Speaking Your Brand: Public Speaking Tips and Strategies

Have you been to conferences and events and, during sessions, you see lots of people in the audience on their phones? And not using their phones to take notes, but to do other things because they’re not engaged with the speaker. How can you keep your audience interested and off their phones? In this episode, I share 5 mistakes I see speakers make that turn off their audiences - and specific techniques you can use instead to keep your audience engaged and learning. This applies no matter the audience size - whether 10 people, 100, 500, 1000, or more. Download the free PDF for this episode that has the 5 mistakes: https://www.speakingyourbrand.com/63 I invite you to schedule a free discovery call with me so we can chat about working together to create your signature talk and framework. Email me at carol@speakingyourbrand.com or go to https://www.speakingyourbrand.com/contact to schedule a call. 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 and free PDF download at https://www.speakingyourbrand.com/63. 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 and we’ll set up a time to chat. Say hi to me on Instagram and Twitter: @CarolMorganCox. Subscribe to the podcast and leave a review! Episodes mentioned: Episode 60 On-Air Coaching Call on simplifying your presentation content Episode 61 on Developing Your Own Framework

Ever since I started my first business over 15 years ago, I was told to make it a habit to ask for referrals: from my current clients, past clients, and network. I never did make it a habit, but in all three of the businesses I’ve started, including Speaking Your Brand, referrals have been a key component of getting new clients. My guest today, Stacey Brown Randall, believes we should *not* ask for referrals. Instead, she advocates a better way. Listen in as Stacey and I talk about why she believes this, the system she teaches her clients for getting referrals (without asking!), and as speakers, how we can approach getting referrals for speaking engagements. About My Guest: Stacey Brown Randall’s online programs and live coaching provide a blueprint to follow to take control of your referrals, your client experience, and your business.  Stacey is a contrarian when it comes to typical referral advice and believes the best way to unleash a referral explosion is to do it WITHOUT asking for referrals. Stacey is a three-time entrepreneur, author of Generating Business Referrals…Without Asking (Fall 2018 release date), certified productivity and time efficiency coach, and has a background in sales and marketing. 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: Stacey’s approach to referrals and what she teaches her clients The importance of client experience lifecycle As speakers, how we can approach getting referrals for other speaking engagements The impact Stacey’s weekly Facebook Live video show has had on her business   Links: Show notes at https://www.speakingyourbrand.com/62 Connect with Stacey on her Facebook page for her weekly show at https://www.facebook.com/StaceyBrownRandall/, her Facebook group at https://www.facebook.com/groups/referralswithoutasking/, and on her website at http://growthbyreferrals.com/ . 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 and we’ll set up a time to chat. Say hi to me on Twitter @CarolMorganCox Subscribe to the podcast and leave a review! Episodes mentioned: Episode 50 on the 3 C's of Visibility Episode 34 on Relationship Selling with Nikki Rausch

Developing your own framework can be a game changer for your business and presentations. It differentiates yourself from others in your field, it makes it easier for your audience and clients to understand what you do, and you’re creating intellectual property. What is a framework, why do you need one,  and how can you find yours? It’s not an internal system or process; it’s how you work with your clients to get them results. Listen to this episode to learn how to identify your framework and how to use it in your presentations. To see framework examples, visit the show notes page at https://www.speakingyourbrand.com/61. 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 a framework is, including examples you’ll recognize What kinds of businesses a framework is good for How having a framework for your business and presentations can increase sales How to identify your framework How to use your framework in your presentations The #1 thing your framework needs to convey   Links: Show notes at https://www.speakingyourbrand.com/61 Join the free Speaking Your Brand community at https://www.speakingyourbrand.com/join/ or text the word SPEAKING to 444-999. Ready to create your signature talk and framework? Email me at carol@speakingyourbrand.com and we’ll set up a time to chat. Say hi to me on Twitter @CarolMorganCox Subscribe to the podcast and leave a review!

