The Speaker Lab Podcast

Do you think starting a podcast can help you reach your target audience and land more speaking gigs? Our guest for episode 96 says yes, and he's got the history to prove it.

Cliff Ravenscraft, known as the Podcast Answer Man, joins us to talk about the connection between podcasting and public speaking.

On this episode of The Speaker Lab, Cliff shares how he got started as a podcaster, how he's helped people start 40,000 podcasts (!), why podcasting is still relevant today, and the main ways podcasting will grow your speaking career.

Listen in for all of that and so much more on today's show!

THE FINER DETAILS OF THIS SHOW:  

• Why was 2008 a financial disaster but the best year of Cliff's life and his marriage?
• How Dan Miller helped his career trajectory.
• How did he initially generate revenue when he started podcasting full-time?
• Why are his free speaking gigs the most profitable ones?
• How can a podcast help your speaking career?
• The two ways to choose your podcast topic to get more speaking gigs.
• How has podcasting made him a better speaker?
• Does the average podcast listener prefer weekly or bi-weekly episodes?
• And so much more!

EPISODE RESOURCES

• Cliff Ravenscraft's web site
• Cliff's free podcasting tutorial
• Cliff Ravenscraft on Twitter
• Learn to podcast from A to Z with Cliff Ravenscraft's podcasting course
• The $12,000 check Cliff received from a listener
• Get Free Speaker Resources
• Book a Call with The Speaker Lab
• Calculate Your Speaking Fee
• Join The Speaker Lab Community on Facebook
• Subscribe on Apple Podcasts
• Subscribe on Spotify

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Whether you're a business owner, self-employed or work for a company, you know today's marketplace isn't like the past. It's no longer about getting a good job and staying with a company for 40 or 50 years until you retire.

Today it's about pivoting, and here to share just how to pivot in your career is Jenny Blake.

Jenny is the best-selling author beyond Life After College and her upcoming book, Pivot. She's also an entrepreneur and well-known speaker who formerly worked at Google honing her skills as a coach and speaker.

On this episode of The Speaker Lab, Jenny explains why she left Google to move to New York City and start her own business. She also details how speaking fits into her overall business and career goals, as well as the four stages to pivoting from what you're doing now to what you want to do in the future. Listen in for all of that and so much more on today's show!

THE FINER DETAILS OF THIS SHOW:  

• Why did she wear turtlenecks when speaking for 5 years?
• What one keynote topic brought in 50% of her income for 3 years?
• Did she speak to an empty room for her first demo video?
• How she doubled her speaking rate when she was starting out.
• What to double down on when making a transition.
• What is drafting and how can you see it for success?
• Should you get a mentor?
• The 4 stages to pivoting successfully.
• And so much more!

EPISODE RESOURCES

• Jenny Blake's web site
• Pivot podcast
• Pivot, by Jenny Blake
• Pivot method coaching
• Life After College, by Jenny Blake
• Jenny Blake on Twitter
• Get Free Speaker Resources
• Book a Call with The Speaker Lab
• Calculate Your Speaking Fee
• Join The Speaker Lab Community on Facebook
• Subscribe on Apple Podcasts
• Subscribe 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 think you could learn from 40 of the best, brightest and most successful speakers on the planet today? I thought you could so I gathered them all in The Speaker Lab Summit.

To give you a sample of what you'll be hearing when you join the summit, I've brought two of those 40 speakers to you for today's show: Dan Miller and Andy Andrews.

Dan Miller is an author, speaker and coach who shares his 48 days message around the globe through numerous channels. He shares how his message began as a Sunday school class. He also digs into how you can find and hone in on your core message and how you can take that core message to the masses on numerous platforms while creating multiple sources of revenue for your business.

Andy Andrews is a comedian turned professional speaker. His primary focus is on getting results and he shares that message with numerous industries from churches to corporations to the military. Today Andy talks about how to avoid being watered down by your clients' requests, and why it's so important to befriend the people who hire you.

Both of these men have decades of experience as professional speakers and successful businessmen. You'll learn a ton from both of them on episode 94 of The Speaker Lab.

EPISODE RESOURCES

• Get Free Speaker Resources
• Book a Call with The Speaker Lab
• Calculate Your Speaking Fee
• Join The Speaker Lab Community on Facebook
• Subscribe on Apple Podcasts
• Subscribe on Spotify

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

What if you could learn from 40 super successful speakers and you could learn from them all in one place? That's what you'll get in my latest course, The Speaker Lab Summit.

