Speaking Your Brand: Public Speaking Tips and Strategies

I recently had the honor of attending the TEDWomen conference in Atlanta, Georgia.

Over 3 days, I heard 35 speakers deliver their TED talks, on topics ranging from democracy to abortion rights, menopause to artificial intelligence. 

Of course, as I was sitting in the audience, I was taking lots of notes on each speaker, how they structured their talk, the elements they included, and how they delivered it.

I’ve taken those notes and identified 7 key things the best speakers do.

Whether you’re delivering a TEDx talk, a keynote, a conference session, or a business presentation, you can use these 7 things to make your talks impactful and memorable.

Links:

Show notes at https://www.speakingyourbrand.com/352

Sign up for our Storytelling workshop on November 16: https://www.speakingyourbrand.com/storytelling-workshop/ 

Apply for our Thought Leader Academy: https://www.speakingyourbrand.com/academy/ 

Connect on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/carolcox

 Related Podcast Episodes:

• Episode 277: The Authority Gap Women Face and What to Do About It with Mary Ann Sieghart

• Episode 343: Why YOU are the Messenger for Your Idea and Audience

• Episode 329: From Compelled to Take Action to TEDx Speaker with Dr. Nicole Rochester

From Barbie and the Super Models to Beyonce and Taylor, women and the influence they have on culture and the economy are being seen and talked about everywhere.

Since here at Speaking Your Brand we're all about amplifying and championing women's voices and advocating for gender equality, we figured it was time to give our own hot takes.

Along with all the positive gains women have made, we know that there has also been a considerable backlash, both culturally and legally, most noticeably in the overturning of Roe v. Wade last year and in the states that have since passed laws restricting women's reproductive health care rights.

It's easy (and accurate) to blame lawmakers and voters who vocally support such restrictions and want to turn the tide back.

But what about those who do support women yet do so in myopic ways?

That's why I call "country club feminism."

In this episode, Diane Diaz and I talk about:

• The “rad trad” movement on TikTok and what it means about feminism
• How we define feminism
• The Barbie movie, from the visual impact to the satire to the overt feminist message
• Taylor Swift and the backlash she’s receiving for being a powerful, independent woman as she’s dating an NFL player
• The new documentary “The Super Models” on AppleTV+ and what it says about female beauty and power
• What we’re calling “country club feminism”,  how it reinforces the status quo, and what to do instead

Clearly, we are using our voices and that’s what we want you to do too!

(This episode was recorded on October 5, 2023.)

Links:

Show notes at https://www.speakingyourbrand.com/351/

Register for our live online workshops on Zoom this fall = https://www.speakingyourbrand.com/workshops/

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

Related Podcast Episodes:

• Episode 277: The Authority Gap Women Face and What to Do About It with Mary Ann Sieghart
• Episode 216: Why We're #ChoosingWomensVoices - and You Should Too
• Episode 191: Women in Politics and the Public Sphere with Rep. Anna V. Eskamani
• Episode 163: A Feminist Approach to Public Speaking

In the last episode, I talked about connecting your personal brand and your thought leadership

Your stories and experiences are integral to both. Your stories connect you with your audience.

Have you ever heard a speaker share a story and have one of these reactions:

#1: Wow, I really feel connected to what this person is saying. I have a new perspective on my own situation.

 -OR-

#2: Why is this person telling this story? I don't get how this relates to the rest of their content or why I should care or this feels icky. 

You don't want to end up being the speaker where the people in the audience are having the second reaction.

You want your stories to have purpose and meaning and be of service to your audience.

In this episode, Diane Diaz and I talk about:

• Contrived vulnerability (your audience can tell)
• What contrived storytelling sounds like and feels like
• The elements of authentic storytelling
• Examples of authentic storytelling, from our clients and from our own talks

Links:  

Show notes at https://www.speakingyourbrand.com/350/

Register for our live online workshops on Zoom this fall = https://www.speakingyourbrand.com/workshops/

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

Related Podcast Episodes:

• Episode 337: Sharing Your Story as a Catalyst for Transformation with Karen Keene
• Episode 341: Unearthing Your Unique Message: Discovering What Makes You Stand Out with Judy Carlson
• Episode 92: Deconstructing My TEDx Talk: Why We’re Uncomfortable with Women in Power

In the age of more & more content (whether human- or AI-created), your personal brand matters more than ever.

Potential clients and event organizers can easily find lots of experts in what you do.

What you want them to realize is what sets you apart and why they should pick you.

That’s where your personal brand and thought leadership come in.

I know you want to have a positive impact on the world and you may feel like cultivating a personal brand is unnecessary or self-indulgent or you just don’t have time for it.

But, here’s the thing: you have a personal brand, everyone does.

