Speaking Your Brand: Public Speaking Tips and Strategies

We’ve been doing a series on in-person speaking, as more conferences and events return to in-person. Today, I’m talking about the relationship between speaking and performance. This episode was prompted by one of our Thought Leader Academy calls from a few weeks ago. I asked each woman to tell us what she liked to do when she was young and most of them loved performing, whether in school plays, singing, or dancing. There’s definitely a connection between speaking and performance. However, once we start speaking for our business, we don’t see the connection between speaking and performing and we miss out on bringing performance elements into our presentations and speeches. You don’t need to sing and dance - unless you want to! - but there are things you can do to create a more immersive and memorable experience for your audience. At the end, I’ll share an embarrassing moment from a high school performance I was in. In this episode, I talk about: Different types of performances Why we love attending performances The importance of synchrony and collective effervescence as humans Specific things you can do as a speaker to incorporate performance elements - and the benefits of doing so   This episode is part of the series we’ve been doing on In-Person Speaking: https://www.speakingyourbrand.com/podcast/in-person-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 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/249  New York Times article by Adam Grant: “There’s a Specific Kind of Joy We’ve Been Missing” 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 social: Carol on LinkedIn = https://www.linkedin.com/in/carolcox Carol on Instagram= https://www.instagram.com/carolmorgancox  SYB on YouTube = https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCS7AtXV0f_HL09mepAON65w  Related Podcast Episodes: Episode 197: What We Can Learn as Speakers from ‘Hamilton’ with Carol Cox [Storytelling Series] Episode 244: Behind the Scenes of My Recent Keynote with Carol Cox Episode 245: How to Get Selected as a Speaker by Event Organizers with Sarah Soliman Episode 246: Audience Engagement Strategies for In-Person Speaking with Ramona J. Smith  

Whether you’re presenting at a conference or running a program or course, you want to make sure that your audiences and clients are learning and, more importantly, applying what they learn. My guest is Manja Horner, who has a deep background as a learning experience designer. She now helps entrepreneurs create effective and impactful programs and courses. Manja and I talk about: Mistakes we make when designing our programs and courses Making our courses bingeable in a weekend The importance of experiential learning Assessing our audiences and clients at the beginning and along the way Suggestions for audience activities for in-person and virtual presentations I share some of the things we do in our courses and Thought Leader Academy About My Guest: An ex-corporate learning experience designer, Manja Horner is a fun and friendly trusted advisor to entrepreneurs who are in growth mode with their offers. She gets results for her clients by teaching them to think like learning designers and always putting the learners’ needs front and center. Innately curious, Manja absorbs information at an alarming rate and has an uncanny ability to make that information learnable for others. Her Masterminds and Workshops elevate your ability to craft professional learning offers to a new level. Teaching is in her blood; a certified music and business teacher, Manja makes a career creating learning and teaching others how to build supportive learning environments.   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 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/248 Manja’s website: https://www.boostld.com/  Manja’s course creator quiz: https://www.boostld.com/Course-creator-quiz    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 social: Carol Cox on LinkedIn = https://www.linkedin.com/in/carolcox Carol Cox on Instagram = https://www.instagram.com/carolmorgancox  Manja Horner on LinkedIn = https://www.linkedin.com/in/manja-horner-73b53151 Manja Horner on Instagram = https://www.instagram.com/boost_learningexperts Related Podcast Episodes: Episode 246: Audience Engagement Strategies for In-Person Speaking with Ramona J. Smith

