Special Invite to a PSA Meeting in Chester

This is a fantastic opportunity to come as my guest and to hear the secrets of media pundit, Alastair MacDonald and for a very special guest price of only £6!

The Professional Speakers Association NW Chapter Meeting
Tuesday 2nd March 2010
The Queen Hotel, City Road, Chester CH1 3AH

AGENDA
18.00: Registration, networking, tea/coffee and biscuits
18.50: Welcome and introduction - Debbie Catt, President PSA North West
19.00: Alistair Macdonald - Have I Got News For You!
TV, radio, newspapers and the Internet are just crying out for good stories. But none of these news outlets care if you are a professional speaker unless you have a good story to tell.

There are thousands of hours of airtime to fill each week and acres of column inches but hard-pressed journalists find it difficult to meet the demands of 24-hour news. This is a great opportunity to put your name in lights…….but you need to know how.

Award-winning former BBC TV reporter/producer Alistair Macdonald and founder member of the PSA NW, will provide some inside track tips on how you can make the most of the media.
■ What is news?
■ What stories make the headlines?
■ What real skills do you have in your filing cabinet?
■ How do you tap into free editorial space?
■ How do you become an ‘expert’ in your field?

All this and much more will be revealed as Alistair unveils the secrets of how you can become a great storyteller and a media pundit.

Alistair is unashamedly a ‘poacher turned gamekeeper’. Since he left TV, he has trained directors and senior managers from more than 20 countries and from five continents. His company, amtv, specialises in media training, crisis news management, presentation skills, networking training and corporate DVDs. Alistair is an amusing storyteller who has enthralled audiences up to 1,000-strong. He’s a member of the Professional Speakers’ Association and his passion is mountains and exploration. He’s taken tea with Tuareg tribesmen in Mali, tangled with Tibetan bandits in Nepal, swum in piranha-infested swamps up the Amazon and suffered frostbite on Mt Everest where he climbed to over 23,000ft. You can find out more about Alistair’s business at http://www.amtvmedia.co.uk

20.00: Comfort break, networking and tea, coffee and biscuits
20.15: Q & A with Alistair Macdonald – Alistair shares his experience of how he has built a successful speaking business
20.55: Feedback on member’s survey and plans for future meetings
21.10: News, tips and ideas from members and guests to improve your speaking business – a chance for everyone to contribute to the session
21.30: Meeting ends
All the details about the meeting: – where it is, what it costs etc.
Venue: The Queen Hotel, City Road, Chester, CH1 3AH Tel: 01244 305000
http://www.bw-queenhotel.co.uk
Directions: The hotel is directly opposite Chester Railway Station.

Parking: There is free on road parking (from 6pm) in City Road alongside the hotel. There is also a car park beside the hotel – Chester East Car Park pay and display, £4.70 for 24 hours. (Please note, as you pass under the arch towards the car park, keep to the left and make sure you are in the Chester East pay and display car park. The Queen Hotel car park is to the right and costs £8.

Cost to attend: £12.00 for PSA Fellows/Members/Candidates, £6.00 for guests
Payment: We accept cash and cheques (payable to PSA North West). VAT receipts will be provided at the meeting. Sorry, but we don’t accept credit cards.
PLEASE COME ALONG - BRING A FRIEND OR TWO

Please email me at debbie@debbiecatt.com immediately to let me know you wish to attend. If you cancel, unfortunately you will invoiced as we will be committed to paying the hotel.
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Future meetings arranged so far for 2010:
Tuesday 6th April
Speaker: Clive Wilson – ‘Releasing Potential – the speaker’s role in making amazing things happen’. Practical tips and techniques to build into your own businesses and improve the way you engage with your audiences, plus a question and answer session so you can quiz Clive yourself.
Clive will explain how to engage audiences in the challenge of self-discovery and encourage people to turn learning into action.
Clive is a writer, speaker and business coach who has been helping individuals, teams, companies and nations master the challenges of leadership, change and teamwork for around a decade as Deputy Chairman of Primeast http://www.primeast.com and was also President of the PSA NE Chapter 2004 –2006
Also, ‘How we published our books’ recently published PSA Members/authors share their experiences of getting their books into print
Venue: Malmaison Hotel, Piccadilly, Manchester M1 3AQ – 4* hotel located directly opposite Piccadilly Station and gives a 20% discount for the local NCP car park
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Thursday 6th May
Speaker: Paul McGee - Paul is an international speaker and best selling author. He has spoken in 24 countries to date including the USA, Hong Kong, Singapore and Australia. His style is funny, motivational, interactive, practical and memorable. His aim is simple "I want to help people achieve better results in life and have more fun in the process". You can find out more about Paul and his fabulous book S.U.M.O. – Shut Up and Move on at http://www.TheSumoGuy.com
Venue: To be confirmed but most likely to be the Malmaison Hotel, Manchester
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Thursday 3rd June
Speaker: John Hotowka - After Dinner, Business and Keynote Speaker with a Touch of Magic. John is ‘The Laughter Dinner Speaker’ and is equally at home with executives delivering a keynote speech at a conference, speaking after dinner or presenting an inspirational talk to young people. When John stands up in front of an audience he connects, entertains, educates and inspires. To find out more about John and the magic he uses to make his performances so original and compelling, please visit http://www.hotowka.co.uk
Venue: To be confirmed but most likely to be The Queen Hotel, Chester
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Debbie Catt President
PSA NW Chapter debbie@debbiecatt.com Mob: 07702 652976
Professional Speakers Association 12 Russell Close, Uttoxeter, Staffordshire ST14 8HZ Telephone: 0845 3700 504 Fax: 0845 3700 503 E-mail: admin@professionalspeakersassociation.co.uk
Web: http://www.professionalspeakersassociation.co.uk