Speaker - March 2012

REALITY CHECK

Putting a fine point on the speaking industry

Ethical Conduct in Changing Times

Many NSA members are finding innova- tive ways to share their messages in the current speaker mar- ketplace. Nearly all agree that speaking is not what it used to be, but it is exciting to see what the profession is becoming and its trajectory for the future.

I have been talking to speakers whose keynotes have decreased, while their training businesses have increased proportionately. Others are pulling out all stops in using social media and You Tube as promotional vehicles to generate revenue for their speaking businesses.

Coaching and consulting continue to deliver value and expertise to clients and audiences via the spoken word. For speakers who are willing to invest in the marketing and delivery of their expertise in creative ways, there is tremendous business opportunity.

NSA has become keenly aware of the changing face of speaking, and has been conducting research to better understand the membership and the new mix of business models in the current climate so we can provide relevant programs and services for today’s NSA members. Check out the results of our recent member survey on page 30 in this issue of Speaker, so you can be on top of the trends. Use these results to compare, contrast and benchmark your speaking business so you can create greater opportunities.

Adhering to a Code of Ethics

With all of this newness in speaker offerings and business models, much has

remained the same. Traditions are more important than ever to ensure a healthy environment for the speaking profession. For example, the NSA Code of Professional Ethics is a timeless blueprint for speakers’ business conduct with clients and with each other. While there are many ways speakers can market themselves, those marketing practices should be guided by key principles in our Code of Ethics, like professionalism, proper representation, and complying with intellectual property laws.

Social media presents a unique opportunity to speak directly to existing and potential clients, as well as your fans and followers. There are many opportunities to say exactly what you want to say when you want to say it— but that does not always mean you should. Some of the most common ethics complaints that I field relate

Stacy Tetschner, CEO

directly to speakers’ misuse of social media. Many of these complaints could be easily avoided if speakers remind themselves of the important principles that guide the speaking profession. If you are not familiar with NSA’s Code of Ethics, it is posted on NSA’s new website at www.nsaspeaker. org. A small investment of your time to remind yourself of the ethics that guide the speaking profession can prevent embarrassing situations later.

In today’s marketplace, speakers have a variety of methods and tools at their disposal to share new ideas, change lives and make a difference in a changing world. With this great privilege comes greater responsibility in navigating the speaking profession together.