Speaking Your Brand: Public Speaking Tips and Strategies

You know speaking is one of the best ways to grow your business and your visibility.But between running your business, serving your clients, and managing everything else on your plate, finding time to pitch yourself for speaking engagements feels impossible.If you’ve ever thought:“I know I should be speaking, but I’m too busy to figure out where to start.”“Pitching myself feels overwhelming. I don’t even know what to say.”“It seems easier to just keep posting on social media, even though it’s not moving the needle.”This new 3-part series on how you can land more speaking engagements is exactly what you need.Today’s focus is on outbound activities = the steps you can take to actively pitch yourself without burning out. The next episode is on what I call inbound activities: setting yourself up so that speaking engagements come to you. Then, we'll wrap up the series with an episode on how to get paid to speak.In this episode, you’ll learn:Why scheduling a weekly Pitch Power Hour will help you stay consistent (and how to structure it).How to research speaking opportunities efficiently using tools like Google Alerts and AI.The importance of showing up in your local community and building relationships that lead to invitations.How to align pitching with your existing visibility efforts so it feels natural, not forced.The mindset shift that makes pitching less intimidating: event organizers need great speakers like you.By the end of this episode, you’ll have three specific strategies to make pitching a sustainable and even enjoyable part of your routine. And most importantly, you’ll see how consistent, strategic outreach leads to more of the right opportunities on the right stages.✨ Work with us: Want to create your signature talk, build your speaking strategy, and get booked without burnout?Join our online Thought Leader Academy for step-by-step coaching and a proven process to elevate your message.Prefer in-person? Attend our 1-Day Speaking Accelerator in Orlando and walk away with your talk and action plan.Links:Show notes at https://www.speakingyourbrand.com/441/ Discover your Speaker Archetype by taking our free quiz at https://www.speakingyourbrand.com/quiz/Attend our 1-day in-person Speaking Accelerator workshop in Orlando: https://www.speakingyourbrand.com/orlando/ Enroll in our online Thought Leader Academy: https://www.speakingyourbrand.com/academy/ Connect with me on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/carolcoxRelated Podcast Episodes:Episode 401: Strategies for Getting Momentum on the Speaking CircuitEpisode 245: How to Get Selected as a Speaker by Event Organizers JOIN US: Our in-person Speaking Accelerator Workshop is coming up in Downtown Orlando on October 30, 2025. Create and practice your signature talk in one day using our proven framework, so you can confidently share your message and attract more opportunities. It's a fun, supportive environment where you get personalized feedback, professional photos, and more. Limited to 15 attendees. Get the details and secure your spot at https://www.speakingyourbrand.com/orlando/.

One of the biggest benefits of creating your signature talk and framework is that you don’t just use it once; you can repurpose it over and over again.In this episode, I talk with Thought Leader Academy graduate Eloisa Marquez-Gonzalez, who shares how she’s taken the signature talk and framework she developed with us and adapted it for different audiences, topics, and speaking engagements.Eloisa has spoken on everything from sustainability to operational excellence to partnerships, but at the core of each talk is her Optima Framework. By simply giving it a new lens depending on the audience, she’s able to stay consistent in her message while making it relevant to each event.You’ll hear us discuss:Why repurposing your framework saves you time and energy while reinforcing your thought leadership.How Eloisa tailored her talks to different audiences, including business leaders, engineers, and bilingual groups, without reinventing the wheel each time.The importance of preparation and asking smart questions, which helped Eloisa get referred to new speaking opportunities even before event organizers saw her present.What it looks like to niche down your message so your audience clearly understands who you serve and the value you provide.If you’ve ever felt like you need a brand-new talk for every opportunity, this conversation will show you how to work smarter, not harder - repurposing your signature talk and framework so your audiences remember you and your unique thought leadership.And if you’d like to create your own signature talk and framework that you can repurpose again and again, join us in the Thought Leader Academy. Links:Show notes at https://www.speakingyourbrand.com/440/ Eloisa’s website: https://www.walkingtree.green/ Discover your Speaker Archetype by taking our free quiz at https://www.speakingyourbrand.com/quiz/Enroll in our Thought Leader Academy: https://www.speakingyourbrand.com/academy/ Connect on LinkedIn:Carol Cox = https://www.linkedin.com/in/carolcoxEloisa Marquez-Gonzalez (guest) = https://www.linkedin.com/in/eloisamg/ Related Podcast Episodes:Episode 394: Getting Buy-In from Your Audience on Your Message: Live Signature Talks from Our Thought Leader Academy GradsEpisode 355: What a Signature Talk Is and What It Should be Doing for YouEpisode 288: A Framework for Creating a Signature Talk for Income and Impact   JOIN US: Our in-person Speaking Accelerator Workshop is coming up in Downtown Orlando on October 30, 2025. Create and practice your signature talk in one day using our proven framework, so you can confidently share your message and attract more opportunities. It's a fun, supportive environment where you get personalized feedback, professional photos, and more. Limited to 15 attendees. Get the details and secure your spot at https://www.speakingyourbrand.com/orlando/.