To give you a taste of what is in store for you in the summit, I'm bringing two of those 40 speakers to you today: Pat Flynn and Tim Sanders.

Pat Flynn is an author, international keynote speaker, blogger, entrepreneur and founder of Smart Passive Income. Tim Sanders primarily makes his living as professional speaker and is also a noted author and equally good guy like Pat!

Today they both explore what it takes to make it as a professional speaker, why it fits into their business models. Pat explains what his preparation process is, while Tim explains the three reasons anyone gets paid to speak. They both have immense wisdom they share on this episode, as well as in The Speaker Lab Summit! Hear them first on episode 93 of The Speaker Lab.

EPISODE RESOURCES

• Get Free Speaker Resources
• Book a Call with The Speaker Lab
• Calculate Your Speaking Fee
• Join The Speaker Lab Community on Facebook
• Subscribe on Apple Podcasts
• Subscribe on Spotify

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

 Different speakers dress differently. I'm sure you've seen speakers come on stage in everything from jeans to a suit. So what should you wear?

On episode 92 of The Speaker Lab, I share my thoughts on what attire is appropriate and when. While I don't claim to be a fashionista, I do know how important what you wear is when speaking to an audience!

I'll be digging into that specific topic on this special solo edition of The Speaker Lab!

THE FINER DETAILS OF THIS SHOW:  

• When should you wear business casual attire?
• Can you dress like Scott Stratten if you aren't Scott Stratten?
• Why you should ask about the audience's dress code before the event.
• Why I don't like speaking in a suit.
• Are there certain things to avoid wearing if you are going to be on video?
• What Tommy Boy can teach you about dressing for your speaking engagement.
• Why to pack a back up shirt/outfit.
• What are the three things to check right before you go on stage?
• And so much more!

EPISODE RESOURCES

• Grant Baldwin on Twitter
• Get Free Speaker Resources
• Book a Call with The Speaker Lab
• Calculate Your Speaking Fee
• Join The Speaker Lab Community on Facebook
• Subscribe on Apple Podcasts
• Subscribe on Spotify

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Have you ever held a question and answer session (a Q&A) after one of your speaking gigs? Do you know what made it successful, or why it wasn't?

A Q&A session can be fun, scary and even a little dangerous!! But it can also make a huge difference in how your audience sees you, so it's crucial it is done right. On episode 91 of The Speaker Lab, I explain what it takes to make a successful question and answer session each and every time you speak.

Listen in to find out all the details on today's solo episode of The Speaker Lab! 

THE FINER DETAILS OF THIS SHOW:  

• What type of speaking setting is most typical for audience Q&A?
• Is the size of the audience a factor in whether or not you should do a Q&A?
• How much time should you allow for a question and answer session?
• Why you should always repeat the question for your audience.
• What should you do if you hear the same questions every time you speak?
• When should you NOT do a Q&A session?
• What if no one asks questions at multiple Q&As of yours?
• What to do if someone in the audience is confrontational.
• And so much more!

EPISODE RESOURCES

• Grant Baldwin on Twitter
• Get Free Speaker Resources
• Book a Call with The Speaker Lab
• Calculate Your Speaking Fee
• Join The Speaker Lab Community on Facebook
• Subscribe on Apple Podcasts
• Subscribe on Spotify

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

In previous episodes we've talked about the important role a book can have in furthering your career as a speaker. It's a great marketing tool to open more doors and get your foot into and through those doors!

Our guest for today's show, Chadwick Cannon, is here to share his publishing experiences working with speakers and helping them spread their messages far and wide.

On episode 90 of The Speaker Lab, he explains his history in the publishing world, as well as the upside and drawbacks to working with a publishing house.

We also get into what he does with his digital agency today, and the best way to amplify your speaking brand with your book. There's all of that and more on this edition of The Speaker Lab!

THE FINER DETAILS OF THIS SHOW:  

• Why you have a built-in distribution channel, and may not even know it!
• What are the pros and cons of self-publishing?
• What does APE stand for and why should you know?
• How to be taken seriously as a self-published author.
• What's the value in a publishing relationship?
• What percentage of proposals are actually picked up by a publishing house?
• Should you ever give your book away for free?
• How and why to peak people's interest in your book during your speech.
• And so much more!

