Speaking Your Brand: Public Speaking Tips and Strategies

You’re going to love this episode with my guest and Thought Leader Academy grad Erica Hall! If you’ve ever felt like you shouldn’t show your real personality to your audiences or that people expect you to be a certain type of person, this conversation is going to be validating and revealing. Before we get to that part of the conversation, Erica shares her perspective on money mindset and money behaviors and the experiences that shaped her understanding of money. This is why *who* you are and what you’ve *learned* are essential elements of your thought leadership. We also dig into the power of frameworks and acronyms and Erica shares what she got out of being in the Thought Leader Academy. You’ll hear: Erica’s perspective on money mindset and money behaviors How experiences Erica had when she was younger shaped her understanding of money behavior and led to her thought leadership The importance of having a framework, such as an acronym, in your talks and presentations Erica’s experience in our Thought Leader Academy, especially how helpful it was to learn our framework and have a repeatable process to use going forward How an offhand comment I made about my Enneagram number in a group call helped Erica understand that she can lean into her natural personality and not have to be someone she’s not This episode is part of our new podcast series called “Level Up Your Speaking.”   Want to develop your speaking skills, thought leadership, and signature talk? Check out our online coaching program the Thought Leader Academy and our upcoming 3-day in-person speaking intensive.   Links: Show notes at https://www.speakingyourbrand.com/368/  Erica’s website: https://worthplotting.com/  Discover your Speaker Archetype by taking our free quiz at https://www.speakingyourbrand.com/quiz/ Connect on LinkedIn: Carol Cox = https://www.linkedin.com/in/carolcox Erica Hall (guest) = https://www.linkedin.com/in/erica-hall-mba-5288531a/ Related Podcast Episodes: Episode 363: From Burned Out to Lit Up: How Cara Houser Turned Her Signature Talk into a Best-Selling Book with Cara Houser Episode 353: The Power of Frameworks: How Sharon Ehrlich Found Her Voice and Message with Sharon Ehrlich Episode 343: Why YOU are the Messenger for Your Idea and Audience Episode 274: The Key to Booking More Speaking Engagements with Sarah Lynn Wallace (Enneagram coach)

As we embrace the excitement of a new year, it's the perfect time to strategize about your speaking journey. Are you wondering where to make your mark this year?  Let's delve deeper because the art of creating a robust speaking and visibility plan transcends merely scouting for random events, conferences, and podcasts. Here’s what you’ll discover: Identify Your Speaking Goals: Understand the different goals you can pursue through public speaking and how these can empower your personal and professional growth. Use the 5 Whys Method: I'll share with you the transformative 5 Whys technique. It's a journey I've embarked on myself, and I’ll be opening up about how this approach helped me uncover the heart of my speaking objectives. The Importance of Local Groups: Learn how to connect with local groups and why focusing on a few, to begin with, can create more impactful connections and help you get known as a speaker. Choose the Right Conferences: We’ll walk you through how to select conferences that align with your message and how these platforms can elevate your speaking career. The Right Way to Pitch to be a Guest on Podcasts: Discover the pathways to becoming a guest on podcasts that resonate with your brand and message. Optimize Your LinkedIn for Speaking Opportunities: Tips on making your LinkedIn profile a beacon for speaking invitations.   Want to develop your speaking skills, thought leadership, and signature talk? Check out our online coaching program the Thought Leader Academy and our upcoming 3-day in-person speaking intensive.   Show notes at https://www.speakingyourbrand.com/367/ Michelle Warner’s Networking That Pays course: https://www.themichellewarner.com/networkingthatpays   Connect on LinkedIn: Carol Cox = https://www.linkedin.com/in/carolcox Diane Diaz = https://www.linkedin.com/in/dianediaz   Related Podcast Episodes: Episode 362: [Case Study] Integrating Thought Leadership and Lead Generation in Your Signature Talk with Danielle Hayden Episode 355: What a Signature Talk Is and What It Should be Doing for You Episode 356: What to Do Now to Position Yourself as a Thought Leader

Happy New Year! This is the 6th year in a row I’ve done a trends episode for the start of the year. Trends are like currents or waves of energy that move through our society and affect everything from business and politics and the economy to popular culture and media. As speakers, entrepreneurs, and thought leaders, these trends will impact our thought leadership, our content, and our marketing. In this episode, you’ll learn 3 trends I've identified that are shaping our world: Big changes in social media platforms as the premise of social media shifts from connection to entertainment and it becomes harder to tell what's real and what's not The continued rise and more ubiquitous usage of generative AI tools like ChatGPT plus images, video, and voice The internet as a whole is changing, becoming more fragmented and siloed, with network effects accruing to people and brands who already have large followings   I also share specific action steps you can take: Develop a clear and distinct brand voice Imbue your content with soul Focus more on in-person experiences and events   As a speaker, you are well positioned to connect with your audiences in a deeper and more human way. Want to develop your speaking skills, thought leadership, and signature talk? Check out our online coaching program the Thought Leader Academy and our upcoming 3-day in-person speaking intensive. Connect with me on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/carolcox Show notes at https://www.speakingyourbrand.com/366/ Related Podcast Episodes: Episode 340: Can I Tell It's You? What a Brand Voice Is and Why You Need One Episode 327: From Expert to Thought Leader: 3 Key Strategies You Need Now to Set Yourself Apart in Our New AI-Driven World Episode 313: How to Thrive in the Age of A.I.   Mentioned: YouTube live stream with realistic AI avatar = https://www.youtube.com/live/VH1rOylsoMo?si=1PpvUCqchdRCb0o0&t=540 “Nobody Knows What’s Happening Online Anymore” by Charlie Warzel (The Atlantic) “TikTok is eating microblogging as we’ve always known it” by Caroline Mimbs Nyce (The Atlantic) “Is Social Media Dying? What That Could Mean for Marketers” by Lestraundra Alfred (HubSpot) “Neil Gaiman’s Radical Vision for the Future of the Internet” by Cal Newport

