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

If you plan on speaking in-person this year, you’ll want to listen to this entire episode.    I'm sharing with you the 3 key skills you need now to: Get selected as a speaker Stand out by delivering the exact content your audience wants Make money, whether it’s from paid engagements or by generating leads and sales from people in your audience   I recently returned from an in-person speaking engagement and put these skills into practice.   Here are the results I got *that same day*: New client (worth $5,000+) New keynote speaking invitation (worth $5,000+)   The old model of public speaking no longer works. Content dumps, information overload, and one-way communication don’t cut it anymore. Your audience expects more - and you have an incredible opportunity to set yourself apart as a dynamic speaker. In this episode, you'll learn: The old model vs. the new model of public speaking Myths you’ve internalized that may keep you from embracing the new model The 3 key skills you need now as a speaker How you a

Speaking opportunities are increasing as more events and conferences are returning to in-person and organizations are looking to bring in trainers. Now is the time to get prepared and take action. This is exactly what our guest, Sarah Lynn Wallace, has been doing as she’s been going through our Thought Leader Academy this year. Sarah has booked several speaking and training engagements, including paid ones.  I asked Sarah to come on the podcast and have a conversation with our lead speaking coach, Diane Diaz, to talk about what has been effective for her in booking speaking engagements. Sarah has a unique take on the marketing and visibility work she does with her clients, which you’ll hear about as well. Diane and Sarah talk about: Why Sarah decided to focus on thought leadership in her business Feeling stuck in the expert trap and not differentiating herself The strategies Sarah has used to book more speaking engagements, including paid ones (at higher fees!) Sarah’s experience in our Thought Leader Academ

We have a brand new FREE live training happening on Tuesday, April 26! Register today for free at  https://www.speakingyourbrand.com/training/. After two years of virtual speaking on screens (and, let’s face it, virtual living), the old model of public speaking no longer works. Content dumps, information overload, and one-way communication don’t cut it anymore. Your audience expects more - and you have an incredible opportunity to set yourself apart as a dynamic speaker. There are 3 key skills you need now to get selected as a speaker, stand out by delivering the exact content your audience wants, and make money, whether it’s from paid engagements or by generating leads and sales from people in your audiences. You'll learn: The old model vs. the new model of public speaking The 3 key skills you need now as a speaker How you are perfectly positioned to use the new model of public speaking to connect with your audiences and attract bigger and better speaking opportunities Myths you’ve internalized that may kee

If you’re a speaker who has in-person events coming up OR if you’re planning an in-person event, you won’t want to miss this conversation. We held our in-person client retreat speaking intensive a couple of weeks ago in Orlando, Florida, and it was incredible! We brought 12 women together to practice their speaking delivery skills (on a real stage!) and get professional videography they can use in their speaking reels. I asked two of the women who attended, Betsy Jordyn and Joy Spencer, to join me and Diane Diaz to talk about the experience. We talk about: Top takeaways from the the instruction and practice on delivering keynote speeches Favorite parts of the retreat How the retreat made them feel as speakers and thought leaders Our lessons as the hosts / planners of the retreat Will there be another retreat??? This is the audio from a LinkedIn Live. You can watch the video at https://www.linkedin.com/video/event/urn:li:ugcPost:6919241904681283584/.  About Us: The Speaking Your Brand podcast is hosted

As entrepreneurs, we have a lot on our plate and fitting in the time to build our thought leadership platforms, create presentations, and pitch ourselves can too often get relegated to the back burner. However, if you’re a service-based entrepreneur who is not a volume business (you’re not looking for thousands of clients at a time), you need speaking and thought leadership to grow your business. The other thing you need is to say “yes” to opportunities even when you don’t feel prepared and it feels scary. That’s what I want to talk to you about today. In this episode, you’ll hear: The importance of timing and saying yes to opportunities Having a bias towards action How timing has impacted my life (good and bad) The contrast between being at the mercy of social media algorithms vs. speaking to a captive audience Practical ways to fit in the time for your visibility and speaking About Us: The Speaking Your Brand podcast is hosted by Carol Cox. At Speaking Your Brand, we help women entrepreneurs and profess

Are you providing transformation or information in your presentations and talks? Whenever I work on a presentation or a keynote or even the agenda for the in-person client retreat we’re holding in April, my default is to think of all the information I want to convey to the audience. You may be the same way. We’re usually good at coming up with lots of things we can share and teach. But, I want to challenge you (like I challenge myself) to reduce the information and increase the transformation. Why? Because you’ll have a bigger impact on your audience; you’ll get traction on your thought leadership message; and you can increase your prices, both for speaking and for the services and programs you offer.   In this episode, you’ll hear: Why information is not that valuable anymore Examples of providing information vs. transformation 3 specific ways to think in terms of transformation for your content What I’ve learned from watching business TV shows like Succession, WeCrashed, and Inventing Anna that you can use

