CSP Overview 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Which organization awards the Certified Speaking Professional (CSP) designation in the United States?
- National Speakers Association (NSA) (Correct answer)
- Toastmasters International
- International Coaching Federation
- American Management Association
Correct answer: National Speakers Association (NSA)
The CSP is awarded by the National Speakers Association (NSA), the premier organization for professional speakers in the US.
Question 2: What is the minimum number of paid speaking engagements typically required over a rolling five-year period to qualify for the CSP?
- 250 paid engagements (Correct answer)
- 100 paid engagements
- 50 paid engagements
- 500 paid engagements
Correct answer: 250 paid engagements
Applicants must document at least 250 paid speaking engagements within a qualifying five-year period.
Question 3: Approximately what percentage of NSA members hold the CSP designation?
- Less than 10% (Correct answer)
- About 25%
- About 50%
- More than 75%
Correct answer: Less than 10%
The CSP is held by fewer than 10% of NSA members, reflecting its rigorous requirements and elite status.
Question 4: Which of the following BEST describes the purpose of the CSP designation?
- To verify a speaker's sustained professional experience and income from speaking (Correct answer)
- To certify a speaker's mastery of a specific academic subject
- To license speakers for government or regulatory appearances
- To rank speakers by audience size reached
Correct answer: To verify a speaker's sustained professional experience and income from speaking
The CSP verifies that a speaker has demonstrated sustained professional experience, income, and client satisfaction over time.
Question 5: How does the CSP designation relate to the Global Speaking Fellow (GSF) designation?
- The CSP is a prerequisite for earning the GSF (Correct answer)
- The GSF is awarded before the CSP
- The two designations are unrelated and from different organizations
- The GSF replaced the CSP in 2020
Correct answer: The CSP is a prerequisite for earning the GSF
Speakers must hold the CSP before they can apply for the Global Speaking Fellow (GSF), the international extension of the credential.
Question 6: Which element of CSP eligibility directly measures a speaker's ability to generate business from speaking?
- Minimum annual fee income from speaking (Correct answer)
- Number of social media followers
- Highest academic degree earned
- Number of books published
Correct answer: Minimum annual fee income from speaking
CSP criteria include minimum income thresholds from professional speaking fees, confirming the speaker earns a living from the craft.
Question 7: Which statement BEST captures the audience perspective on the CSP designation?
- It signals that the speaker has a verified history of delivering value to paying clients (Correct answer)
- It guarantees the speaker will entertain with humor
- It means the speaker has passed a written government exam
- It indicates the speaker specializes in corporate training only
Correct answer: It signals that the speaker has a verified history of delivering value to paying clients
From a buyer's perspective, the CSP is a trust signal confirming the speaker's sustained, verified track record with paying clients.
CSP Overview 2
Which organization awards the Certified Speaking Professional (CSP) designation in the United States?