Speaking Your Brand: Public Speaking Tips and Strategies

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/ 

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

Whatever your opinion is about AI, it’s being integrated into everything we do, from what we see on social media to how facial recognition systems work to how decisions are made about you by companies.

I personally enjoy using ChatGPT and find it incredibly valuable, but I also want to make sure I’m using these AI tools responsibly and ethically.

This is why I invited Juliette Powell, co-author of the recent book "The AI Dilemma: Seven Principles for Responsible Technology,” to come on the show. 

Juliette and I examine the compelling reasons why AI needs the influence of women's voices and how we can work towards a more inclusive AI landscape.

We talk about:

• The inspiration behind her co-authored book and why it's a wake-up call for responsible AI
• What companies are doing to reduce bias in AI systems
• The importance of having more women in AI, not only to diversify the field but to embed empathy and ethics into the technology that is increasingly governing our lives
• Actionable steps that can be taken to encourage women's participation in AI, from education and mentorship to policy changes and community support
• Our takes on venture capitalist Marc Andreessen’s recent, over-the-top manifesto on AI
• How we, as individuals, can use AI tools ethically and responsibly
• Juliette’s speaking experiences and tips

Want to learn how to use AI tools to give your speaking a boost? Come to our hands-on AI Tools for Speakers workshop live on Zoom on Thursday, December 7. You’ll learn how to use tools like ChatGPT and others to write outlines and speaking proposals, create images for your slides, add audio and music, and more. Sign up today at https://www.speakingyourbrand.com/ai-tools-workshop/. 

Links:

Show notes at https://www.speakingyourbrand.com/359/ 

Juliette’s website & book: https://www.juliettepowell.com/ 

Juliette’s TEDx talk: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=thkmVv54e6M 

Sign up for AI Tools for Speakers workshop: https://www.speakingyourbrand.com/ai-tools-workshop/

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
• Juliette Powell (guest) = https://www.linkedin.com/in/juliettepowell/

Related Podcast Episodes:

• Episode 358: Leverage Artificial Intelligence (AI) as Your Strategic Partner and Coach with Alysia Silberg
• Episode 313: How to Thrive in the Age of A.I. with Carol Cox

If you’ve listened to the recent episodes we’ve done on thought leadership, you know that I’ve been working this year on positioning myself as a thought leader in the AI space.

I want to make sure there are lots of women talking about and being heard on this topic because this technology is going to have a huge impact on our society.

This episode and the next one are with women who are thought leaders in AI.

Whether you’re into AI (artificial intelligence) or not, you’re going to LOVE this conversation.

My guest today is Alysia Silberg, a UN Women Empower Women Global Champion, CEO of Street Global venture capital firm, an AI expert, and author of a recent memoir.

Alysia isn't only an entrepreneur; she's a visionary who sees AI not just as a tool but as a strategic coach and partner in business and life.

In this episode, Alysia and I talk about:

• The transformative potential of using AI in your own business and personal development
• Specific examples of how Alysia leverages AI as a strategic asset, guiding her decision making and sharpening her competitive edge
• Using AI to create a more equitable and inclusive world
• The power of storytelling: how Alysia sharing her story in her memoir set her free
• Alysia’s advocacy for more women in the field of AI, and how she believes diversity can lead to more innovative and ethical AI solutions
• Alysia’s strategies for building a strong personal brand and powerful network
• Her speaking experiences and tips

Want to learn how to use AI tools to give your speaking a boost? Come to our hands-on AI Tools for Speakers workshop live on Zoom on Thursday, December 7. You’ll learn how to use tools like ChatGPT and others to write outlines and speaking proposals, create images for your slides, add audio and music, and more. Sign up today at https://www.speakingyourbrand.com/ai-tools-workshop/. 

Links:

Show notes at https://www.speakingyourbrand.com/358/ 

Alysia’s website & book: https://www.readunemployable.com/ 

Sign up for AI Tools for Speakers workshop: https://www.speakingyourbrand.com/ai-tools-workshop/

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
• Alysia Silberg (guest) = https://www.linkedin.com/in/alysiasilberg/

Related Podcast Episodes:

• Episode 313: How to Thrive in the Age of A.I. with Carol Cox
• Episode 316: Education, A.I., and What It Means to Be Human with Dr. Bibi Pirayesh

How can you accomplish what you want, from the small to the big?

