The Speaker Lab Podcast

Have you ever thought of YouTube as more than a place to host your videos? What if you could find out how to use YouTube to grow your speaking business? The man to tell us how is none other than my friend Thomas Frank. Thomas went through our Booked and Paid to Speak trainings a few years ago. I met him when he was in college; I spoke at his school. We stayed in touch and he's become extremely successful, especially with his YouTube channel. On today's show, we talk about his origins, how you can use YouTube to build your audience and find and book potential speaking gigs, and best practices for YouTube videos to generate more interest and views. Join us for Thomas' insights on those subjects and much more on this episode of The Speaker Lab.  THE FINER DETAILS OF THIS SHOW:  What is his strategy when he goes to a conference?How does he use his platform to build relationships?What other income streams has he built aside from speaking?How Fizzle and Pat Flynn influenced his platforms and business growth.What is the second biggest search engine after Google?Is it best to position yourself as a topic expert or a speaker?What are the 3 factors to succeeding on YouTube?What can flags teach us about using YouTube effectively?And so much more!EPISODE RESOURCESCollege Info Geek web siteThomas Frank on Twitter Thomas Frank on YouTube College Info Geek on YouTube College Info Geek on TwitterFind Paid Speaking Gigs Get Free Speaker ResourcesBook a Call with The Speaker LabCalculate Your Speaking FeeJoin The Speaker Lab Community on FacebookSubscribe on Apple PodcastsSubscribe on SpotifySee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

At a certain point, most of us think about how to ensure we are living a life of significance. One person who has definitely done this is our guest today, Pete Smith. Pete has devoted his career to this very topic and he's here to share with us how he's successfully done so as a keynote speaker.Today he has between 40 and 50 engagements a year, most of which are opening or closing keynotes on the topic of bringing significance into our lives. But how he choose that topic and how he's grown his speaking career from free local association gigs to international keynotes is a fascinating story.On this edition of the show, he'll tell us how he got his start, the funny story of what happened the first time he was asked what he charges to speak and how he picked his domain name since his name is so common. Tune in to hear that and more on episode 213 of The Speaker Lab.  THE FINER DETAILS OF THIS SHOW:  What are the 3 biggest takeaways he wants his attendees to get from his talks?How did having a stroke impact his speaking career?Why is he the poster child for how NOT to go out on your own?How local associations helped him get his start.How many free events vs paid events did he do in his first year?What type of person is cut out for this business?What is working for him right now to find and book gigs?If you have a message to deliver what is the question to ask yourself?And so much more!EPISODE RESOURCESPete Smith's web site Pete Smith on Twitter Free resource to find and book paid speaking gigs Get Free Speaker ResourcesBook a Call with The Speaker LabCalculate Your Speaking FeeJoin The Speaker Lab Community on FacebookSubscribe on Apple PodcastsSubscribe on SpotifySee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

One of the fundamental keys to succeeding as a speaker is providing an exceptional customer experience for your client. This includes all aspects of your client's event: before, during and even after.A man who knows this truth like the back of his own hand is Joey Coleman. You may remember Joey from epsiode 197 of the show, and you may remember we finished that show with a tease to bring him back. Well he's back and in full force for part II!Today Joey walks us through an 8 step process of what to do before, during and after an event to provide an exceptional customer experience. He also explains why this all matters so much and gives us his top pro tip on what to never, ever, ever do! Jump on in and join us for this in-depth look at providing an exceptional customer experience on episode 212 of The Speaker Lab.  THE FINER DETAILS OF THIS SHOW:  How can you keynote the same event year after year?When do clients have buyer's remorse and what can you do about it?Why you don't have to be an exceptional speaker to be successful.Why does he send letters of agreement and not contracts?What are questions he always asks during planning calls?What is the biggest fear most event planners have?You have a minimum of three audiences for all of your gigs: what are they?How to get your client to become your biggest advocate.And so much more!EPISODE RESOURCESJoey Coleman's web siteNever Lose a Customer Again, with Joey ColemanNever Lose a Customer Again on AudibleJoey Coleman on TwitterEpisode 197 with Joey ColemanGet Free Speaker ResourcesBook a Call with The Speaker LabCalculate Your Speaking FeeJoin The Speaker Lab Community on FacebookSubscribe on Apple PodcastsSubscribe on SpotifySee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Can you change your audience once you’ve started speaking? You can, and here to share how to pivot in your speaking career is Kendra Dahlstrom.On today’s episode of The Speaker Lab, Kendra shares how and why she changed her speaking niche, how she gained traction early on in her speaking career, and what it was like to make the jump from alast full-time job to a full-time speaking career.Join us for all of that and so much more on today's 211th edition of The Speaker Lab!  