The Speaker Lab Podcast

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.

Can publishing a book help your speaking career? It can and here to explain how to get a book deal is my friend Chad Allen. Chad has 20 years of publishing experience under his belt, including being the head of the Baker Books division of The Baker Publishing Group.On this episode of The Speaker Lab, we're going to talk about how to create your book proposal, why and how to follow authors in your space, how to contact potential publishers, and much more.Chad has been extremely instrumental behind the scenes of my own book deal and publishing process so I wanted to share his advice with you. Join us on to hear what we've been up to along with his advice for you on how to get a book deal on episode 204 of The Speaker Lab.THE FINER DETAILS OF THIS SHOW:  Why you need a business plan for your book.What are the six major elements of a book proposal?Do you always need a book agent?How do publishers decide which books to publish?What are the key metrics a publisher uses when evaluating your platform?What is the #1 reason publishers turn down a proposal?How many email subscribers do you need at a minimum?What are the three forms of credibility and how does a book give you all of them?And so much more!EPISODE RESOURCESChad Allen's web siteChad Allen on Twitter5 Insider Secrets to Landing a Book Deal webinarEpisode 199 of The Speaker LabFree Speaker WorkshopGet 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 most common topics people ask me about is how to create a demo video. To dive into this topic our co-host, Ms. Melanie Diezel, is returning for episode 203.This is an important part of building your speaking business and your brand so we're dedicating an entire show to it.Today, Melanie and I will walk you through the best practices to keep in mind for your demo video, how to actually create your demo video with or without footage, and our best technical tips and software suggestions even if you aren't technically-oriented.There's a lot to get to so tune in to hear it all on episode 203 of The Speaker Lab! THE FINER DETAILS OF THIS SHOW:  Why your audience is key when you are creating your demo video.How and why to use B roll and voiceover in moderation.How can you layer in photos to show diverse experience?What is one of the easiest ways to punch up your demo video?What do you do if you need footage?What are some ways to hold people's attention throughout your video?Can you shoot your entire video using just an iPhone?Why your title and description of your video are also important.And so much more!EPISODE RESOURCESMelanie Deziel's websiteEnvato Market web sitePond 5 web siteEpisode 56 of The Speaker LabFree Speaker WorkshopGet 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.

Are you a part-time speaker, or are you someone who speaks on occasion? Or maybe you're doing a lot of speaking on the side while still working your full-time job, and you're wondering how to transition into full-time speaking. If any of those scenarios sound like you then you're in luck!Today's episode is completely dedicated to this very topic - how to transition into speaking full-time. Melanie and I will share our own stories of how we went from part-time speakers to having full-time speaking careers.We'll also tell you when it makes the most sense to make the transition, how to juggle everything before, during and after the transition and how best to prepare yourself so you can make the transition as smooth as possible. Join us for those topics and more on episode 202 of The Speaker Lab.THE FINER DETAILS OF THIS SHOW:  Why are so many people intimidated by making the leap from their jobs to speaking?How long does it take most speakers to build their business into full-time speaking gigs?Why there is never the perfect time to do anything.What are the two types of regret?How can you promote yourself without ruffling the feathers of your full-time job?What are other streams of revenue you can use while you build your speaking skills?How to determine a realistic budget and a financial safety net.Will there be some seasons that are busier than others even when you're an established speaker?And so much more!EPISODE RESOURCESMelanie Deziel's websiteMelanie Deziel on TwitterMelanie Deziel on InstagramMelanie Deziel on LinkedInEpisode 33: How to Pay Taxes on Your Speaking FeesEpisode 51: What It's Really Like to Start a Speaking CareerEpisode 113: How to Become a Full-Time SpeakerEpisode 150: How to Work Full-Time and Build Momentum as a SpeakerFind and contact potential gigsGet 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.