Speaking

Having certifications can look like alphabet soup after your name. So, what does it take to get a Global Speaking Fellow and why are there so few in the world. In response to the expanding international nature of the needs of global speaking members, international clients, and global audiences, the Global Speakers Federation established the framework for a designation that recognizes professional speakers successfully presenting at a global level.

This designation is called the Global Speaking Fellow.

What Are the Criteria?

The Global Speaking Fellow designation is conferred on those who have:

• received a Certified Speaking Professional (CSP) – there are fewer than 400 active speakers with this designation worldwide –  awarded by National Speakers Association (USA) or Professional Speakers Australia OR a Fellow of the Professional Speaking Association of the United Kingdom and Ireland (FPSA)
• proven mastery of the core competencies over a minimum of three years.
• received favourable reviews by the clients who have hired them.
• demonstrated sustainability as a global presenter.
• presented professionally in a designated percentage of the macro geographical. (continental) regions/geographical sub-regions as defined by the United Nations.
• passed an internal review by an evaluation team of Global Speaking Fellow designation holders.

So, what does my Global Speaking Fellow mean to you? That’s a great question. Having already received my Certified Speaking Professional designation, I’ve already demonstrated a high level of competency and professionalism in my craft. Being one of only 40 Global Speaking Fellows cements my credentials as an international speaking professional, performing for clients and audiences, like you, at a high level across international borders. To date I’ve presented in 14 countries, 5 of them in Spanish (a language I only started learning in 2013), and once I presented in French for a virtual conference of events pros in Canada (another language I taught myself, starting in 2020).

Currently I am the only Global Speaking Fellow who specializes in the wedding and event industry, and I speak in more and more countries each year. To find out more about the Global Speaking Fellow you can visit the Global Speakers Federation website, or contact me via email, text, use the short form on this page, or call 732.422.6362, international enquiries 001 732 422 6362.

Whenever you see initials after someone’s name you may assume that person is proud of some ambiguous accomplishment. In an industry filled with acronyms (that often feels like alphabet soup), it’s hard to know, as a consumer, what they all mean to you. I know what my CSP® means to me: it’s a validation of many years of hard work on the craft of speaking, attending speaker conferences, taking classes, and constantly striving to improve my speaking ability and presentations, not just my content.

The Certified Speaking Professional™ (CSP®) designation is the speaking industry’s international measure of professional platform skills. When you engage a speaker with a CSP® you can be assured that it is conferred by the National Speakers Association (NSA) only on those who have earned it by meeting strict criteria. According to the NSA the letters ‘CSP’ following a speaker’s name indicate a competent speaking professional, with proven experience, who understands what is required and knows how to deliver client satisfaction. Less than 12 percent of the 5,000+ speakers worldwide, who belong to the 15 member associations of the Global Speakers Federation (GSF), currently hold this professional designation. In short, achieving a CSP® is no small feat, and it’s a highly respected designation by meeting and event planners worldwide.

What Are the Criteria?

• Every CSP must…
• Maintain membership in the National Speakers Association and subscribe to the Code of Professional Ethics.
• Serve a minimum of 100 different paying clients within 5 years.
• Present and document a minimum of 250 professional, paid speaking engagements within this same 5-year period.
• Submit professionally prepared promotional materials.
• Receive excellent ratings from 20 past clients on professional performance evaluations.
• Continue education in the professional speaking field.
• 4 current CSPs watch and evaluate an unedited video of Alan speaking live at a conference

So, what does my CSP® mean to you? I have been speaking professionally for over 20 years, and I’ve been a proud member of the National Speakers Association since 2007, where I’ve also been privileged to present. You can be assured that I continue my professional education and training, every year, through conferences and workshops, specifically designed to help speakers improve their platform skills. Just as with your business, this is a life-long journey towards excellence in the field. It’s a never ending quest to be the best I can be for you and your audience.

I was the first Certified Speaking Professional® who specializes in the wedding and event industry, and I speak in more and more countries each year. To find out more about the CSP you can visit NSASpeaker.org, or contact me via email, text, use the short form on this page, or call 732.422.6362, international enquiries 001 732 422 6362.