We all want to get booked but we often lack the skills and knowledge to land the gig…on the best terms. Speaker bureau executive Jennifer Lier sits down with Darren and Mark to reveal the obstacles that keep you from getting booked, and the ‘must haves’ that will get you gigs and make you unforgettable. 

SNIPPETS:

• YOU are your company, brand, and product

• It’s hard for you to negotiate your own gigs

• Let your bureau be your advocate

• Bureaus will not seek you out

• Bureaus look for speakers delivering at 25-30 events annually

• Most bureaus look for speakers earning $7,500+ per speech

• Bureaus speakers with fees under $10K

• Treat the bureau as your partner

• Have non-branded marketing materials ready

• Have TWO shareable demo videos: 3-5 minutes and 30 minutes

• Have a website that aligns with your brand

• Bring the bureau a gig

• Give the bureau a reason to work with you

Check out Game Changers:

https://www.stagetimeuniversity.com/workshops/game-changers-2025/

Check Out Stage Time University:

https://www.stagetimeuniversity.com

To get more business, your prospects need to know you exist. Today, Mark and Darren talk with Hall-Of-Fame speaker and million-dollar business growth innovator Ford Saeks Ford offers practical, business building wisdom to help you get found, get seen, and get business. 

SNIPPETS:

• Be great on stage

• Master your craft

• Google yourself to see what your prospects see

• Have a solid digital footprint

• Use LinkedIn, YouTube and TikTok

• Content is a commodity

• Don’t tie your identity to a delivery method

• Lead with benefits

• Help your audience to DISCOVER, UNCOVER and REVEAL

• It’s not about selling; it’s about serving

• Treat AI like an expert, monitor it as an intern

Discount Code: Ford20

Check Out Game Changers:

https://www.stagetimeuniversity.com/workshops/game-changers-2025/

Your headshot is a critical component in your marketing material. So how do you look your best, and BE your best on camera? Darren and Mark get answers from Las Vegas-based celebrity photographer Jerry Metellus as they talk about the how and why of an unforgettable profile photo.

SNIPPETS:

• Amplify what already is

• Don’t be trapped in an image of what you think you should be

• Remember who you are

• Don’t become fake in front of the lens

• Maintain a positive demeanor

• When sitting for a photo, find the joy

• Your photo tells a story

• Your photo can be your ambassador

• Show up STRONG in your photo

• Let your brand show through you

• Interview potential photographers to make sure you are a good fit

Join us for Game Changers!

https://www.stagetimeuniversity.com/workshops/game-changers-2025/

A media interview is a wonderful opportunity to showcase your expertise and serve a broader audience. How can you get the opportunity, and what should you do to maximize that opportunity? In today’s episode, Mark and Darren talk with speaker, author and coach Pilar Ortiz, former TV reporter, news anchor, producer and director. Pilar gives sage advice for handling media interviews, staying top of mind with the media.   

SNIPPETS:

• Say ‘yes’ to the opportunity

• Prepare bullet points and practice out loud

• Be succinct and give short answers in soundbites

• Just answer the question and make it easy for the audience to

• Select THREE key nuggets

• Create a story for your interviewer

• Show the producer how your expertise and serve their audience

• Make your topic newsworthy

• Make yourself a resource by referring other experts

• Build relationships with media personnel

• Watch interviewers and familiarize yourself with their style

• Wear clothes that fit well

Work with Mark and Darren:

https://www.stagetimeuniversity.com/get-a-speaking-coach/

Check Out Stage Time University:

https://www.stagetimeuniversity.com

Your voice is your instrument, so how do you keep it in top shape? Today, Darren and Mark sit down with Millian Quinteros, a voiceover artist, audio producer, podcast consultant, and voice care/maintenance coach. Using his own story of struggling with vocal issues, Millian explains some common voice-care mistakes, and offers practical advice to help you keep your instrument well-tuned.   

SNIPPETS:

• The voice is the symphony of the heart

• Your voice tells people who you are

• Treat your voice like a professional

• Use vocal warm-ups and cool-downs

• Avoid alcohol and caffeine.