Do you feel like you have so much you want to share in your presentations that you’re not sure what to keep, what to exclude, and how to streamline it? Or, are you afraid that you’re giving away too much valuable information? In this on-air coaching call, I help business strategist Joanna Sapir simplify her presentation content, so that it’s more useful for her audience AND gets her better results for her business. Your presentation needs a spine, a clear focus that you can hang all of your points and examples onto. Otherwise, your audience can get confused and overwhelmed, leaving them less likely to want to buy from you. Your presentation content - the spine - should reflect your unique approach and how you work with your clients. Listen in to this coaching call as I dig into who Joanna’s clients are, what they need the most help with, and the a-ha moment when we identify her presentation’s spine. Joanna is an expert at what she does and has a deep background in sales, so you’ll not only hear how we pinpoint exactly what she can center her presentation content around, but you’ll also get some sales tips you can use. We’re doing something a little different with this coaching call episode. You’ll hear me pop in from time to time to point out key things you can do for your own presentations, so let me know what you think of this format. About My Guest: Joanna Sapir has been a teacher and coach her whole life from the classroom to the gym floor and now to small businesses across the world as a Business Strategist and Coach. After founding, growing, and then selling a fitness and health coaching business, she shifted her focus to helping other service-providers - like consultants, coaches, and health/wellness professionals -  with the structure, support and actionable steps to build successful and sustainable businesses. She is a competitive Olympic-style Weightlifter, the mother of two redheaded teenagers, and lives in a co-housing community in Northern California.   → Get the free PDF download with the sample feedback form you can use in your speaking engagements at https://www.speakingyourbrand.com/60.   Do you need help with your presentations and speaking questions? Sign up for a strategy session - it’s all focus, no fluff. As a client said to me, “I’ve done more in one session with you than I have by myself in the past year.” That’s how powerful it is to work out your ideas with someone else.   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 your communities. Check out our coaching programs and workshops at https://www.speakingyourbrand.com.   Links: Show notes at https://www.speakingyourbrand.com/60 Connect with Joanna at http://joannasapir.com/ 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? Email me at carol@speakingyourbrand.com and we’ll set up a time to chat. Say hi to me on Instagram and Twitter: @CarolMorganCox. Subscribe to the podcast and leave a review!

Episode 59: Have you heard the phrase “sell from the stage”? The idea is that you pitch your programs and products to the audience at the end of your presentations. If you’ve been doing speaking engagements, you know it takes time, effort, energy, and sometimes money (especially when travel is involved), so it’s understandable that you want to get a return from it. However, when preparing your presentations and delivering them to your audience, “selling from the stage” is the wrong approach - and I’m going to explain why in this episode. Many of my clients tell me that they don’t want to come across as salesy. It can feel especially icky if you’re not comfortable doing it and the audience can tell, so it’s not going to work that well. You’ll end up feeling awkward, your audience will feel awkward, and you’ll lose the opportunity to create a real connection. On the other end of the spectrum, clients come to me who are scared of selling and end up including nothing in their presentations about what they do and how the audience can work with them, missing out on opportunities to get clients and referrals. How can you find a happy medium between the awkward pitch and not selling at all? In this episode, I’m sharing with you 5 things you can and should do in your presentations to get leads, clients, and referrals. → Get the free PDF that includes the key points and examples from this episode at https://www.speakingyourbrand.com/59.   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 the phrase “sell from the stage” means Why I believe it’s the wrong approach - any many event and conference organizers feel the same way Finding the happy medium between the awkward pitch and not selling at all in your presentations 5 key things you can and should do in your presentations to get leads, clients, and referrals.   Links: Show notes at https://www.speakingyourbrand.com/59 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/getvisible. Ready to create your signature talk? Email me at carol@speakingyourbrand.com and we’ll set up a time to chat. Say hi to me on Twitter @CarolMorganCox Subscribe to the podcast and leave a review!   People and episodes mentioned: Episode 57 on How to Use Simple Story Structure to Create Compelling Content Diane Diaz of The Brand Teacher was on episode 2 Natalie Eckdahl of BizChix was on episode 35 Geraldine Carter of Focused Business Coaching was on episode 36 Dr. Carmen Landrau was on episode 29 Pamela Cox of Pamela Cox Wellness

