Speaking Your Brand: Public Speaking Tips and Strategies

Speaking in front of the right audiences with the right message can position you as an expert in your field, showcase your business, build relationships, and lead to clients and referrals. Have you been getting the results you want from the speaking engagements you’ve been doing? What you need is a clear and intentional speaking strategy and a powerful signature talk. Consider: Are you speaking in front of the right audiences? Are you talking in the right settings based on your natural and preferred communication style? Are you sharing the right information based on the audience’s prior knowledge and worldview related to your topic? Are you presenting the right offer for that audience? What you’ll learn on this episode: Why you need a clear and intentional speaking strategy that aligns with your business goals – and the dangers of not having one How to identify the best speaking engagements - and which to say no to How to select the best topics to speak on that drives interest in what you do = leads, clients, referrals You’ll hear success stories of other women speakers and how they’ve used speaking strategically to grow their business. → Download the free Speaking Strategy PDF workbook for this episode at https://www.speakingyourbrand.com/72. The Speaking Your Brand podcast is hosted by Carol Cox. At Speaking Your Brand, we help women entrepreneurs and professionals create their signature talks and gain more visibility to achieve their goals. Our mission is to get more women in positions of influence and power: on stages, in businesses, on boards, in the media, in politics, and in our communities. Check out our coaching programs and workshops at https://www.speakingyourbrand.com.   Highlights: Why you need a clear and intentional speaking strategy that aligns with your business goals – and the dangers of not having one How to identify the best speaking engagements - and which to say no to How to select the best topics to speak on that drives interest in what you do = leads, clients, referrals Success stories of other women speakers and how they’ve used speaking strategically to grow their business   Links: Show notes and free PDF workbook at https://www.speakingyourbrand.com/72 Join the free Speaking Your Brand community at https://www.speakingyourbrand.com/join/ or text the word SPEAKING to 444-999. Sign up for a Strategy Session at https://www.speakingyourbrand.com/strategy. Ready to create your signature talk and framework? Email me at carol@speakingyourbrand.com or click here to schedule a call. Say hi to me on Instagram and Twitter: @CarolMorganCox. Subscribe to the podcast and leave a review! Other Episodes Mentioned: Episode 24: What It Takes to Do a TEDx Talk with Tammy Lally Episode 35: How to Rock a Panel as a Moderator and Panelist with Natalie Eckdahl of BizChix Episode 57: How to Use Simple Story Structure to Create Compelling Content Episode 59: Why You Shouldn't Sell from the Stage - and What to Do Instead You can get the Feedback Form template in the download on this episode Episode 50: The 3 C's of Visibility: What It Takes to Get Known Anna Seewald of Authentic Parenting

You’ll notice that the title of this episode is in the definitive: using humor in your talks *will* get you more speaking engagements. I don’t mean you have to add a stand-up comedy routine to your presentations (leave that for the comedians!). Rather, as my guest Kathy Klotz-Guest and I talk about in this episode, using humor and improv techniques: Makes you more relatable to your audience Allows you to be present and in the moment Provides for a richer learning experience for the audience The results? You’re more confident and comfortable on stage. The audience enjoys it (great reviews!). Event organizers are more likely to ask you back and refer you to others. You’re more likely to get paid speaking engagements. Kathy and I have a fun, and at times deep, conversation about what practicing improv means not only for your presentations but also for your business and life, as well as what it’s going to take to get women speakers at parity with men (in numbers and in pay). About My Guest: Kathy Klotz-Guest is a keynote speaker, author, workshop leader, and improv comedian. With an MBA and MA, she has 20 years in communication and innovation strategy and storytelling on business and comedy stages in the San Francisco Bay Area. Her career is a story of using play as creative fuel. How does your culture focus on making people’s lives better?  