I’m taking you behind the scenes to share what worked, what didn’t, and what’s next for Speaking Your Brand in the areas of speaking, visibility, this podcast, and the business in general. I also reveal what I’ve learned from reading and watching Marie Kondo and how I’m applying that not only to my house (my holiday break project!) but also to Speaking Your Brand. With that in mind, in this episode, I share: 🎉  What we’re celebrating that went well this year ❌  Things we tried that did not go as well as we had wanted 💡  Larger lessons we’re taking from what worked and what didn’t 🎯  What we’re planning for 2024   I encourage you to use this template to reflect on and write down your own wins, experiments, lessons, and priorities.   Enrollment is open for our next Thought Leader Academy group that starts in January.   About Us: The Speaking Your Brand podcast is hosted by Carol Cox. At Speaking Your Brand, we help women entrepreneurs and professionals clarify their brand message and story, create their signature talks, and develop their thought leadership platforms. Our mission is to get more women in positions of influence and power because it's through women's stories, voices, and visibility that we challenge the status quo and change existing systems. Check out our coaching programs at https://www.speakingyourbrand.com. Links: Show notes at https://www.speakingyourbrand.com/365/ Discover your Speaker Archetype by taking our free quiz at https://www.speakingyourbrand.com/quiz/ Join our Thought Leader Academy: https://www.speakingyourbrand.com/academy/ Attend our in-person Client Retreat Speaking Intensive in February in Orlando: https://www.speakingyourbrand.com/retreat/ Online workshop series: https://www.speakingyourbrand.com/workshops/ Connect with me on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/carolcox   Related Podcast Episodes: Episode 354: Finding and Developing Your Big I.D.E.A. Episode 352: 7 Things the Best Speakers Do: My Takeaways from TEDWomen Episode 343: Why YOU are the Messenger for Your Idea and Audience Episode 342: I Almost Got Stuck in the Expert Trap: How I Created My Recent Successful Conference Presentation Episode 340: Can I Tell It's You? What a Brand Voice Is and Why You Need One

If you think your stories and experiences from long ago aren’t relevant to what you do now, what you speak about, and your overall thought leadership message, this conversation will show how much our past experiences shape who we are and reflect what matters to us. Our lead speaking coach, Diane Diaz, sat down with Samantha Irwin, a recent graduate of our Thought Leader Academy and a seasoned entrepreneur with a fascinating journey. In this episode, you'll hear: Samantha's journey from teaching to entrepreneurship, and how these experiences shaped her thought leadership Her time in the Thought Leader Academy and how it helped her create a signature talk Samantha's recent talk crafted during her VIP Day and the positive feedback she received Samantha's innovative use of her customer service card decks in her presentations for lead generation   Show notes at https://www.speakingyourbrand.com/364/ Samantha’s website: https://kaizen.zone/ Discover your Speaker Archetype by taking our free quiz at https://www.speakingyourbrand.com/quiz/ Enroll in our Thought Leader Academy: https://www.speakingyourbrand.com/academy/  Connect on LinkedIn: Carol Cox = https://www.linkedin.com/in/carolcox Diane Diaz = https://www.linkedin.com/dianediaz Samantha Irwin (guest) = https://www.linkedin.com/in/samanthairwin/ Related Podcast Episodes: Episode 343: Why YOU are the Messenger for Your Idea and Audience

Speaking and books go hand in hand. Many authors are public speakers and many speakers have written books. What does it look like to take your thought leadership message and turn it into both a signature talk and a published book? That’s what we dig into with my guest and Thought Leader Academy grad Cara Houser. Cara recently published her best-selling book “Burned Out to Lit Up: Ditch the Grind and Reclaim Your Life” (I highly recommend it!). Cara and I talk about: Why she decided this was the topic for her thought leadership My perspective on why her book on burnout is different from others Cara’s thought leadership journey to refine her message Her writing process   Building a book launch team and marketing the book to make it a bestseller If you’ve been wanting to write a book or you know that having a book is in your future, this episode is for you!   Show notes at https://www.speakingyourbrand.com/363/ Get Cara’s book “Burned Out to Lit Up”: https://www.carahouser.com/ Enroll in our Thought Leader Academy: https://www.speakingyourbrand.com/academy/

