The National Speakers Association (NSA) is a professional speakers' organization that supports the pursuit of Public Speaking

Public speaking

Public speaking is the process of speaking to a group of people in a structured, deliberate manner intended to inform, influence, or entertain the listeners...

 as a business. NSA is the oldest and largest of 11 international associations comprising the Global Speakers Federation.

Founder

NSA was founded in 1973 by Cavett Robert who passed away in 1997. Members still hold to a code of helping one another known as "The Spirit of Cavett."

Organizational Structure and Operations

NSA has national offices in Tempe, Arizona and 39 regional chapters throughout the United States.

Conventions

NSA holds an annual national convention each summer featuring some of the most successful speakers in the industry. The presenters volunteer their time and pay to attend the convention to share best practices on how to speak better and how to better market a speaking business.

Local/Regional Chapters

Each chapter is led by an elected President and a board of directors. Chapters usually hold monthly meetings featuring a speaker and networking time. Nationally NSA has a Chapter Leadership Council composed of past presidents who serve as resources and volunteer consultants to current chapter leaders.

The organization's website says NSA provides "resources and education designed to advance the skills, integrity, and values of its members and the speaking profession".

Speakers Hall of Fame

Membership in the NSA Speakers Hall of Fame also honors those within the speaking profession who have reached the pinnacle of performance excellence. Approximately 200 speakers have received this honor since it was established in 1977 and include Zig Ziglar

Zig Ziglar

Hilary Hinton "Zig" Ziglar is an American author, salesman, and motivational speaker.-Biography:Zig Ziglar was born in Coffee County, Alabama, to parents John Silas Ziglar and Viola Ziglar...

, Ronald Reagan

Ronald Reagan

Ronald Wilson Reagan was the 40th President of the United States , the 33rd Governor of California and, prior to that, a radio, film and television actor....

, Art Linkletter

Art Linkletter

Arthur Gordon "Art" Linkletter was a Canadian-born American radio and television personality. He was the host of House Party, which ran on CBS radio and television for 25 years, and People Are Funny, on NBC radio-TV for 19 years...

, Jim Rohn

Jim Rohn

Jim Rohn was an American entrepreneur, author and motivational speaker. His rags to riches story played a large part in his work, which influenced others in the personal development industry.-Early life:...

, Og Mandino

Og Mandino

Augustine "Og" Mandino II was an American author. He wrote the bestselling book The Greatest Salesman in the World. His books have sold over 50 million copies and have been translated into over twenty-five different languages...

, Nido Qubein

Nido Qubein

Nido Qubein is a businessman, motivational speaker, and has been President of High Point University since 2005. He received his Associate's Degree in Business from Mount Olive College, where he was a member of Delta Pi Delta fraternity. He received his Bachelor's Degree in Human Relations from High...

, and Earl Nightingale

Earl Nightingale

Earl Nightingale was an American motivational speaker and author, known as the "Dean of Personal Development." He was the voice in the early 1950s of Sky King, the hero of a radio adventure series, and was a WGN radio show host from 1950 to 1956...

 to name a few.

Membership

In order to join the National Speakers Association, professional speakers must document that they are regularly paid to speak professionally. This may be demonstrated in one of three ways:
Been paid for giving 20 or more presentations in the prior 12 months.
Given 20 or more presentations to sizable groups in the past 12 months as part of a salaried position.
Have earned $25,000 or more in the past 12 months from speaking presentations.

The National Speakers Association is frequently in the news due to the notoriety of its members and its philanthropic work. NSA members are among the best known professional speakers in the world.

Some Notable NSA Members include (This list is incomplete):

Ken Blanchard

Ken Blanchard

Kenneth Hartley Blanchard is an American author and management expert. His book The One Minute Manager has sold over 13 million copies and has been translated into 37 languages...

Nido Qubein

Nido Qubein

Nido Qubein is a businessman, motivational speaker, and has been President of High Point University since 2005. He received his Associate's Degree in Business from Mount Olive College, where he was a member of Delta Pi Delta fraternity. He received his Bachelor's Degree in Human Relations from High...

Jeanne Robertson

Jeanne Robertson

Jeanne Robertson or Jeanne Swanner Robertson is a nationally recognized humorist and professional speaker. In 1963, at age 18, she was named Miss North Carolina. Robertson credits her reign as the catalyst for her career. Her anecdotes can be heard daily on XM Radio's Channel 151, Laugh USA and...

Brian Tracy

Brian Tracy

Brian Tracy is a self-help author and motivational speaker. He serves as Chairman of Brian Tracy International, a human resource company based in Solana Beach, California, with affiliates throughout the United States and thirty-one other countries.-Early life:After dropping out of school before...

Larry Winget

Larry Winget

Larry Winget is a professional motivational speaker, bestselling author and television personality. Winget markets himself as "the trademarked 'Pitbull of Personal Development' and 'World's Only Irritational Speaker'".-Early life and family:...

Zig Ziglar

Zig Ziglar

Hilary Hinton "Zig" Ziglar is an American author, salesman, and motivational speaker.-Biography:Zig Ziglar was born in Coffee County, Alabama, to parents John Silas Ziglar and Viola Ziglar...