How do you go from giving short, tip-focused talks to inspiring audiences with a full keynote? That’s exactly the journey our guest has taken and it’s one so many of us can learn from.Our lead speaking coach Diane Diaz talks with Elaine Schomburg-LaFleur, a senior project engineer who has spent over 20 years in the theme park industry, including at Disney.Elaine thought of herself as “the tip girl” - packing her presentations with lots of helpful advice. But when she was invited to give her first keynote, she realized she needed a new approach.With the help of a VIP Day and our in-person Speaking Accelerator workshop, Elaine discovered how to weave stories into her talks, connect emotionally with her audience, and step into her authentic speaking style.The result? Not only did she deliver a powerful keynote to a room of young women engineers, she also caught the “speaking bug” and has continued landing and delivering talks that inspire.What You’ll Hear in This Episode: Elaine’s transition from sharing only tips to becoming an inspiring keynote speakerHow storytelling makes even technical topics more engaging and memorableThe role of authenticity in building confidence and audience connectionWhat Elaine gained from practicing in community and receiving real-time feedbackHow she continues to grow her visibility and speaking career through LinkedIn and pitching opportunities Elaine’s story is proof that you don’t have to change who you are to be a great speaker - you just need to unlock the authentic voice that’s already within you.  Links: Show notes at https://www.speakingyourbrand.com/439/ Discover your Speaker Archetype by taking our free quiz at https://www.speakingyourbrand.com/quiz/Attend our next 1-day Speaking Accelerator workshop in Orlando: https://www.speakingyourbrand.com/orlando/  Create your signature talk with us: https://www.speakingyourbrand.com/coaching/ Connect on LinkedIn:Carol Cox = https://www.linkedin.com/in/carolcoxDiane Diaz = https://www.linkedin.com/in/dianediaz/ Elaine Schomburg-LaFleur = https://www.linkedin.com/in/elaineschomburglafleur/ Related Podcast Episodes:Episode 435: From Blank Page to On Stage: What It's Like to Create and Practice a Talk in One Day  JOIN US: Our in-person Speaking Accelerator Workshop is coming up in Downtown Orlando on October 30, 2025. Create and practice your signature talk in one day using our proven framework, so you can confidently share your message and attract more opportunities. It's a fun, supportive environment where you get personalized feedback, professional photos, and more. Limited to 15 attendees. Get the details and secure your spot at https://www.speakingyourbrand.com/orlando/.

Whether you've had one day that changed your life forever - or a series of events that shifted your understanding of yourself and the world - or a culmination of hard-won lessons from work and life, you have a story worth sharing.This is something I emphasize often, because so many women tell me, “I don’t really have a story. Nothing big has happened to me.”What matters isn’t the size of your story, but how you tell it and what lessons you offer your audience.In this episode of the Speaking Your Brand podcast, I talk with Karen Keene, a graduate of our Thought Leader Academy, whose life was forever altered after surviving a violent home invasion. Karen’s journey of healing - through 26 surgeries, unimaginable loss, and the courage to rebuild - has become the foundation for a keynote talk that inspires audiences to face adversity with resilience and purpose.But this conversation isn’t only about Karen’s story. It’s about:Why your story can be just as powerful, even if you haven’t faced extreme traumaHow to uncover the universal lessons in your story that speak to anyone in your audienceThe importance of moving from “sharing what happened” to “showing what’s possible”Karen’s M.A.P. framework and how it turns inspiration into actionThe transformation that happens for you when you tell your story with intention If you’ve ever wondered whether your story is “enough” to share or how to use it to truly serve your audience, this episode will give you both the confidence and the tools to do it.This conversation originally aired as episode 337 on July 10, 2023.Links:Show notes at https://www.speakingyourbrand.com/story-transformation/Discover your Speaker Archetype by taking our free quiz at https://www.speakingyourbrand.com/quiz/Enroll in our Thought Leader Academy: https://www.speakingyourbrand.com/academy/ Connect on LinkedIn:Carol Cox = https://www.linkedin.com/in/carolcoxKaren Keene = https://www.linkedin.com/in/karen-keene-profile2023/  Related Podcast Episodes:Episode 297: Integrating Your Story Into Your Talks with Carol Cox, Diane Diaz, and Joy SpencerEpisode 263: Finding the Emotional Heart of Your Message with Carol CoxEpisode 230: Use Your Story for an Inspirational Talk with Tanea SmithEpisode 137: The Missing Ingredients in Your Stories with Carol Cox JOIN US: Our in-person Speaking Accelerator Workshop is coming up in Downtown Orlando on October 30, 2025. Create and practice your signature talk in one day using our proven framework, so you can confidently share your message and attract more opportunities. It's a fun, supportive environment where you get personalized feedback, professional photos, and more. Limited to 15 attendees. Get the details and secure your spot at https://www.speakingyourbrand.com/orlando/.

