Dear Friends~

Welcome to NSA-IL! For those of you who are members of NSA-IL, welcome home.  For those of you new to our site, whether you are a potential member, a candidate for Speaker U, or a meeting planner, we're delighted you’re giving us a chance to connect with you.  NSA-IL is an extremely vibrant community of professionals.  We are the professional association where content driven speaking professionals gather to create community, and to stay current and cutting edge.

We're offering specific information depending upon your needs. We have categorized this information for you as a member, a potential member, or a meeting planner.  We are committed to offering you the very best in terms of support, resources, and information.

Please know that I am personally available to you to answer any questions you might still have following your time on this site.  Whatever you need, the answer is yes!

To your continued success and significance~

Maureen O’Brien
President

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For Members

This year, NSA-IL Leadership is more active, more engaged, more committed than ever before to represent YOU in the marketplace.  We recently held our Board Retreat. Thought you might be interested in our goals for the year:

1. Build our brand in the market.
2. Promote Members.
3. Make $.

Know that every decision we make will be made through this lens. We have exciting things happening.  Here are a few:

• On August 19, NSA-IL for the FIRST TIME IN HISTORY will have a booth at BizBash in Chicago at the Merchandise Mart.  Here, we will have the opportunity to be in contact with 1,000 CORPORATE MEETING PLANNERS! Every member of NSA-IL will be part of a CD giveaway to every planner.
• We have an amazing lineup of Programming for Fabulous Fridays this year.  We’ll be focusing our attention on the "seasoned speaker" having high level conversations specific to getting paid what you’re worth, marketing, and business strategic planning.  Stay tuned to the Programming Page to know what’s happening next.
• We'll continue to plan our MEGA EVENT /SPEAKER LAB at the Horseshoe Casino.
• We’re restructuring SPEAKER 'U' 2 for the corporate arena.  Stay tuned for this exciting new venture.
• Seasons of Speaking - an opportunity to meet on a monthly basis with "seasoned colleagues" who share success stories, obstacles, and hold each other accountable to their business.
• Fireside Chats - join other professionals as they are led monthly by Kevin O'Connor, CSP, sharing opportunities in the speaking industry.
• We will continue to solidify strategic relationships with:
  • PCMA - Professional Convention Management Association
  • MPI - Meeting Planners International
  • CCTB - Chicago Convention and Tourism Bureau
  • The Alliance (Click to read Alliance members)

 

As you can see we value you!  You have our absolute commitment that we are working hard to make a significant return for you on your investment in NSA-IL. 

 

With that in mind, I invite you to contact Steve Beck (VP of Membership), Sue Black (Executive Director), or myself and let us know on what committee you’d like to serve.  There are many ways that you can help us reach our goals.  We’re one community and we need YOU!

 

For Potential Members and Speaker U Candidates

This is the first step in making a serious commitment to yourself and your speaking career.  Five years ago when I made this commitment to myself, joining NSA-IL ABSOLUTELY skyrocketed my speaking career.  I enrolled in Speaker U where at the time, Judith Starkey led me and about 30 others into the world of speaking.  It was and has been an incredible journey.  Here’s what you can expect as a candidate in Speaker U and as a potential member:

• A new, like-minded community of speaking professionals.
• Unbelievable learning opportunities specific to the speaking profession.
• Strategic relationships in organizations like PCMA (Professional Convention Management Association), MPI (Meeting Planners International), and CCTB (Chicago Convention and Tourism Bureau)
• The opportunity to learn from the best of the best.

 

For Meeting Planners

NSA-IL is NOT A SPEAKERS BUREAU.  We are a professional association for people who speak for a living - each independent and content driven.  You are going to be THRILLED with what you find at NSA-IL.  Here are just some of the benefits you’ll find at NSA-IL:

• Deal DIRECTLY with the speaker, no middle man or woman.
• Find EXACTLY what you need - whether it be specific content, humor, inspiration, motivation
• We have keynoters, trainers, facilitators, workshop and seminar specialists in our community
• Most NSA-IL members are authors