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Mastering Public Speaking

2026 January Membership Meeting

January 2026 Membership Meeting – New Year, New Momentum

Start the year with clarity, connection, and conversation at our new meeting location. Join fellow speakers to set intentions, share goals, and build momentum for your business in 2026.

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01-22-2026 at 5:30 pm
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<p>There’s no better way to begin the year than in community. Our January Membership Meeting is all about fresh starts, clear intentions, and meaningful conversations that support your speaking business in the year ahead.</p>

<p>We’re also excited to welcome you to our <strong>new meeting location</strong> at <strong>Assaggio Ristorante Italiano</strong> at Ala Moana — a warm, inviting space perfect for great food and even better conversation.</p>

<p><strong>What to Expect:</strong></p>
<ul>
 <li>Reflect on where your business is now and where you want it to go</li>
 <li>Share goals, intentions, and ideas for 2026</li>
 <li>Connect with fellow speakers, thought leaders, and aspiring professionals</li>
 <li>Enjoy dinner and conversation in a relaxed, welcoming environment</li>
</ul>

<p>This meeting is designed to help you align your vision for the year with the power of community support and shared wisdom.</p>

<p><strong>Event Details:</strong><br>
Thursday, January 22, 2026<br>
5:30–7:30 pm (Hawaiʻi time)<br>
Assaggio Ristorante Italiano – Ala Moana Center (below Macy’s)<br>
Buy your own dinner</p>

<p><strong>Pricing:</strong><br>
Free for NSA Hawaiʻi members<br>
$10 for guests<br>
First-time guests attend free</p>

<p>Please RSVP so we can plan seating accordingly. <strong>Register now to save your seat.</strong></p>

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Register now and tell your friends to come join us! Guests first membership meeting is always free!

Guests are welcome, though please RSVP so we have appropriate dining spaces for them!

Questions, contact info@nsahawaii.org!

2026 January Membership Meeting
01-22-2026 at 5:30 pm
$10
Register Now
2026 January Membership Meeting
01-22-2026 at 5:30 pm
Free
Register Now

AI Recap of Action Items for us Speakers (NOTE: AI can make mistakes, verify all summarized content)

1. Positioning & Pricing as a Speaker

Key insights:

  • Always have a fee, even when you choose to speak “for free.”
    • Send an invoice that shows the full value (e.g., $3,000) and a 100% discount so the client sees the real worth of your work and can show savings to their boss.
  • Use value-based framing:
    • Compare your fee to what they already pay for things like copier maintenance, IT support, or insurance they rarely use.
    • Position your work as something that directly supports their goals and outcomes, not just “a talk.”
  • Expect to hear “no” sometimes. If no one is saying no, your fee is likely too low.

Action items for speakers:

  1. Create a standard speaking fee and an accompanying “discounted/pro bono” invoice template.
  2. Draft 2–3 value-based talking points that compare your fee to existing budget items they already accept.
  3. Decide your minimum fee (even for nonprofits) and what situations justify a 100% discount.

2. When to Speak for Free (and How to Get Paid in Other Ways)

Key insights:

  • Free talks can be strategic if you are compensated in other forms:
    • High‑quality video (e.g., have a school’s AV program record you).
    • Full recording + transcript rights for content repurposing.
    • Permission to promote your book/services and share offers.
    • Introductions to 3+ decision‑makers who could hire you.
  • Set a policy: you might speak once for free for a new group; after that, you expect some form of compensation (money, video, introductions, etc.).

Action items:

  1. Define a “free but compensated” checklist (e.g., video, intros, recording, book promotion).
  2. Write scripts for:
    • “I don’t charge a fee this time if…”
    • “If no compensation is possible, I’m not available this year, but I can refer someone.”
  3. For schools / nonprofits, specifically ask:
    • “Can your AV program record and share the raw footage with me?”
    • “Can you introduce me to three colleagues who might also be interested in this topic?”

