Speaking Your Brand: Public Speaking Tips and Strategies

How can you get more visibility for your business? In this on-air coaching call, my guest Pam Andrews and I discuss specific things she can do, from obvious ones like speaking to groups and going on podcasts to some less obvious ones that may be a good fit for you too. You’ll learn the questions to ask yourself to determine where you should focus your time and energy. Interestingly, we discover during our conversation that the customers who purchase Pam’s books are most likely not the same people who would purchase her services - they are two very different types of customers. You may have the same thing in your business and not realize it. I encourage you to go back and listen to episode 45, where I go over four different visibility roadmaps you can use, depending on what stage your business is in. About My Guest: Pam Andrews is a College Admissions Coach and Scholarship Strategist. Pam helps high school students get into their dream college and secure scholarships that will pay for it. Pam is known for helping her son win over $700,000 in scholarship money that pays for his undergraduate and graduate school. More importantly, she has helped her clients win over $1,000,000 in scholarships. Because of her success, Pam is often asked, “How do you do it?” To answer this question she launched, The Scholarship Shark, a coaching company that offers parents and students a roadmap to maximizing their efforts to getting into college as well as finding and winning scholarship money. If you’d like to schedule a visibility strategy session with me to create your own personalized visibility roadmap and plan, go to https://www.speakingyourbrand.com/getvisible. Highlights: The two different types of customers Pam has and how this will influence the visibility areas to focus on What Pam has been doing so far for visibility and the results she’s seen Specific strategies - both online and offline - you can use to build awareness for what you do The power of teaming up with complementary service providers How often you should do public speaking and podcast interviews How to put your visibility roadmap into action Links: Show notes at https://www.speakingyourbrand.com/48 Check out Pam’s website, books, and board game at https://www.thescholarshipshark.com/ Join the free Speaking Your Brand community at https://www.speakingyourbrand.com/join/ or text the word SPEAKING to 444-999. Sign up for a Visibility Strategy Session at https://www.speakingyourbrand.com/getvisible. Interested in a VIP Day to create your signature talk? Email me at [email protected]. Say hi to me on Twitter @CarolMorganCox Subscribe to the podcast and leave a review!

As a speaker, you’re only one-half of the equation. The other half is your audience. Particularly when you’re doing workshops and breakout sessions with smaller groups, you want to make sure that the audience is engaged, interested, and learning. My guest Amy Lang is an experienced speaker and workshop facilitator and she shares with us strategies she uses, from stories and humor to flipcharts and breathing breaks, to engage adult learners. We also talk about how to manage introverted and extroverted workshop participants, how Amy got her first speaking gigs when she was starting her business, and our mutual love for alliteration and acronyms. This is a very lively conversation that I know you’ll enjoy! About My Guest: A nationally-known sexuality educator, speaker and author, Amy Lang helps both parents and professionals who work with kids discover talking about sexuality, bodies and safety doesn’t have to be scary or overwhelming. Her engaging, humorous and inspiring style shows adults how to turn conversations and situations they dread into something they can handle like a pro. Her clients include the US Air Force Youth and Family Services programs, Boys & Girls Clubs and thousands of parents around the world. Amy holds an MA in Applied Behavioral Science and her focus was in adult education and group facilitation. She decided to combine her love of sex talking and her love of working with adults and started Birds & Bees & Kids in 2006. Highlights: Getting referrals from current and previous clients, and how important they are to grow your business How to get your first speaking gigs Keeping your presentation content fresh Specific strategies for connecting with and engaging introverts AND extroverts in your audience How to connect to your audience with real stories, humor, and wacky teaching styles Holding space for your audience and being their guide The importance of tweaking your content to different audiences so they are engaged and actively learning Links: Show notes at https://www.speakingyourbrand.com/47 Check out Amy’s website at http://birdsandbeesandkids.com/ Amy’s Facebook Group Birds and Bees and Kids Find Amy’s book Dating Smarts on Amazon Interested in working together to create your signature talk? Email me at [email protected]. Join the free Speaking Your Brand community at https://www.speakingyourbrand.com/join/ or text the word SPEAKING to 444-999. Say hi to me on Twitter @CarolMorganCox Subscribe to the podcast and leave a review!

As women, we walk a tightrope between needing to advocate for ourselves, yet not wanting to come across as braggarts or overly promotional (yes, it’s that pesky double bind). How can we make sure we’re getting the visibility and opportunities we deserve for the amazing work I know we’re all doing? We need a wingwoman (or two or three)! In this episode, my guest Mia Scharphie shares what she has named “the wingwoman effect” and how as women entrepreneurs and professionals we can use it to advocate for others, foster collaboration, and gain more visibility. We talk about the difference between having a mentor and a sponsor, creating a recommendation circle, and a better approach to networking events. We also need your input! During our conversation, we talk about how we all need to have a coach, a cheerleader, and a challenger in our lives. Mia came up with an idea for a fourth archetype and we need a good “C” name for it! (I love alliteration.) After you listen, pop into the Speaking Your Brand Facebook group and share with us your ideas. About My Guest: Mia Scharphie is a creative agent of change, a do-er and big-picture thinker. She founded Build Yourself to help women in creative fields move past the obstacles that hold them back in the workplace, and to make those workplaces better places for their women’s often underutilized talent. Mia is a trained facilitator and has worked on women’s advocacy for over fifteen years. She’s run a research effort on women in social impact design for the Harvard Business School, is a founding member of the Equity Roundtable at the Boston Society of Architects, and was named as one of Impact Design Hub’s Social Impact Design 40 under 40. She has spoken extensively across the country including at the Association of Community Designers, and A Better World by Design, as well as the University of Pennsylvania and UT Austin. Mia received degrees from the Harvard Graduate School of Design and Brown University. Her writings on issues of equity in design have been published in the Christian Science Monitor and GOOD. Highlights: How succeeding in school and the workplace are different, and what actions to take to make yourself memorable Why hearing ‘no’ is sometimes a really good thing to hear How people pleasing and needing approval hinder us from reaching our goals The difference between having a mentor and a sponsor How to start building your visibility today and why you shouldn’t wait to do it The importance of collaboration over competition What it means to have and to be a wingwoman How to take advantage of the opportunities you have to be creative and stand out Links: Show notes at https://www.speakingyourbrand.com/46 Get Mia’s free brainstorming guide to help you create more unique content: http://www.buildyourselfworkshop.com/speakingyourbrand Visit Mia’s website at http://buildyourselfworkshop.com/ and http://buildyourselfworkshop.com/double-vision-coming-soon/ Join the free Speaking Your Brand community at https://www.speakingyourbrand.com/join/ or text the word SPEAKING to 444-999. Say hi to me on Twitter @CarolMorganCox Subscribe to the podcast and leave a review!