Ever wish you could walk on stage and instantly connect with your audience, whether it’s a room of five people or a stadium of 50,000?In this episode, Diane Diaz and I are trying something new: a reaction video to a famous speech. And who better to kick things off than Taylor Swift’s 2022 NYU Commencement Address?You might think being a global superstar makes Taylor impossible to relate to. But what she does in this speech is exactly what you can do in your own presentations to make your audience lean in, laugh, and feel like you’re speaking directly to them.We break down three powerful speaking tips for relatability that you can start using right away:Self-deprecating humor to lower the pedestal and create connection.Knowing your audience: their stage in life, challenges, and what they want next.Bridging personal stories to universal themes so your message resonates far beyond the details of your own experience. Whether you’re delivering a keynote, leading a workshop, or speaking on a panel, these strategies will help you connect, engage, and inspire, no guitar required (unless you have one, then bring it!).Links:Show notes at https://www.speakingyourbrand.com/438/ Watch our video conversation: https://youtu.be/-Mm2_urTF40Taylor Swift Commencement Address at NYU in 2022: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OBG50aoUwlITaylor on Travis Kelce’s New Heights podcast in August 2025: https://youtu.be/M2lX9XESvDE?si=r_GL2a_iNf2F_iuJ Discover your Speaker Archetype by taking our free quiz at https://www.speakingyourbrand.com/quiz/Enroll in our Thought Leader Academy: https://www.speakingyourbrand.com/academy/ Connect on LinkedIn:Carol Cox = https://www.linkedin.com/in/carolcoxDiane Diaz = https://www.linkedin.com/in/dianediaz/  Related Podcast Episodes:Episode 426: Every Talk Needs Humor: Here are 5 Ways to Make Your Audience LaughEpisode 398: Storytelling for Leaders: Crafting Narratives that Inspire and Persuade JOIN US: Our in-person Speaking Accelerator Workshop is coming up in Downtown Orlando on October 30, 2025. Create and practice your signature talk in one day using our proven framework, so you can confidently share your message and attract more opportunities. It's a fun, supportive environment where you get personalized feedback, professional photos, and more. Limited to 15 attendees. Get the details and secure your spot at https://www.speakingyourbrand.com/orlando/.

Do you ever feel like you're stuck in the "expert trap" - sharing lots of great information, but not quite connecting with your audience the way you want to? In this episode, I talk with Dr. Teri DeLucca, founder of Impact Early Education and a graduate of our Thought Leader Academy, about how she made the bold leap from academic researcher and fact-based presenter to transformational speaker and sought-after thought leader. Teri has not one, but TWO PhDs (yes, you read that right!), and like many high-achieving women, she found comfort in data and research. But as she began training preschool teachers and school leaders, she realized that just presenting facts wasn’t creating the impact she truly wanted. In our conversation, Teri shares: What led her to start her own business and step into entrepreneurship The power of personal storytelling in leadership and speaking How embracing vulnerability changed everything for her and her audiences Her transformation through the Thought Leader Academy and how it impacted her signature talk Her behind-the-scenes prep for a major international keynote (and why she called me in for a VIP Day!) Why it's not only okay, but essential, to share your personal challenges as a speaker and leader   If you've ever worried that being real with your audience might hurt your credibility, you need to hear what Teri says about the moment she realized not sharing her struggles was actually holding her back. Teri’s story is proof that when you let go of perfection and speak from a place of truth, that’s when real transformation happens—for you and the people you're meant to reach. This conversation originally aired as episode 338 on July 17, 2023. Links: Show notes: https://www.speakingyourbrand.com/escape-expert-trap/ Learn more about Teri’s work at ImpactEarlyEd.com. Listen to Episode 241 – The Expert Trap – to learn more about how to shift from expert to transformational speaker: https://www.speakingyourbrand.com/241/ Ready to escape the expert trap and develop your own signature talk and thought leadership? Join us in the Thought Leader Academy: https://www.speakingyourbrand.com/academy/ JOIN US: Our in-person Speaking Accelerator Workshop is coming up in Downtown Orlando on October 30, 2025. Create and practice your signature talk in one day using our proven framework, so you can confidently share your message and attract more opportunities. It's a fun, supportive environment where you get personalized feedback, professional photos, and more. Limited to 15 attendees. Get the details and secure your spot at https://www.speakingyourbrand.com/orlando/.