When you think about your thought leadership, one of the questions to consider is: What is missing in your field/industry? For my guest Katrine Marçal, the question wasn’t only “what” is missing, but “who” is missing and what the consequences have been for all of us. Katrine is a bestselling author on women and innovation and her second book just came out called “Mother Of Invention: How Good Ideas Get Ignored In An Economy Built For Men.” Katrine and I talk about: Why women have been missing from economics The innovations we’re missing as a society because women have been ignored and don’t receive funding for their ideas and businesses How Katrine is "speaking her brand" with her writings and speaking engagements I share some Ideas for Katrine’s talks About My Guest: Katrine Marçal is a bestselling author on women and innovation. Her first book “Who Cooked Adam Smith's Dinner?” has been translated into more than 20 languages. Margaret Atwood called it "a smart, funny and readable book on women, economics and money". It was named one of The Guardian's books of the year in 2015. BBC also named Katrine one of its 100 Women in 2015. Katrine's second book “Mother Of Invention: How Good Ideas Get Ignored In An Economy Built For Men” became a bestseller in Sweden in 2020 and will be published in several languages during 2021 and 2022. Katrine works for the Swedish newspaper Dagens Nyheter. She has given keynotes at institutions such as Oxford University Business and Economics Programme, London School of Economics and The Royal School of Technology in Stockholm. In her role as a financial journalist she has interviewed many of the world's leading economic thinkers. Some of her interviews have been viewed more than a million times on YouTube. She lives in the English countryside with her husband and three children.   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 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/247 Get Katrine’s new book “Mother of Invention: How Good Ideas Get Ignored in an Economy Built for Men”: https://www.amazon.com/Mother-Invention-Ideas-Ignored-Economy-ebook/dp/B08WJV9JBS/  Subscribe to Katrine’s Substack newsletter: https://wealthofwomen.substack.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 LinkedIn: Carol Cox = https://www.linkedin.com/in/carolcox Katrine Marçal (guest) = https://www.linkedin.com/in/katrine-marcal/  Related Podcast Episodes: Episode 162: Why We’re #ChoosingWomensVoices – and You Should Too with Carol Cox and Diane Diaz Episode 163: A Feminist Approach to Public Speaking with Carol Cox Episode 191: Women in Politics and the Public Sphere with Rep. Anna Eskamani [Use Your Voice Series]

We’re continuing our series on in-person speaking with this episode to talk about audience engagement strategies you can use and how you can give your audience an experience. My guest is Ramona J. Smith, who holds the prestigious title of the 2018 World Champion of Public Speaking from Toastmasters, only the 2nd Black woman and 5th woman overall to win this award. Ramona and I talk about: How she created her award-winning speech The importance of using your body and the stage Handling nerves Fun strategies for audience engagement Setting your speaking fees   About My Guest: Ramona J. Smith is an international award-winning public speaker who holds the prestigious title of the 2018 World Champion of Public Speaking. She is a powerhouse, a gracious woman beyond measure, one who courageously surpassed over 30,000 people to receive such an illustrious honor. Her ubiquitous stage presence and poised intellectual delivery of various topics has made Ramona one of the most sought-after public speakers in the world. She has given keynote addresses in Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Oman, Qatar, Kuwait, Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, Sri Lanka, Brazil and India. Ramona has a Bachelor’s degree in Public Relations with a minor in Marketing from the famed Baldwin Wallace University, graduating Magna Cum Laude. She is currently pursuing an Executive MBA from Prairie View A&M University in Houston, Texas.   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 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/246/  Watch Ramona’s winning speech at https://www.ramonajsmith.com/ Schedule a consult call 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 Ramona J. Smith = https://www.linkedin.com/in/ramona-j-smith-61390743/    Related Podcast Episodes: Episode 244: Behind the Scenes of My Recent Keynote with Carol Cox Episode 245: How to Get Selected as a Speaker by Event Organizers with Sarah Soliman

As the speaking season is ramping up (both virtual and in person) and conferences are planning for next year, how can you stand out and get selected as a speaker? Our guest is Sarah Soliman, who’s the founder of Soliman Productions, a full video content firm that produces videos and also manages and executes hybrid events and full virtual experiences from start to finish. Sarah is also active with MPI (Meeting Professionals International). Sarah and Diane take you behind the scenes to talk about: What meeting planners look for in speakers What kinds of video clips / sizzle reels to have Getting the best from videography when you're speaking at events The importance of being consistent in your brand and your thought leadership output How you as a speaker can make the conference organizer’s job easier Leading with personal story and emotion And more! You can watch the video replay of this conversation that originally happened on our LinkedIn Live show at https://www.linkedin.com/video/live/urn:li:ugcPost:6830560911284166656/.  About Our Guest: With over a decade of experience in Broadcast Journalism and Production, Sarah Soliman brings her producing and reporting experience into her own company, Soliman Productions, covering the meetings industry at large. She runs and operates a full video content firm that specializes in all aspects of visual storytelling and has worked with associations and corporations of all sizes to help them tell their story in a compelling way. In addition, Soliman Productions specializes in managing and executing hybrid events and full virtual experiences from start to finish. Sarah serves as the Immediate Past President of the MPI Greater Orlando Chapter and Vice Chair of Chapters for MPI's Global Board of Trustees. She has also served as Co-Chair for the MPI Women's Advisory Board.   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 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/245/ 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 Diane Diaz = https://www.linkedin.com/in/dianediaz Sarah Soliman (guest) = https://www.linkedin.com/in/sarahsolimandaudin/  Related Podcast Episodes: Episode 244: Behind the Scenes of My Recent Keynote with Carol Cox