This episode is a mini-training to help you create your visibility roadmap and identify the areas you should focus on to build your business, brand, and influence. They’re not the same for everyone. I’m going to share with you 4 different roadmaps depending on where you’re at in your business and what your goals are. Whether you want to do more public speaking, give a keynote, do a TEDx talk, create your own workshops or events, launch a podcast or video show or virtual summit, appear on TV, write a book, serve in a leadership position in a community or industry organization, or run for office, you need to identify the stepping stones to get you from where you are to where you want to be. Get the free PDF download of the visibility roadmaps and additional resources at https://www.speakingyourbrand.com/45. You’ll also hear about a recent tough decision I had to make about a visibility opportunity. I had to keep in mind what was going to grow my business vs. potentially derail it. Highlights: Visualizing where you want to be and what you want to do, whether it’s a keynote, TEDx talk, launching a podcast, hosting a live event, writing a book, going on TV, even running for office What visibility gets you and your business Identifying the stepping stones to get you from where you are to where you want to be. Questions to consider when deciding what areas to focus on for visibility The 4 Visibility Roadmaps - depending on what stage you’re at in your business and what your goals are Links: Get the show notes and free PDF download of the visibility roadmaps at https://www.speakingyourbrand.com/45 Sign up for a Visibility Strategy Session at https://www.speakingyourbrand.com/getvisible Interested in a VIP Day to create your signature talk? Email me at [email protected]. Join the free Speaking Your Brand community at https://www.speakingyourbrand.com/join/. Say hi to me on Twitter @CarolMorganCox Subscribe to the podcast and leave a review!

Virtual summits can raise your visibility: whether you’re being interviewed on one or hosting your own. Being a part of a virtual summit can introduce you to a new audience. Hosting your own virtual summit can help you grow your email list, network, and revenue. My guest Jaime Slutzky is an expert on creating virtual summits - from the tech integration to strategizing on content and marketing for the summit. She may have even convinced me to do my own in 2018! In this episode, we talk about the reasons to participate on a virtual summit, what you should know as a participant and the questions to ask the host, and whether you should host your own. About My Guest: Jaime Slutzky was born a techie. She knew by the age of 7 that she wanted to spend her life working on computers. She obtained her Bachelor's in Computer Science, spent over a decade in corporate IT and then she started a WordPress freelancing business. Jaime is now the Principal at Virtual Summit TECH, a virtual summit production company. She and her team perform all the behind-the-scenes tech wizardry to deliver their clients content to their audience. Highlights: What exactly a virtual summit is, and how it can grow your business and connect you with other industry leaders How participating in or hosting your own virtual summit can help you become an influencer in your field. How long it takes to create a virtual summit and the three main components of one Questions to ask yourself if you’re thinking of hosting your own virtual summit How to make sure you’re getting the most out of the summit as an interviewee Links: Show notes at https://www.speakingyourbrand.com/44 Register for Jaime’s Biz BFF Summit: https://thebizbffsummit.com/ Learn about Jamie’s services at https://virtualsummittech.com/ Strong Jewish Women’s Summit hosted by Edie Berg: http://thestrongjewishwomenssummit.com/ . Edie was on the Speaking Your Brand podcast in episode 5. Elevate Pharmacy Summit hosted by Blair Thielemier: https://elevatepharmacysummit.com/ Join the free Speaking Your Brand community at https://www.speakingyourbrand.com/join/. Sign up for a strategy session at https://www.speakingyourbrand.com/strategy Say hi to me on Twitter @CarolMorganCox Subscribe to the podcast and leave a review!

Get ready for a fun and lively conversation! We get into the nitty-gritty of speaking in this episode: how to make sure that the speaking opportunities you say yes to are helping you reach your goals and grow your business vs. derailing you. My guest Amber De La Garza is a productivity specialist, so we also talk about productivity tips for us as speakers and entrepreneurs. I even ask her to help me with a productivity struggle - and you’ll be surprised by her recommendation (I was!). Amber shares with us what the National Speakers Association does and how it has helped her in her speaking journey. We also talk about what it takes to get paid big money for keynotes - and why you may not want to go down that path. About My Guest: Amber De La Garza is The Productivity Specialist! Amber is a sought-after coach, trainer, speaker, writer, and the host of the Productivity Straight Talk podcast. She helps entrepreneurs take consistent, massive, focused action in business and equips them with the specific techniques needed to reduce stress, increase profits, make more time for what matters most, and achieve their vision of success. Highlights: How you can reach your business goals without being a keynote speaker (and why it may even be better) How being involved with her local chapter of the National Speakers Association has helped Amber on her speaking journey Why content isn’t received the same way in all audiences and how important it is to know your audience The difference between organization and productivity How to create a calendar that supports natural energy flows for ultimate productivity The right way to network at networking events to create opportunities (like being a podcast guest) Productivity tips, and why it’s ok to say no Links: Show notes at https://www.speakingyourbrand.com/43 Amber’s website: http://www.theproductivityspecialist.com Amber’s podcast: Productivity Straight Talk Amber’s Facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/ProductivityStraightTalk/ Join the free Speaking Your Brand community at https://www.speakingyourbrand.com/join/. Say hi to me on Twitter @CarolMorganCox Subscribe to the podcast and leave a review!

What kind of content should you create when you want to start a movement (or launch a product)? In this on-air coaching call, I help my guest Marnie Clark with ideas and strategies to generate awareness and interest in a movement she’s starting around premium, hand-crafted non-alcoholic cocktails. Marnie’s been frustrated that when she goes to restaurants or out with friends, she’s stuck ordering water or frozen slushy drinks. She wants a beautiful, delicious cocktail, minus the alcohol. We talk about what kinds of videos to create, who to target, and how she can incorporate her story into her content. About My Guest: Marnie Clark is a business owner who has played an integral role for the past 27-years in the multi-million-dollar construction company that she has helped build alongside her husband. Marnie is also the founder of Marnie Rae, a lifestyle brand that spotlights handcrafted, soft cocktails. Nestled near Hood Canal in the beautiful Pacific Northwest, Marnie loves to enjoy the outdoors - hiking, running, paddle-boarding and boating. Traveling and family are high on her list but you can’t leave off the Seahawks or coffee! Being sober has led Marnie to explore a new passion and she is excited to share this with others. Marnie is recognized as a founder of the Dine and Dream Dinner and a past producer of The Inspired You Event. Highlights: How Marnie found her niche and is filling a void for her audience How sharing your story is important because that’s what your audience will relate to How large the market is for handcrafted non-alcoholic beverages The importance of visual imagery when creating our content and user generated content How working with local restaurants and TV channels can help spark a movement Links: Show notes at https://www.speakingyourbrand.com/42 Marnie’s website Connect with Marnie on Instagram @MarnieRaeC My interview on the Food Blogger Pro podcast #106 Join the free Speaking Your Brand community at https://www.speakingyourbrand.com/join/. Sign up for a strategy session at https://www.speakingyourbrand.com/strategy. Say hi to me on Twitter @CarolMorganCox Subscribe to the podcast and leave a review!