THE FINER DETAILS OF THIS SHOW:  When did she know she wanted to work full-time as a speaker?Why did she resist nailing down her niche?How did she stay positive through multiple transitions?What did she do early on to get gigs?How did she know how much to charge initially?Why does creating time blocks help prioritize?How did she decide when to add coaching, consulting and courses?What advice does she have if you want to leave your full-time job?And so much more!EPISODE RESOURCESKendra Dahlstrom's web site Kendra Dahlstrom on Twitter Shaken: Discovering Your True Identity in the Midst of Life’s Storms, by A. J. Gregory and Tim TebowGet Free Speaker ResourcesBook a Call with The Speaker LabCalculate Your Speaking FeeJoin The Speaker Lab Community on FacebookSubscribe on Apple PodcastsSubscribe on SpotifySee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Do you need a speaking management company? What's the difference between a speaking management company and a speakers bureau?Here to answer those questions and more is Karen Harris of CMI Speaker Management, a management agency for speakers. Karen's agency is designed to represent the speaker's interests and take care of their needs, while also growing their business.On this episode of The Speaker Lab, we talk about the differences between speaker agents and bureaus before discussing what clients want to see from potential speakers and what distinguishes those speakers who make it from those who don't succeed. Join us for that and more on episode 210 of The Speaker Lab!  THE FINER DETAILS OF THIS SHOW:  What does Karen look for in potential clients for her agency?Are videos better shown in small chunks or one longer clip?What can we learn about marketing from the latest Mission Impossible movie?Why should you have multiple YouTube channels and what should each of them be?What are the top two topics event planners are booking for right now?What works well to book gigs when you are a new or emerging speaker?Do you always have to do "exposure opportunities"?Why you must take a video down if it's more than a year old.And so much more! EPISODE RESOURCESCMI Speaker Management web site CMI Speaker Management on Twitter Database of speaking opportunitiesGet Free Speaker ResourcesBook a Call with The Speaker LabCalculate Your Speaking FeeJoin The Speaker Lab Community on FacebookSubscribe on Apple PodcastsSubscribe on SpotifySee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Have you ever considered how to develop your voice through speaking and writing? Whether you are a speaker who wants to write or a writer who has a book to promote writing and speaking go hand in hand. Here to tell us more about this is Ann Handley.Ann is the Chief Content Officer of MarketingProfs, she's also a best-selling author and a speaker. Today on The Speaker Lab she and Melanie are talking about writing and speaking are intertwined, how to find and refine your unique voice and the importance of showing up authentically on stage and in your content.Episode 209 is also a different kind of episode: Melanie Diezel is back as our interviewer. We've done this once before and you all loved it so much we decided to do it again. Let us know if you want another Melanie-run interview and a repeat visit from Ann after you listen to this latest edition of The Speaker Lab!  THE FINER DETAILS OF THIS SHOW:  What is the essence of public speaking?What is the dirty truth of being an author?Can we develop a strong sense of our own voice, even if we aren't writers?What makes the best writing?Is writing something only a few special people have been gifted with?How does content play into building your speaking business?What gave her the feedback to know she needed to write her second book?What is a baby step you can take right now to experiment with writing?And so much more!EPISODE RESOURCESAnn Handley’s web site Ann's newsletter MarketingProfs web site Everybody Writes by Ann HandleyContent Rules by Ann Handley and C.C. ChapmanAnn Handley on TwitterAaron Draplin on Instagram Content Marketing World Episode 195 of The Speaker LabGet Free Speaker ResourcesBook a Call with The Speaker LabCalculate Your Speaking FeeJoin The Speaker Lab Community on FacebookSubscribe on Apple PodcastsSubscribe on SpotifySee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Some of the advice you'll hear most on this show is about how to narrow your audience. Yes your topic may appeal to a wide range of audiences, but how are you going to find the people perfect for you? By staying focused and going narrow.Someone who epitomizes this is Rick Clemons, our guest for this episode. Rick has gone through The Speaker Lab elite coaching program and has made fantastic strides in the process!Today we are talking about how he's worked to narrow down who his audience is (even though his topic could appeal to many different groups), why systems and structure have helped him to book more gigs and simple strategies to increase engagement when contacting potential clients. Join us for that and more on episode 208 of The Speaker Lab.  