The Speaker Lab Podcast

When you try a new restaurant do you read what others have posted about it on Yelp? Or before you buy a new product do you read the Amazon reviews people have written?If you do you understand why I highly recommend getting your own speaking testimonials: your potential clients and potential audiences want to know who you are a speaker and what you bring to the table.On episode 111 of The Speaker Lab, I'll be sharing exactly why these tools are so useful in garnering new clients and new gigs, how to go about securing the best possible testimonials and the keys to making a testimonial great. Listen in for all of that and more on this edition of The Speaker Lab! THE FINER DETAILS OF THIS SHOW:  What do testimonials give your potential clients?What are the two key pieces of a good testimonial?Who are the two types of people you should you get testimonials from?An example of how to properly solicit a testimonial.Are recommendation letters beneficial?What are the different ways you can use testimonials?Why you can never have too many testimonials, and what to do with all of them.And so much more!EPISODE RESOURCESGet 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.

Today is a Q&A episode highlighting a question asked by listener, Eric Moss. Eric called in with a great question about finding the appropriate contacts within the faith-based market.It's a relatable one for me because I got my start as a speaker in this realm. After college I became a youth pastor and began speaking to my youth group, and from time to time I'd have the opportunity to speak to the "big church". That paved the way for me to create a full-time business as a speaker and a speaking expert.On episode 110 of The Speaker Lab, I share exactly how to find out who you should be contacting at different religious organizations, and much more. THE FINER DETAILS OF THIS SHOW:  How I got my start in the speaking world, and what it has to do with the faith-based market.Why is the faith/church market a fairly common one for speakers?What is the first thing you want to do when reaching out in the faith-based market?The three questions to answer to determine who to contact within a church.Does the topic you want to speak about matter when finding a contact?How does the size of the church's congregation impact you as a speaker?When should you reach out to the pastor of a congregation?And so much more!EPISODE RESOURCESEpisode 1 of The Speaker LabEpisode 31 of The Speaker LabEpisode 37 of The Speaker LabEpisode 63 of The Speaker LabEpisode 81 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.

Do you think speakers are born or can they be made? Is there a checklist of characteristics that make someone a great speaker? Our guest for episode 109 is here to weigh in on those topics, and more!Carrie Wilkerson, my extra sassy friend and founder of The Barefoot Executive, joins us to talk about her background as a trained musician, and how growing up as the pastor's daughter set up her present day speaking career.According to her parents, Carrie has been a talker since birth! In fact she talked so much as a child that her dad once told her if she could find a way to get paid for it she'd have it made. Carrie shares those stories as well as how a transition from performing as a singer in her dad's church to introducing those songs and making them relevant helped her hone the natural cadence she has on stage.She also shares a great lesson she learned firsthand about why it's important to be a fit for for your audience. Hear it all on episode 109 of The Speaker Lab!  THE FINER DETAILS OF THIS SHOW:  Did she know she would always be on stage?How big were her earliest crowds?When did she know speaking was the thing she was meant to do?Does she think anyone can be a speaker?How did John Maxwell describe her speaking style?How The Barefoot Executive was born.What three assets should you take care of the most as a speaker?What's the best way to become a really good speaker?And so much more!EPISODE RESOURCESCarrie Wilkerson's web siteCarrie Wilkerson on TwitterThe Birth Order Book, by Dr. Kevin LemanGet 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.

Whether you are building a speaking business or any other kind of business, you most likely are doing so while still working a full-time job. When you add in the responsibilities of being a spouse, a parent and the other roles in your life, how do you do it while staying sane?One man who knows how it's done is Erik Fisher. Erik is the Social Media Manager for the Social Media Examiner's web site and is also host of the podcast, Beyond The To-Do List.On his show he has conversations with some of the best and brightest successes in the world about their productivity habits, their successes and failures, and how they balance it all with their home life and their loved ones.You'll hear Erik talk about how that show got started, why there is no silver bullet solution to productivity, and so much more on the 108th edition of The Speaker Lab. THE FINER DETAILS OF THIS SHOW:  Can you have both a full-time job and a side gig you are working on?The secret to how he started podcasting, while still in his full-time job.Can time constraints ever be beneficial?What is Parkinson's Law and how does it apply to productivity?How accountability can help you stay connected and on track.How do you balance the hustle of building a business with a happy home life?Is there an easy way to know you are on the wrong path?And so much more!EPISODE RESOURCESErik Fisher's web siteErik Fisher on TwitterGet 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.

Our guest today is from an exclusive club: he's the proud creator of one of the most viewed videos on YouTube! Judson Laipply is our guest and he is known as "The Evolution Dance" guy.He's here to talk about the video by the same name, as well as how his own speaking career as he evolved through the years.On episode 107 of The Speaker Lab, Judson shares how he started as a speaker in high school, the mentorship that helped him build his career and where his dance video fits into it all.You'll hear all of that and so much more on today's edition of The Speaker Lab. THE FINER DETAILS OF THIS SHOW:  Who knocked Judson off the top of the most viewed list on YouTube?What market has the simplest barrier to entry?What can the musical Hamilton teach you about speaking?Why did he start offering "inspirational comedy" as a speaker?What percentage of your speech will audiences remember?The #1 question to ask yourself when speaking to college students.What are the two reasons people hire a speaker?What is his advice when entering into a new market?And so much more!EPISODE RESOURCESJudson Laipply's web siteJudson Laipply on TwitterThe Evolution of Dance videoGet 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.