3. Building a Business Around Speaking (Not Only From Speaking)

Key insights:

  • Treat speaking as the front end of a business, not the whole business:
    • Front end: speaking, workshops, webinars, challenges.
    • Back end: retreats, group programs, one‑on‑one coaching, advisory/consulting, retainers.
  • For Paulette’s example:
    • A 5‑day free challenge → funnels into a 5‑week paid program → then into 1:1 coaching.
  • For Jamie’s model:
    • Speaking → training contracts → ongoing advisory/consulting / retainer agreements.

Action items:

  1. Map your own value ladder:
    • Free / low‑ticket → mid‑ticket → high‑ticket (e.g., retreat, retainer).
  2. Decide: What business line does speaking primarily feed? (retreats, corporate training, coaching, etc.)
  3. Update your proposals and conversations so your talks clearly sell the next step in your ladder.

4. Lead Generation via Associations, Seniors, and Alternative Venues

Key insights:

  • Strong opportunities in non‑obvious markets:
    • Senior audiences: YMCA senior programs, kupuna sites, Meals on Wheels sites, senior living communities, senior health fairs, AARP-type groups.
    • Professional associations: ATD, SHRM, Hawaii Employers Council, educator associations, meeting planners (MPI Aloha, catering & event associations).
    • Cruise ships: programs and activity coordinators often seek speakers; you may get a free cruise in exchange for 1–2 talks.
    • Universities & community colleges: outreach / non-credit professional development; low pay but can lead to better clients.
  • One venue can cascade into many others if you ask for referrals and introductions.

Action items:

  1. Build a target list of:
    • Senior organizations and sites in your region.
    • 5–10 key associations where your topic fits.
    • University / community college outreach or continuing ed contacts.
  2. For each talk, add a standard close:
    • “If this was valuable, would you be willing to introduce me to three colleagues who might benefit from something similar?”
  3. Keep a shared list/CRM of:
    • Contacts, venues, health fairs, associations, and which speaker has spoken where.

5. Using Tools Like Talk-a.to to Capture Leads & Proof

Key insights:

  • A feedback tool like Talk-a.to can:
    • Collect audience feedback on every talk.
    • Auto-generate AI summaries and “what audiences say” language you can quote.
    • Capture leads (including whether they book speakers and have upcoming events).
    • Send attendees to free resources (PDFs, whitepapers, book chapter, etc.) after they submit feedback.
  • Even on the free tier, you can:
    • Have a generic talk code and send people to a free resources page.
    • Aggregate responses to show social proof (e.g., “2,700 feedback entries across X talks”).

Action items:

  1. Set up a Talk-a.to (or similar) account and:
    • Create 1–3 codes with links to specific freebies or a resource page.
  2. Add a slide to all talks with a QR code:
    • “Scan for your free resource and to give feedback (email optional).”
  3. Use the summaries and testimonials from the tool on:
    • Your speaker one‑pager, website, and email signature (“See my feedback here”).

6. Referrals, Agreements, and Collaboration

Key insights:

  • If you regularly refer work or talent to other companies:
    • Set up a formal referral or revenue‑share agreement (percentage of fee or fixed referral fee).
  • Organizations like Hawaii Employers Council bake referral fees into their pricing; you can, too.
  • Prior clients (even those who didn’t pay much) are often your best source of new work if you stay in touch with value, not just asks.

Action items:

  1. Draft a simple referral agreement (X% of the project fee if your referral is used).
  2. Make a touch-back plan for past clients:
    • Articles that made you think of them.
    • New resources, podcast episodes, or whitepapers.
    • “Just checking in as you plan your 2026 programs…” messages.
  3. After every referral, track:
    • Did business result?
    • Was any referral fee paid? If not, does the relationship need to be formalized?

7. Local vs Mainland Dynamics (Especially in Hawaii)

Key insights:

  • Hawaii-based speakers often:
    • Get undervalued locally and pushed aside for “celebrity” mainland speakers.
    • Face rate pressure from local orgs and government entities.
  • Consider defining what percentage of your revenue you truly want from local vs mainland/global work to avoid resentment and overwork.
  • There’s an opportunity to brand a local, professional speaker pool as a backup for events when mainland speakers can’t travel.

