Speaking Your Brand: Public Speaking Tips and Strategies

If you’re going to be speaking at an in-person conference, this episode has some excellent tips on how you can exceed expectations as a speaker to make it a win-win-win for you, the audience, and the event organizer. Our guest is Jill Janecke, who is a mental health counselor and has opened and operates 15 offices in South Dakota. Last year, Jill decided to host a conference for women around mental and brain health and recently held it for a second time. As the organizer, Jill delivered a keynote address and joined our Thought Leader Academy to develop it with our lead speaking coach Diane Diaz. In this episode, Diane and Jill talk about: What Jill does in her business and why she decided to create her own conference What it's like to speak at her own event vs. someone else's event The importance of practicing and envisioning your audience As an event organizer, suggestions Jill has for speakers Why Jill joined our Thought Leader Academy and what her experience has been Get our free thought leadership workbook that has our event preparation checklist in it: https://www.speakingyourbrand.com/guide/  About Our Guest: Jill Janecke has been working in mental health since 2005 and started Rising Hope Counseling, a private practice, in 2013. Her passion to help people expanded as she created a group practice and has opened 15 offices across the state of South Dakota since March of 2020. Jill yearns to bring opportunities for people to have access to hope.  Annually, she presents a Women’s Conference and also provides motivational, educational and inspiring speaking engagements making mental health an approachable topic with easy to learn concepts to apply to anyone’s life.  Jill embraces learning to help people achieve their goals and grow from the inside out.  About Us: The Speaking Your Brand podcast is hosted by Carol Cox. This episode is hosted by Diane Diaz, our lead speaking coach. At Speaking Your Brand, we help women entrepreneurs and professionals clarify their brand message and story, create their signature talks, and develop their thought leadership platforms. Our mission is to get more women in positions of influence and power because it's through women's stories, voices, and visibility that we challenge the status quo and change existing systems. Check out our coaching programs at https://www.speakingyourbrand.com.  Links: Show notes at https://www.speakingyourbrand.com/283/  Jill’s website: https://risinghope605.com/jill-janecke-ms-lpc-mh/ Get our free thought leadership workbook that has our event preparation checklist in it: https://www.speakingyourbrand.com/guide/  Apply for our Thought Leader Academy: https://www.speakingyourbrand.com/academy/    Connect on social: Diane Diaz on LinkedIn = https://www.linkedin.com/in/dianediaz  Jill Janecke (guest) on Facebook = https://www.facebook.com/risinghope605  Jill’s favorite books = “Switch on Your Brain” by Dr. Caroline Leaf: https://www.amazon.com/Switch-Your-Brain-Happiness-Thinking/dp/0801018390/ and “Happy Days: The Guided Path from Trauma to Profound Freedom and Inner Peace” by Gabrielle Bernstein: https://www.amazon.com/Happy-Days-Guided-Profound-Freedom/dp/1401965490/ Jill’s favorite TED Talk = Brene Brown: https://www.ted.com/talks/brene_brown_the_power_of_vulnerability?language=en   Jill’s favorite quote = “Don’t be afraid to fail.”- Sara Blakely, founder of Spanx   Related Podcast Episodes: Episode 245: How to Get Selected as a Speaker by Event Organizers with Sarah Soliman

Do you sometimes wonder how BOLD you want to be with your thought leadership message? You know you have something important and impactful to say, but you’re a bit uncertain on how it will be received and if there will be any backlash. I have definitely experienced this - and the benefits have far outweighed any negativity. My guest is Jodi Flynn, who is the founder of Women Taking the Lead, which helps corporate women advance in leadership, and the host of the Women Taking the Lead podcast. Jodi recently graduated from our Thought Leader Academy, where she worked on her thought leadership message and signature talk. Jodi and I talk about: The types of speaking engagements Jodi was comfortable doing - and why she wanted to do something different What her bold thought leadership message is The hesitancy she had around sharing her message - and how she got past it A story from her childhood that influenced the work she does Why *you* are the messenger for your message   This is the audio from a recent LinkedIn Live. You can watch the video at https://www.linkedin.com/video/event/urn:li:ugcPost:6930483939065118720/.    About My Guest: Jodi Flynn, founder of Women Taking the Lead, is an Executive Leadership Coach, Podcaster, Author, Speaker, and Workshop Facilitator. A Certified Professional Coach (PCC) through the International Coach Federation (ICF), women leaders hire Jodi to develop the skills needed to thrive in Senior Leadership. She is the host of the critically acclaimed Women Taking the Lead podcast, and an Amazon bestselling author with her book, Accomplished: How to Go from Dreaming to Doing. Jodi has spoken at the Massachusetts Conference for Women, the Maine Bankers Association Women in Banking and Emerging Leaders Conferences, and the Michigan Bankers Association Rising Leaders Conference. She is the President of the board for The Maine Women’s Conference and has been featured in Entrepreneur and Forbes Magazine.   