It can run like an improv group with a collaborative “yes and” mentality. The Speaking Your Brand podcast is hosted by Carol Cox. At Speaking Your Brand, we help women entrepreneurs and professionals create their signature talks and gain more visibility to achieve their goals. Our mission is to get more women in positions of influence and power: on stages, in businesses, on boards, in the media, in politics, and in our communities. Check out our coaching programs and workshops at https://www.speakingyourbrand.com. I’m thrilled that this episode is being sponsored by Book Launchers. I met Julie Broad, the founder, at a conference earlier this year, attended her session on Writing, Publishing, and Promoting Your Book, and invited her on this podcast (episode 65). Julie’s experience and expertise were so evident in that conversation that many of you listeners reached out to her because you’re working on your signature talk and you also want to write a book - they go hand in hand very nicely! But it can feel very overwhelming - you’re not sure where to start much less how to organize it to make it an effective marketing tool for you and then how to market it. That’s where Julie’s company Book Launchers comes in. Book Launchers has a hands-on workshop coming up June 21-23 in the Los Angeles area. They have people flying in to attend, so you don’t have to be local. Before you even walk into the room, Book Launchers will help you position your book so it's going to stand out in the marketplace. On site, you'll create your outline (or refine it), plan your book marketing in detail, and brainstorm key elements like chapter titles and book titles. Getting those things right will matter a lot for your book marketing … and tying it into your signature talk. You'll work directly with an Emmy nominated writer, a book marketing specialist who took her last client to the WSJ Bestsellers list, and a brilliant social media strategist who wrote the very first book on Twitter. Plus, before you leave, you'll have created a clear step by step plan (with dates!) to walk you step by step from writing to book launch. And, you'll spend eight uninterrupted hours writing! You’ll write more in a weekend than many people write in months! I invite you to check out the details at https://booklaunchers.com/carol You can use the code “Carol” to receive $100 off the single pay option. Links: Show notes at https://www.speakingyourbrand.com/71 Check out Kathy’s website and speaker videos at https://www.keepingithuman.com/ Connect with Kathy on Twitter @KathyKlotzGuest My appearance on Kathy’s show SHEnanigans: When brands get political Join the free Speaking Your Brand community at https://www.speakingyourbrand.com/join/ or text the word SPEAKING to 444-999. Sign up for a Strategy Session at https://www.speakingyourbrand.com/strategy. Ready to create your signature talk and framework? Email me at carol@speakingyourbrand.com or click here to schedule a call. Say hi to me on Instagram and Twitter: @CarolMorganCox. Subscribe to the podcast and leave a review!   Other Episodes Mentioned: Episode 66: Mastering Your Speaking Style and Stage Presence Episode 68: Getting Paid to Speak and Negotiating Speaker Fees

How can your wardrobe align with and reflect your brand and make you feel confident, so that you attract your ideal clients, whether you’re speaking, on video, or at a networking event? My guest is wardrobe stylist Jennifer Mackey-Mary, founder of Apple + Pear Wardrobe. We talk about what you should wear on stage and how you can use your business branding to decide what to wear, including whether or not to wear your brand colors. Jennifer uses two words that are crucial for dressing to attract your ideal clients (and I love that they both start with “A” :-). What do you like to wear when you speak? I’d love to see a photo - share in the Speaking Your Brand Facebook group. Not a member? It’s free - go to https://www.speakingyourbrand.com/join/ or text the word SPEAKING to 444-999 to get access. About My Guest:  Jennifer Mackey-Mary, founder Apple + Pear Wardrobe, is a wardrobe stylist who has a knack for helping entrepreneurs elevate their personal brand by curating a wardrobe that aligns with the personality and energy of their business. She has dressed thousands of women over the last 17 years, has held leadership positions with Chico's, South Moon Under, and Gap Maternity. Jennifer has worked with both business owners and high-level executives to help dress them in a way that reflects the level of success they are aiming to achieve, with pretty incredible results. The Speaking Your Brand podcast is hosted by Carol Cox. At Speaking Your Brand, we help women entrepreneurs and professionals create their signature talks and gain more visibility to achieve their goals. Our mission is to get more women in positions of influence and power: on stages, in businesses, on boards, in the media, in politics, and in our communities. Check out our coaching programs and workshops at https://www.speakingyourbrand.com.   Highlights: What you should and shouldn’t wear on stage How you can use your business branding to decide what to wear Whether or not to wear your brand colors Two words that are crucial for dressing to attract your ideal clients How to curate a good wardrobe What your shoes say about you   Links: Show notes at https://www.speakingyourbrand.com/70 Connect with Jennifer on her website at http://appleandpearwardrobe.com/ Get Jennifer’s free style guide at http://bit.ly/bossbabestyle Join the free Speaking Your Brand community at https://www.speakingyourbrand.com/join/ or text the word SPEAKING to 444-999. Sign up for a Strategy Session at https://www.speakingyourbrand.com/strategy. Ready to create your signature talk and framework? Email me at carol@speakingyourbrand.com or click here to schedule a call. Say hi to me on Instagram and Twitter: @CarolMorganCox. Subscribe to the podcast and leave a review!

