Speaking Your Brand: Public Speaking Tips and Strategies

If you’ve listened to some of my other episodes, you’ve heard me help my clients with on-air coaching calls. Now, I’m turning the tables and having someone do a strategy session on me. My guest Carolyn Delaney is the founder of OurCraft.com, which helps creatives and makers by taking care of their technology needs and digital presence through email marketing, SEO, content marketing, ecommerce, and online advertising to amplify their message, reach more of their customers, and sell more of their products. In this episode, you get a peek inside the marketing and technology I’m currently using for my business and for this podcast, and Carolyn asks me insightful questions that you should be asking yourself and gives recommendations you can use as well. Highlights: The danger of the DIY entrepreneurial movement in technology and marketing Being intentional about technology and making sure it’s the right tool for what you need Working in your zone of genius and hiring experts to work in theirs Carolyn asks me what lights me up in my business, the outcomes my clients get, and who my target audience is The technology I’m currently using for my online group program How I’m using my Facebook group, what social media platforms I use, and what SEO and online advertising I’ve done The value of testing hypotheses and assumptions in our marketing The pros and cons of automated posting to social media What is the ROI we’re getting from social media - know your goal and the results you’re getting What has been working for me to get clients Content I should add to my website for SEO How Carolyn works with her clients for their marketing and technology How you can support this podcast: Share it with a friend Leave a review on iTunes (this is how iTunes knows that people like this podcast and will show it to others when people search, plus it’s nice to know that you’re listening and enjoying the content!) Click on the Subscribe button in iTunes or Stitcher (this is also how podcasts are ranked, so this helps more people find the podcast, plus you’ll automatically see new episodes in your podcast queue) Links: Carolyn’s website = http://www.ourcraft.com Join the free Speaking Your Brand community at https://www.speakingyourbrand.com/join/. Say hi to me on Twitter @CarolMorganCox Subscribe to the podcast, so you don’t miss out on future episodes!

This idea of empathy and sharing our stories, especially our deep and vulnerable ones, has been coming up a lot for me lately, from panel discussions on politics and social media I’ve participated in to podcasts I’ve been on talking about the power of public speaking to build trust and empathy. Empathy is defined as the ability to understand and share the feelings of another. I would add to that not just feelings, but their life situation and what brought them to where they are today. My guest today is Karen Millsap, the founder of The Grief Consultant, which helps organizations implement practical empathy in the workplace to strengthen engagement and improve overall performance. In this episode, we talk about: Why Karen started her company The impact of vulnerability in sharing your story What kinds of speaking engagements Karen has done and how she’s used them to build her business and network How Karen has gotten speaking engagements Her new podcast Invest Human and how she sees it aligning with her business goals What it’s like to be a woman in her field What she wants to be known for Karen also founded Well Now Global Retreats, wellness-inspired retreats to help you navigate complex or suppressed emotional baggage and also teach you how to implement simple healthy habits that will change, and can often save, your life. Karen has a book coming out soon called “Now What?”, in which Karen shares her journey of healing and personal development and gives you guidance on how to pick yourself up, grow through any hardship, and ultimately unleash the best version of yourself. Links: Karen’s website = http://www.karenmillsap.com/ Karen’s podcast Invest Human = https://www.investhuman.co/ Karen’s book = http://www.karenmillsap.com/nowwhat Sheryl Sandberg article = http://time.com/sheryl-sandberg-option-b/ Main Street Vegan podcast I was recently on = http://mainstreetvegan.net/msv-show-notes-april-19-2017-romance-vegans-speaking-cause/ Join the free Speaking Your Brand community at https://www.speakingyourbrand.com/join/. Say hi to me on Twitter @CarolMorganCox Subscribe to the podcast, so you don’t miss out on future episodes!