It’s how other people would describe you;  not just your qualities like are you smart, kind, professional, but also what matters to you.

Do people know what matters to you, the better world you imagine?

In this episode, you’ll hear:

• How your business connects to your thought leadership
• How your personal brand connects to your thought leadership
• Example from my own personal brand and thought leadership
• Pushback I got early on when I started my business about a particular aspect of my personal brand
• Finding the consistency and commonality among all of the threads in your career
• What humans have over AI when it comes to storytelling

We’re doing a NEW workshop series this fall live on Zoom. Join us in October for personal branding and brand voice; in November for storytelling; and in December for using AI tools for speaking. Get all the details and register at https://www.speakingyourbrand.com/workshops/.

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/349/ 

Register for our live online workshop on Zoom on October 26th to build your personal brand plan and define your brand voice = https://www.speakingyourbrand.com/workshops/ 

Discover your Speaker Archetype by taking our free quiz at https://www.speakingyourbrand.com/quiz/

Connect on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/carolcox

Related Podcast Episodes:

• Episode 343: Why YOU are the Messenger for Your Idea and Audience
• Episode 259: Connecting Your Business and Your Thought Leadership
• Personal Brand podcast series, episodes 332-335

When you step on stage, I know you want to feel comfortable and confident, to project authenticity and energy.

Developing your confidence and stage presence happens both externally and internally.

When your content and your delivery are aligned, you can have a bigger impact on your audience with your message.

This is what I talk about with my guest, Dr. Christina Madison.

Christina has delivered a TEDx talk and has been on TV over 250 times, including two appearances on Good Morning America.

I’ve known Christina for nearly two years: we worked together on her TEDX talk and she attended our in-person client retreat.

In this episode, we talk about:

• Why Christina said ‘yes’ to her first TV appearance
• How what you’re wearing can make a big difference in how you feel on stage
• Embodying the qualities you want to feel and portray
• Taking care of yourself so you are at your best for your speaking engagements
• What it looks like to feel authentically you

This is the final episode in our new podcast series to help you up level your in-person speaking skills.

Want to work with us and practice on our stage? Registration is now open for our 3-day in-person client retreat speaking accelerator coming up in February 2024 in Orlando, Florida. Get all the details and apply at https://www.speakingyourbrand.com/retreat/. 

About My Guest: Christina Madison, PharmD, FCCP, AAHIVP is an award-winning clinical pharmacist. She is a clinical pharmacist specializing in public health with a focus on communicable disease, gender-based health, and professional development. She founded The Public Health Pharmacist®, PLLC, a public health consulting firm, in 2019. Dr. Madison has been featured in over 250+ on-air TV appearances related to public health including being featured on Good Morning America (GMA3 – What You Need to Know) and a panelist for the COVID-19 What Works Summit at The White House. Dr. Madison is currently an Associate Professor of Pharmacy Practice with Roseman University of Health Sciences (RU), College of Pharmacy and the Public Information Officer and Chief Pharmacist for Wellness Equity Alliance.

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/348/ 

Christina’s website (you can see her TEDx talk and GMA appearances): https://www.thepublichealthpharmacist.com/ 

Solita Roberts’ image stylist: https://styletoimpact.com/ 

Discover your Speaker Archetype by taking our free quiz at https://www.speakingyourbrand.com/quiz/

Register for our in-person client retreat = https://www.speakingyourbrand.com/retreat/ 

Connect on LinkedIn:

• Carol Cox = https://www.linkedin.com/in/carolcox
• Dr. Christina Madison (guest) =  https://www.linkedin.com/in/drchristinamadisonthepublichealthpharmacist 

Related Podcast Episodes:

• Episode 253: TV Can Make You Famous - But Don't Read the Comments with Dr. Christina Madison

Registration is open for our in-person client retreat speaking intensive coming up February 26-28, 2024, in Orlando, Florida.

We are already half-full (it's limited to 12 women).

Get all the details and apply at https://www.speakingyourbrand.com/retreat/.

Our speaking workshop is for you if ANY of these apply:

• You want to speak at conferences and events and increase lead generation at your presentations
• You want to attract paid speaking engagements and raise your speaker fees
• You'd like to do a TEDx or keynote talk one day
• You know how important your message is and you want to truly connect with your audience
• You want to feel more comfortable and confident as a speaker
• You imagine walking onto a stage with calm and joy, delivering your talk while having fun engaging the audience, and then leaving the stage knowing you nailed it

During the 3 days we'll be together, we'll guide you through exercises and activities designed to help you build the skills and confidence you need to become an impactful public speaker.