EPISODE RESOURCES

• Chadwick Cannon web site
• The Author Coaching Network
• Chadwick Cannon on Twitter
• What If My Book Doesn't Earn Out?, by Chip McGregor
• Ape, by Guy Kawasaki
• Get Free Speaker Resources
• Book a Call with The Speaker Lab
• Calculate Your Speaking Fee
• Join The Speaker Lab Community on Facebook
• Subscribe on Apple Podcasts
• Subscribe on Spotify

See 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 crucial aspects of a great speaking gig is the audio visual team. If you want to be taken seriously as a speaker and make a great impression every time you're on stage the first step is to work with the A/V team. The people in charge of the lighting and sound for the event literally control how you look and how you sound!

On episode 89 of The Speaker Lab, Jeff Douglass of Cybis joins us to talk about the best ways to utilize the A/V team as a speaker. He shares what to do and what not to do with the audio visual crew when setting up for your talk.

And Jeff knows the ins and outs of the production world! His company Cybis does everything from cameras to lights to sound to music to stage management. He brings that wealth of knowledge to this edition of The Speaker Lab, listen in to hear it all!

THE FINER DETAILS OF THIS SHOW:  

• Why you should rehearse with the AV team, every single time.
• How much time should you allot for your walk through before your speech?
• What's the worst experience Jeff's team has had with a speaker?
• Should you use the AV staff's equipment or trust your own?
• How to stand out as a professional, and avoid being seen as an amateur.
• What should you provide the AV crew with in advance of your speech?
• What are his recommendations for a microphone?
• What's the worst thing you can do as a speaker?
• And so much more!

EPISODE RESOURCES

• Cybis web site
• Cybis on Twitter
• Get Free Speaker Resources
• Book a Call with The Speaker Lab
• Calculate Your Speaking Fee
• Join The Speaker Lab Community on Facebook
• Subscribe on Apple Podcasts
• Subscribe on Spotify

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

If you've ever spent hours cleaning out your garage or attic or any other space in your home, you will be intrigued by today's guest's story.

About eight years ago Joshua Becker decided to clean and organize his garage. He spent hours doing it, while his young son played on a swing set in their yard by himself.

When Joshua's neighbor mentioned minimalism to him, a light bulb went off. He realized not only was all his "stuff" not making him happier, it was keeping him from the things in his life that gave him purpose, fulfillment and happiness (ie his family).

On episode 88 of The Speaker Lab, Joshua shares how that experience began the odyssey that is today his business, Becoming Minimalist. We talk about his decision to start writing about his minimalist experience, and how he knew people were resonating with his message enough to build a business around it. There's all of that and more on this edition of The Speaker Lab!

THE FINER DETAILS OF THIS SHOW:  

• What were the 3 indicators that told him to share this message?
• How did he know he was the right person to help others with minimalism?
• What book prompted him to include speaking in his offerings?
• Why are speakers who write better speakers, and writers who speak better writers?
• How did he narrow down his target audience?
• Why doesn't he charge to speak?
• How does he balance making a difference in the world with his financial obligations?
• What's the best thing we can do to help people?
• And so much more!

EPISODE RESOURCES

• Becoming Minimalist web site
• The More of Less, by Joshua Becker
• Joshua Becker on Twitter
• Good to Great, by Jim Collins
• Get Free Speaker Resources
• Book a Call with The Speaker Lab
• Calculate Your Speaking Fee
• Join The Speaker Lab Community on Facebook
• Subscribe on Apple Podcasts
• Subscribe on Spotify

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Now that I've been working as a speaker there are things I wish I had known at the beginning of my career that I know today. On episode 87 of The Speaker Lab, I'm sharing the top 10 items on that list!

Whether you're brand new to speaking or have your career in hand, there is something you can learn.

Listen in to hear topics like why you shouldn't bother with a speaking bureau or agent, what your best marketing piece is and the importance of investing in yourself and your business. That's all here plus more on today's solo episode of The Speaker Lab!

THE FINER DETAILS OF THIS SHOW:  

• How to keep a long-term perspective, and why you should.
• How long does it take most speakers to build a full-time speaking career?
• Who do people do business with?
• Why you should be just as good offstage as you are on stage.
• Should you focus on one talk or many talks?
• Why finding a speaker to model yourself after is a good strategy.
• Should your marketing efforts ever stop?
• Who you are is more important than what?
• And so much more!

EPISODE RESOURCES

• Episode 24 of The Speaker Lab
• Episode 46 of The Speaker Lab
• Episode 60 of The Speaker Lab
• Grant Baldwin on Twitter
• Get Free Speaker Resources
• Book a Call with The Speaker Lab
• Calculate Your Speaking Fee
• Join The Speaker Lab Community on Facebook
• Subscribe on Apple Podcasts
• Subscribe on Spotify

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.