As speakers, we want to use our voices effectively, feel confident, and project confidence on stage. In this episode, professional singer and vocal coach Freya Casey shares exercises we can do to improve and warm up our voices and how to reduce stage fright and project confidence. What I love about Freya is that she helps people discover the awesomeness in their voice and that she emphasizes mindset and personality as much as physiology and technique. We talk about using the energy of the audience, the benefits of being an introvert as a performer and speaker, what to do if we think our voices are too high pitched or low pitched, and much more. About my guest: Freya Casey is a professional singer and vocal coach from Germany. She studied opera at Southern Methodist University and at the Musikhochschule Stuttgart in Germany, has performed lead roles in opera productions in the United States and Europe, and has been a performing artist on cruise ships all around the world. Freya is also a composer and songwriter and has produced music for commercials, movies, and CD productions. Besides having a very active career on stage, Freya has a passion for helping other singers find the beauty in their voice. With her tutorials on YouTube, Freya has reached tens of thousands of people and enjoys creating opportunities for ambitious singers to work with her. In her weekly podcast "Freya's Singing Tips", she gives valuable advice for anyone who wants to learn how to use their voice in a healthy way for the rest of their lives. Freya has an online course called "Conquer Your Stage Fright", which is for singers and speakers alike, anyone who presents on stage. Highlights: Freya's background as a performer and singer The benefits of being an introvert as a performer and speaker Using the energy of the audience What to do if you have a higher or lower pitched voice (can you change it?) Symptoms of vocal fatigue and what to do about it Vocal exercises to do to warm up your voice How to reduce stage fright and dry mouth The importance of projecting confidence as a speaker   Links: Connect with Freya on her website: http://www.freyas-singing-tips.com/ Freya's online course = http://freyas-singing-tips.thinkific.com/courses/conquer-your-stage-fright Facebook = https://www.facebook.com/Freya-Casey-Singer-Vocal-Coach-235591456456207 YouTube = https://www.youtube.com/user/foundmydestiny74 Join the free Speaking Your Brand community at https://www.speakingyourbrand.com/join/. Sign up for a strategy session at https://www.speakingyourbrand.com/strategy-session/. Say hi to me on Twitter @CarolMorganCox Subscribe to the podcast, so you don’t miss out on future episodes!

If you’ve been giving presentations for awhile that are the typical 30-60 minutes in length, but you’re curious as to how to condense your idea into a speech that’s less than 10 minutes (it is possible!), you’re going to learn a lot in this episode. My guest, Tara Lynn Foster, is a leadership speaker and coach for women professionals and entrepreneurs. She spent her career in corporate America, dutifully climbing the ladder, until she realized she was on the wrong ladder. Earlier this year, Tara was invited to give a TED-style lightning talk at a conference for women entrepreneurs in Denver, so in this episode, I help Tara with putting that together. Since this call was recorded, Tara delivered her speech and I just watched the video. She did great, as I knew she would! We cover how to open and close the speech, what to cut to stay on theme with an 8-minute speech, what slides Tara should use, and how to prepare. I also go over my presentation framework and how it relates to Tara’s talk. You can download the free PDF by going to https://www.speakingyourbrand.com/framework/. If you’d like to hear more episodes on creating presentations, be sure to listen to episode 11 on creating and preparing for a keynote, and episode 3, where I deconstruct a short speech I gave at a conference. Highlights: Who Tara works with and the speaking engagements she’s been doing Shifting your presentation from practical to inspirational, from trainer to thought leader How to grab the audience at the beginning Have to stay on theme and cut everything that’s not on theme, especially for short speeches How to end the speech An overview of my presentation framework and how Tara’s speech fits into it What slides Tara should have How to write the speech, memorize it, and prepare for it   Links: Connect with Tara on her website: http://www.taralynnfoster.com/ Facebook = https://www.facebook.com/taralynnfosterllc Instagram = @TaraLynnFoster Twitter = @TaraLynnFoster Download the free PDF of my presentation framework I describe in the podcast: https://www.speakingyourbrand.com/framework/ Join the free Speaking Your Brand community at https://www.speakingyourbrand.com/join/. Sign up for a strategy session at https://www.speakingyourbrand.com/strategy-session/. Say hi to me on Twitter @CarolMorganCox Subscribe to the podcast, so you don’t miss out on future episodes!