Do you have your eye on a conference or event that you really want to speak at? How can you get selected? My guest today is Erin Smith, who runs the annual Entrepreneur Summit in Dallas, Texas. We go behind-the-scenes into how event organizers select speakers, who they choose to pay and why, and what *not* to do as a speaker. Erin shares what to include in your speaker submissions to get noticed and how to negotiate your speaker fee. This conversation was very eye-opening for me and you’ll walk away with a new understanding of how to get selected to speak. About My Guest: Erin Smith is the founder of The Starters Club, a place for entrepreneurs and new business owners to get on their feet and start making sales. Erin runs the annual Entrepreneur Summit in Dallas, Texas, and is the host of the Epic Live Events podcast. Erin has successfully run and sold two businesses and bought and sold real estate all across the country. She also loves dogs and has rescued a number of them. The Speaking Your Brand podcast is hosted by Carol Cox. At Speaking Your Brand, we help women entrepreneurs and professionals create their signature talks and gain more visibility to achieve their goals. Our mission is to get more women in positions of influence and power: on stages, in businesses, on boards, in the media, in politics, and in our communities. Check out our coaching programs and workshops at https://www.speakingyourbrand.com.   Highlights: What running an event has done for Erin and her business What to do - and what *not* to do - as a speaker for an event What to include in your speaker submissions How to get invited to be a speaker How to get paid to speak and how to negotiate your fee   Links: Show notes at https://www.speakingyourbrand.com/69 Check out Erin’s upcoming summit in Dallas on June 18-19, 2018: https://www.esummitevents.com/ Erin’s business The Starters Club: https://www.thestartersclub.com/ Erin’s podcast Epic Live Events: https://www.epicliveevents.co/ Join the free Speaking Your Brand community at https://www.speakingyourbrand.com/join/ or text the word SPEAKING to 444-999. Sign up for a Strategy Session at https://www.speakingyourbrand.com/strategy. Ready to create your signature talk and framework or sizzle reel? Email me at carol@speakingyourbrand.com or click here to schedule a call. Say hi to me on Instagram and Twitter: @CarolMorganCox. Subscribe to the podcast and leave a review!   Other Episodes Mentioned: Episode 59: Why You Shouldn’t Sell from the Stage - and What to Do Instead Episode 57: How to Use Simple Story Structure to Create Compelling Content Episode 61: Developing Your Own Framework

How can you get your first paid speaking engagement? How do you figure out what to charge and how to negotiate? In this episode, you’ll hear from 7 women entrepreneurs and speakers who share how they got their first paid speaking engagement. I also share how I got my first paid gig for Speaking Your Brand and how I got paid to be a political analyst on TV news. There are lots of great reasons to speak for free and I speak for free several times a year for: Brand awareness Credibility builder Lead generation Networking In-kind exchange (ticket to conference) Practice Enjoyment   However, it also feels really great to be paid to speak - plus it’s nice to have direct revenue for your time and effort. As you listen to each speaker, see if you can spot the commonalities in their stories. I’ll share at the end what I see as the top takeaways. You can connect with the women featured here in the free Speaking Your Brand community. You can get access by going to https://www.speakingyourbrand.com/join/ or text the word SPEAKING to 444-999. The Speaking Your Brand podcast is hosted by Carol Cox. At Speaking Your Brand, we help women entrepreneurs and professionals create their signature talks and gain more visibility to achieve their goals. Our mission is to get more women in positions of influence and power: on stages, in businesses, on boards, in the media, in politics, and in our communities. Check out our coaching programs and workshops at https://www.speakingyourbrand.com.   Guests Featured: Diane Diaz of The Brand Teacher Tara Lynn Foster Kate Ahl of Simple Pin Media Jan Bowen Lara Currie Jill Allison Bryan Dr. Carmen Landrau   Other Episodes Mentioned: Episode 45: Your Visibility Roadmap Episode 50: The 3 C's of Visibility: What It Takes to Get Known Episode 2: [Coaching} Taking Your Speaking to the Next Level with Diane Diaz Episode 14: [Coaching] Shifting Your Presentation from Practical to Inspirational with Tara Lynn Foster Episode 19: How Publishing a Book Impacts Your Speaking Opportunities with Jan Bowen Episode 28: [Coaching] Networking the Right Way to Find Speaking Opportunities with Carmen Landrau   Links: Show notes at https://www.speakingyourbrand.com/68 Join the free Speaking Your Brand community at https://www.speakingyourbrand.com/join/ or text the word SPEAKING to 444-999. Sign up for a Strategy Session at https://www.speakingyourbrand.com/strategy. Ready to create your signature talk and framework? Email me at carol@speakingyourbrand.com or click here to schedule a call. Say hi to me on Instagram and Twitter: @CarolMorganCox. Subscribe to the podcast and leave a review!