How can you reach your highest potential in speaking and in your business? What does it take to be the best you can be? For many years, I felt that I had to learn and master anything I came across in my businesses, from coding and SEO to marketing and PR to graphic design, accounting, and contracts. Each of these areas are specialized and require not only certain skills but also constant upkeep. Sounds pretty crazy, right? But, I know many of you are trying to do this all as well. The downside is that this is costing us - and in more ways than you may think. In this episode, my guest Belinda Brown, an executive and leadership coach, shares how she helps her clients, many of whom are executives at large companies, reach their potential as individuals, as teams, and as an organization. We take the three key areas Belinda focuses on - Uniqueness, Potential, and Equity - and apply it to you as a speaker and entrepreneur. About My Guest: Belinda Brown brings extensive experience across multiple industries to her work in executive and leadership coaching. Her passion lies in empowering women and diverse leaders to BE who they are wherever they are so corporate cultures can shift and embrace feminine  leadership and diversity development as powerful skills. She also consults with companies in the areas of organizational development, talent development and diversity management. Prior to her coaching and consulting work, Belinda spent over 15 years in roles in management and leadership roles European and American multinational organizations such as Carrefour, Renault, Brambles and Walt Disney Worldwide.   Highlights: Why Belinda decided she needed to create a signature talk for her business and why the VIP Day was a perfect fit for her personality The challenges Belinda sees that entrepreneurs face, especially in today’s social media world The pitfalls of focusing on trying to improve your weaknesses Assessments you can take to identify your strengths and unique traits Every person in a team and organization has a different potential level, but self-limitations often hold us back What happens when we try to use someone else’s speaking style If you would rate yourself as a 7 now for potential, what would it take to get to a 10: identify your goals, amplify your unique traits, be intentional, invest in improving your skills The difference between equity and equality - and why one is better than the other How you can get started today identifying your strengths and unique traits   Links: Show notes at https://www.speakingyourbrand.com/58 Learn more about Belinda at http://www.belindamjbrown.com Connect with Belinda on LinkedIn and Twitter Belinda’s podcast “Planting the Seeds for Change” Assessments you can take to identify your strengths and unique traits (some are free and some have a fee): Fascination Advantage Gallup’s StrengthsFinder Kolbe DISC Trimetrix Energy Leadership Reach 360   Diane Diaz of The Brand Teacher (personal branding services and assessments) 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? Email me at carol@speakingyourbrand.com and we’ll set up a time to chat. Say hi to me on Twitter @CarolMorganCox Subscribe to the podcast and leave a review!

Why use story structure? Simple: It’s what makes us human. You want to make sure the content you’re sharing is compelling, keeps your audience interested to the end, and invites them to take action, whether you’re hosting a podcast, being interviewed on one, or giving a presentation. Our brains are hard-wired to understand and respond to story structure. Think about the fairy tales you read as a kid and your favorite books and movies. Like a good movie or book, the content we create should have a beginning, middle, and end that takes the audience from the setup of the situation with tension (Act I) to the big idea/angle/process/solution (Act II) and finally to the resolution, reward, and next steps (Act III). The framework I’ve created and describe in this episode is based on classic 3-act story structure and the hero’s journey but - this is key - applied in a business and marketing context, so that your audience understands what’s in it for them and the transformation you can help them achieve. You can use this framework when: Outlining solo podcast episodes Interviewing guests Knowing which stories to share when you’re being interviewed Speaking at groups, conferences, and workshops   → Get the free PDF of the story structure framework at https://www.speakingyourbrand.com/57.   This episode also marks my 1-year anniversary podcasting! I’ve enjoyed it tremendously, greatly appreciate all of you listeners, and am excited to continue to provide you with interesting and relevant content to help you on your speaking journey.   Highlights: A straightforward step-by-step framework on how to use 3-Act story structure in your presentations, podcast episodes, and interviews How to select the best kinds of stories to share and to ask your guests How to tell stories in a way that advance the content and the points you’re making Understanding why it’s crucial to realize and convey that you are not the hero of the story How to create a story bank   Links: Show notes and PDF at https://www.speakingyourbrand.com/57 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? Email me at carol@speakingyourbrand.com and we’ll set up a time to chat. Say hi to me on Twitter @CarolMorganCox Subscribe to the podcast and leave a review!

If you’ve been wanting to do a TEDx talk, this episode is perfect for you. My guest Tamsen Webster and I talk about everything TEDx, including what are the 3 key elements that make a great TEDx talk and how to know if you have a TED-worthy idea (“an idea worth spreading”). Tamsen was the Executive Producer of one of the oldest and one of the largest locally organized TED talk events in the world, so she shares how she found speakers and what she looked for in TEDx applications (this may surprise you!). You definitely don’t have to be a professional speaker to be selected for TEDx, but you do need to have authority and passion. About My Guest: Tamsen Webster is an acclaimed keynote speaker, “idea whisperer,” and message strategist. She combined 20 years in marketing, 13 years as a Weight Watchers leader, and four years as Executive Producer of one of the oldest and one of the largest locally organized TED talk events in the world into a simple structure for understanding, talking about, and creating lasting change. As a result, she is an in-demand consultant on finding the ideas that move people to action. The Speaking Your Brand podcast is hosted by Carol Cox.   Highlights: The 3 key elements of a great TEDx talk Examples of universalizing your personal story How to know if you have a TED-worthy idea What TEDx organizers look for in applications How some TEDx organizers find speakers Why you should not do a TEDx talk as a business booster or marketing effort How to rehearse and the pros and cons of memorizing your talk   Links: Show notes at https://www.speakingyourbrand.com/56 Visit Tamsen’s website at http://tamsenwebster.com/ Tammy Lally on What It Takes to Do a TEDx Talk - Episode 24 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 Visibility Strategy Session at https://www.speakingyourbrand.com/getvisible. Ready to create your signature talk or TEDx talk? Email me at carol@speakingyourbrand.com and we’ll set up a time to chat. Say hi to me on Twitter @CarolMorganCox Subscribe to the podcast and leave a review!

