Professional Speakers Association

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The Professional Speakers Association (PSA) was launched in 1999 as a professional body for professional speakers with two fundamental goals: to raise the standards of speakers for the benefit of the businesses and organisations that use speakers; to promote speaking as a professional industry.

There are several grades of membership.

Candidates are not Members but they have access to the resources and networks in the PSA. Candidate status is valid for two years, by which time Membership status must be achieved. Failing that, re-application can be made after a three-year wait.

To be accepted as a Member, a person has prove that they are a professional speaker by listing at least 10 paid speaking engagements in 12 months. To show professional competence, they also need to demonstrate their abilities against the first four competencies of a professional speaker. These are: Professional Awareness; Topic Development; Presenting and Performing; PR, Sales and Marketing

Affiliate membership at is available to people and businesses who work within or associated to the speaking business. These include bureaux, agents, video production companies and so forth.

A Fellow of the PSA is a much higher qualifying standard. This level of membership is only available to members on proof of ability against all eight competencies of a professional speaker and proof of a significant income from speaking. Fellows are also voted in by their peers. The letters FPSA provide recognition of professional excellence in the speaking industry.

The PSA is affiliated to the worldwide network of professional speaking bodies, under the stewardship of the International Federation For Professional Speakers