How can you get media coverage for your business? In this episode, you’ll learn common mistakes business owners make when pitching journalists, what to put in your pitches, how to show you’re an expert, and how the media landscape is changing. My guest is Christina Nicholson, an award-winning journalist with more than a decade of experience anchoring, reporting, writing, blogging, video production, editing, excelling in social media, photography, and live TV. She has been featured in Forbes, Fast Company, the Huffington Post, and on CNN, WTVJ in Miami, WPTV in West Palm Beach, News 12 in New York City, and many other media outlets. Christina now has her own company called Media Maven and helps businesses with their marketing, PR, and publicity, through consulting as well as by teaching business owners how to do it themselves through her online course. Highlights: What got Christina interested in being a TV reporter and how she got started What to put in your demo reel The reasons to start small and local before looking for national media coverage How to get more comfortable talking about your business and your message Common mistakes business owners make when trying to get media coverage What to put in your pitches How to show that you are an expert How the media landscape is changing Whether it’s better for a pitch to come from the business owner or a publicist Links: Connect with Christina on her website: http://www.mediamavenandmore.com/ Facebook = https://www.facebook.com/mediamavenandmore/ Instagram = https://www.instagram.com/christinaallday/ Twitter = @ChristinaAllDay Join the free Speaking Your Brand community at https://www.speakingyourbrand.com/join/. Sign up for a strategy session at https://www.speakingyourbrand.com/strategy-session/. Say hi to me on Twitter @CarolMorganCox Subscribe to the podcast, so you don’t miss out on future episodes!

How many of us wouldn't rather market and grow our businesses with heart rather than hustle? It’s exhausting trying to keep up with every new social media channel and tactic (Facebook Live! Snapchat! Instastories!), much less everything else that goes into running our businesses and working with clients. But, it doesn’t have to be that way. In this episode, Lisa Princic and I talk about why "hoping for the best and hustling" is not a sustainable business strategy and what to do instead. The place to start is by defining your value proposition: the unique combination of your attributes, your values, and the outcomes you get for your clients. Listen in for some examples of good and not-so-good value propositions. Let me tell you about my guest Lisa Princic: I know Lisa because she was my business coach. I hired her back in 2015 when I was starting Speaking Your Brand and needed to make sense of and prioritize all of the ideas I had. As I tell people, you can’t do this all in your own head. Even though I teach entrepreneurship, business models, and marketing and started my first business 15 years ago, I realized I needed someone else to verbalize my thoughts to and get feedback to keep me moving forward. Lisa helped me to articulate the value I bring to my clients. Through her one-on-one coaching and group programs, Lisa helps impact-driven business owners dive deep into their truth and unique value and build a highly compelling brand around it so they can attract their best clients, create more powerful offers, and build more profit into their business models. She does this in a way that allows them to meet their growth goals with more heart than hustle. In this episode, Lisa and I talk about the importance of having a clear value proposition and a business model that works for you, so you can be intentional with your marketing to get better results.   Highlights: What exactly is a business model and how it’s different from a business plan Why having a skill set is not necessarily enough to have a business The core of a business model is the value proposition Why “hoping for the best and hustling” is not a sustainable business model Lisa’s business model evolving from exclusively one-on-one coaching to adding group programs The benefits of doing a small pilot program first Your value proposition is a combination of your personality and the outcomes you can get for people Making your outcomes tangible (buy now) combined with visionary goals (buy in) Nurture your current and past clients - see how you can serve them again Focus first on the marketing strategies that are already working for you   Links: Connect with Lisa on her website: https://lisaprincic.com/speaking-your-brand/ Facebook = https://www.facebook.com/groups/soulstrategy/ Twitter = @LisaPrincic Join the free Speaking Your Brand community at https://www.speakingyourbrand.com/join/. Sign up for a strategy session at https://www.speakingyourbrand.com/strategy-session/. Say hi to me on Twitter @CarolMorganCox Subscribe to the podcast, so you don’t miss out on future episodes!