Should you give an instructional or an inspirational talk? You probably think I’m going to say that the answer is “It depends,” but I’m not. I think the real question behind this question is you want to know what kind of content to present to the audience. You’re not sure if they want to learn specific strategies and tactics and how-to’s (instructional) or if they want what we would call a motivational speaker (inspirational). You want to make sure the audience is happy and has their expectations met, and, yes, you need to provide relevant content that’s valuable to them. But, I also want the speaking engagement to have an ROI for you - to clearly connect to your business so that the audience understands what you do, who you do it for, and how you help them get specific results. In this episode, I share what many speakers and workshop facilitators are missing and how you can integrate this critical piece into your presentations. I also explain 6 types of presentations and what goes into each one. → Get the free PDF with the step-by-step presentation guide with the overview of the 6 types of presentations at https://www.speakingyourbrand.com/55.   The Speaking Your Brand podcast is hosted by Carol Cox.  Links: Show notes and free PDF guide at https://www.speakingyourbrand.com/55 Clients mentioned: Pamela Cox of https://pamelacoxwellness.com/ Janna Lundquist of https://www.jannalundquist.com/   Geraldine Carter of https://focusedbizcoaching.com/ Other episodes mentioned: Episode 50 on The 3 C's of Visibility: What It Takes to Get Known Episode 30 on How to Become a Sought-After, Stand-Out Speaker Episode 25 on Why You Need a Signature Talk for Your Business Amy Cuddy’s TED Talk Join the free Speaking Your Brand community at https://www.speakingyourbrand.com/join/ or text the word SPEAKING to 444-999. Ready to create your signature talk? Email me at carol@speakingyourbrand.com and we’ll set up a time to chat. Say hi to me on Twitter @CarolMorganCox Subscribe to the podcast and leave a review!

When you’re in a group dynamic, whether it’s during a presentation or at work with your team, how can you build real and deep trust and connection? It may seem like this could take days, weeks, or even months or years. But, during a recent workshop I attended that was facilitated by today’s guest, I personally experienced a profound sense of connection with a group of strangers in a matter of 20 minutes. A connection deeper than one I’ve felt with people I’ve known for years. How did this happen? My guest Dr. Laura Gallaher is on the podcast to talk about radical communication and the transformational change in people and culture that emerges from it. The specific techniques we discuss are ones you can use in one-on-one conversations, when you’re facilitating workshops, and with your team. About My Guest: Dr. Laura Gallaher is an Organizational Psychologist, Executive Coach, and Licensed Human Element Practitioner. Laura’s company, Gallaher Edge, works with executives who want an edge over their competition by looking inward, and pushing past the edge of their comfort zone in order to increase their awareness, alignment, and accountability. She helps executive teams have conversations they didn’t even know they needed to have. Organizations are just people. Gallaher Edge helps executives learn what it takes to be more profitable by truly putting people first. She began her career at NASA Kennedy Space Center. After the Space Shuttle Columbia exploded upon re-entry in 2003, killing everybody aboard, Kennedy Space Center hired Laura and a team of organizational psychologists to change the cultural influences that were deemed to play a role in the tragedy. She worked for 8 years with NASA to positively influence culture, develop leadership capacity, and improve organizational performance at Kennedy Space Center. The Speaking Your Brand podcast is hosted by Carol Cox.  Highlights: The three ways we are destroying trust in the workplace How choosing to be more open and honest with yourself will allow you to be more open and honest with your peers How to recognize defense mechanisms and what to do instead in order to facilitate a productive conversation Why creating a culture of psychological safety allows for stronger teams Why feedback is critical among teams to produce higher quality products and catch potential mistakes The importance of self accountability and why it is a choice we make The beautiful thing that happens when you are vulnerable How to apply these techniques at your next speaking engagement or workshop to create trust and connection with your audience   Links: Show notes at https://www.speakingyourbrand.com/54 Visit Laura’s website at http://www.gallaheredge.com/ Laura’s podcast “Unlock Your Potential” Join the free Speaking Your Brand community at https://www.speakingyourbrand.com/join/ or text the word SPEAKING to 444-999. Say hi to me on Twitter @CarolMorganCox Subscribe to the podcast and leave a review!