When you start putting your thought leadership out into the world, think of your overall message as the hub. You then have various spokes you can use to share the message and get others involved. These spokes can include your own podcast; a LinkedIn Live or Instagram Live show; a challenge; speaking (of course!); podcast guesting; and events you host. My guest Christie Rocha recently graduated from our Thought Leader Academy and we worked together on her thought leadership message and her signature talk. Christie has a really important message to share, particularly to millennial moms, about mental health and self-care. Christie has such a fun and vibrant personality, which comes across in her podcast “Sass Says” and in this interview. In this episode, Christie and I talk about: Why she wanted to delve into thought leadership The container she chose for her thought leadership message The many ways (spokes) she is sharing her thought leadership Her experience in our Thought Leader Academy Her awesome TLA grad

As you’re working on your keynote speech (or aspiring to one), there are key elements to include that make it different from a regular business presentation or training. Along with stories and audience engagement (always!), you can also create what’s known as a “bit.” This is a section of your keynote, usually just a few minutes long, that stands out and becomes memorable for the audience. My guest Nicole Edwards recently graduated from our Thought Leader Academy and we worked together to create her keynote. I really enjoyed working with Nicole because she was always open to learning and improving. In this episode, Nicole and I talk about: Her background and what has brought her to thought leadership The process we went through to create her new keynote signature talk The key elements of her keynote, including stories and her framework Why we decided she needed a “bit” for her keynote and what that means Her experience in our Thought Leader Academy About My Guest:  With a professional background in mental

What does it look like to create your signature talk and put it out there for the first time? Our guest, Kelley D. Carlstrom, PharmD, did just that a couple of months ago. Kelley recently graduated from our Thought Leader Academy and worked with our lead speaking coach Diane Diaz to create her signature talk for lead generation. Kelley took her new signature talk and presented it as a webinar to promote her program for oncology pharmacists, called the ELO Collaborative.  Not only did Kelley get great feedback, she also got enrollees for her program! In this episode, Diane and Kelley talk about: What prompted Kelley to want to develop her thought leadership The process of creating her lead generation signature talk The results from the webinar she did to enroll pharmacists in her program The value of an MVP Focusing on both short-term and long-term visibility How your business and your thought leadership run on parallel tracks to support each other Prospective clients often ask us what kinds of industries

Today, March 8, is International Women’s Day. This year’s theme is Break the Bias.  I appreciate that on the IWD website, they write, “Celebrating women's achievements and increasing visibility, while calling out inequality, is key.” In this episode, I share the premise of the book I’m working on around the importance of women being public speakers as a way to advance women in leadership and gender equality and a new model of public speaking. What if I told you that the key to being more confident is not what you’ve been told in the myriad of women’s leadership and personal development books you’ve read?   Well, at least it’s not the whole story.   Sure, what those books have taught you about getting clear on your goals, asking for what you want, taking action, and striking a power pose in the bathroom before an important event are helpful. But, they stop short of what’s critical for building true and lasting confidence. These books tiptoe around it by encouraging women to speak up and to raise their voice, b

In this episode, I share 3 ways public speaking has helped me to find and use my voice and the lessons I’ve learned along the way that may help you too. I take a broad view of public speaking = stages, in front of audiences, on TV, in the media, also virtual presentations and podcasting, live streaming, video. Public speaking, in all of these ways, helps you to get your message out, to share your thought leadership ideas, and to have a bigger impact. It’s also an incredible way for more people to know about your business and the work you do and  to attract clients, speaking engagements, and media opportunities.   I talk about: The one time when I was on TV that I momentarily lost my voice and had to ask for a retake The lesson I learned about going on TV to shift my goal from persuasion to validation Creating this podcast every week for the past 5 years and the role that imperfection has played in finding and using my voice How in-person speaking has shaped my voice (including failures) and the connection be

We’re wrapping up the month of February talking about how we as speakers can love our audiences. Why is this important?  Because the more connected the people in our audience feel to us and to each other, the more impactful and memorable our presentations and talks will be. And here’s the thing about loving our audiences: it’s about relationship, which is much different from the standard approach to public speaking which tends to put all of the spotlight on the speaker. In this episode, which is the audio from our LinkedIn Live show, we share 3 ways you can love your audience.   You can watch the video replay at https://www.linkedin.com/video/event/urn:li:ugcPost:6897210513009569792/  About Us: The Speaking Your Brand podcast is hosted by Carol Cox, joined in this episode by our lead speaking coach Diane Diaz. 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

If you’re an analytical, left-brained thinker like me, this episode is going to give you a different perspective on your content, your speaking, and yourself. My guest Susan Moe is an MBA-trained former business executive who is now a clairvoyant reader who helps her clients understand themselves better through their own symbols and metaphors. Susan is a long-time and loyal podcast listener who did a reading for me back in December 2020 (the first one I’ve ever had). It was powerful and revealing - and I share a bit about it in this episode. You’ll hear in this conversation how I’m on my own journey to get more in touch with my intuitive, creative, right-brained side. I invite you to come along with me!   Susan and I talk about: Her journey to the work she does now The reading Susan did for me and two of the symbols that stuck with me The energy exchange we have with our audiences as speakers Releasing the need to please our audiences and feeling like they need to have a certain outcome How we can use symbol