• If you partake, drink room temperature water at a 1:1 ratio

• Adopt proper posture when speaking

• Hum gently first thing in the morning

• Use diaphragmatic breathing in a steamy shower

• Hydration is key, with ROOM TEMPERATURE water

• When travelling, arrive at your destination a day early to acclimate

• Voice rest for a few hors can be very helpful

Work with Mark and Darren:

https://www.stagetimeuniversity.com/get-a-speaking-coach/

Check Out Stage Time University:

https://www.stagetimeuniversity.com

Mark says, “One man’s mundane is another man’s magnificent.” We sometimes fail to see the magnificence in our stories because we’re too close to them. Today Darren and Mark explain why we may be too close, and suggest ways to broaden our perspective   

SNIPPETS:

• Start with a big block of clay

• We can be so close that we can’t identify the magnificent in our story

• Video-record yourself telling your story

• Present to a test audience

• Look at your story from the audience’s perspective

• Learn what your audience is thinking

• We can be too close to our favorite and signature stories

• Work with a qualified coach

• We can be so close that we miss ‘blind spots’

Work with Mark and Darren:

https://www.stagetimeuniversity.com/get-a-speaking-coach/

Check Out Stage Time University:

https://www.stagetimeuniversity.com

What can be the motivation to go ‘all in’ as you prepare to deliver your next presentation? Mark and Darren look at the motivation for preparation and explain the value of a presentation walkthrough…with a live audience.

SNIPPETS:

• When hour ego is at stake, you put in more work

• Put your rehearsal on the calendar, preferably 2 weeks out

• Work with a coach

• Walkthrough with your peer group as your audience

• Rehearse as if it’s game day

• Record yourself

• Walkthrough with those who have been there before you

• Listen for ‘cringe moments; if I cringe, I must correct

• The walkthrough forces you to go all in

• Engage in preparation motivation for your next presentation

Work with Mark and Darren:

https://www.stagetimeuniversity.com/get-a-speaking-coach/

Check Out Stage Time University:

https://www.stagetimeuniversity.com

What is a ‘back pocket speech?’ When do you need it? How do you use it? All good questions! Darren and Mark provide answers…and ideas for making your ‘back pocket speech’ unforgettable.

SNIPPETS:

• It’s not if…but when you have to fill in for another speaker

• Be prepared

• Make the meeting planner look good, and build your reputation

• Make it a habit at a conference to offer to speak if a speaker doesn’t show up

• Ask yourself, “What more can I provide?”

• Create awareness. If they aren’t aware of you, they can’t hire you

• Don’t get ready; stay ready (Craig Valentine)

• Keep a file of potential back-pocket presentations

• You have more material than you know

• Be natural

Work with Mark and Darren:

https://www.stagetimeuniversity.com/get-a-speaking-coach/

Check Out Stage Time University:

https://www.stagetimeuniversity.com

Sometimes speeches sound…well…speechy! Darren and Mark challenge you to examine your content and offer advice for ensuring that your authenticity shines through in every presentation.

SNIPPETS:

• Be conversational

• Create a transcription

• Use tools like Microsoft Word’s DICTATE feature

• You can’t edit what you don’t write down

• Write for the eye, not for the eye

• Bullet-point your ideas

• Use keywords

• Avoid ‘cop-speak’

• Don’t over-complicate

• Be natural

Our senses can play a significant part in giving our audience an unforgettable experience. Today, Mark and Darren talk about the power of the sense of smell and share how you can use it effectively in your stories.

SNIPPETS:

• Use V.A.K.S.

• Use smell as you relive your experiences

• Smell can create a visceral audience response

• Use smell to transport yourself to the scene first

• Then use smell to transport your audience to the scene

• Physically show your response to an odor, scent, or aroma

• Let your face and body reflect your emotional response

• Let the audience ‘sense’ the scene

• Let the moment linger; give the audience time to feel it

• Use the contrast between the expectation from a smell, and the reality

• Don’t overdo it