 1:00 pm Networking after presentation
1:00 noon – 2:30 pm Members Mastermind

Join your fellow members to discuss best practices and create your action plan to implement what you learned.

Did we mention that LUNCH is included for the Members mastermind?

Date: Saturday, February 20, 2010
Time: 8:30am – 12:30 pm Regular Meeting
(1:00 pm – 2:30 pm Members Mastermind)
Location: The Edge of Webster
359 Marshall Avenue
Webster Groves, Missouri 63119
Phone: (314) 962-6886
Website: www.TheEdgeOfWebster.com

NSA St. Louis members, $40 (Prepaid)
Toastmasters and IMC Members, $55 (Prepaid)
Guests, $65

See you there!

Steve Hughes
Club President & Salsa Dance Instructor

Lois wows the crowd with insight after insight. You go, girl!

Lois strikes a pose as she unleashes her powerful positioning statement.

A rather subdued family photo. We call it "14 Incredibly Good Looking Speakers."

Instead of saying "cheese" the photographer asked us to say "Book More Business!" And then we went all crazy.

It was an awesome meeting!  See you on February 20th for Dan Poynter’s “Self-Publishing Safari.”

Steve Hughes