Speaking Your Brand: Public Speaking Tips and Strategies

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

We have a brand new FREE live training happening on Tuesday, April 26! Register today for free at  https://www.speakingyourbrand.com/training/. After two years of virtual speaking on screens (and, let’s face it, virtual living), 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. There are 3 key skills you need now to get selected as a speaker, stand out by delivering the exact content your audience wants, and make money, whether it’s from paid engagements or by generating leads and sales from people in your audiences. You'll learn: The old model vs. the new model of public speaking 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 Myths you’ve internalized that may keep you from embracing the new model 3 things you can do now to start putting this into practice How we can help you shift from information presenter to transformational speaker in our Thought Leader Academy Register at  https://www.speakingyourbrand.com/training/.

If you’re a speaker who has in-person events coming up OR if you’re planning an in-person event, you won’t want to miss this conversation. We held our in-person client retreat speaking intensive a couple of weeks ago in Orlando, Florida, and it was incredible! We brought 12 women together to practice their speaking delivery skills (on a real stage!) and get professional videography they can use in their speaking reels. I asked two of the women who attended, Betsy Jordyn and Joy Spencer, to join me and Diane Diaz to talk about the experience. We talk about: Top takeaways from the the instruction and practice on delivering keynote speeches Favorite parts of the retreat How the retreat made them feel as speakers and thought leaders Our lessons as the hosts / planners of the retreat Will there be another retreat??? This is the audio from a LinkedIn Live. You can watch the video at https://www.linkedin.com/video/event/urn:li:ugcPost:6919241904681283584/.  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/273/  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 LinkedIn: Carol Cox = https://www.linkedin.com/in/carolcox Diane Diaz = https://www.linkedin.com/in/dianediaz  Joy Spencer = https://www.linkedin.com/in/joy-spencer/  Betsy Jordyn = https://www.linkedin.com/in/betsy-jordyn/    Related Podcast Episodes: Episode 249: The Relationship Between Speaking and Performance with Carol Cox Episode 238: What’s IN Your Way IS Your Way to Your Thought Leadership with Betsy Jordyn Episode 194: How to Structure a Movement-Making Speech Using Your Story with Joy Spencer [Storytelling Series]

As entrepreneurs, we have a lot on our plate and fitting in the time to build our thought leadership platforms, create presentations, and pitch ourselves can too often get relegated to the back burner. However, if you’re a service-based entrepreneur who is not a volume business (you’re not looking for thousands of clients at a time), you need speaking and thought leadership to grow your business. The other thing you need is to say “yes” to opportunities even when you don’t feel prepared and it feels scary. That’s what I want to talk to you about today. In this episode, you’ll hear: The importance of timing and saying yes to opportunities Having a bias towards action How timing has impacted my life (good and bad) The contrast between being at the mercy of social media algorithms vs. speaking to a captive audience Practical ways to fit in the time for your visibility and speaking 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/272/ 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 LinkedIn = https://www.linkedin.com/in/carolcox   Related Podcast Episodes: Episode 242: LA Grads: Evolving from Experts to Thought Leaders Episode 259: Connecting Your Business and Your Thought Leadership with Carol Cox Episode 262: The Four Layers of Thought Leadership with Carol Cox

Are you providing transformation or information in your presentations and talks? Whenever I work on a presentation or a keynote or even the agenda for the in-person client retreat we’re holding in April, my default is to think of all the information I want to convey to the audience. You may be the same way. We’re usually good at coming up with lots of things we can share and teach. But, I want to challenge you (like I challenge myself) to reduce the information and increase the transformation. Why? Because you’ll have a bigger impact on your audience; you’ll get traction on your thought leadership message; and you can increase your prices, both for speaking and for the services and programs you offer.   In this episode, you’ll hear: Why information is not that valuable anymore Examples of providing information vs. transformation 3 specific ways to think in terms of transformation for your content What I’ve learned from watching business TV shows like Succession, WeCrashed, and Inventing Anna that you can use 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/271 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 with Carol on LinkedIn = https://www.linkedin.com/in/carolcox   Related Podcast Episodes: Episode 137: The Missing Ingredients in Your Stories Episode 193: Five Kinds of Stories to Share in Your Thought Leadership Content with Carol Cox Episode 241: The Expert Trap: What Holds Women Back from Thought Leadership with Carol Cox Episode 259: Connecting Your Business and Your Thought Leadership with Carol Cox  

When you start putting your thought leadership out into the world, think of your overall message as the hub. You then have various spokes you can use to share the message and get others involved. These spokes can include your own podcast; a LinkedIn Live or Instagram Live show; a challenge; speaking (of course!); podcast guesting; and events you host. My guest Christie Rocha recently graduated from our Thought Leader Academy and we worked together on her thought leadership message and her signature talk. Christie has a really important message to share, particularly to millennial moms, about mental health and self-care. Christie has such a fun and vibrant personality, which comes across in her podcast “Sass Says” and in this interview. In this episode, Christie and I talk about: Why she wanted to delve into thought leadership The container she chose for her thought leadership message The many ways (spokes) she is sharing her thought leadership Her experience in our Thought Leader Academy Her awesome TLA graduation speech called “Give me the mic” About My Guest: Christie Rocha is the host of Sass Says, a podcast to guide women on how to heal, educate, and empower themselves through therapy and real-life stories of perseverance. She interviews mental health professionals, experts, coaches, and women who share her mission to debunk the stigmas and misconceptions about therapy and mental health. Christie is known for asking the “but how” questions so that her listeners walk away from each episode with actionable steps on what to do next when it comes to relationships, motherhood, body image, ambition, and what she calls, the Intangible. Self-care is also a hot topic on her show. Christie and her husband live in New Jersey with their two toddlers.    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/270 Christie’s website & podcast “Sass Says”: https://sasssays.com/ Download our FREE workbook on how to position yourself as a thought leader: https://www.speakingyourbrand.com/guide/.  Apply for 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: Carol on LinkedIn = https://www.linkedin.com/in/carolcox Christie (Guest) Instagram = https://www.instagram.com/sasssays/   Related Podcast Episodes: Episode 259: Connecting Your Business and Your Thought Leadership with Carol Cox Episode 262: The Four Layers of Thought Leadership with Carol Cox