If you're using speaking for lead generation, you won’t want to miss this episode. I’m joined by Danielle Hayden, CEO of Kickstart Accounting, Inc., who came to me for a VIP Day to create a new signature talk. Like many entrepreneurs, Danielle had been speaking often, but she knew she was overloading her audience with too much information and not enough transformation. In this conversation, we pull back the curtain on the process we used to refine her message, develop her thought leadership, and craft a presentation that truly connects - with results to prove it. You’ll learn: Why Danielle knew it was time to evolve her talk (and how she resisted telling personal stories at first!) The moment we discovered her unique thought leadership angle: “The Spending Gap” Behind the scenes of what happens during a VIP Day What happened when she delivered her new talk for the first time (spoiler: record number of new clients!) Why storytelling, especially the vulnerable kind, is a powerful connector How she uses other lead gen strategies like podcast guesting and hosting her own podcast You’ll walk away with ideas on how to turn your own talk into a powerful magnet that attracts the right clients - and how to infuse it with insight, story, and strategy. Want your own VIP Day to develop your signature talk? Learn more and join us in the Thought Leader Academy: https://www.speakingyourbrand.com/academy/    (This conversation originally aired as episode 362 on December 11, 2023.)   Links: Show notes at https://www.speakingyourbrand.com/362/ Danielle’s website: https://kickstartaccountinginc.com/gift/  Danielle’s podcast “Entrepreneur Money Stories”: https://kickstartaccountinginc.com/entrepreneur-money-stories-podcast/  Discover your Speaker Archetype by taking our free quiz at https://www.speakingyourbrand.com/quiz/ Get your own VIP Day to create your signature talk by signing up for our Thought Leader Academy: https://www.speakingyourbrand.com/academy/  Connect on LinkedIn: Carol Cox = https://www.linkedin.com/in/carolcox Danielle Hayden (guest) = https://www.linkedin.com/in/danielle-hayden-kickstartaccounting/  Related Podcast Episodes: Episode 204: Make Better Decisions around Business and Speaking Opportunities with Danielle Hayden Episode 288: A Framework for Creating a Signature Talk for Income and Impact Episode 290: [Coaching] Get More Leads from Your Presentations Episode 271: Providing Transformation vs. Information   JOIN US: Our in-person Speaking Accelerator Workshop is coming up in Downtown Orlando on October 30, 2025. Create and practice your signature talk in one day using our proven framework, so you can confidently share your message and attract more opportunities. It's a fun, supportive environment where you get personalized feedback, professional photos, and more. Limited to 15 attendees. Get the details and secure your spot at https://www.speakingyourbrand.com/orlando/.

In this engaging discussion, Dr. Bonnie Boles, Chief Medical Information Officer at Tanner Health, and Denise Cárdenas López, VP at Amentum, share insights gleaned from their time in the Thought Leader Academy. They discuss how personal storytelling can transform traditional presentations, and the importance of adapting to technological advances in healthcare. Both speakers reveal their journeys to overcome presentation anxiety, highlighting how innovation and community collaboration are essential in their fields. Get inspired by their powerful messages and fresh ideas!