About Us: The Speaking Your Brand podcast is hosted by Carol Cox. At Speaking Your Brand, we help women entrepreneurs and professionals clarify their brand message and story, create their signature talks, and develop their thought leadership platforms. Our mission is to get more women in positions of influence and power because it's through women's stories, voices, and visibility that we challenge the status quo and change existing systems. Check out our coaching programs at https://www.speakingyourbrand.com.  Links: Show notes at https://www.speakingyourbrand.com/282/  Jodi’s website: https://womentakingthelead.com Register for our Summit Speakers Reunion on June 21 (it’s free): https://www.speakingyourbrand.com/reunion/  Join our Thought Leader Academy: https://www.speakingyourbrand.com/academy/    Connect on social: Carol Cox on LinkedIn = https://www.linkedin.com/in/carolcox Jodi Flynn (guest) on LinkedIn = https://www.linkedin.com/in/jodiflynn    Related Podcast Episodes: Episode 232: Are You an Influencer, an Expert, or a Thought Leader? with Carol Cox Episode 233: 3 Types of Thought Leadership Models with Carol Cox Episode 241: The Expert Trap: What Holds Women Back from Thought Leadership with Carol Cox

How should you open and close your talk? When we work with our clients on their signature talks using our framework, we always make sure to have a strong opening and closing. In the beginning, you want to make a good impression and set the right tone. You may also be nervous, so feeling confident about how you’re going to open your talk can make you feel better. At the end of your talk, you want to leave the audience feeling satisfied AND wanting more. In this episode, I’m sharing with you: 6 ways you can open your talk Examples from my own talks and from our clients How to choose which way to open your talk depending on the format of the event and the size of the audience What to do when you get to the event and you realize your planned opening isn’t going to work How to close your talk, including what not to do!   Register for our Summit Speakers Reunion on June 21 (it’s free): https://www.speakingyourbrand.com/reunion/  Speakers from our past Brave. Bold. Beyond. Live Virtual Summits are joining us to talk about: What is was like to create a transformational TED-style talk Being vulnerable with their story and any concerns they had - and whether they had any vulnerability hangovers afterwards! How delivering this kind of talk (transformational vs. informational) helped them to see themselves as a different kind of speaker than they may have been used to How the coaching they received from us helped them to create their talks What they’ve been doing since the summits   About Us: The Speaking Your Brand podcast is hosted by Carol Cox. At Speaking Your Brand, we help women entrepreneurs and professionals clarify their brand message and story, create their signature talks, and develop their thought leadership platforms. Our mission is to get more women in positions of influence and power because it's through women's stories, voices, and visibility that we challenge the status quo and change existing systems. Check out our coaching programs at https://www.speakingyourbrand.com.  Links: Show notes at https://www.speakingyourbrand.com/281/  Register for our Summit Speakers Reunion on June 21 (it’s free): https://www.speakingyourbrand.com/reunion/  Join our Thought Leader Academy: https://www.speakingyourbrand.com/academy/  Connect on LinkedIn = https://www.linkedin.com/in/carolcox   Related Podcast Episodes: Episode 137: The Missing Ingredients in Your Stories [Storytelling Series] Episode 153: Threading a Story Throughout Your Signature Talk with Amber Hawley [Coaching] Episode 193: Five Kinds of Stories to Share in Your Thought Leadership Content with Carol Cox [Storytelling Series]  

Last year on this podcast, I did several episodes about the distinction between being an expert and a thought leader. As speakers, we often get stuck in what I call “the expert trap.” We get comfortable training and teaching in our area of expertise and we think that’s the only way to provide value to our audiences. The way out of this is to incorporate more of your personal journey and storytelling into your talks and to believe that providing your audiences with transformation is more important than information. My guest on the podcast is Katie Anderson, an internationally recognized leadership and learning coach, consultant, and professional speaker. Katie and I have been working together since the beginning of the year on her new keynote and helping her incorporate more storytelling and performance aspects into her delivery. Katie and I talk about: Why she wanted to get out of the expert