Action items:

  1. Decide your desired revenue mix (e.g., 30% Hawaii / 70% mainland).
  2. Clarify what types of local work you will:
    • Eagerly accept,
    • Accept only at premium,
    • Politely decline.
  3. Collaborate with other Hawaii speakers to:
    • Build a shared “local speakers” list to pitch to event planners and convention center events as reliable local talent.

If I were capturing it for other speakers in one line:

“Use speaking as the front door to a bigger business, get compensated one way or another (money, video, referrals, rights, data), and be deliberate about **where you show up, what you offer next, and how you prove your value.”

Would you like a one-page speaker-focused checklist (fees, compensation options, lead capture, follow-up) distilled from these points that you can reuse before/after each gig?

Jamie Champagne

3 minutes ago

Can re-write this with the tool no as Talka. but as "talkadot" and reference "Talkadot.com" Then put this great output into a word document we can share please!

Otter

3 minutes ago

Thought for 5 seconds

Here’s the revised version using Talkadot / Talkadot.com, formatted so you can copy it directly into a Word document and share with other speakers.

Key Insights & Action Items for Speakers (Based on Our Conversation)

1. Positioning & Pricing as a Speaker

Key insights:

  • Always have a fee, even when you choose to speak “for free.”
    • Send an invoice that shows the full value (e.g., $3,000) and a 100% discount, so the client sees the real worth of your work and can show savings to their leadership.
  • Use value-based framing:
    • Compare your fee to what they already pay for things like copier maintenance, IT support, or insurance they rarely use.
    • Position your work as something that directly supports their goals and outcomes, not just “a talk.”
  • Expect to hear “no” sometimes. If no one is saying no, your fee is likely too low.

Action items for speakers:

  1. Create a standard speaking fee and a matching “discounted/pro bono” invoice template.
  2. Draft 2–3 value-based statements that compare your fee to existing budget items they already accept.
  3. Decide your minimum fee, even for nonprofits, and define when (and why) you will use a 100% discount.

2. When to Speak for Free (and How to Get Paid in Other Ways)

Key insights:

  • Free talks can be strategic if you are compensated in other forms:
    • High‑quality video (e.g., have a school’s AV program record you).
    • Full recording + transcript rights for repurposing content.
    • Permission to promote your book/services and share offers.
    • Introductions to 3+ decision‑makers who could hire you.
  • Set a policy: you might speak once for free for a new group; after that, you expect some form of compensation (money, video, introductions, etc.).

Action items:

  1. Define a “free but compensated” checklist (video, introductions, recording, book promotion, etc.).
  2. Prepare short scripts for:
    • “I’m willing to waive my fee this time if we can do X, Y, and Z…”
    • “If no compensation is possible, I’ll need to decline this year, but I’m happy to refer another speaker.”
  3. For schools / nonprofits, specifically ask:
    • “Can your AV program record and share the raw footage with me?”
    • “Would you be willing to personally introduce me to three colleagues who might also benefit from this topic?”

3. Building a Business Around Speaking (Not Only From Speaking)

Key insights:

  • Treat speaking as the front end of a business, not the whole business:
    • Front end: speaking, workshops, webinars, challenges.
    • Back end: retreats, group programs, one‑on‑one coaching, advisory/consulting, retainers.
  • Example – Retreat model:
    • 5‑day free challenge → funnels into a 5‑week paid program → then into 1:1 coaching.
  • Example – Training / consulting model:
    • Speaking → training contracts → ongoing advisory/consulting or retainer agreements.

Action items:

  1. Map your own value ladder:
    • Free / low‑ticket → mid‑ticket → high‑ticket (e.g., retreat, advisory retainer).
  2. Decide: What business line does speaking primarily feed for you? (retreats, corporate training, coaching, etc.)
  3. Adjust your talks so they clearly lead to the next step in your ladder (challenge, course, program, or advisory).