If you’ve been giving a presentation but you feel like what you do in your business isn’t well integrated into it and you aren’t getting the leads, clients, and referrals that you know you could, it’s time to stop giving that version and create one that gets you results. In this on-air coaching call, I help my guest Melissa Bennett re-work her presentation to make it more impactful for her audience and for her business. If you’ve listened to episode 57 on my story structure framework, you’ll see it put into action here. There’s a way of integrating what you do through your experiences, client stories, and framework that’s much more effective than “selling from the stage” and you’ll hear how we do that with Melissa’s content. About My Guest: Melissa Bennett is a writer, artist, seeker, and coach. She lives at The Watershed Farm just outside of Chattanooga, Tennessee, with her two young, energetic, wide-eyed, adventuresome boys (+ another on the way!) & life partner on this incredible journey, her husband David. Alongside her wise herd of equine partners, Melissa supports & empowers women just like YOU to move through fear and live a life of confidence, courage, & creative expression. Melissa also carries this wisdom of the Horse and healing powers of the Earth into her online offerings, which includes a women's circle with highly personalized monthly gift boxes, ritual kits, group and private coaching, and spiritual guidance to women who are dedicated to showing up for themselves, owning their power, and playing bigger in their own lives and in their communities. The Speaking Your Brand podcast is hosted by Carol Cox. At Speaking Your Brand, we help women entrepreneurs and professionals create their signature talks and gain more visibility to achieve their goals. Our mission is to get more women in positions of influence and power: on stages, in businesses, on boards, in the media, in politics, and in our communities. Check out our coaching programs and workshops at https://www.speakingyourbrand.com.   Highlights: How Melissa can open her presentation to create connection and trust with her audience Understanding the obstacles or objections your audience may have Finding your a-ha moment and teasing it at the beginning of your talk to keep your audience interested Melissa explains her framework (You can see Melissa’s sketch of her framework in the Speaking Your Brand Facebook group at https://www.facebook.com/groups/speakingyourbrand/permalink/1769876323079328/. Not a member? Go to https://www.speakingyourbrand.com/join to get access.) The importance of adding your stories and client examples into your presentations Include the transformation that happens as a result of people working with you What to do if no one in the audience wants to share Links: Show notes at https://www.speakingyourbrand.com/67 Connect with Melissa on her website and get her free gifts at http://thewatershedfarm.com/freegifts   Join the free Speaking Your Brand community at https://www.speakingyourbrand.com/join/ or text the word SPEAKING to 444-999. Ready to improve your presentation or create your signature talk? Email me at carol@speakingyourbrand.com or click here to schedule a call. Say hi to me on Instagram and Twitter: @CarolMorganCox. Subscribe to the podcast and leave a review! Other episodes mentioned: Episode 57: How to Use Simple Story Structure to Create Compelling Content - Includes the free Story Structure Framework you can download Episode 59: Why You Shouldn’t Sell from the Stage - and What to Do Instead Episode 61: A Game Changer for Your Business and Presentations: Developing Your Own Framework Episode 60: Finding Your Presentation's Spine and Why It Absolutely Needs One - Includes the free Feedback Form PDF you can download

I can remember talks I’ve given, especially ones on stages in front of large audiences, where it felt like an out of body experience. I gave my talk, it went really well, but it was a complete blur, like tunnel vision. It all happened so fast and I felt like I was observing myself rather than being truly present and a part of it. Now, when I do a presentation, I’m in my comfort zone. I feel confident about my material and my stage presence. That’s what I want for you too, which is what I’m sharing with you in this episode: specific techniques and strategies you can use when preparing for and delivering your talk, including what to do the day-of and on stage. I also share a few personal stories of how I conquered my nerves and what happened to me in a dress rehearsal and why I’m really glad there weren't cell phone cameras back then. Remember: Your audience doesn’t want you to be perfect; they want you to be present. Download the free PDF with checklists for preparation, day-of, and delivery at https://www.speakingyourbrand.com/66. NEW! You can now listen to the Speaking Your Brand podcast directly on Amazon’s Echo / Alexa smart speakers. All you have to do is say: “Alexa, enable skill Speaking Your Brand.” After you’ve enabled the skill, you can then play the podcast any time by saying, “Alexa, play Speaking Your Brand.” The Speaking Your Brand podcast is hosted by Carol Cox. At Speaking Your Brand, we help women entrepreneurs and professionals create their signature talks and gain more visibility to achieve their goals. Our mission is to get more women in positions of influence and power: on stages, in businesses, on boards, in the media, in politics, and in our communities. Check out our coaching programs and workshops at https://www.speakingyourbrand.com.   