trap and add more storytelling into her keynotes What the process has been like for her and what doubts she had The results so far from delivering two keynotes this year How she developed her own voice from the blog and book writing she’s been doing since 2015 The power of the pause and silence And much more! About My Guest: Katie Anderson is an internationally recognized leadership and learning coach, consultant, and professional speaker, best known for inspiring individuals and organizations to lead with intention and increase their personal and professional impact. Katie is passionate about helping people around the world learn to lead and lead to learn by connecting purpose, process, and practice to achieve higher levels of performance. Her book Learning to Lead, Leading to Learn: Lessons from Toyota Leader Isao Yoshino on a Lifetime of Continuous Learning is an international #1 Amazon bestseller.   About Us: The Speaking Your Brand podcast is hosted by Carol Cox. At Speaking Your Brand, we help women entrepreneurs and professionals clarify their brand message and story, create their signature talks, and develop their thought leadership platforms. Our mission is to get more women in positions of influence and power because it's through women's stories, voices, and visibility that we challenge the status quo and change existing systems. Check out our coaching programs at https://www.speakingyourbrand.com.  Links: Show notes at https://www.speakingyourbrand.com/280/  Katie’s website: http://kbjanderson.com/ Katie’s book “Learning to Lead, Leading to Learn”: https://kbjanderson.com/learning-to-lead/  Register for our Summit Speakers Reunion on June 21 (it’s free): https://www.speakingyourbrand.com/reunion/  Schedule a consult call with us to talk about creating your signature talk and thought leadership platform: https://www.speakingyourbrand.com/contact.  Connect on social: Carol Cox on LinkedIn = https://www.linkedin.com/in/carolcox Katie Anderson (guest) on LinkedIn = https://www.linkedin.com/in/kbjanderson/ Katie Anderson (guest) on Twitter = https://twitter.com/kbjanderson   Related Podcast Episodes: Episode 232: Are You an Influencer, an Expert, or a Thought Leader? with Carol Cox Episode 241: The Expert Trap: What Holds Women Back from Thought Leadership with Carol Cox Episode 271: Providing Transformation vs. Information with Carol Cox

Do you have an experience that happened to you that you’re reluctant to share with your audience? What would happen if you did? So often we feel like our stories are too uncommon or unrelatable or not interesting enough to include in our talks. What I see happen is that speakers generalize their stories - and by doing so they remove what makes a great story. It may seem counterintuitive, but it’s the specificity and details of our stories, the very thing we think is uncommon, that makes them powerful. Sharing a deeply personal story, one that shaped who you are and how you understand yourself, is what can connect you to your audience and build trust. Building trust with your audience is especially important if you want to help them go deeper and think differently. You have to go first. Being vulnerable is not always easy. You may wonder if you’re sharing too much or if your audience will look at you differently. But, the rewards are well worth it - not only for the audience but for your own personal development and confidence. My guest is Dr. Katrina Skinner, a pediatrician who is also the founder of Women in Pediatrics, an organization that provides unique, practical educational content and opportunities for female pediatricians. Katrina recently hosted an in-person retreat for Women in Pediatrics and she opened the event with her keynote talk sharing a very personal and vulnerable story. I invited Katrina on the podcast to talk about that experience and what she learned from it.  About My Guest: Six weeks after residency graduation, Dr. Katrina Skinner opened the doors to her pediatric practice in her rural Alabama hometown. Twelve years later, she and her team serve thousands of their community’s children as a Patient Centered Medical Home.  Dr. Skinner serves as the President of the Alabama Chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics, where she advocates for children and pediatricians across the state, from working with legislators to negotiating with payors to make sure Alabama’s children and the physicians who serve them are fairly represented. Dr. Skinner is also the founder of Women in Pediatrics, an organization that provides unique, practical educational content and opportunities for female pediatricians.   About Us: The Speaking Your Brand podcast is hosted by Carol Cox. At Speaking Your Brand, we help women entrepreneurs and professionals clarify their brand message and story, create their signature talks, and develop their thought leadership platforms. Our mission is to get more women in positions of influence and power because it's through women's stories, voices, and visibility that we challenge the status quo and change existing systems. Check out our coaching programs at https://www.speakingyourbrand.com.  