4. Lead Generation via Associations, Seniors, and Alternative Venues

Key insights:

  • Strong opportunities exist in non‑obvious markets:
    • Senior audiences: YMCA senior programs, kupuna sites, Meals on Wheels sites, senior living communities, senior health fairs, AARP-type organizations.
    • Professional associations: ATD, SHRM, Hawaii Employers Council, educator associations, meeting planners (e.g., MPI Aloha), catering and events associations.
    • Cruise ships: programs and activity coordinators need speakers; often you receive a free cruise in exchange for 1–2 talks.
    • Universities & community colleges: outreach / non‑credit professional development; sometimes low pay but can lead to strong, long‑term clients.
  • One venue can cascade into many others if you consistently ask for referrals and introductions.

Action items:

  1. Build a target outreach list of:
    • Senior organizations and sites in your region.
    • 5–10 associations where your topic is a strong fit.
    • University / community college outreach or continuing education contacts.
  2. Make it standard to close a talk with:
    • “If this was valuable, would you be willing to introduce me to three colleagues who might benefit from something similar?”
  3. Use a simple CRM or shared spreadsheet to track:
    • Contacts, venues, health fairs, associations, and which speaker has spoken where.

5. Using Talkadot (Talkadot.com) to Capture Leads & Proof

Key insights:

  • A feedback tool like Talkadot (Talkadot.com) can help you:
    • Collect audience feedback at every talk (in person or virtual).
    • Auto‑generate AI summaries and “what audiences say” language you can quote.
    • Capture leads, including:
      • Who books speakers.
      • Who has upcoming events that might need you.
    • Send attendees to free resources (PDFs, whitepapers, book chapter, etc.) immediately after they submit feedback.
  • Even on lower tiers, you can:
    • Use a QR code or link to gather feedback.
    • Send people to a free resource page after they respond.
    • Aggregate responses to show social proof (e.g., “2,700+ feedback entries across X talks”).

Action items:

  1. Set up a Talkadot account at Talkadot.com and:
    • Create 1–3 feedback links/codes that redirect to specific freebies or a generic “resources” page.
  2. Add a slide to all talks with a QR code:
    • “Scan for your free resource and to give quick feedback (email optional).”
  3. Reuse the talk summaries and testimonials from Talkadot:
    • On your speaker one‑pager, website, and in your email signature (e.g., “See what audiences say about me [link to your Talkadot page]”).

6. Referrals, Agreements, and Collaboration

Key insights:

  • If you routinely send work or talent to another company:
    • Set up a formal referral or revenue‑share agreement (percentage of the project fee or a flat referral fee).
  • Some organizations (e.g., employer councils) routinely build in a referral fee; speakers can do something similar when feeding work to partners.
  • Prior clients—even those who didn’t pay much—are often your best source of new work if you follow up with value, not just asks.

Action items:

  1. Draft a simple referral agreement:
    • Define the percentage or flat amount you receive when your referral is used.
  2. Create a touch‑back plan for past clients:
    • Articles or resources that made you think of them.
    • New podcast episodes, whitepapers, or tools relevant to their goals.
    • A message like: “As you plan your 2026 programs, here are a few ideas and resources that might help…”
  3. After every referral, track:
    • Did it turn into business?
    • Was any referral fee paid?
    • If not, decide if the relationship should be formalized or adjusted.

7. Local vs Mainland Dynamics (Especially in Hawaii)

Key insights:

  • Hawaii-based speakers often:
    • Get undervalued locally and passed over in favor of “celebrity” mainland speakers.
    • Face strong rate pressure from local orgs and government entities.
  • It helps to decide in advance what percentage of your revenue you truly want from local vs mainland/global work so you don’t overextend or resent certain kinds of gigs.
  • There is an opportunity to brand a local, professional speaker pool as a reliable backup when mainland speakers can’t travel or cancel.

Action items:

  1. Decide your ideal revenue mix (e.g., 30% Hawaii / 70% mainland or other).
  2. Clarify which local gigs you will:
    • Gladly accept (aligned, well‑paid, or highly strategic),
    • Accept only at a premium rate or with strong non‑monetary compensation,
    • Politely decline.
  3. Partner with other Hawaii speakers to:
    • Build and share a “local professional speakers” roster to offer event planners and the convention center as a vetted local talent pool.

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