A Community of Professional Speakers

The St. Louis Chapter of the National Speakers Association

Frequently Asked Questions

Does it cost to be a member of NSA St. Louis?

The National Speakers Association is a professional association of speakers and membership at both the local and national level have an associated fee. Click here to learn more about member benefits.

When are meetings held?

Our meetings are typically held on the first Friday of each month, though holiday weekends do sometimes affect the meeting date.

Unless otherwise noted, all meetings are held at:

The Business Lodge
291 Chesterfield Center
Chesterfield, MO.

However, meetings are currently being held on a virtual platform, due to the evolving COVID-19 situation, and will continue to be virtual until it is safe to meet in person again. The virtual meetings begin promptly at 9:00 am and do offer opportunities for virtual networking.

Can I get a refund if I’ve already registered?

Absolutely. Refund requests will be honored up until the day of the event. Send an email to the treasurer – chaptertreasurer@nsastl.com.

I have attended Toastmasters; how is that different from NSA?

The National Speakers Association is an organization of and for those who speak professionally. So that you can impact more people with your work, and support the lifestyle you desire, NSA focuses on helping you:

Elevate your speaking skills to the highest level possible
Continually grow your business

Toastmasters is a great organization to help you hone your speaking skills and get feedback on new material. Many members find that the two organizations are very complementary and actively participate in both organizations.

Does speaking professionally mean giving keynote addresses to large audiences?

For some speakers, giving keynotes is an important part of their business model. However, many of our member’s present workshops and seminars, and do quite well, but do not deliver many keynotes at all. Recent membership polls indicate that for a great majority of NSA members, their primary income sources are actually not traditional keynotes, but training, coaching, consulting and other revenue streams.

I would like to speak professionally. Will NSA-STL teach me how to get paid to speak?

NSA-STL will help you learn how to expand your opportunities and manage the profession of speaking. Several of our programs each year do address marketing and sales. We also offer the Speakers Academy, which provides everything you need to launch a speaking business and succeed. The target audience of NSA-STL, however, are those who are already being paid — at least some of the time — to speak.

What is the NSA-STL Speakers Academy?

The NSA-STL Speakers Academy can set the solid foundation for a career in professional speaking and/or advance the career of the person already speaking! Based on the four competencies of the National Speakers Association, this Academy delivers top notch professional education with the nuts and bolts necessary to build your business. All classes are be taught by Professional Members of the National Speakers Association. Learn more.

What is a Professional Membership in NSA-STL?

To become a Professional member of NSA-STL, one must also be a member of National NSA. There are minimum requirements for National membership that are detailed here:
The Established Speaker Details

We strongly encourage those who are eligible to join National NSA since there are certain benefits, both on the National and chapter level, which can be quite valuable.

Do I have to be a member to attend monthly meetings?

NSA-STL welcomes all attendees to its meetings. There are benefits to becoming an Aspiring or National member, but you are also welcome to attend as a guest. Many who are not yet eligible to become Professional members find that attending local meetings and presentations help them become more effective and fine-tune their current or future business model as a speaker.

I do a lot of workshops or seminars. Is NSA-STL for me?

You would be in good company. Most speakers start with some sort of expertise but realize that their professionalism requires continued attention to their presentation styles and changing business models.

Are there new and seasoned speakers in the chapter?

There is a mixed group of attendees at every meeting — some very well known, accomplished, long time speakers and others who are new in their professional speaking career. The content of each meeting is geared toward professionals but most of our presenters are quite accomplished in modeling how to address multiple experience levels at one time. There is also ample networking time built into each meeting.

What are the benefits of joining NSA-STL?

Ask any NSA-STL member! Fantastic educational opportunities, networking and relationship building at the local level are of monumental importance when building a successful speaking business. Membership will help you learn how to grow your business, give you a platform to discuss issues that impact your business and help you to create affiliations with associations and other organizations that will help you expand even more. Each year the NSA-STL board works to add new benefits for its membership. Learn More.

How do I join NSA (National Speakers Association)?

Click here for more information on joining as a National Member.

What are NSA membership benefits?

As a member you will receive 10 issues a year of the NSA Professional Speaker magazine along with the monthly CD series, Voices of Experience. You will be listed in the website directory, which is updated monthly. There is also an NSA designation that members can earn called the Certified Speaking Professional (CSP). NSA offers members discounts on group insurance plans, Airborne Express, National Car Rental and a discounted membership rate at NSA-STL events.

How does NSA help prospective members qualify for membership?

NSA will continue to encourage developing speakers through ancillary programs and access to educational materials designed for the professional speaker. Non-qualifying speakers will be able to access NSA’s educational materials by attending NSA’s national meetings, subscribing to Professional Speaker magazine and accessing information provided through the NSA website.

NSA-STL sponsors  Speakers Academy, a six-week course providing all the information you’ll need to understand the business of speaking. Created and taught by professional presenters, this program offers the “inside scoop” on how to be successful in the speaking business.

Can I bring a guest if I am a chapter member or aspiring speaker?

Guest are always welcome, but asked to pay the standard guest fee of $47 for the event. First time guest may attend for free but returning guests must pay the guest fee. Click here to submit guest fees and register for the next event.

Can I bring a spouse or staff member if I am a chapter member or aspiring speaker?

$20 for each spouse or staff member to attend ½ day meeting.
There is no limit to the number of staff or spouse you can bring.

Click here to submit staff/spouse fees and register for the next event.

Can I send a spouse or staff member in place of me to a meeting?

Yes, for no additional charge, you may send a spouse or staff member in your place for free.
Additional staff or spouse attendees follow the same guidelines above Fee $20

How to register for an event if you’re a Chapter Member of Aspiring Speaker

Click here to submit fees and register for the next event.

If I have questions who do I contact?

Please use the form to the right to submit your question and someone from our board will promptly respond to your inquiry.