In this episode, I take you behind the scenes of a presentation I recently gave at BizChix Live, a 3-day conference for women entrepreneurs. The title was “Your Visibility Roadmap: Growing Your Business, Brand, and Influence.” I talk about how I created the presentation itself, an overview of the content, how I prepared, and the feedback and results I got. You’ll hear about the nightmare I had 2 nights before I was to speak (and what I learned from it!). You’ll also hear the feedback I received from one of the attendees that stopped me in my tracks - something you need to hear too. In a future episode, I’ll go over the visibility roadmaps from this presentation, so be sure to subscribe to the podcast and share with a friend! Highlights: How I got this speaking opportunity How I decided on the content for my talk and what to include in it The process I went through to create my talk (that you can use too) Slide designs How I prepared Getting to know the audience beforehand The importance of feeling comfortable in the venue Customizing the presentation for the audience The feedback and results I received Links: Show notes at https://www.speakingyourbrand.com/41 Interested in a VIP Day to create your signature talk? Email me at [email protected]. BizChix podcast My webinar on How to Become a Sought-After, Stand-Out Speaker at https://www.speakingyourbrand.com/training Join the free Speaking Your Brand community at https://www.speakingyourbrand.com/join/. Say hi to me on Twitter @CarolMorganCox Subscribe to the podcast and leave a review!

Have you ever felt scared to say or publish something, but you knew you had to do it? That’s what my guest Sophia Eng did a few months ago when she wrote and published “Hear Us Roar: A Manifesto for Women and Minorities in Startup, Tech, and Business Communities.” She knew that if she wanted other women to speak up, she had to do it herself. Sophia is a Growth Advisor and Founder of Women in Growth, a community dedicated to empowering women to grow businesses. She has been the driving force behind the revenue and user growth at Autodesk, Workday, and now InVision, as well as her own consulting agency using buyer psychology as the backbone of her strategies and insights. Sophia champions female and minority inclusion in Silicon Valley, as one of the leaders of Women Supporting Women. Sophia has a special focus on empowering female entrepreneurs, as well as pushing the agenda for more in-depth studies on the unique psychology of female consumers. In this episode, we talk about how men and women buy differently; what growth hacking is and how we can use it to grow our businesses; the need for more women to speak up in companies and on stages; finding allies; and much more. Highlights: How you should be targeting men and women customers differently The importance of split testing your landing pages and Facebook ads for men and women Tips for using growth hacking strategies, no matter what kind of business you have How community is a key element of growth hacking and word of mouth is the best marketing Finding allies to support you The importance of speaking up, even if it’s frightening, in order to start a conversation that will elicit change Links: Sophia’s website Join Sophia’s Facebook group “Women in Growth” Connect with Sophia on Twitter Sophia’s article “Hear Us Roar: A Manifesto for Women and Minorities in Startup, Tech, and Business Communities” InVisionApp.com Join the free Speaking Your Brand community at https://www.speakingyourbrand.com/join/. Say hi to me on Twitter @CarolMorganCox Subscribe to the podcast and leave a review!

What kinds of personal stories should you share in a business context? How personal is too personal when sharing stories publicly? How do you get past the fear that creeps up when you’re about to share something? My guest Lisa Woodruff, founder of Organize 365, and I talk about how and why she shares personal stories on her podcast and blog and how that has impacted her business growth. We also get into how Lisa got visibility for her business early on and what she’s doing now with podcasting, blogging, speaking, and social media. About My Guest: Lisa Woodruff is a home organization expert, productivity specialist and author of The Mindset of Organization, Take Back Your House One Phase at a Time, & How ADHD Affects Home Organization. Lisa believes organization is not a skill you are born with. It is a skill that is developed over time and changes with each season of life. Lisa has helped thousands of women reclaim their homes and finally get organized with her practical tips, encouragement and humor through her blog and podcast at Organize365.com. Highlights: Why Lisa started her business Organize 365 in 2012 How Lisa uses personal stories in her business, blog, and podcast to connect with her audience How Lisa handles the fear of sharing personal stories How Lisa got visibility for her business early on and what she’s doing now with podcasting, blogging, speaking, and social media Links: Lisa’s website Organize365.com Lisa’s podcast Organize 365 Connect with Lisa on Facebook, Pinterest, Instagram, LinkedIn, and Twitter Join the free Speaking Your Brand community at https://www.speakingyourbrand.com/join/. Say hi to me on Twitter @CarolMorganCox Subscribe to the podcast and leave a review!

Creating and hosting your own local workshops can be a great way to add a revenue stream to your business and reach prospective clients who get to know you as an expert and then want to work with your further. My guest is social media strategist Valentina Escobar-Gonzalez, who has built a good part of her business through local workshops, partnering with the chamber of commerce and SBA in her town. We talk about how Valentina markets her workshops, how far in advance to advertise them, tips for effectively targeting Facebook ads, and using Twitter to connect with influencers and podcasters. One of the workshops that Valentina offers is on social media for introverts. As an introvert and someone who doesn’t like to post a lot on social media, that really piqued my interest, so I have Valentina share some of her strategies with us. About My Guest: Valentina Escobar-Gonzalez, MBA, founded Beyond Engagement: Social Media Solutions in January 2012 and hasn’t slowed down since. She has a passion for assisting small businesses grow their engagement levels with customers online with social media marketing. Valentina regularly speaks to business groups, associations, and organizations on using social media effectively. Highlights: How to use Twitter and Instagram to connect with influencers and thought leaders in your field How long your workshop should be Importance of identifying your target market audience for workshops and Facebook ads How much to spend on Facebook ads and when to start promoting your event How local workshops can lead to higher paying on-site consultations Importance of doing old school things like sending thank you cards, birthday cards, and presents to clients - keeps you in the front of their mind Always be engaging with your current clients because most of your new clients will come from them Links: Valentina’s website = http://beyond-engagement.com/ Connect with Valentina on Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn Join the free Speaking Your Brand community at https://www.speakingyourbrand.com/join/. Say hi to me on Twitter @CarolMorganCox Subscribe to the podcast and leave a review!