Links: Show notes at https://www.speakingyourbrand.com/279 Katrina’s website = https://www.katrinaskinner.com/ Schedule a consult call with us to talk about creating your signature talk and thought leadership platform: https://www.speakingyourbrand.com/contact.    Connect on social: Carol Cox on LinkedIn = https://www.linkedin.com/in/carolcox Dr. Katrina Skinner (guest) on LinkedIn = https://www.linkedin.com/in/katrina-skinner-md-faap-0a61011b2/ Dr. Katrina Skinner (guest) on Instagram = https://www.instagram.com/katrinaskinner_md/ Related Podcast Episodes: Episode 192: The Cure for Vulnerability Hangovers with Carol Cox Episode 193: Five Kinds of Stories to Share in Your Thought Leadership Content with Carol Cox Episode 263: Finding the Emotional Heart of Your Message with Carol Cox

I took an improv class a couple of years ago and it has been incredibly helpful to me as a speaker, so much so that I had the attendees at our recent in-person client retreat do some improv games (they appreciated it, I swear!). Improv is not only useful for getting into your body as a speaker on a stage; improv is also a philosophy of engagement, vulnerability, and co-creation. This is what I talk about with my guest Shannon Hughes in this episode. Shannon melds business strategy with improv training techniques to embolden trustful communication, belonging, and transformational leadership. Whether you have in-person or virtual speaking engagements coming up, you’ll get a lot out of our conversation. Shannon and I talk about: How to use the improv “yes and” technique to push past fear Breaking the fourth wall to engage your audience in conversation Tools to get your audience engaged, especially during virtual presentations The scaffolding techniques Shannon uses to engage audiences   About My Guest: Shannon Hughes is an experiential trainer with a calling to enliven creativity, confidence and easeful collaboration in groups of all shapes and sizes. In her practice, Enlivened Studios, she melds business strategy with improv training techniques to embolden trustful communication, belonging and transformational leadership   About Us: The Speaking Your Brand podcast is hosted by Carol Cox. At Speaking Your Brand, we help women entrepreneurs and professionals clarify their brand message and story, create their signature talks, and develop their thought leadership platforms. Our mission is to get more women in positions of influence and power because it's through women's stories, voices, and visibility that we challenge the status quo and change existing systems. Check out our coaching programs at https://www.speakingyourbrand.com.  Links: Show notes at https://www.speakingyourbrand.com/278/  Get Shannon’s free download on writing your manifesto: https://www.enlivenedstudios.com/manifesto  Get Shannon’s free download on how to liven up your virtual gatherings: http://www.enlivenedstudios.com/download  Schedule a consult call with us to talk about creating your signature talk and thought leadership platform: https://www.speakingyourbrand.com/contact.    Connect on social: Carol on LinkedIn = https://www.linkedin.com/in/carolcox Shannon (guest) on LinkedIn = https://www.linkedin.com/in/shannondeanhughes/ Shannon (guest) on Instagram =  https://www.instagram.com/shannondeanhughes/ Related Podcast Episodes: Episode 251: What Makes Public Speaking Unique as a Medium with Carol Cox and Diane Diaz  

I’m going to start this podcast with a bit of a controversial question: Why do we (and, yes, I said we) often feel much more uncomfortable having a woman in a position of authority than we do men? My guest Mary Ann Sieghart is a London-based journalist and broadcaster and author of the new book “The Authority Gap: Why women are still taken less seriously than men, and what we can do about it.” The authority gap isn’t just a challenge of how men see women but also how we as women see other women in positions of power and authority.  As women we have to go beyond “lip service feminism” - it’s important that we are aware of our own biases so we can correct them. Think about some of the choices you make, from the books you read to the television broadcasters you listen to. How many are women?  This is a wide-ranging and important conversation about why women have struggled to get into more leadership positions, from companies to governments, and even when they do, why they’re taken less seriously. In this episode, Mary Ann and I talk about: Why she felt compelled to write her book and how she defines the authority gap Why it isn’t just about getting more women in senior leadership roles The awkward interaction between Mary McAleese, President of Ireland, and Pope John Paul II that’s a perfect example of the authority gap Why we shouldn’t mistake confidence for competence and how likability and warmth affect women leaders What surprised Mary Ann about the research she found - and what made her optimistic The types of public speaking that Mary Ann enjoys About My Guest: Mary Ann Sieghart is a London-based journalist and broadcaster who has worked for the Times, the Independent, the Economist, the Financial Times, and the BBC. Her new book is called “The Authority Gap: Why women are still taken less seriously than men, and what we can do about it.” She researched this book as a Visiting Fellow of All Souls College, University of Oxford.   