As we gear up for the new year, I’m sure there are things you have on your vision board and list of goals you want to achieve.

There are practical, tangible steps you can take (the what and the how).

There’s also WHO you want to be, the identity you want to shift into, which is essential to aligning your actions to what you want, creating lasting change, and building self-confidence.

My guest is Dr. Kim Foster, who recently graduated from our Thought Leader Academy.

Kim was a practicing family doctor for nearly 20 years and a few years ago decided that she wanted to make a big change to become a wellness coach and entrepreneur.

You’ll be inspired by her story and her thought leadership message!

Kim and I talk about:

• Her own identity shift from being a doctor to an entrepreneur
• What helped her to make that shift
• Her thought leadership message and framework that the WHO is as important as the what and the how to make lasting change
• How you can start thinking about your own identity
• Why she decided to join our Thought Leader Academy and what she got out of the experience

This episode is part of our podcast series on thought leadership.

Links:

Show notes at  https://www.speakingyourbrand.com/357/

Kim’s website: https://drkimfoster.com/ 

Kim’s podcast “The Wellness Project”: https://drkimfoster.com/podcast 

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 social:

• Carol Cox on LinkedIn = https://www.linkedin.com/in/carolcox
• Dr. Kim Foster on LinkedIn = https://www.linkedin.com/in/kim-foster-14362646/
• Dr. Kim Foster on Instagram = https://www.instagram.com/drkimfoster/

Related Podcast Episodes:

• Episode 356: What to Do Now to Position Yourself as a Thought Leader
• Episode 354: Finding and Developing Your Big I.D.E.A.

We’re continuing our new podcast series on thought leadership.

We’ve talked about finding and developing your big idea and what your signature talk should be doing for you.

Today we’re diving into what you can start doing now to position yourself as a thought leader.

Yes, you can absolutely be a thought leader - and we need you to be!

Thought leaders have an interesting idea and they're willing to share it in a bigger way.

Most thought leaders are also public speakers because of the built-in authority and credibility you get standing in front of an audience and the broader impact you can make.

But, here's the thing: Seeing yourself as a thought leader doesn't come *after* you've done the thing.

You need to see yourself first as a thought leader and claim that identity.

That's what's going to align your actions and propel you forward.

In this episode, you’ll learn:

• What exactly a thought leader is
• How people become thought leaders
• Self-limiting beliefs around claiming an identity, including my own self-limiting beliefs around an identity I need to claim for myself
• Why *you* can be a thought leader
• 6 things to do to position yourself as a thought leader
• How I positioned myself as a thought leader in AI this year

Get the 6 steps to position yourself as a thought leader and a lot more in our FREE guide on Developing Your Thought Leadership at https://www.speakingyourbrand.com/guide/.

Links:

Show notes at https://www.speakingyourbrand.com/356/ 

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/in/dianediaz

Related Podcast Episodes:

• Episode 354: Finding and Developing Your Big I.D.E.A.
• Episode 355: What a Signature Talk Is and What It Should be Doing for You
• Episode 342: I Almost Got Stuck in the Expert Trap: How I Created My Recent Successful Conference Presentation

We’re continuing our new podcast series on thought leadership.

Today we’re going to take a look at what exactly a signature talk is and what it should be doing for you.

Any presentation you give *should* be a signature talk.

Why?

Because any presentation you deliver should be a combination of your expertise + your thought leadership + your personal brand.

Your signature talk isn’t a bunch of information on your topic.

Your signature talk has a specific purpose for you and for your audience; it should be doing something for you.

You’re not there to pass along information and to train your audience, unless you’re doing a workshop, which if you are, that’s great and you should be getting paid for that.

This is where I see speakers get stuck in what I call the expert trap.

They think they have to train and teach in order to provide value; but when you’re speaking at a conference or at a local group or as a keynote, you’re there to share an experience with the audience, to get them to think about something in a new or different way.

In this episode, you’ll hear:

• Determining what you want your signature talk to do for you

• The elements that make a transformative signature talk

• How to put your signature talk together using our Signature Talk Canvas® framework

• Ways you can repurpose your signature talk

• Whether you can have more than one signature talk

• The signature talk I’m working on

Get our Signature Talk Canvas® framework and a lot more in our 24-page FREE guide and workbook on Developing Your Thought Leadership at https://www.speakingyourbrand.com/guide/.