We’re back with an on-air coaching call! Webinars are an excellent way to increase awareness of who you are, what you do, and how you help people, plus they’re a lot of fun (at least I think so!). In this episode, I help professional makeup artist Samantha Agostino with the content of her webinar. We review her past webinar and how to improve it to make a stronger connection with her audience and get them interested in her program. We talk about getting clear on your goal as well as the audience’s goal, how to structure your webinar content by focusing on 3 (yes, only 3!) main points and keeping them simple to understand, the power of sharing your personal stories and experiences as well as client examples, tips for engaging attendees, and how many slides to use. About My Guest: Samantha Agostino is a professional makeup artist for high-end bridal and event clients. Samantha’s work has graced numerous covers such as IAN and NJ Bride and been featured by top publications including Grace Ormonde, Carats & Cake and The Knot. A celebrated bridal fashion specialist – she recently collaborated with international luxury wedding planner Jean-Charles Vaneck and Ellie Youseff Couture for The Villa Casa Casuarina in Miami – Samantha also regularly leads beauty teams for NY Fashion Week, where her work has been highlighted on WWD and Vogue Brazil pages. In addition, Samantha mentors and coaches other makeup artists who are building their businesses. Highlights: Getting clear on your goal - and your audience’s goal - for the webinar Understanding the obstacles that are preventing your audience/target market from achieving their goal and how you help them How to structure your webinar content Why you should only have 3 main points and keep them simple, especially on a webinar The power of sharing your personal stories and experiences and client examples Tips for engaging your audience throughout the webinar How many slides you may have for a webinar vs an in-person presentation How much text to include on your slides Links: Learn more on Samantha’s website Connect with Samantha on Instagram Free PDF of my presentation framework you can use for your webinars Watch my recent webinar or listen to episode 30 which is the audio from the webinar Join the free Speaking Your Brand community at https://www.speakingyourbrand.com/join/. Say hi to me on Twitter @CarolMorganCox Subscribe to the podcast and leave a review!

Business can be a vehicle for social impact and positive change. But, oftentimes, entrepreneurs who see themselves as changemakers can get tripped up with money blocks, trusting their idea, and figuring out how to turn their idea into tangible growth. That’s where my guest Geraldine Carter comes in. As co-founder of Climate Ride, she grew the organization from an idea to a seven-figure budget and she now coaches changemaking entrepreneurs. She was even mentioned (by name!) by Seth Godin in one of his TED talks. In this episode, Geraldine and I discuss her background and early adventures traveling the world, the impetus for creating Climate Ride, the struggles she sees changemaking entrepreneurs go through, and much more. About My Guest: Geraldine Carter coaches courageous changemakers who are ready take their business to the next level. From co-founding Climate Ride in 2008 and scaling the socially-conscious company to a seven figure budget, to biking across southeast Asia on her own, to coaching entrepreneurs on how to achieve their own lofty goals, Geraldine loves finding practical, efficient solutions to seemingly complex challenges. After directly experiencing the value of outside perspective and mentorship, Geraldine has been sharing her 10+ years of business experience and mindfulness training, helping clients cut right to the core of any problem to design effective solutions. An ICF accredited Associate Certified Coach, Geraldine takes pride in challenging herself and her clients to reach higher and find bolder ways forward. Highlights: Geraldine’s travels around the world Trusting your idea as a pioneer Needing a map to point you in the right direction for your business The money blocks many socially-minded entrepreneurs face and what to do about it Links: Learn more on Geraldine’s website Free PDF for listeners Connect with Geraldine on Facebook and LinkedIn Seth Godin TED talk “The tribes we lead” Book “The Soul of Money” Join the free Speaking Your Brand community at https://www.speakingyourbrand.com/join/. Say hi to me on Twitter @CarolMorganCox Subscribe to the podcast and leave a review!

Moderating a panel, or being on one, can be a great way to increase your visibility at an event or conference. People in the audience see you as an expert and you get to know and network with the other panelists. But, as the moderator if you’re not careful, panels can quickly become unruly or go off on tangents or end up with one person dominating the conversation. My guest Natalie Eckdahl has moderated several high-profile panels over the past year, including at Social Media Marketing World and Podcast Movement. Along the way, she’s learned strategies and lessons that she shares in this episode. We also talk about her decision to create her own live event, coming up in mid-October in Southern California, as she saw how much she connected with others at conferences she was attending. About My Guest: Natalie Eckdahl is a Business Strategist and High Performance Coach, who helps high-achieving women entrepreneurs across industries and time zones build, grow, and scale their business while avoiding overwhelm. She’s the Founder of the BizChix Community and Podcast, and has been recognized as “One of the Top Women in Business to Listen to.” She has also been featured in Inc, Fast Company, Huffington Post and Entrepreneur. Highlights: How Natalie got to be a panel moderator How to select good panelists How to steer the conversation How to get panelists to bond with each other beforehand Checking out the room beforehand and how panelists should sit Introducing panelists Why attending conferences has become key to increasing Natalie's visibility Why host your own live event Links: Natalie’s website and podcast Biz Chix Biz Chix Live event Connect with Natalie on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, and Twitter My recent episode on the Biz Chix Podcast #278 High-quality royalty-free music at premiumbeat.com Join the free Speaking Your Brand community at https://www.speakingyourbrand.com/join/. Say hi to me on Twitter @CarolMorganCox Subscribe to the podcast and leave a review!

How do you approach selling, whether it’s your product/service or yourself for speaking engagements? Do you schedule time and make it a priority or do you tend to procrastinate on it because you don’t like “sales” and you’re not sure what to do or say? In this mini-training, my guest Nikki Rausch, founder of the Sales Maven, walks us through how to do the sales process, from prospecting to closing, in a way that feels good for both you and the other person and builds a relationship, not a transaction. We talk about what to say so you can get to the next step with a prospect, why you need to take the lead, and why you should offer clients several options for your product or service (you’ll hear why this works so well!). About My Guest: Sales Maven founder and bestselling author, Nikki Rausch, is an award-winning sales executive with 23+ years of sales experience selling to organizations such as Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, Johnson & Johnson, Hewlett Packard, Seattle Public Schools, & NASA. By combining her sales experience with her master certification in Neuro-Linguistic Programming, Nikki teaches simple, yet powerful techniques anyone can use. Entrepreneurs hire Nikki to learn how to sell in an authentic way without being pushy so they build relationships and close more deals. Her two books, Six-Word Lessons on Influencing with Grace: 100 Lessons to Genuinely Connect with Colleagues, Friends, Family, and Lovers and Buying Signals, How To Spot The Green Light & Increase Your Sales are both available on Amazon. Highlights: Why many of us don’t like selling A better way of looking at selling Prospecting and setting up the first call Phone vs video vs in-person Getting to the next step with the prospect Ways to close without feeling icky Why you need to take the lead in the sales process Links: Sign up for Nikki’s newsletter (it’s one of my favorites) at http://yoursalesmaven.com/sales-resources/ Connect with Nikki on Twitter, LinkedIn, and Facebook Join the free Speaking Your Brand community at https://www.speakingyourbrand.com/join/. Say hi to me on Twitter @CarolMorganCox Subscribe to the podcast and leave a review!