You'll learn how to:

• Develop a strong, authentic speaking voice and style
• Tell compelling stories and engage your audience from your opening to your closing
• Use body language and vocal variation to enhance your message
• Incorporate props and multimedia to add depth and dimension to your talk
• Connect with your audience and build rapport
• Handle nerves and feel much more comfortable and confident in your body

Here's what you get:

• Identifying and writing/outlining your best speaking segments (opening, closing, key stories, audience engagement)
• Instruction on body movement, vocal variation, and use of the stage, props and multimedia
• Lots of time to practice on our stage and get our coaching and feedback (we are very kind and encouraging!)
• Understanding your natural speaking style and amplifying it to build your confidence
• Professional filming so you have an edited video and clips of you speaking for your speaker reel, website, LinkedIn profile, etc.

What's included:

• Personalized, hands-on coaching and feedback to 10x your speaking skills
• Fun and intentional exercises and practice sessions on our stage
• Professional filming of your speaking segments (you'll get the raw video files plus an edited video about 10 minutes long)
• Printed workbook + speaker kit
• Healthy food! Lunches and dinners on all 3 days (plus snacks, coffee and tea)
• Quality time with an incredible group of supportive women (there's nothing like being in person to form long-lasting bonds)

If you would like to join us, please complete the application at https://www.speakingyourbrand.com/retreat/ so we can schedule a Zoom call to talk and answer your questions.

You can hear from some of the women who've attended our past retreats in these episodes:

• Episode 347: The Power of REAL Practice to Transform Yourself as a Speaker with Dr. Nicole Rochester, Debby Kerr-Henry, and Terese Bottner
• Episode 345: Elevate Your Audience Engagement Skills with These Proven Strategies with Katie Anderson
• Episode 311: 10x Your Speaking Skills with Joy Spencer and Betsy Jordyn

We’re continuing our podcast series to help you up level your in-person speaking skills.

Imagine you’re standing on stage, looking out at the audience, and feeling 100% confident in your content and delivery. 

You’re moving fluidly, getting into your stories, engaging with your audience, and feeling connected to them.

You can absolutely do this - but it takes the *right* kind of practice.

Most speakers practice the wrong way. The result is that they rely on their notes, their nerves get the best of them, and they stand like a statue and don’t move around (or even worse, they see-saw in place).

Doing the right kind of practice can make all the difference, which is what we’re talking about with our retreat clients Dr. Nicole Rochester, Terese Bottner, and Debby Kerr-Henry for a roundtable discussion on how they’ve transformed as speakers.

You’ll learn:

• Our embarrassing moments on stage

• Why most speakers practice the wrong way and what to do instead

• Developing stage presence

• Getting more comfortable using the stage

• Feeling confident *not* using notes or a script

• The impact of practicing on our stage and getting feedback at our in-person retreat

This is the audio from a live show we did last week. You can watch the video on LinkedIn or YouTube.

Want to work with us and practice on our stage? Registration is now open for our 3-day in-person client retreat speaking accelerator coming up in February 2024 in Orlando, Florida. Get all the details and apply at https://www.speakingyourbrand.com/retreat/. 

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/347/ 

Discover your Speaker Archetype by taking our free quiz at https://www.speakingyourbrand.com/quiz/

Register for our in-person client retreat = https://www.speakingyourbrand.com/retreat/ 

Connect on LinkedIn:

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

• Dr. Nicole Rochester (guest) = https://www.linkedin.com/in/nicole-rochester-md/ 

• Terese Bottner (guest) = https://www.linkedin.com/in/terese-cooke-bottner-78225a10/ 

• Debby Kerr-Henry (guest) = https://www.linkedin.com/in/debkerrhenry/ 

Related Podcast Episodes:

• Episode 329: From Compelled to Take Action to TEDx Speaker with Dr. Nicole Rochester

• Episode 273: How to 10x Your Speaking Skills 

Did you know that you will get *more* speaking gigs if you focus on your delivery as well as your content?

Your body movement, use of the stage, and vocal variation are all essential to become a compelling and in-demand speaker.

My guest today is Victoria Moran, an incredible speaker, author and podcaster, whom I’ve known for nearly 10 years, so I’m thrilled to have her on the show.

In this episode, Victoria and I talk about:

• Getting started as a professional speaker

• What she learned from acting training

• How she uses body movement and dance in her speaking engagements (even though she’s not a dancer, as she admits!)

• Why your delivery as a speaker will get you more (and better) gigs

• The important use of vocal variation when telling stories

• Her favorite speaking experience

• Her worst speaking experience and what she learned

I know you’re going to get lots of great ideas for your own speaking engagements!

This is the second episode in our new podcast series to help you up level your in-person speaking skills.