Many speakers use public speaking as a way to build awareness for their business and attract leads and clients. Speaking is an excellent way to do this because you automatically have credibility and authority by standing in front of a group of people. However, an opportunity I see speakers miss is that they forgo thought leadership when they’re delivering presentations on behalf of their business to attract leads and clients. They believe they have to provide lots of information, tips, and facts in order to provide value to the audience and by extension get the people in the audience interested in purchasing their product or service. What I’ve found to be a better approach, in the presentations that I deliver and in the ones we help our clients with, is to help the audience see where they are truly getting stuck and show them how to think about things differently, which is the essence of thought leadership. My guest is Danielle Hayden, the founder and CEO of Kickstart Accounting, Inc., who has built an incredible business and team that works with women entrepreneurs to truly understand their numbers so they can make better business decisions. Danielle reached out to me in October because she wanted to create a new signature talk for lead generation - listen in to find out what happened! Danielle and I talk about: Why she wanted to create a new lead generation signature talk How I recognized her thought leadership angle during our VIP Day The process we went through to develop her new talk, including how she felt about adding more stories The results she got signing on new clients the first time she presented her new talk   Show notes at https://www.speakingyourbrand.com/362/

Do you have giving a TEDx talk on your list of goals? Many speakers do - and for good reason! Those 10-minute talks are a powerful way to share a message and give the audience a way to think about a topic differently. Being a TEDx speaker is also a credibility marker and an opportunity to get seen by more people. How do you land a TEDx talk? What should you include in your application? What are event organizers looking for? How do you shape your idea? That’s what we’re going to get into in this episode. I’ve worked with TEDx events to select speakers and I’ve coached TEDx speakers, so I’m giving you an inside look on how you can increase your chances of getting selected and delivering an outstanding talk. Links: Show notes at https://www.speakingyourbrand.com/361/  Search for TEDx events: https://www.ted.com/tedx/events Discover your Speaker Archetype by taking our free quiz at https://www.speakingyourbrand.com/quiz/ Enroll in our Thought Leader Academy: https://www.speakingyourbrand.com/academy/  Apply for our 3-day in-person client retreat in February in Orlando: https://www.speakingyourbrand.com/retreat/  Connect on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/carolcox Listen to more episodes about TEDx talks. Related Podcast Episodes: Episode 354: Finding and Developing Your Big I.D.E.A. Episode 352: 7 Things the Best Speakers Do: My Takeaways from TEDWomen Episode 339: Using Public Speaking to Influence Social Change with Dr. Tanya Golash-Boza Episode 329: From Compelled to Take Action to TEDx Speaker with Dr. Nicole Rochester Episode 91: Visibility Works: From Local Speaking to TED.com to a Book with Tammy Lally

There are always going to be other people who do what you do and talk on the same topic. Have you ever collaborated with someone who’s in your same industry, who does similar work? It may seem counter-productive to do this because they’re kind of competitors, after all. But what if you could change your perspective on this? Having a thought partner who’s in the same industry can be very beneficial, which you’ll hear in today’s episode. My guests are two women who met in our Thought Leader Academy last year and have stayed connected ever since. They both work in the corporate leadership space, but with different approaches and types of clients. The three of us talk about: Why they decided to connect and stay in touch What it means to have a thought partner and how it has benefitted them How you can go about finding your own thought partner Having accountability in getting big things done Why they joined the Thought Leader Academy And more! About My Guests: Tenice Wehmeyer, PCC, founder of Wehmeyer Leadership Coaching, is dedicated to cultivating vulnerability-based trust and courage in leaders for brain-friendly collaboration. Cherie Mylordis is a business transformation expert, leadership coach and speaker. Links: Show notes at https://www.speakingyourbrand.com/360/  Tenice’s website: https://wehmeyerassociates.com/  Cherie’s website: https://www.nextgenify.com Discover your Speaker Archetype by taking our free quiz at https://www.speakingyourbrand.com/quiz/ Enroll in our Thought Leader Academy: https://www.speakingyourbrand.com/academy/  Apply for our in-person client retreat speaking intensive in Orlando: https://www.speakingyourbrand.com/retreat/  Connect on LinkedIn: Carol Cox = https://www.linkedin.com/in/carolcox Tenice Wehmeyer (guest) = https://www.linkedin.com/in/tenicewehmeyer/ Cherie Mylordis (guest) = https://www.linkedin.com/in/cherie-mylordis   Related Podcast Episodes: Episode 324: Creating Strategic Collaborations with Cara Steinmann Episode 317: [Coaching] Using Client Case Studies Effectively in Your Presentations with Cherie Mylordis

Juliette Powell, co-author of 'The AI Dilemma', discusses responsible AI, reducing bias, and the importance of women in AI. Topics include inspiring book, reducing bias in AI, actionable steps for women's participation in AI, ethical use of AI tools, and personal speaking experiences.