Ah, interns. The promise of inexpensive (or even free) labor as you’re growing your business, especially when you’re in that hard point between having too much work to do yourself but not having extra revenue to hire someone. But, there’s a catch. Interns come with responsibilities for you as the business owner (as well as legal regulations). My guest Isabella Johnston is known as the “intern whisperer.” She has trained dozens of interns in her company and is now getting ready to release a software program that will make it easier for businesses to find interns and for interns to find opportunities. What should you look for in an intern? What are realistic expectations? What do you as the business owner need to have in place before you’re ready for an intern? Isabella and I talk all about this and more in this podcast episode. About My Guest: Isabella Johnston owns Pivot Business Consulting where she consults in process innovation and improvement, onboarding, and servant leadership. She facilitates workshops and training in leadership, team building and 360 communication. She is called the intern whisperer because of the customized intern programs that help businesses and nonprofits bridge their process gaps. She is the creator of Intern Pursuit, a software program that is an end-to-end recruitment and management program to help business owners manage the intern process with ease. Highlights: Paid vs unpaid interns What you need to have as a business owner before you bring on an intern What you can realistically expect interns to be able to do Your role as a mentor The differences between an intern and a virtual assistant (VA) Links: Isabella’s website = https://www.pivotbusinessconsulting.com/ Intern Pursuit software platform = http://www.internpursuit.com Connect with Isabella on LinkedIn and Twitter Isabella’s articles on LinkedIn Join the free Speaking Your Brand community at https://www.speakingyourbrand.com/join/. Say hi to me on Twitter @CarolMorganCox Subscribe to the podcast and leave a review!

Your signature talk needs to be useful, interesting, and relatable to your audience - and it needs to be original and uniquely yours. In this on-air coaching call, my client Adrienne Borgersen and I discuss how we found her angle for her signature talk topic and we go over key parts of her presentation storyboard. We also talk the groups Adrienne should reach out to for speaking engagements based on who her target clients are. Adrienne shares fantastic style and shopping tips and the importance of making conscious choices when we buy. About My Guest: Adrienne Borgersen is a 25 year veteran of the music industry, a Fashion Institute of Technology certified Image Consultant and a Main Street Vegan Academy Master Certified Vegan Lifestyle Coach & Educator. Wanting to help people thrive no matter what their lifestyle, Adrienne uses her vast experience in marketing A-list recording artists around the world, along with her FIT training, to coach and educate clients on creating their personal style and personal brand. As a vegan, she wanted to find a way to incorporate her awareness of the plight of animals in the fashion industry, into her work. She began to speak and write about the issues and the solutions, to encourage people to consider compassionate and cruelty-free choices. She is also the co-founder and editor-in-chief of the online magazine La Fashionista Compassionista. Highlights: What an image consultant does Why Adrienne decided to create a magazine Finding your signature talk topic and angle or hook Integrating your personal story and experience into your presentation How your image ties to your identity and authenticity Adrienne’s style and shopping tips Making conscious choices about what we buy The groups Adrienne should reach out to for speaking engagements based on who her target clients are Links: Adrienne’s website = http://itfactorimage.nyc/ La Fashionista Compassionista magazine = http://lafcnyc.com/ Connect with Adrienne on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter Join the free Speaking Your Brand community at https://www.speakingyourbrand.com/join/. Say hi to me on Twitter @CarolMorganCox Subscribe to the podcast and leave a review!

Creating your signature talk can lead to clarity and better results not only for your presentations but for your business model, product offers, marketing messaging, and speaking strategy. In this on-air coaching call, I talk with my client C S Wurzberger about how our work together to create her signature talk (using my storyboard method) helped her narrow her niche, design her business model, and align her product offerings with what she is most passionate about: empowering kids who love animals to create real-world projects that make a difference and teach them valuable skills. About My Guest: C S Wurzberger, The Green Up Girl is a Podcaster, Green Movement Marketing Advisor, Sustainability Consultant with 25 years of experience and extensive training in helping animal/nature organizations showcase their green initiatives and conservation efforts for the world to see, experience, and unite. C S focuses on today’s strategies and tools to help youth map out a smart, actionable plan for saving species and improving our world. Her specialty is to help youth take charge of the “overwhelm” and manage effective campaigns. Plus, she provides organizations with engaging sessions that keep attendees coming back for more. Highlights: How your signature talk and business model are connected Narrowing your niche and product offer Using your signature talk outline for email sequences and sales conversations Creating your dream list of where you want to speak Strategies for connecting with event and conference organizers Links: Connect with C S on her website at http://thegreenupgirl.com/ Learn about the Green Up Kids Academy at http://www.greenupkids.org Join the free Speaking Your Brand community at https://www.speakingyourbrand.com/join/. Say hi to me on Twitter @CarolMorganCox Subscribe to the podcast and leave a review!

Here’s the problem I see with many of the presentations and workshops I attend: Too much impersonal information and data, not enough personal stories and connection. Or, to put it even more simply: Too much Wikipedia, not enough people. In this episode, I share examples of how you can create presentations that are personal and memorable for your audience and how, by having a signature talk, you create consistency with your message. I pulled the audio from the online training I recently did because I got such great feedback from the women who attended. I talk about the 3 C’s of Stand-Out Speaking: Consistency: Having a signature message and talk that you become known for Connection: Making your talk personal and memorable for your audience Context: Using story structure and the hero's journey so your presentation is relevant and relatable Use the examples and strategies I share to make your presentations more impactful and get the results you're looking for. Links: Join the free Speaking Your Brand community at https://www.speakingyourbrand.com/join/. Ready to create your signature talk? Get the details on my online group program at https://www.speakingyourbrand.com/signature-talk-group-program/ Replay of my online training: https://www.crowdcast.io/e/stand-out-speaker My episode on the Biz Chix episode #278: http://www.bizchix.com/278 Say hi to me on Twitter @CarolMorganCox Subscribe to the podcast and leave a review!