We're going behind-the-scenes to look at what it’s really like to prepare and deliver a keynote. Keynotes are meant to be inspirational and aspirational, which is different from a standard business presentation or breakout session where you’re sharing tactical, step-by-step things that people can do. In a keynote, you want to take the audience on a journey, weaving in your own stories and experiences, and sharing with them your big idea. In this episode, I talk with one of my clients, LuAnn Nigara, and we do a debrief of the keynote she recently gave at a large industry conference. You’ll hear about the process we went through to create the speech, how LuAnn felt on stage, and LuAnn shares with us some things she would do differently. I knew she would nail her keynote - and she did! You’ll love LuAnn’s energy - she was a lot of fun to work with and to have on the show. Let me tell you about LuAnn’s background: She is an award-winning window treatment authority, host of one of the most popular podcasts for the design industry, A Well-Designed Business, and overall business dynamo. She has a multi-million-dollar window treatment business in New Jersey, which has serviced over 24,000 customers over the past 35 years. Be sure to subscribe to the show if you haven’t already. I have more training and coaching calls coming up, including on TEDx talks and pitching the media, so this way you’ll automatically get the new episodes. And share this episode with a friend, especially if you know someone who will be doing a keynote or wants to in the future. Highlights: Why LuAnn was invited to do a keynote How LuAnn prepared for the keynote, starting 3 months ahead of time until a few days before What LuAnn felt like she needed the most help How LuAnn and I worked together to create her message and keynote speech How LuAnn decided to start her keynote Lessons she learned and what she would do differently next time LuAnn’s decision to memorize her talk and how she went about doing that The importance of really knowing your transitions between sections The feedback she received after her keynote The core message from LuAnn’s keynote   Links: Connect with LuAnn on her website at http://windowworks-nj.com LuAnn’s podcast A Well-Designed Business = http://windowworks-nj.com/podcasts/ Instagram = https://www.instagram.com/luannnigara/ Twitter = https://twitter.com/WindowWorks_NJ   I was on LuAnn’s podcast, A Well-Designed Business, in episode 140, to celebrate her 1 year podcast anniversary: http://windowworks-nj.com/luann-nigara-2/ Join the free Speaking Your Brand community at https://www.speakingyourbrand.com/join/. Sign up for a strategy session at https://www.speakingyourbrand.com/strategy-session/. Say hi to me on Twitter at https://twitter.com/carolmorgancox/. Subscribe to the podcast, so you don’t miss out on future episodes!

If you've struggled with figuring out who your ideal target market is, what problems and needs they have, and what results you can get for them, this coaching episode is going to show you the process I use with my clients to help them identify this. We know that in our businesses and in our speeches, we can’t try to appeal to everyone, because then we appeal to no one. So, what do we do? We need to uncover our unique angle, our particular combination of experiences, expertise, approach, and worldview, and then identify the type of people who are attracted to who we are and what we stand for and who are ready and eager to hear our message and use our product or service. In this coaching call you’re about to hear, my guest Susanna Barkataki and I work on defining who exactly her target market is. Susanna is a gifted writer, speaker, educator, and yoga teacher trainer and recently founded the Ignite Yoga and Wellness Institute in Orlando, Florida. Susanna and I talk about how her approach to yoga, meditation, and mindfulness is different from others and why that’s a big attraction for the clients who come to her. If you’d like to work together on identifying your core message, unique angle, and target market, book a 90-minute strategy session with me. It’s virtually impossible for you to do this work in your own head. You really need someone to walk you through the process and to see what you can’t see for yourself. It’s not because you’re not smart and brilliant and capable - you very much are! It’s just that we’re too close to ourselves, so our unique strengths become invisible to us. I’ll help you uncover them. You can learn more about the strategy session and sign up on my website at https://www.speakingyourbrand.com/strategy-session/. I know you’re going to get a lot out of this episode, so be sure to share it with a friend and leave a review on iTunes. I really appreciate it! Highlights: The power of local events for creating community and building brand awareness Susanna’s elevator pitch for her new wellness institute We want to make sure we’re attracting the right clients to us, because we want them to be successful. I help Susanna define her target market for the institute, including selecting one of her two avatars to focus on. Why Susanna’s clients come to her and how aspiration fits in Susanna’s energy secrets (these are really good!) What does Susanna do differently from others in her field? What problems/needs are Susanna’s target clients experiencing and where are they in their journey of self development? Don’t spend your time and effort trying to convince people they need a solution to their problem. Focus on the ones who are already looking for solutions. We work on Susanna’s brand statement and her unique angle/approach/mindset   What do you think of the brand statement we came up with for Susanna? Join us in the free Speaking Your Brand community at https://www.speakingyourbrand.com/join/ and let us know!   Links: Connect with Susanna on her website at http://susannabarkataki.com/ Facebook = https://www.facebook.com/susanna.barkataki Join the free Speaking Your Brand community at https://www.speakingyourbrand.com/join/. Sign up for a strategy session at https://www.speakingyourbrand.com/strategy-session/. Say hi to me on Twitter at https://twitter.com/carolmorgancox/. Subscribe to the podcast, so you don’t miss out on future episodes!