Highlights: What information to ask the event organizer ahead of time What to wear and why How to practice What to do the day of when you arrive How to reduce your nerves Using your body, voice, and movement effectively Feeding off the energy of the audience What to do at the end of your presentation   Links: Download the free PDF with checklists for preparation, day-of, and delivery at https://www.speakingyourbrand.com/66. Join the free Speaking Your Brand community at https://www.speakingyourbrand.com/join/ or text the word SPEAKING to 444-999. Sign up for a Strategy Session to work on your speaking delivery and stage presence at https://www.speakingyourbrand.com/strategy. Ready to create your signature talk and framework? Email me at carol@speakingyourbrand.com or click here to schedule a call. Say hi to me on Instagram and Twitter: @CarolMorganCox. Subscribe to the podcast and leave a review!   Other episodes and people mentioned: Episode 57: Why You Shouldn’t Sell from the Stage - and What to Do Instead Episode 41: Behind the Scenes of My Presentation at BizChix Live Episode 26: On-air coaching call with Jodi Flynn Jodi Flynn’s podcast Women Taking the Lead Amy Cuddy’s TED talk on power posing

Have you thought about writing a book, but you’re not  sure what’s involved or even if it’s worth it? My guest today, Julie Broad of Book Launchers, answers the questions you have about the process of writing, publishing, and promoting a book. You’ll hear towards the end of the episode what’s the best way to promote and sell your book - and it’s not social media. We talk about: The advantages of self-publishing vs. traditional publishing The typical timeline of writing, publishing, and promoting a book How having a book helps you as a speaker How having a signature talk can become the backbone of your book Why social media is *not* the way you’ll sell books - and what is What you need to start doing now, even if you’re not planning on writing a book for months or even a year or more from now   About My Guest: Julie Broad is the Founder of Book Launchers, which helps busy entrepreneurs and professionals build their brand and boost their business by writing, publishing, and selling a top quality book. Julie is an Amazon Overall #1 Best Selling Author, an International Book Award Winner, and recipient of the Beverly Hills Book Award for Best Sales book. As an entrepreneur and successful real estate investor she was also awarded the Top 20 under 40 Award. In 2017, she also became a new Mom and moved from Vancouver Island, Canada to Los Angeles, California. The Speaking Your Brand podcast is hosted by Carol Cox. At Speaking Your Brand, we help women entrepreneurs and professionals create their signature talks and gain more visibility to achieve their goals. Our mission is to get more women in positions of influence and power: on stages, in businesses, on boards, in the media, in politics, and in our communities. Check out our coaching programs and workshops at https://www.speakingyourbrand.com.   Highlights: The advantages of self-publishing vs. traditional publishing The typical timeline of writing, publishing, and promoting a book The importance of pre-orders How having a book helps you as a speaker The emotional part of writing a book and getting back edits How having a signature talk can become the backbone of your book Why social media is *not* the way you’ll sell books - and what is What you need to start doing now, even if you’re not planning on writing a book for months or even a year or more from now What it really takes to write a book   Links: Show notes at https://www.speakingyourbrand.com/65 Connect with Julie on her website at https://booklaunchers.com/ Get the free ebook at https://booklaunchers.com/sellbooks Join the free Speaking Your Brand community at https://www.speakingyourbrand.com/join/ or text the word SPEAKING to 444-999. Sign up for a Strategy Session at https://www.speakingyourbrand.com/strategy. Ready to create your signature talk and framework? Email me at carol@speakingyourbrand.com or click here to schedule a call. Say hi to me on Instagram and Twitter: @CarolMorganCox. Subscribe to the podcast and leave a review!