Are you spending time going to networking events and not feeling like you’re getting enough out of them? There’s a way to approach networking that can get you better results and save you time. In this on-air coaching episode, my guest Dr. Carmen Landrau and I strategize ways she can network more effectively, from which groups to attend to who to say yes to for coffee or lunch (and how to politely get out of the ones you don’t want to say yes to!). We also talk about Carmen’s background as a medical doctor and how she learned to navigate a very male-dominated industry and now speaks to professional women to help them know their worth and ask for what they want. About My Guest: Carmen W. Landrau, MD is a board certified physician who specializes in cardiology and is a professional keynote speaker who uses her experience navigating a male-dominated and hierarchical career to empower other women to obtain better life balance by sharing techniques that help them understand how to best use their skills, get support and manage their time efficiently. Dr. Landrau completed her medical training at Ponce School of Medicine in Puerto Rico, followed by a residency in internal medicine and fellowship in cardiology at The University of Texas Medical School in Houston. Dr. Landrau has been featured in H Texas Magazine, recognized among Houston's Top Doctors, and is a contributor to online journals. Highlights: The challenges women who grow up in patriarchal cultures face The importance of strong female role models Networking strategies to save time and find speaking opportunities Creating your own local group for women business owners Finding conferences to speak at and tips for speaking proposals And much more! Links: Carmen’s website = http://www.drlandrau.com Connect with Carmen on LinkedIn, Instagram, Twitter Puja Madan’s Spark event series for women business leaders Episode 7 with Puja Madan on time and productivity Join the free Speaking Your Brand community at https://www.speakingyourbrand.com/join/. Ready to create your signature talk? Get the details on my online group program at https://www.speakingyourbrand.com/signature-talk-group-program/ Say hi to me on Twitter @CarolMorganCox Subscribe to the podcast and leave a review!

As mission-driven entrepreneurs, we’re passionate and certain about the changes we’d like to see to make the world a better place. But, what happens if the people you want to reach aren’t as convinced as you are? You have a couple of options: You can work really hard to educate your market, to convince them that what you’re offering is what they need, to get them to change their behavior in favor of what you’re proposing. (Spoiler: this rarely works and you’ll spend a lot of time and money on it.) Or, you can give them what they want and shift your mission to align with that. This is the point my guest Bruce Friedrich arrived at a few years ago, which we talk about in this episode. This is also the point I see some of my clients at, as they struggle with communicating their message in a way that appeals to their potential customers where they’re at in their journey. In this episode, Bruce and I also talk about the current state of food tech, what entices investors to invest in companies (market opportunity vs. values), the importance of in-person speaking and connections to reach your audience, and what happened to Bruce at age 12 that set him on his career path. About my guest: Bruce Friedrich is Executive Director of the Good Food Institute, which works with scientists, investors, and entrepreneurs to make groundbreaking good food (clean meat and plant-based meat) a reality. Bruce graduated magna cum laude from Georgetown Law and Phi Beta Kappa from Grinnell College and also holds degrees from Johns Hopkins University and the London School of Economics. Bruce is a popular speaker on college campuses and has delivered presentations on food innovation at most of the nation's top universities, including Harvard, Yale, Princeton, Stanford, and MIT. Bruce has co-authored two books, including the forthcoming Clean Protein: The Revolution That Will Reshape Your Body, Boost Your Energy - and Save Our Planet with New York Times bestselling author Kathy Freston, contributed chapters to five books, and authored seven law review articles. Highlights: Educating the market (demand-side) vs. giving your customers what they want (supply-side) The current state of food tech (“nerds over cattle,” as Eric Schmidt of Google/Alphabet says) What moves investors to invest (finances/market opportunity vs. values/impact) What Good Food Institute does and how quickly it’s growing The importance of in-person speaking and connections to reach your audience What happened to Bruce at age 12 that set him on his career path The risks and rewards of standing for something Links: Good Food Institute = http://www.gfi.org/ Follow Bruce on Twitter @BruceGFriedrich Connect with Bruce on LinkedIn Good Food Institute on Facebook and Twitter Beyond Meat and Impossible Foods Cowspiracy documentary UN Report: Livestock’s Long Shadow Influence book by Robert Cialdini Clean Protein: The Revolution that Will Reshape Your Body, Boost Your Energy?and Save Our Planet book by Bruce Friedrich and Kathy Freston Join the free Speaking Your Brand community at https://www.speakingyourbrand.com/join/. Ready to create your signature talk? Sign up to get notified when my online group program opens at https://www.speakingyourbrand.com/signature-talk-group-program/ Say hi to me on Twitter @CarolMorganCox Subscribe to the podcast and leave a review!

How important are values to your company’s brand and culture? For Flipboard, a social news magazine that launched as one of the first breakout iPad apps in 2010 and now has over 100 million monthly active users, it’s been central to their decision making and their success. In this interview, I talk with Marci McCue, who heads up the company’s communications and content strategy, about the process she and Flipboard use to identify their values and embed them into the company culture (a very straightforward process that you can use, no matter the size of your company), the importance of civic engagement, and the power of stories. Marci also shares how she prepares for speaking engagements and the vision curve she uses in her presentations to help brands assess where they’re at with their customers. Did I also mention that she has hosted President Obama, Al Gore, and Steve Jobs, either at her home or at Flipboard headquarters? How cool is that!?! This conversation will leave you excited and inspired to be engaged, to make decisions that align with your values, and to share the stories that matter. As Marci says, “The decisions you make tell the world who you are.” About My Guest: As a member of Flipboard’s founding team, Marci McCue has led the company’s communications and content strategy since the company launched in 2010 with the mission to be the world’s best social magazine, simplifying the way people discover and share stories around any passion. She is responsible for turning Flipboard (now with over 100 million monthly active users) into a globally recognized brand with accolades and awards from leading organizations and publications around the world. Highlights: What it was like to host President Obama at her house in 2013 The process Marci and Flipboard use to identify their values and embed them into the company culture How to live your values in your company Marci and Flipboard believe that “great stories will move our world forward” The importance of civic engagement Steve Jobs and Al Gore coming to Flipboard HQ to talk about the impact of technology as they were building their product Content curation, fake news, the filter bubble, and the need to blend human editors with algorithms What Marci’s passion has been since she was young and how it shows up in what she does today How Marci prepares for her speaking engagements The vision curve Marci uses in her presentations to help brands assess where they’re at with their customers And much more! Links: Flipboard = https://flipboard.com/ Follow Marci on Twitter @marpmc Download the free PDF to help you with your presentations: https://www.speakingyourbrand.com/27 Join the free Speaking Your Brand community at https://www.speakingyourbrand.com/join/. Ready to create your signature talk? Sign up to get notified when my online group program opens at https://www.speakingyourbrand.com/signature-talk-group-program/ Say hi to me on Twitter @CarolMorganCox Subscribe to the podcast and leave a review!