THE FINER DETAILS OF THIS SHOW:  When did he realize he's a storyteller who happens to speak?How did he pivot so he could narrow his focus?How to adapt your language to connect with potential clients.What is a common mistake most speakers make?How and why to get clear on the results you want.Why he focuses on the six to eight states nearest him.What is his email follow up system?How does he utilize video to personally connect with potential clients?And so much more!EPISODE RESOURCESRick Clemons' web siteRick Clemons on TwitterThe Life Uncloseted podcastLoom video and screen recording softwareGet Free Speaker ResourcesBook a Call with The Speaker LabCalculate Your Speaking FeeJoin The Speaker Lab Community on FacebookSubscribe on Apple PodcastsSubscribe on SpotifySee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Do you think if you get listed with a speakers bureau the gigs will just come pouring in? It's not quite that simple.Marcus Sheridan joins us to share why speakers bureaus alone won't make you successful (and what will) on episode 207 of The Speaker Lab.Marcus is a successful speaker who has built his business in an unconventional way. Today we break down and bust through myths he held, how his perception of speaking bureaus has evolved and changed, how he thinks about speaking fees and quantifying the value you offer.And we finish with Marcus giving an answer he is certain I disagree with! Tune in to hear what that answer is and if I actually do disagree on this episode of The Speaker Lab.  THE FINER DETAILS OF THIS SHOW:  Is a bureau pivotal to booking higher quality gigs?Why bureaus should supplement your business, but not be the sole source.Was it hard for him to ask for money for his own services?Why success takes more than just getting on stage and speaking.At what point did he start bringing in a team to help him?Why does he think speakers have difficulty asking for higher fees?Why people aren't paying you for your time, and what they are paying for instead.How to take full advantage of the seeds of trust you have already developed.And so much more!EPISODE RESOURCESMarcus Sheridan's websiteEmail MarcusThey Ask You Answer, Marcus' latest bookMarcus Sheridan on TwitterGet Free Speaker ResourcesBook a Call with The Speaker LabCalculate Your Speaking FeeJoin The Speaker Lab Community on FacebookSubscribe on Apple PodcastsSubscribe on Spotify See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Do you know what SEO stands for or how SEO can grow your speaking business? You're in luck because today's guest will answer those questions, and more. Brian Dean of Backlinko joins us for episode 206 of The Speaker Lab.Brian's company is Backlinko, an SEO training company that teaches people how to rank in Google and YouTube. Most people know Backlinko as a blog, it gets 3 million visitors every year and is one of the top SEO blogs in the world.If you're wondering what SEO is the term stands for search engine optimization, which means getting your site to rank higher on Google. The purpose of SEO is driving more traffic to your site from search engines, like Google and YouTube.On this episode, we'll talk about why SEO (including blogging and YouTube) should be a part of your marketing strategy. Brian will also share techniques you can use, including where to begin, and much more on today's edition of The Speaker Lab.THE FINER DETAILS OF THIS SHOW:  What does EAT stand for and why does it matter in your Google rankings?What is the barbell strategy?How do you know which keywords you should use?How many keywords should you be targeting to be most effective?What are the two ways Google reviews your site to rank it?Why has he put so much effort into YouTube?What is the 2nd biggest search engine in the world?How long should your videos be on YouTube?And so much more!EPISODE RESOURCESBacklinko web siteBacklinko blogBacklinko on TwitterSeed Keywords EngineDatabase of speaking events Get Free Speaker ResourcesBook a Call with The Speaker LabCalculate Your Speaking FeeJoin The Speaker Lab Community on FacebookSubscribe on Apple PodcastsSubscribe on SpotifySee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

You know it takes time, effort and energy to build and grow your speaking career; succeeding as a speaker means you also must know how to compete every day. Someone who embodies this is Jake Thompson. Jake's brand, Compete Every Day, is an apparel lifestyle brand based on the idea that life is worth competing for.On this episode of The Speaker Lab, Jake will go into more detail on the evolution of his brand as well as how he's uncovered who his audience is, how he battles discouragement in this business, and how he hustles to expand his business without getting overwhelmed or spreading himself too thin.We also get into some coaching before wrapping up with Jake's advice for hanging in there through the ups and downs of your journey. Join us for all of that on today's edition of The Speaker Lab.THE FINER DETAILS OF THIS SHOW:  When did he feel called to the stage, and why?What is the goal behind his brand?How has he gotten traction over the last six months?What role has content played in helping people to find him?Why it's easier to pivot from the wrong niche than it is to speak to a broad target market.What can we learn from Kobe Bryant's basic drill exercises?How is batching a variety content helping him grow his business?Why you can do it all, just not at once.And so much more!EPISODE RESOURCESCompete Every Day web siteJake Thompson's web site Compete Every Day on Twitter Database of speaking events Get Free Speaker ResourcesBook a Call with The Speaker LabCalculate Your Speaking FeeJoin The Speaker Lab Community on FacebookSubscribe on Apple PodcastsSubscribe on Spotify See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.