Since we’re in the month of February, I figured it was a good time to talk about finding the emotional heart of your message. As speakers, we can get so focused on the information we want to share that we neglect emotions and feelings and making a heart-to-heart connection with the people in our audiences. If you want your talk to be memorable and impactful and you want to become a keynote speaker, be on bigger stages, deliver a powerful TEDx talk, you need to have an emotional heart to your message.   In this episode, I’m going to share: What I mean by the emotional heart of your message Examples ranging from Eliza Hamilton to Taylor Swift to a recent workshop I facilitated on storytelling You’ll hear a clip from my keynote about what happens when we find resistance in our purpose Question prompts to help you find the emotional heart of your message   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 m

I remember last year I was doing some research and I googled “famous thought leaders.” Guess what the results were? All men. Now, we know there are women thought leaders: Brene Brown, Mel Robbins, Nikole Hannah-Jones, Minda Harts all come to mind. But, Google hasn’t caught on yet. Why not? Because we need MORE women thought leaders to flood the zone.  This is where you come in and this is why I’ve been talking a lot on the podcast about thought leadership and the role it plays in your business and for you getting bigger opportunities and the impact you want to have. It’s also why I created our Thought Leader Academy - to give women entrepreneurs and professionals a place where they can develop their thought leadership ideas and signature talks. In this episode, I’m going to talk about 4 key layers that make up thought leadership. These are layers I’ve identified as I’ve worked with our clients over the years on their keynotes, TEDx talks, and thought leadership messages and as I’ve worked on my own. Download

You won't want to miss the story I share in this episode that made me so mad at the time. About 5 years ago, I was attending an event run by a very prominent women's organization and I couldn't believe who they had on stage. Here's a hint: It has to do with our topic today, which is the gender speaking gap. Similar to the gender pay gap, the gender speaking gap represents the disparity between the number of women and men we see speaking at events, from high-profile keynotes to panel discussions (#nomoremanels). We know how important it is for more women to be visible and have a public voice, so I’m excited to have Kristin Oakley as my guest. Kristin is a professional speaker, emcee, on-camera presenter and Personal Empowerment Coach™ with over 20 years of public speaking and presenting experience across multiple industries. She’s passionate about closing the gender speaking gap, which I learned more about during the VIP Day we did to create her new signature talk. In this episode, Kristin and I talk about: 

One of the side effects of going bigger with your message and putting yourself out there is self-doubt. Even when you’re excited about what you’re working on, self-doubt can creep in. Self-doubt can masquerade as procrastination, boredom, shiny object syndrome, distractions, filling up your to-do lists and calendar, even deciding to clean those areas of the house that never get cleaned. Self-doubt can also keep you stuck and not developing further as an entrepreneur, speaker, and thought leader. In this episode, I’m sharing my own struggles with self-doubt and specific things I do when it comes up that may be helpful to 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 w

How is your thought leadership message connected to your business? Should it be related? I look at it this way: Thought leadership is the personal WHY to the WHAT (vision) and HOW (mission) that you have for your business. Think of your thought leadership as a parallel track to your business; it’s WHY you do what you do. I talk about thought leadership because it’s the way to get more of what you want: better speaking engagements, including paid ones, plus the way to reach more people with your message and create change.   In this episode, I talk about: What thought leadership is How thought leadership is different from your marketing and sales message in your business How to connect your thought leadership and your business My own thought leadership message The a-ha moment I had when I gave my keynote talk back in September Examples from some of our clients The biggest challenges I see when working on your thought leadership About Us: The Speaking Your Brand podcast is hosted by Carol Cox. At Speaking Yo

Happy New Year! This is the 4th year in a row I’ve done a trends episode for the start of the year. What I mean by trends are not fads or cliches or gimmicks.  Trends are like currents or waves of energy that move through our society and affect everything from business and politics and the economy to popular culture and media. How do these trends impact our public speaking and thought leadership?  As speakers and leaders, our talks and messages have more of an impact if our audiences can see the bigger picture of what’s affecting them and the world around them. In this episode, you’ll learn 3 trends (and action steps for each) related to format, audience, and content that you can apply to your speaking and thought leadership, as well as to your business and visibility strategy in general.  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

This is the final episode in the series we’ve been doing called “The Medium is the Message”. In this series, we’ve covered the mediums of podcasting, public speaking, video, TV, email, and social media - what makes each one unique and how to make the most of them. This episode is all about the medium of the book and my guest is author and book coach Tiffany Hawk. Writing a book allows you to develop your thought leadership in a deeper way and gives your ideas longevity. A book can also be an important asset for you to have as a speaker, especially if you want to be a keynote speaker. Tiffany and I talk about: How getting published is the ultimate vetting process and credibility marker What makes a book “a book” (the medium) The pros and cons of traditional vs. self publishing The timeline for writing and publishing a prescriptive nonfiction book The book proposal I’m working on right now with Tiffany as my book coach About My Guest: Tiffany Hawk is an author and book coach who helps leaders write agent-r