The key to a powerful presentation isn’t just telling stories – it’s uncovering the lessons within them. When you share a personal experience or an impactful moment, you’re not just recounting events; you’re inviting your audience to see the world through your eyes, to feel what you felt, and to learn from what you lived.  Your stories become more than just a narrative – they can spark change in the hearts and minds of your audience. This episode is the audio from a live show we did with three of our recent Thought Leader Academy grads: Moe Boles, Melinda Hrynewycz, and Sara Ecklein. You’ll hear each woman deliver a 10-minute version of the signature talk they created with us, so you can see and hear them in action, demonstrating how drawing insights from personal experiences can create engaging, memorable, and impactful messages. We also have a roundtable discussion about what they’ve learned from being in the Thought Leader Academy and what’s next for them as speakers and thought leaders. Links: Show notes at https://www.speakingyourbrand.com/436/  Watch the video at https://youtube.com/live/qfOOs3Q3H5c Discover your Speaker Archetype by taking our free quiz at https://www.speakingyourbrand.com/quiz/ Enroll in our Thought Leader Academy: https://www.speakingyourbrand.com/academy/    Connect on LinkedIn: Carol Cox = https://www.linkedin.com/in/carolcox Melinda Hrynewycz = https://www.linkedin.com/in/melinda-hrynewycz/  Moe Boles = https://www.linkedin.com/in/moe-smith-boles-mba-hm-rn-b617236/  Sara Ecklein = https://www.linkedin.com/in/sara-ecklein/  Related Podcast Episodes: Episode 355: What a Signature Talk Is and What It Should be Doing for You Episode 263: Finding the Emotional Heart of Your Message   JOIN US: Our in-person Speaking Accelerator Workshop is coming up in Downtown Orlando on October 30, 2025. Create and practice your signature talk in one day using our proven framework, so you can confidently share your message and attract more opportunities. It's a fun, supportive environment where you get personalized feedback, professional photos, and more. Limited to 15 attendees. Get the details and secure your spot at https://www.speakingyourbrand.com/orlando/.

What if you could go from a completely blank page - or in this case, a blank poster board - to mapping out and practicing your signature talk… all in just one day? That’s exactly what happened at our recent in-person Speaking Accelerator Workshop in Orlando, and in this episode, you’ll hear directly from three of the incredible women who participated: Lesline Pittman, Monica Mitchell, and Dr. Emma Jones. You’ll get the behind-the-scenes scoop on what it’s like to go from idea to delivery in a single day (yes, it’s totally possible!) - including the unexpected improv exercises, vulnerable storytelling moments, and the real magic that happens when smart, passionate women come together to use their voice. In this episode, we talk about: Why each of them said “yes” to attending the workshop (even flying in from out of state!) How they went from “Can I really do this in one day?” to confidently practicing their talk on stage What it felt like to get feedback in real-time and push past perfectionism The power of sharing personal stories What they’re doing next with their talks and visibility efforts You’ll also hear some powerful lessons about embracing vulnerability, escaping the “expert trap,” and why your story absolutely matters, even if others are talking about similar topics. Whether you’ve been thinking about joining one of our in-person workshops or you just want some encouragement to get your own talk out of your head and into the world, this episode will inspire you to take that next bold step.  Our next 1-day Speaking Workshop is on October 30, 2025, in Downtown Orlando, Florida! If you’re ready to accelerate your growth as a speaker, gain hands-on feedback, and have a lot of fun, this is your chance. Learn more and grab your spot at https://www.SpeakingYourBrand.com/orlando/.  Links: Show notes at https://www.speakingyourbrand.com/435/  Video from the live show: https://youtube.com/live/ZH73ckePBdo  Discover your Speaker Archetype by taking our free quiz at https://www.speakingyourbrand.com/quiz/ Attend our 1-day speaking workshop in Orlando: https://www.SpeakingYourBrand.com/orlando/  Enroll in our Thought Leader Academy: https://www.speakingyourbrand.com/academy/  Connect on LinkedIn: Carol Cox = https://www.linkedin.com/in/carolcox Emma Jones, MD = https://www.linkedin.com/in/emma-jones-mdcoach/  Monica Mitchell = https://www.linkedin.com/in/coachmjmitchell/  Lesline Pittman = https://www.linkedin.com/in/leslinepittman/  Related Podcast Episodes: Episode 421: 100x Your Speaking in a Day: Insights from Our Recent In-Person Workshop   JOIN US: Our in-person Speaking Accelerator Workshop is coming up in Downtown Orlando on October 30, 2025. Create and practice your signature talk in one day using our proven framework, so you can confidently share your message and attract more opportunities. It's a fun, supportive environment where you get personalized feedback, professional photos, and more. Limited to 15 attendees. Get the details and secure your spot at https://www.speakingyourbrand.com/orlando/.