Links:

Show notes at https://www.speakingyourbrand.com/355/ 

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: https://www.linkedin.com/in/carolcox

 Related Podcast Episodes:

• Episode 353: The Power of Frameworks: How Sharon Ehrlich Found Her Voice and Message with Sharon Ehrlich
• Episode 288: A Framework for Creating a Signature Talk for Income and Impact
• Episode 290: [Coaching] Get More Leads from Your Presentations with Monica Young

Today’s episode it’s all about finding and developing your Big Idea for your thought leadership and public speaking.

Ideas are incredibly powerful; they can live on for years, centuries, even millennia. Ideas spark movements for political and social change. Ideas help us as humans understand ourselves, each other, and the world around us

Your idea doesn’t have to be something people have never heard of before; that’s unlikely as most things have been talked about before - and that’s ok!

As a speaker, you want to have something interesting and unique to talk about, you want to make a positive impact on your audience, and you want to develop your thought leadership

Perhaps you’re not sure what makes a good idea or which of your ideas is the best one. It all feels a bit messy and muddy.

That’s what I’m going to help you with in this episode! Think of me as your idea whisperer.

You’ll learn:

• What a Big Idea is

• Why too many speakers get stuck with superficial content

• How to identify your I.D.E.A. using this handy acronym I came up with

• Examples of Big Ideas from myself, from some of our clients, and from thought leaders you’ll recognize

• Specific questions you can ask yourself to get started developing your Big Idea

Get these questions and a lot more in our 24-page FREE guide and workbook on Developing Your Thought Leadership at https://www.speakingyourbrand.com/guide/.

This episode is part of our new podcast series on thought leadership.

Links:

Show notes at https://www.speakingyourbrand.com/354/ 

Get our free Thought Leadership guide and workbook: https://www.speakingyourbrand.com/guide/ 

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: https://www.linkedin.com/in/carolcox

 Related Podcast Episodes:

• 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 339: Using Public Speaking to Influence Social Change with Tanya Golash-Boza, PhD
• Episode 338: Escaping the Expert Trap: From Academic Presenter to Sought-After Speaker with Teri DeLucca
• Episode 319: The 3 Stages We Go Through as Women When We Use Our Voice

Many accomplished professional women come to a point in their lives where they struggle to balance their personal and professional responsibilities. 

Whether it’s their high-pressure career, raising children, caring for aging parents, or all of the above, it can often feel like you lose control over your lives and yourself in the process. 

On this week’s podcast guest, Sharon Ehrlich, a former hospital administrator, English teacher, and professional at IBM and now an executive coach, and our lead speaking coach Diane Diaz chat about the challenges Sharon faced when she felt she was losing control of her life while juggling her role as a mother, caring for a disabled parent, and managing her demanding professional life and how she came to realize the importance of setting boundaries and prioritizing her needs.

Sharon, a graduate of our Thought Leader Academy, shares how the program helped her gain clarity and direction for her message. 

She talks about her transformative experience during her VIP Day, where she worked intensively on her signature talk. 

The result was a powerful framework for her talk - OWN (Observe, Weigh, Negotiate) - which she used to regain control of her life and now shares to help other women do the same.

In this episode, Sharon and Diane talk about:

• Sharon's journey from hospital administration to IBM leader to executive coach, and her life-changing move to Austria

• Her struggle with balancing her personal life and professional commitments and how very long (6-hour!) hikes helped her find clarity and a way forward

• How empowering others, both personally and professionally, can lead to growth and free up our own time

• The creation and application of her O.W.N. framework (Observe, Weigh, Negotiate) during her VIP Day

• How the Speaking Your Brand Signature Talk Framework that she learned in the Thought Leader Academy helped her to create an entirely new talk, boosted her confidence, and enabled her to deliver a powerful talk that got rave reviews . . . and leads!

Links:

Show notes at https://www.speakingyourbrand.com/353/ 

Sharon’s website: https://livingwhileleading.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/ 

Connect on LinkedIn:

• Carol Cox = https://www.linkedin.com/in/carolcox

• Diane Diaz = https://www.linkedin.com/in/dianediaz/ 

• Sharon Ehrlich (guest) = https://www.linkedin.com/in/sharonehrlich1/ 

Related Podcast Episodes:

• Episode 341: Unearthing Your Unique Message: Discovering What Makes You Stand Out with Judy Carlson