Want to work with us and practice on our stage? Registration is now open for our 3-day in-person client retreat speaking accelerator coming up in February 2024 in Orlando, Florida. Get all the details and apply at https://www.speakingyourbrand.com/retreat/. 

About My Guest: Victoria Moran started writing for teen magazines at 14 -- she met the Beatles! -- and for health publications after she went vegetarian at 19. Speaking for groups, plus lots of radio appearances, followed the writing. Victoria is now the author of 13 books including Creating a Charmed Life and Fit from Within. She was featured twice on Oprah, produced the 2019 documentary A Prayer for Compassion, and she's presented for audiences including Speaking of Women's Health, Toyota Women's Conferences, and the Parliament of the World's Religions.

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/346/ 

Victoria’s websites: https://victoriamoran.com/ and https://mainstreetvegan.com/ 

Discover your Speaker Archetype by taking our free quiz at https://www.speakingyourbrand.com/quiz/

Register for our in-person client retreat = https://www.speakingyourbrand.com/retreat/ 

Connect on LinkedIn:

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

• Victoria Moran (guest) = https://www.linkedin.com/in/victoriamoranauthor/ 

Related Podcast Episodes:

• Episode 345: Elevate Your Audience Engagement Skills with These Proven Strategies with Katie Anderson

• Episode 249: The Relationship Between Speaking and Performance with Carol Cox

How do you keep your audience engaged throughout your talk or presentation?

There are basic strategies like asking questions of the audience, but there are more ways to keep your audience interested and engaged.

This is what I talk about with my guest and client, Katie Anderson.

Katie has been around the world, from Portugal to Poland to Brazil, speaking to audiences of all sizes.

In this episode, Katie and I talk about:

• Strategies she has used that have worked well to keep audiences engaged

• Fun things she has tried

• The importance of storytelling, performance, and stage presence

• A recent challenging speaking engagement that really tested her speaking skills (no surprise to me, she aced it!)

• How attending our in-person client retreat speaking accelerator dramatically improved her skills and confidence

This is the first episode in our new podcast series to help you up level your in-person speaking skills.

Registration is now open for our 3-day in-person client retreat speaking accelerator coming up in February 2024 in Orlando, Florida. Get all the details and apply at https://www.speakingyourbrand.com/retreat/. 

About My Guest: Katie Anderson is an internationally recognized leadership and learning coach, consultant, and professional speaker, best known for inspiring individuals and organizations to lead with intention and increase their personal and professional impact. Katie is passionate about helping people around the world learn to lead and lead to learn by connecting purpose, process, and practice to achieve higher levels of performance. Her book Learning to Lead, Leading to Learn: Lessons from Toyota Leader Isao Yoshino on a Lifetime of Continuous Learning is an international #1 Amazon bestseller.

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/345/

Katie’s website: http://kbjanderson.com/

Katie’s photos speaking at the Lean Institute Brasil Summit: https://www.linkedin.com/posts/kbjanderson_how-do-you-respond-when-the-plan-you-had-activity-7077025294229909504-dZ-j 

Discover your Speaker Archetype by taking our free quiz at https://www.speakingyourbrand.com/quiz/

Register for our in-person client retreat = https://www.speakingyourbrand.com/retreat/ 

Connect on LinkedIn:

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

• Katie Anderson (guest) = https://www.linkedin.com/in/kbjanderson/

Related Podcast Episodes:

• Episode 280: Making the Shift from Expert Presenter to Storyteller in Your Keynotes with Katie Anderson
• Episode 249: The Relationship Between Speaking and Performance with Carol Cox

I know you enjoy speaking - AND you want to make sure you’re getting an ROI from it.

Your ROI can come from getting paid to speak and/or from getting leads and clients from your presentations.

If you don’t consistently get leads from your presentations, there are a few things you can do to make that more likely to happen.

You may think your audience doesn’t want to be sold to, but that may not be the case.

You also may not be sure how to go about letting event organizers know that you have a speaker fee.

In this episode, I share with you:

• 3 ways to increase leads from your presentations

• What to do even when conferences say “no selling from the stage”

• The one thing to do that is GOLD

• 3 things to do to get paid to speak

• Why many speakers don’t charge or don’t charge enough

• Examples to inspire you

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/344/ 

Download example feedback form (no opt-in needed): https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fi/7scnmn11eqpfeh863i878/Speaking-Your-Brand-Example-Worksheet-FeedbackForm.pdf?rlkey=bmqkj2pzyjewmrg8r0smml2vu&dl=0 

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 290: [Coaching] Get More Leads from Your Presentations with Monica Young

• Episode 289: Less Free, More Paid: How to Increase Your Speaker Fees with Carol Cox

• Episode 288: A Framework for Creating a Signature Talk for Income and Impact with Carol Cox