You are going to get so much out of my conversation with Donna Cravotta, who is a social media expert and founder of Social Pivot PR. This episode is part coaching - I give Donna feedback on her presentation content and how she should position herself. And then it leads into training. Donna is so good at what she does with social media that I couldn’t help but ask her questions I have and that I knew you would benefit from. Donna gives us some fantastic tips and tools for how to use social media, as speakers and thought leaders, to build our personal brands and connect with fans and influencers - without spending a lot of time or getting distracted. Highlights: The importance of listening on social media Donna pivoting her business from a volume-based business to a handful of clients All of her new clients came from speaking engagements she did in the fall of 2016 and what had changed Audiences wanted less training and detail and more focus on story and what’s possible The framework I use for presentations My recommendations for Donna for her presentations and her unique angle What Donna sees that people are missing about social media Donna’s recommended tools for social media management Make sure your social media marketing aligns with your business objectives Having a balance between automated posts and real-time interactions Donna’s social media tips for speakers   Links: You can connect with Donna on her website at https://socialpivotpr.com/ LinkedIn = http://www.linkedin.com/in/donnacravotta Twitter = @DonnaCravotta Facebook = https://www.facebook.com/SocialPivotPR Join the free Speaking Your Brand community at https://www.speakingyourbrand.com/join/. Sign up for a strategy session at https://www.speakingyourbrand.com/strategy-session/. Say hi to me on Twitter at https://twitter.com/carolmorgancox/. Subscribe to the podcast, so you don’t miss out on future episodes! Get all of the show notes at https://www.speakingyourbrand.com/9

What kind of topics are worthy of a keynote versus a presentation you would do in a workshop or breakout session? How can you position what you offer so that clients see you as a go-to expert rather than a one-time or infrequent purchase? Both of these questions are key if you’re looking to expand your business and get paid as a speaker. My guest, Danielle Liss, is a lawyer, but don’t worry - she’s not like the attorneys you’ve met at your typical chamber of commerce or networking meeting. Instead, Danielle and her partner have been called “cool lawyers”. That’s because they understand online entrepreneurship and the new economy. In this episode, I help Danielle come up with a messaging strategy to make legal topics less boring and more appealing when she’s pitching to conferences, especially for keynotes, and to podcasts. I also put my business hat on and help Danielle think about a way she can increase her own company’s revenue by offering a new type of service to entrepreneurs who are in a growth stage. We end the episode talking about how and why to track and measure the results of your speaking. About my guest: Danielle Liss is a partner and founder of Hashtag Legal. As former Chief Marketing Officer and General Counsel of FitFluential, an influencer network concentrating on health and wellness initiatives, Danielle has intimate knowledge of the challenges facing influencer networks and social media professionals. Danielle has extensive experience creating and negotiating contracts, interpreting FTC guidelines, and creating website policies. Danielle is also an accomplished speaker and has spoken at dozens of conferences on legal issues related to bloggers and social media professionals. We talk about: How Danielle works with her clients, who include entrepreneurs, influencers, bloggers, and speakers Two key things that should be included in your contracts as a speaker How to position Danielle and her legal business so that it’s not boring or fear-based The current presentation topics Danielle speaks on The difference in content between a keynote and a workshop or breakout session The value proposition we come up with that Danielle can use to appeal to entrepreneurs as they’re growing their companies Finding the right places to pitch (whether conferences or podcasts) that have the best audience for you My recommendation that Danielle not offer prospects free strategy calls and why How and why to track and measure the results of your speaking   Links: Connect with Danielle on her website at http://hashtag-legal.com DIY legal forms at http://www.businessese.com/ LinkedIn = https://www.linkedin.com/in/danielleliss/ Facebook = https://www.facebook.com/hashtaglegallc Twitter = https://twitter.com/danielleliss Join the free Speaking Your Brand community at https://www.speakingyourbrand.com/join/. Sign up for a strategy session at https://www.speakingyourbrand.com/strategy-session/. Say hi to me on Twitter at https://twitter.com/carolmorgancox/. Subscribe to the podcast, so you don’t miss out on future episodes!