We’re back with a coaching episode, so you can take the strategies we talk about and apply them to your own presentations. My guest Jodi Flynn of Women Taking the Lead and I go over an upcoming presentation she has, including why your presentation should only have 3 key points (less is more!), how to poll the audience so you can tailor your content and examples, how to transition between points, and rituals to help you before and after you go on stage. Jodi is already an accomplished speaker and podcaster, and with this presentation she’s melding her core message for type A entrepreneurial women (hand raised!) with a podcasting topic for a more general audience. Listen in to see how she’s going about doing that. About My Guest: Jodi Flynn is the Founder of Women Taking the Lead, a podcast and community of ambitious entrepreneurial women who want to go BIG. She works with Type-A women who are already successful but have not yet achieved the level of success they want to achieve. Jodi helps her clients to see how extraordinary they are and then set priorities, get organized, in action so they can achieve their biggest goals with ease. She became an Amazon bestselling author with the release of her book, Accomplished: How to Go from Dreaming to Doing. Highlights: How Jodi used her coaching system for type A entrepreneurial women for the content of her book and her presentations Finding the right audience How to test your ideas The virtuous circle of podcasting, book writing, and speaking to grow your business The importance of having a specific niche and one core message Why your presentation should only have 3 key points (less is more!) Engaging and polling the audience so you can tailor your content and examples Transitions between points in your presentation Rituals before and after going on stage Integrating your offer into your presentation (without “selling from the stage”) Links: Connect with Jodi on her website and podcast “Women Taking the Lead” at https://womentakingthelead.com My interview on Jodi’s podcast (episode 189): https://womentakingthelead.com/carol-cox/ Jodi’s networking tips episode: https://womentakingthelead.com/networkingtips/ Join the free Speaking Your Brand community at https://www.speakingyourbrand.com/join/. Ready to create your signature talk? Sign up to get notified when my online group program opens at https://www.speakingyourbrand.com/signature-talk-group-program/ Say hi to me on Twitter @CarolMorganCox Subscribe to the podcast and leave a review!

What opportunities are you missing out on because you don’t have a signature talk? In this episode, I share why having a signature talk is critical for your business and your personal brand, including examples of what makes a great signature talk (and how it’s different from a training). With a signature talk, you become the go-to expert and thought leader for your topic and industry. You establish your personal brand and business reputation. You’re ready to accept speaking opportunities when they come your way, because you’re always prepared with a presentation that you can tweak and repurpose based on the particular audience, event, venue, and length of time. When you sincerely and authentically empower others, they’ll want to share and refer you to others, and they will come to you to buy your product or service when they need help. Having a signature talk, a presentation that you are comfortable with, that provides value to those in the audience, that you get better at each time you give it, will give you the confidence to get out there and share your message. Highlights: What a signature talk is and what it isn't Why you need a signature talk for your business and your personal brand How to figure out what your signature talk topic is The difference between a training and a signature talk Taking your personal story and universalizing it Getting booked and paid to speak Links: Download the free PDF guide to start creating your signature talk: https://www.speakingyourbrand.com/25 Join the free Speaking Your Brand community at https://www.speakingyourbrand.com/join/. Ready to create your signature talk? Sign up to get notified when my online group program opens at https://www.speakingyourbrand.com/signature-talk-group-program/ Say hi to me on Twitter @CarolMorganCox Subscribe to the podcast and leave a review!

What does it take to do a TEDx talk? In short, a lot of work! But, as my guest and client Tammy Lally talks about in this episode, the process was tremendously rewarding and transformational. Tammy and I talk about the process we went through to create the talk, how she prepared for it, what it was like to be on the TEDx stage, what she learned about herself, how she opened the talk, and much more. About My Guest: In her work as a Certified Money Coach and Financial Planner, Tammy Lally helps couples and individuals achieve financial health and freedom. Since 2009, her ability to help clients succeed is based on her leading edge knowledge and unique approach. She assists them in digging in, questioning, and owning their money beliefs and behaviors and the impact they have on their financial, social, emotional and spiritual well-being. Highlights: Tammy had the intention to do a TEDx talk in 2017 The importance of finding a good coach Determining what part of your story to tell Learning about yourself through the preparation process Tammy’s opening line and powerful story How your money autobiography determines your spending habits The benefits of meditation The process of preparation What it feels like to deliver a TEDx talk Links: Tammy’s website = http://tammylally.com/ Connect with Tammy on LinkedIn and Facebook Join the free Speaking Your Brand community at https://www.speakingyourbrand.com/join/. Interested in working together on your signature talk or TEDx talk? Visit www.speakingyourbrand.com and contact me. I would love to hear from you. Say hi to me on Twitter @CarolMorganCox Subscribe to the podcast and leave a review!

If you’re interested in speaking at conferences and/or being a guest on podcasts, this is an episode you won’t want to miss. I met my guest Kerry Gorgone over 8 years ago and I’ve seen her influence rise, both online as she’s become the host of the MarketingProfs podcast and a contributing writer to well-known sites like Social Media Explorer and Entrepreneur.com, as well as offline through speaking and training. In this episode, Kerry and I talk about how she got started speaking, how she approaches creating her presentations and engaging the audience, what makes a great podcast guest, and much more. About my guest: Kerry Gorgone is the host of the Marketing Smarts podcast and Director of Product Strategy for Training at MarketingProfs. She trained as a lawyer and is now a speaker, educator, and contributing writer to Spin Sucks, Huffington Post, {grow} blog, Social Media Explorer, Entrepreneur.com, and more. Highlights: Repurposing content from Q&A sessions at speaking engagements The value of meeting people in person to build relationships The process Kerry took to get speaking engagements in the beginning Tailoring your presentation for the audience The kinds of stories Kerry uses in her presentations Tips for engaging the audience What to put on your slides and what to include in handouts How showing up at conferences can lead to speaking engagements What makes a great podcast guest What to put in your podcast pitch email What Kerry sees companies doing that they shouldn’t regarding content marketing Marketing trends, including marketing automation and personalization Links: Connect with Kerry on LinkedIn Kerry’s Twitter = @KerryGorgone Marketing Smarts podcast hosted by Kerry StitchFix Join the free Speaking Your Brand community at https://www.speakingyourbrand.com/join/. Interested in my online group program? Sign up to be notified when it opens at https://www.speakingyourbrand.com/signature-talk-group-program/. Say hi to me on Twitter @CarolMorganCox Subscribe to the podcast and leave a review!

