Speaking Your Brand With Carol Cox | Women Entrepreneurs | Public Speaking | Communications And Media | Presentations | Tedx

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

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-limiti

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 ne

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

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 s

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. Join us on November 16th for the Storytelling for Speakers workshop we’re hosting live on Zoom! Register at https://www.speakingyourbrand.com/storytelling-workshop/.  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 ta

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 movi

Last week, 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 We’re doing a NEW workshop series this fall l

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

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

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

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 usin

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 sp

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 u

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 talk

I often hear from clients that they feel like their topic isn’t unique, that what they would present on others have already been said.  And they’re right: That will always be the case - there are always going to be lots of people out there who do or say something in the same umbrella as you. What you need is an IDEA, not just a topic. Ideas look for a messenger - and it’s up to you to activate the idea. YOU are the messenger your audience needs to hear. In this episode, I share with you: Why ideas are so important The four layers of thought leadership The different ways ideas can come to you What can stop you from activating an idea Inspiration from Elizabeth Gilbert’s book “Big Magic” Why Greta Gerwig was *the* messenger the Barbie movie needed 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

I *almost* got stuck in the expert trap when I was creating my recent presentation for MAICON called Maintain Your Brand Voice Through AI Personalization and Storytelling.​ I had lots of slides filled with examples and case studies. Useful, sure, but not impactful or memorable. I knew it was missing heart and soul. Fortunately, I took my own advice :-) and saved myself from the expert trap. Attendees loved my session - they said it was “fantastic, amazing, and valuable." In this episode, I share 3 specific things I did to escape the expert trap to create an impactful and memorable presentation, plus one more bonus thing that made a huge difference. I know you want to create and deliver outstanding presentations, get excellent feedback from attendees and the event organizers, stand out and get noticed, and get leads plus more speaking invitations. You don’t want to get stuck in what I call the expert trap.  The expert trap shows up in a few ways: as an information dump; no unique framework or methodology tying

Raise your hand if you’re used to giving presentations chock full of information, facts, and figures? You are not alone! Many of us get comfortable doing this, probably because that’s how we got started as speakers and presenters. But, your audience doesn’t need to hear tons of facts and figures; they need to understand the big picture of your topic, how it relates to them, and what they should do next. This is precisely the evolution that our guest, Judy Carlson, did while she was in our Thought Leader Academy. She worked with our lead speaking coach, Diane Diaz, to create her new signature talk and framework. In this episode, Diane sits down with Judy to chat about her goal to do more public speaking and how she developed her unique framework and signature talk.  Judy also shares about her career path, personal story, and what she learned from her time in the Thought Leader Academy.  Plus, she gives us the lowdown on her VIP Day and how her awesome WEAVE framework came to be. You’ll love this story! Here's

Today, we're delving into a topic that lies at the heart of powerful communication and compelling thought leadership: brand voice.  If you've ever wondered, 'How can I stand out in a crowded market?' or 'How can I make my messages resonate more deeply with my audience?', then this episode is for you. We're going to explore what a brand voice is, why it's so crucial to your business, and how you can develop and refine your own unique voice. This episode is based on the presentation I recently gave at MAICON, the Marketing AI conference. I share: What a brand voice is (more than tone and personality) Why we need to think about brand voice as we use AI writing tools like ChatGPT The problem with ‘Generic Internet Voice’ in LLMs What’s your M.E.M.E.? Defining your brand voice using our Brand Voice Canvas™  Case studies for Your ‘Brand AI’ Using regular ChatGPT & fine-tuned GPT-4 Integrating storytelling into your AI content About Us: The Speaking Your Brand® podcast is hosted by Carol Cox. At Speaking You

I talk a lot about the power of public speaking for building brand awareness, generating leads, and becoming known in your industry. The other power of public speaking is to influence social change. Throughout history, public speakers have inspired us about what's possible, from JFK's moon speech to MLK's I have a dream. TED speakers have done this for us for the past 15+ years: getting us to think differently about important issues. When one of our former clients and Thought Leader Academy grads, Tanya Golash-Boza, emailed me a few months ago about collaborating with her on a project, I jumped at the chance. Tanya decided to put on an event called Change the World Through Research through the University of California Washington Program (UCDC), where Tanya is the Executive Director. We worked closely with the selected faculty members to create their 10-minute TED-style talks to showcase their research. I know it was a challenge for them to condense all that they know into 10 minutes - which is where we came i