I’m taking you behind the scenes to talk about the recent keynote I delivered, including how the event organizer found me, how I created and prepared for the speech, and how it went the day of.  It was my first in-person speaking engagement since before the pandemic and it felt so good to be back at an event! It was in Orlando, where I live, so I was able to invite my mom and sister along with Diane Diaz and some of our clients who also live here.   You can see event photos and a video clip on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/p/CUDEF8ZLdLb/    Video I posted on LinkedIn of how I used our Signature Talk Canvas® framework to create my speech: https://www.linkedin.com/feed/update/urn:li:activity:6843913809497772032/  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 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/244 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 Carol on Instagram= https://www.instagram.com/carolmorgancox  Related Podcast Episodes: Episode 119: Deconstructing a Keynote: Writing, Preparation, and Delivery Episode 194: How to Structure a Movement-Making Speech Using Your Story with Joy Spencer Episode 229: 3 Speaking Styles You Can Use Episode 241: The Expert Trap: What Holds Women Back from Thought Leadership

What is it like to create your signature talk in a day? Can it really be done? What are the results?  This episode is the audio from a LinkedIn Live we did recently with two women, Erin Austin and Casey Gromer, who’ve worked with us in VIP Days to create their signature talk. We take you behind the scenes to talk about:   Why they wanted a signature talk What the VIP Day experience was like How they’ve been using their signature talk Why we like the VIP Day process to give our clients clarity and momentum Ideas for how you could offer a VIP Day for your own services   You can also watch the video replay of this LinkedIn Live at https://www.linkedin.com/video/event/urn:li:ugcPost:6841484602545102849/.  About Our Guests:  Erin Austin is the founder of Think Beyond IP, which helps professional services firms build and protect their assets to create scalable, saleable businesses. She combines her decades of commercial transactions experience as a former COO and general counsel of IP-driven companies with her intellectual property law background. Casey Gromer is the founder and head Integrator of SHE-Suite Boutique – a business consultancy that works for female founders who are ready to stop away from being boss while still achieving growth and success as a business owner. She is also the host of the Female Founders Breaking Boundaries podcast.   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 and visibility that we challenge the status quo and change existing systems. Check out our coaching programs at https://www.speakingyourbrand.com.  Links: Apply to join our Thought Leader Academy (you have the option of adding a VIP Day): https://www.speakingyourbrand.com/academy/. Book a VIP Day to create your signature talk: https://www.speakingyourbrand.com/VIPDay  Schedule a consult call 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  Erin Austin (guest) = https://www.linkedin.com/in/erinaustin/  Casey Gromer (guest) = https://www.linkedin.com/in/caseygromer/  Related Podcast Episodes: Episode 202: Measuring the Right Metrics to Get the Results You Want with Casey Gromer [Goals & Planning Series] Episode 221: Your I.P. Can Make Your Business Scalable and Saleable with Erin Austin Episode 242: TLA Grads: Evolving from Experts to Thought Leaders