About Us: The Speaking Your Brand podcast is hosted by Carol Cox. At Speaking Your Brand, we help women entrepreneurs and professionals clarify their brand message and story, create their signature talks, and develop their thought leadership platforms. Our mission is to get more women in positions of influence and power because it's through women's stories, voices, and visibility that we challenge the status quo and change existing systems. Check out our coaching programs at https://www.speakingyourbrand.com.  Links: Show notes at https://www.speakingyourbrand.com/277/ Get Mary Ann’s book “The Authority Gap”: https://www.maryannsieghart.com/the-authority-gap/  Download our FREE workbook on how to position yourself as a thought leader: https://www.speakingyourbrand.com/guide/.  Schedule a consult call with us to talk about creating your signature talk and thought leadership platform: https://www.speakingyourbrand.com/contact.    Connect on LinkedIn: Carol Cox = https://www.linkedin.com/in/carolcox Mary Ann Sieghart (guest) = https://www.linkedin.com/in/mary-ann-sieghart-17a27891/  Related Podcast Episodes: Episode 92: Deconstructing My TEDx Talk: Why We’re Uncomfortable with Women in Power with Carol Cox Episode 162: Why We're #ChoosingWomensVoices - and You Should Too Episode 163: A Feminist Approach to Public Speaking with Carol Cox Episode 241: The Expert Trap: What Holds Women Back from Thought Leadership with Carol Cox  

I talk a lot about storytelling and the importance of integrating stories into your presentations and talks. Well, money has a story too. Your money story may be driving behaviors in your business. My guest is Melissa Houston, a CPA and Financial Strategist for CEOs. I’ve gotten to know Melissa over the past few months as she’s gone through our Thought Leader Academy to develop her speaking skills and create her keynote signature talk. Melissa and I talk about: The #1 challenge she sees with the women she works with about their finances What it means to have a money story and how much that can impact our relationship to money and to our business The difference between using money to spend vs. invest Melissa’s own story around money Why Melissa decided she wants to be a speaker What Melissa got out of her experience in our Thought Leader Academy   Join our Thought Leader Academy to develop your speaking skills and create your signature talk: https://www.speakingyourbrand.com/academy/    About My Guest: Melissa Houston is a CPA and Financial Strategist for CEOs. Melissa helps successful business owners increase their profit margins so they keep more money in their pocket and increase their net worth. Melissa is the host of The Business Society podcast and a columnist at Forbes.com.   About Us: The Speaking Your Brand podcast is hosted by Carol Cox. At Speaking Your Brand, we help women entrepreneurs and professionals clarify their brand message and story, create their signature talks, and develop their thought leadership platforms. Our mission is to get more women in positions of influence and power because it's through women's stories, voices, and visibility that we challenge the status quo and change existing systems. Check out our coaching programs at https://www.speakingyourbrand.com.  Links: Show notes at https://www.speakingyourbrand.com/276/  Melissa’s website: http://melissahoustoncpa.com/ Melissa’s podcast “The Business Society”: https://www.melissahoustoncpa.com/think-like-a-cfo-podcast  Join our Thought Leader Academy: https://www.speakingyourbrand.com/academy/    Connect on social: Carol on LinkedIn = https://www.linkedin.com/in/carolcox Melissa Houston (guest) on LinkedIn =  https://www.linkedin.com/in/melissahoustoncpa/ Melissa Houston (guest) on Instagram = https://www.instagram.com/melissahoustoncpa/ Related Podcast Episodes: Episode 161: Mindset and Negotiation Strategies for Speakers with Latesha Byrd Episode 243: How We Create a Signature Talk in a VIP Day

If you plan on speaking in-person this year, you’ll want to listen to this entire episode.    I'm sharing with you the 3 key skills you need now to: Get selected as a speaker Stand out by delivering the exact content your audience wants Make money, whether it’s from paid engagements or by generating leads and sales from people in your audience   I recently returned from an in-person speaking engagement and put these skills into practice.   