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Michael Soon Lee has been going to the NSA conventions for over fifteen years. Learn why he keeps going back and always gets value. Michael shares some great tips for how to save money when you plan for the convention.

Thinking of going to the NSA Convention in July? Take 3 minutes and listen to why Kurt Shaver from The Sales Foundry wouldn’t miss it.

Kurt and I would love to see our Chapter well represented in Indianapolis. See ya there!

I hope you are attending the NSA Convention beginning July 13th in Indianapolis! Listen to a podcast with Paul Larsen and hear what he gained from last year and why he’s going back!

Photo courtesy of Alan Wolf

One aspect of visual practice that is accessible to anyone is visual note-taking, or incorporating imagery and design into your own personal notes. This can be done with pen and paper, but it can also be done digitally. The iPad is a perfect tool for digital visual note-taking because of its portability and ease of use.

I pioneered the practice of digital visual note-taking with the iPad at Northern Voice 2010, a Canadian blogging conference, just after the first iPad was released. I posted the visual notes on Flickr and Twitter right after each session, and they were an instant hit among conference attendees. At the March 3 chapter meeting, Gizmology, I will be teaching two sessions about visual note-taking. The first will introduce you to some useful apps and teach you how to use their features, and the second will help you begin to build your own library of icons and imagery to use in your note-taking.

No prior experience with drawing is required. If you have an iPad, bring it along; if you don’t, you can still practice with pen and paper. I’ll be demonstrating two apps in particular: Autodesk Sketchbook Pro and Taptrix Brushes. While you don’t need either of these, it’ll be easier to follow along if you have at least one of them loaded on your iPad before you start.

If you’d like to see more of my work or learn more about digital visual practice, please visit my blog (digitalfacilitation.net). See you in March!

To Register for Gizmology, please visit http://www.nsanc.org/gizmology

Learn more at http://nsanc.org/gizmology
Ian Griffin, Freelance speechwriter, Executive Communications

When the holiday’s wind down, it’s time to get back to work, and start making more profits. How will you do that you ask? We have two fantastic speakers that will answer that question. Laura Stack, our current NSA President will explain how all of us can easily incorporate video to get booked, and stay booked. Now this is a program after my own heart! Additionally, as a little New’s Year’s present to you, we’re bringing in a second speaker,

Bruce Serbin, speaker at the 2011 NSA Convention Million Dollar Club (I missed that meeting for some reason). Bruce is going to help us implement Million Dollar Marketing using media.
Vidoe of Money Dropping – me standing on left looking forward. What better way to multiply the effects of your marketing than using the Media to do it for you. Oh, the gifts don’t stop coming, because if you’re a NSA/NC chapter past president, we’d like to invite you to the meeting and lunch at no cost. Every year we celebrate our Presidents, because it’s through your leadership that keeps this chapter, and our members, moving forward.

Singup for the Jan 7 Chapter meeting on our website – it will be held at the Crowne Plaza in Foster City.

This past week, Joanne submitted her resignation and the board accepted it. With deep consideration, she decided that this was the right time for her to move on. Joanne has offered to continue to help the chapter as we need it, for which the Board is greatly appreciative. Joanne has been great to work with, always patient with a revolving cast of characters, and kept some of us in line when we needed it.

Joanne will be finishing out her employment through the month of December. If you aren’t able to wish her warm regards at our Holiday Party, send her your warm thoughts through email or by phone. We’ll be setting up a going away luncheon, watch your email for more information. If you have any questions, please contact me, or talk to any member of the Board. Joanne has been a wonderful addition to our NSA family, and will continue to be for years to come.

NSA has had some great events recently that I hope you were able to attend. In November, Chris Clark Epstein demonstrated how to be the speaker of choice, and differentiate yourself. Jane Duber, our newest chapter member, also hosted our first mini-meeting of the year and demonstrated how to eliminate the hassles and headaches typically involved in “taking our content virtual.”

So with the weather as cold as it is this winter, what should a Professional Speaker do with their time?

Ahh, the warmth of a fire, and Holiday cheer, now that’s how I like to enjoy this time of year. Bring your holiday rhymes and fun conversation to this year’s NSA/NC Member Holiday Party Sunday December 11 from 3-6 pm. Members are invited along with a guest for only $10 per person. Our Pro-Track members are also invited with a guest for only $15 per person. Pre-register on our website by Dec 7th to get these great rates, and help us plan the food accordingly.

Don’t fear not having anything to talk about at this social event. Kurt Shaver has solved that problem with a new LinkedIn group dedicated to our NSA chapter. The group is reserved for our chapter members, and members of the Pro-Track program. Go online to see some of the discussions our chapter is having. It’s also a great way to let others see what you’re working on. Hey look, four of our recent Pro-Track grads are presenting a series of workshops. Get your scoop on what’s happening professionally through our new linked in group. You should receive an invitation from Kurt to connect with this group – if you don’t, give him a call, his number’s on our website.

When the holiday’s wind down, it’s time to get back to work, and start making more profits. How will you do that you ask? We have two fantastic speakers that will answer that question. Laura Stack, our current NSA President will explain how all of us can easily incorporate video to get booked, and stay booked. Now this is a program after my own heart! Additionally, as a little New’s Year’s present to you, we’re bringing in a second speaker,

Bruce Serbin, speaker at the 2011 NSA Convention Million Dollar Club (I missed that meeting for some reason). Bruce is going to help us implement Million Dollar Marketing using media.
Vidoe of Money Dropping – me standing on left looking forward. What better way to multiply the effects of your marketing than using the Media to do it for you. Oh, the gifts don’t stop coming, because if you’re a NSA/NC chapter past president, we’d like to invite you to the meeting and lunch at no cost. Every year we celebrate our Presidents, because it’s through your leadership that keeps this chapter, and our members, moving forward.

Singup for the Jan 7 Chapter meeting on our website – it will be held at the Crowne Plaza in Foster City. Again, Happy Holidays, I look forward to seeing you at our Dec 11 Holiday Party, and the Jan 7th Chapter meeting.

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Jim Carrillo

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Dan Moirao

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Jenny de St Georges

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Gary Karp

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Paul Kingsman

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Craig Harrison

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Karen Walker-Tunoa

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Scott “Q” Marcus

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Michael Soon Lee