How can you evolve from being an expert to a thought leader? What mindset shift needs to happen and what does thought leadership message and content look like? This episode is the audio from a LinkedIn Live we did recently with two of the women who've graduated from our Thought Leader Academy, Emily Rogers and Jackie Roby. We take you behind the scenes to talk about: What it means to them to be a thought leader The role that vulnerability plays in being a thought leader How they shifted their mindset to evolve from expert to thought leader The kind of content they create to position themselves as thought leaders Thought leadership content has a long shelf life and impacts people beyond your immediate network Why they decided to join our Thought Leader Academy and what they got out of it You can also watch the video replay of this LinkedIn Live at https://www.linkedin.com/video/live/urn:li:ugcPost:6835634155724820481/.  About Our Guests:  Emily Rogers is a business consultant, executive coach and retreat facilitator who strategically advises and supports businesses, teams and individuals in growing and realizing their full potential in purposeful and balanced ways. Jackie Roby is Chief Excellence Officer at Inspired Journey Consulting, a Boston-based business dedicated to wellness, healing, and transformational tourism. She is a sales strategist for wellness travel businesses & is a Diversity Equity Inclusion advocate. She’s the host of the Through Inspired Eyes podcast. 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 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/242 Apply to join our Thought Leader Academy: https://www.speakingyourbrand.com/academy/. Schedule a consult call 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  Emily Rogers = https://www.linkedin.com/in/emilyhowellrogers/  Jackie Roby = https://www.linkedin.com/in/jackie-roby/  Related Podcast Episodes: Episode 210: Finding Your Big Idea By Noticing What’s Missing with Jackie Roby [Big Idea Series] Episode 239: Leadership is about the Heart as much as the Head with Emily Rogers Episode 241: The Expert Trap: What Holds Women Back from Thought Leadership with Carol Cox  

You’re an expert in what you do: you have work experience, skills, knowledge, credentials, degrees. You’re well regarded as an expert in your field. You enjoy presenting and training in your area of expertise. Being an expert is great for attracting clients who need your specialized services and for doing workshops and conference breakout sessions. And it’s holding you back. It’s holding you back from thought leadership: making a bigger and bolder impact, integrating meaning and mission into your business, and delivering speeches that are transformational and game-changing.   It’s holding you back from developing your full potential.   I call this “The Expert Trap” and, as women, we face this trap because of the society in which we live and how we’ve adapted to make careers and livelihoods for ourselves. But, I believe we can do and be so much more - and we must if we want to make sure all of our rights are protected.   In this episode, I talk about: What it means to be a thought leader Why you would want to be a thought leader as the next stage of your evolution as an entrepreneur and speaker What “the expert trap” is Why women in particular get stuck in the expert trap What you can do to start shifting from expert to thought leader 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 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/241 Apply to join our Thought Leader Academy: https://www.speakingyourbrand.com/academy/. Schedule a consult call 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 Carol on Instagram= https://www.instagram.com/carolmorgancox  SYB on YouTube = https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCS7AtXV0f_HL09mepAON65w/  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

Is there something holding you back from your thought leadership? If so, it just might be the way through. In the episode from 2 weeks ago with Betsy Jordyn, we talked about Betsy’s realization, which she shared in her Thought Leader Academy graduation speech, that “What I thought was *in my way* to my thought leadership was *the way* to my thought leadership.” The idea is that what holds us back, where we get stuck, what we’re putting off doing, what we’re afraid to talk about is precisely what we need to do. Our audiences will relate to our struggles and WE will grow by pushing past the doubts and fears. I’ve been reflecting about what holds me back - and it’s that I don’t like being in the spotlight. This seems counter-intuitive and ironic and ridiculous. After all, I’ve been speaking on stages of all sizes for years, have been on TV for the past 15 years, and have been doing this podcast for 4-½ years. And yet I’ve started to realize that my default behavior has become to say ‘no’ to opportunities and find someone else to put the spotlight on instead of myself. In this episode, I share how I came to this realization, the impact that a very hard professional experience had on me, and how I’m making progress. I also share with you questions I’ve been asking myself to get to the root of what may be holding you back that you can use too. 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 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/240  My Summit Speech 2021: https://youtu.be/5H2FysOKvdw?t=1001  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 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 Carol on Instagram= https://www.instagram.com/carolmorgancox  SYB on YouTube = https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCS7AtXV0f_HL09mepAON65w/  Related Podcast Episodes: Episode 185: My Journey as a Thought Leader and How We’re Evolving at Speaking Your Brand with Carol Cox 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 238: What's IN Your Way IS Your Way to Your Thought Leadership with Betsy Jordyn