Here are the results I got *that same day*: New client (worth $5,000+) New keynote speaking invitation (worth $5,000+)   The old model of public speaking no longer works. Content dumps, information overload, and one-way communication don’t cut it anymore. Your audience expects more - and you have an incredible opportunity to set yourself apart as a dynamic speaker. In this episode, you'll learn: The old model vs. the new model of public speaking Myths you’ve internalized that may keep you from embracing the new model The 3 key skills you need now as a speaker How you are perfectly positioned to use the new model of public speaking to connect with your audiences and attract bigger and better speaking opportunities How we can help you shift from information presenter to transformational speaker Join our Thought Leader Academy to develop your speaking skills and create your signature talk: https://www.speakingyourbrand.com/academy/    This is the audio from a live training we did on Crowdcast last week. You can watch the video at https://www.crowdcast.io/e/syb-3-speaking-skills.  About Us: The Speaking Your Brand podcast is hosted by Carol Cox, joined in this episode by our lead speaking coach Diane Diaz. At Speaking Your Brand, we help women entrepreneurs and professionals clarify their brand message and story, create their signature talks, and develop their thought leadership platforms. Our mission is to get more women in positions of influence and power because it's through women's stories, voices, and visibility that we challenge the status quo and change existing systems. Check out our coaching programs at https://www.speakingyourbrand.com.  Links: Show notes at https://www.speakingyourbrand.com/275/  Join our Thought Leader Academy: https://www.speakingyourbrand.com/academy/  Connect on LinkedIn: Carol Cox = https://www.linkedin.com/in/carolcox Diane Diaz = https://www.linkedin.com/in/dianediaz    Related Podcast Episodes: Episode 259: Connecting Your Business and Your Thought Leadership with Carol Cox Episode 271: Providing Transformation vs. Information with Carol Cox Episode 274: The Key to Booking More Speaking Engagements with Sarah Lynn Wallace

Speaking opportunities are increasing as more events and conferences are returning to in-person and organizations are looking to bring in trainers. Now is the time to get prepared and take action. This is exactly what our guest, Sarah Lynn Wallace, has been doing as she’s been going through our Thought Leader Academy this year. Sarah has booked several speaking and training engagements, including paid ones.  I asked Sarah to come on the podcast and have a conversation with our lead speaking coach, Diane Diaz, to talk about what has been effective for her in booking speaking engagements. Sarah has a unique take on the marketing and visibility work she does with her clients, which you’ll hear about as well. Diane and Sarah talk about: Why Sarah decided to focus on thought leadership in her business Feeling stuck in the expert trap and not differentiating herself The strategies Sarah has used to book more speaking engagements, including paid ones (at higher fees!) Sarah’s experience in our Thought Leader Academy How your Enneagram archetype number can influence your speaking style Join our Thought Leader Academy and make the shift from expert presenter to sought-after speaker and thought leader: https://www.speakingyourbrand.com/academy/  About My Guest: Sarah Lynn Wallace is host of the Enneagram MBA podcast, certified Enneagram coach, workshop facilitator, speaker, and visibility consultant with over 13 years of experience in relationship management and sales, working with government agencies like the EPA and companies including Big Ass Fans, MindBody software, and adidas Outdoor. Women running a business or in a business hire Sarah to use the Enneagram to help them know, like, and trust themselves, so that they can get visible with a brand that clients and other stakeholders know, like and trust. About Us: The Speaking Your Brand podcast is hosted by Carol Cox. This episode is hosted by our lead speaking coach Diane Diaz. At Speaking Your Brand, we help women entrepreneurs and professionals clarify their brand message and story, create their signature talks, and develop their thought leadership platforms. Our mission is to get more women in positions of influence and power because it's through women's stories, voices, and visibility that we challenge the status quo and change existing systems. Check out our coaching programs at https://www.speakingyourbrand.com.  Links: Show notes at https://www.speakingyourbrand.com/274/  Sarah’s Enneabrand course = https://www.enneagrammba.com/enneabrand  Download our FREE workbook on how to position yourself as a thought leader: https://www.speakingyourbrand.com/guide/.  Join our Thought Leader Academy: https://www.speakingyourbrand.com/academy/  Schedule a consult call with us to talk about creating your signature talk and thought leadership platform: https://www.speakingyourbrand.com/contact.    Connect on social: Diane Diaz on LinkedIn = https://www.linkedin.com/in/dianediaz  Sarah Lynn (guest) on LinkedIn =  https://www.linkedin.com/in/sarahlynnwallace/ Sarah Lynn (guest) on Instagram = https://www.instagram.com/enneagrammba/   Related Podcast Episodes: Episode 156: Visibility Strategies That Get You Noticed with Janice Gassam, Ph.D. Episode 227: How We Pitch & Prep for Speaking Gigs with Carol Cox and Diane Diaz Episode 245: How to Get Selected as a Speaker by Event Organizers with Sarah Soliman