Speaking at groups and conferences is one of the best ways to create awareness about what you do and how you help your clients. The key is to show, through the examples and main points you include in your presentations, how what you do is different from others. In prior episodes, I’ve talked about how to do this without “selling from the stage” (episode 59), using story structure to create compelling content (episode 57), and developing your own framework (episode 61). Now, in this on-air coaching call, listen in as I coach entrepreneur Kimberley O’Brien on how she can show, not just tell, her audience how her approach is different and why her clients choose her. You’ll hear how we take Kimberley’s presentation outline and make it more impactful and effective for both her audience and for her business, and strategies Kimberley can use to select  speaking engagements and make the most of the ones she says “yes” to. Do you have an existing presentation that’s working, but you know it could be better to get you more leads and referrals? Book a Persuasive Presentation Package at https://www.speakingyourbrand.com/persuasive-presentation-package/. About My Guest: Kimberley O'Brien is one of Australia’s most trusted and renowned Child Psychologist with a knack for solving problems from the child’s perspective. With twelve years experience working around Australia and internationally, Kimberley is now Principal Psychologist at the Quirky Kid Clinic in Woollahra (Sydney) offering consultations, training, resources and immediate intervention ideas for parents, professionals and the media sector. The Speaking Your Brand podcast is hosted by Carol Cox. At Speaking Your Brand, we help women entrepreneurs and professionals create their signature talks and gain more visibility to achieve their goals. Our mission is to get more women in positions of influence and power: on stages, in businesses, on boards, in the media, in politics, and in our communities. Check out our coaching programs and workshops at https://www.speakingyourbrand.com. Links: Show notes at https://www.speakingyourbrand.com/64 Join the free Speaking Your Brand community at https://www.speakingyourbrand.com/join/ or text the word SPEAKING to 444-999. Do you have an existing presentation that’s working, but you know it could be better to get you more leads and referrals? Book a Persuasive Presentation Package at https://www.speakingyourbrand.com/persuasive-presentation-package/. Ready to create your signature talk and framework? Email me at carol@speakingyourbrand.com or click here to schedule a call. Say hi to me on Instagram and Twitter: @CarolMorganCox. Subscribe to the podcast and leave a review!

What opportunities are you missing out on because you don’t have a signature talk? In this episode, I share why having a signature talk is critical for your business and your personal brand, including examples of what makes a great signature talk (and how it’s different from a training). With a signature talk, you become the go-to expert and thought leader for your topic and industry. You establish your personal brand and business reputation. You’re ready to accept speaking opportunities when they come your way, because you’re always prepared with a presentation that you can tweak and repurpose based on the particular audience, event, venue, and length of time. When you sincerely and authentically empower others, they’ll want to share and refer you to others, and they will come to you to buy your product or service when they need help. Having a signature talk, a presentation that you are comfortable with, that provides value to those in the audience, that you get better at each time you give it, will give you the confidence to get out there and share your message. Highlights: What a signature talk is and what it isn't Why you need a signature talk for your business and your personal brand How to figure out what your signature talk topic is The difference between a training and a signature talk Taking your personal story and universalizing it Getting booked and paid to speak Links: Show notes at https://www.speakingyourbrand.com/25 Join the free Speaking Your Brand community at https://www.speakingyourbrand.com/join/ or text the word SPEAKING to 444-999. Sign up for a Strategy Session at https://www.speakingyourbrand.com/strategy. Ready to create your signature talk and framework? Email me at carol@speakingyourbrand.com or click here to schedule a call. Say hi to me on Instagram and Twitter: @CarolMorganCox. Subscribe to the podcast and leave a review!