Episode 106 of The Speaker Lab is a double feature! Listener Breahna wrote in with two questions, and I recorded two answers for her and for you.Today I'll be explaining what to do if you have an amazing, sad, impactful, life-altering or otherwise significant story and how to develop that story into the pillar of your speaking career. Find out if you need to earn more credentials, go back to school, or just answer a few simple questions.Breahna also wanted to know what to do if you radically alter your appearance once your speaking career is underway, so I'll chime with a reply to that topic as well! Tune in to hear to my responses on today's episode of The Speaker Lab. THE FINER DETAILS OF THIS SHOW:  What level of credentials do you need when you have a powerful story to share?If you have a great story will people automatically pay you to speak about it?The three key questions you need to answer when starting your speaking career.Why there has to be a compelling reason for people to hire you, and how to find yours.What life insurance has to do with creating a speaking career.What does your marketing need to reflect about you?What should you do if you make significant changes to your appearance?And so much more!EPISODE RESOURCESPaul Evans on episode 63 of The Speaker LabJoe Sangl on episode 62 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.

Two listeners wrote in with two great questions this week so rather than choose one, I'm answering both on episode 105 of The Speaker Lab!Paton left a message asking how and when to use visual aids and Todd wanted to know if he should keep using his name as his web site now that he is seeking more speaking gigs, even though he previously was promoting his music skills on that web site.Today I'll speak to both of these questions: I will explain why I'm not a big fan of slides, and how to use other visual cues properly in your speech or workshop.I'll explain why you are always the product people are buying when they hire you as a speaker and what that has to do with the domain name you choose, plus so much more! Tune in to hear it all on episode 105 of The Speaker Lab. THE FINER DETAILS OF THIS SHOW:  How to know if your slides are an enhancement versus a replacement.Is a picture really worth a thousand words when speaking?When are visual aids most powerful and impactful?The three basic rules for using props in your speech.How to determine what you want to be known for.When should you use your name as your web site domain?How to clearly communicate the primary role you want to be hired for.And so much more!EPISODE RESOURCESBill Gates Ted Talk: Mosquitos, Malaria and EducationJamie Oliver Ted Talk: Teach Every Child About FoodJill Bolte Taylor Ted Talk: My Stroke of InsightGet 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.

If there's one thing I've learned in my time as a professional speaker, it is the importance of the follow up.A listener called in and asked about how to properly and effectively follow up with potential clients, so that topic is the focus of this solo episode of The Speaker Lab.You'll hear me answer his question by laying out the different phases and stages of follow up, including how to make initial contact with an organization, and what to say when they are close to making a decision about their speaker lineup.I'll also cover how to find the right person to contact within a company and why it's always your goal to get a potential client on the phone. You'll hear that and much more on episode 104 of The Speaker Lab! THE FINER DETAILS OF THIS SHOW:  What has been the "secret sauce" for me in my career?The strategic yet simple method to use for your follow ups.Why clients might be interested in you, even if they don't call you back.How far in advance should you reach out prior to an event you'd like to speak at?Why keeping your initial email short and sweet is critical.What a follow up flow chart is and how to use one.How long should you wait for a reply to your email?What is the "ball in your court" email and why is it so effective?And so much more!EPISODE RESOURCESHigh Rise CRM softwareContactuallyGet 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 adding Master of Ceremonies (MC) to your speaking offerings? Our guest for today's show is a talented keynote, MC and overall great speaker.Thom Singer, otherwise known as the Conference Catalyst, joins us to talk about what it takes to be a great MC, as well as a keynote/MC.On episode 103 of The Speaker Lab, Thom shares his background and how he got into the speaking world, including how he grew his MC career.We also dig into what a Master of Ceremonies actually does, how to structure your pricing, and the basics of getting started as an MC. You'll hear all of that and so much more on this edition of The Speaker Lab! THE FINER DETAILS OF THIS SHOW:  Who sets the tone for the entire event?Why you should see yourself as an event professional, not just a speaker or MC.Is an extrovert or introvert better suited to the role of Master of Ceremonies?How does he structure his pricing as Master of Ceremonies?Why you have to play "bad cop" if you're an MC.What are call backs and why are they important?What to do if you'd like to get started as an MC.And so much more!EPISODE RESOURCESThom Singer's web siteThom Singer on TwitterGet 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.

When someone says motivational speaker, what do you think? Chris Farley's character on Saturday Night Live, or someone who actually helps people move their lives where they want to go? Our guest, Kyle Scheele, is a motivational speaker who does the latter!Kyle is also an entrepreneur and one of the most creative guys I know. We've been friends for a few years, and I've watched him grow from his career from a fledgling state to a full-time, profitable business.On episode 102 of The Speaker Lab, Kyle joins us to share how he the faith he had to have when making the leap to a full-time speaker, his speaking topics for youth audiences, why he's a motivational speaker with an asterisk and much more. Kyle brings the goods on today's show, tune in and check it out! THE FINER DETAILS OF THIS SHOW:  How has his message evolved over time?What were his early steps to get traction as a speaker?How he kept himself on track when things were tough.How were other speakers instrumental to building his business?Why he spends time with beginning speakers.Can you make speaking a less lonely gig?When did he make the transition to speaking full-time, and how was it for him?Is there just one way to have a successful speaking business?And so much more!EPISODE RESOURCESKyle Scheele's web siteNever Grow Up web siteKyle Scheele on TwitterGet 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.