Community has been the most important component for me in growing Speaking Your Brand over the past two years, from online masterminds I’ve been a part of to local women’s business groups I’ve joined. In this episode, my guest Kat Mendenhall shares how community and mentors have been instrumental in helping her with her businesses. We also talk about how to turn passion into a profitable business (and what the key ingredient is). Kat is the creator of a company that makes gorgeous cruelty-free cowboy boots and she recently opened a boutique in Dallas called Mend RT vegan retail therapy. Highlights: Turning passion into a profitable business The value of taking risks Saying yes to everything The different types of mentors you should have The importance of knowing your values and standards Links: Kat's website = http://katmendenhall.com Kat's Instagram = @KatMendenhallBoots Kat's Twitter = @KickButtVegan Main Street Vegan Academy Join the free Speaking Your Brand community at https://www.speakingyourbrand.com/join/. Interested in my online group program? Sign up to be notified when it opens at https://www.speakingyourbrand.com/signature-talk-group-program/. Say hi to me on Twitter @CarolMorganCox Subscribe to the podcast and leave a review!

There’s a LOT of content out there competing for your (and your customers’) limited attention, from social media updates and blog posts to podcasts and videos. Is the answer to create more content or better content? My guest today, Jay Acunzo, believes that the answer is not “more” or “better”; rather, it’s to create exceptional content. What exactly is exceptional content and how can you use your intuition to create it? Listen to the episode to find out. Jay and I also talk how Jay approaches his speaking engagements and the importance of storytelling in business and presentations. About my guest: Jay Acunzo is an award-winning show host and keynote speaker. Working as a digital media strategist at Google convinced him that the tried-and-true often leads to stale work. As head of content at HubSpot, he developed a passion to see marketing as a craft-driven profession. Now, as the host of the audio documentary series Unthinkable, Jay spends each week telling the stories of people and companies who break from the convention to do exceptional things. Links: Jay’s website and podcast "Unthinkable" = http://unthinkable.fm/ Jay’s Twitter = @JayAcunzo Jay Acunzo on Mitch Joel's podcast Six Pixels of Separation. A Well-Designed Business podcast episode 189 with Jan Bowen and LuAnn Nigara on intuition. Article on thought leadership, sales, and content. “Deep Work” book = https://www.amazon.com/Deep-Work-Focused-Success-Distracted-ebook/dp/B00X47ZVXM/ Join the free Speaking Your Brand community at https://www.speakingyourbrand.com/join/. Interested in my online group program? Sign up to be notified when it opens at https://www.speakingyourbrand.com/signature-talk-group-program/. Say hi to me on Twitter @CarolMorganCox Subscribe to the podcast and leave a rating and review!

What’s wrong with being a good girl? What does striving for perfectionism and people pleasing cost us as women in leadership? How does it affect our message and our ability to have a greater impact? In this episode, my guest Regena Garrepy shares with us her journey to reclaim her essence - and the gremlins that keep us from doing the valuable work we should be doing. We also talk about the process Regena and I used to create her new presentation and when you need to mature your message to have a greater impact. I’ve gotten to know Regena over the past year as we’ve worked together on two of her presentations and she is a truly beautiful soul. I admire and respect her tremendously and love the power of her story and her message. About my guest: Regena Garrepy is a mentor for messengers, transformational facilitator, superwoman sanity saver and leadership coach. After working with hundreds of women and leading over 30 transformational events, she mentors and empowers women to reclaim, embody and express their essence and become the red hot leader of their lives and businesses without guilt or apology. Regena leads her signature 9-month transformational program called Red Hot Visionista Sacred Circle and now leads the 10-month Leadership level. In this episode, we talk about: Perfectionism, the archetype of the good girl, and how it affects women as leaders The sisterhood wound and why we both crave it and resist it Regena’s journey and the cost of not claiming our essence The gremlins that keep us from doing the valuable work we should be doing The process Regena and I used to create her new presentation When you need to mature your message to have a greater impact Keeping your presentation spacious and focusing on a single theme How Regena prepared for her presentation The importance of having fun on stage What the olive has to do with your message Regena’s programs and retreats and how she structures them as a hybrid of both online and in person Links: Connect with Regena on her websites and learn about her programs = http://regenagarrepy.com/ and http://byebyegoodgirlgetaway.com/ Regena’s Facebook = https://www.facebook.com/regena.garrepy Regena’s Instagram = @RegenaGarrepy Regena’s Twitter = @RegenaGarrepy Join the free Speaking Your Brand community at https://www.speakingyourbrand.com/join/. Interested in my online group program? Sign up to be notified when it opens at https://www.speakingyourbrand.com/signature-talk-group-program/. Say hi to me on Twitter @CarolMorganCox Subscribe to the podcast and leave a rating and review!

Have you thought about writing a book to boost your personal brand, your business, or your speaking career (or probably all three!)? I know I have, which is why I got a lot out of my conversation with author, executive coach, and keynote speaker Jan Bowen. In this episode, we talk about why Jan chose to write her book "It’s Not That Complicated", how she selected her publisher, what hybrid publishing is, and whether the book has helped Jan’s speaking opportunities. We also get into a meaningful discussion about Jan’s signature talk topic and what happens when we don’t live our life purpose. As Jan says, "If we deny what we’re born to do, we just won’t thrive." I’ve gotten to know Jan over the past year and really admire her wisdom and focus and her authentic desire to spotlight the work that others do. Check out her Instagram and YouTube videos to see what I mean. Jan has been a high-level consultant and coach since 2003, leveraging her experience, skills, and knowledge to help executives and enterprises transform their businesses. As founder and principal of Strategic Solutions Services, LLC, Jan has leveraged her over 30 years of corporate and personal experience, skills, and knowledge to help leaders reach the next level of their creative aspirations. Highlights: The genesis of Jan’s book The importance of having a methodology when working with clients Process of writing her book Why Jan chose not to self-publish her book What hybrid publishing is and how it works How having a book has impacted Jan’s speaking opportunities The importance of your book being meaningful and authentic What Jan’s book is about and what her life purpose is The difference between your life purpose, vision, mission, and values Jan’s signature talk topic What happens when we don’t live our life purpose and what we can do about it Links: Connect with Jan on her website = https://janlbowen.com/ Jan’s book “It’s Not That Complicated” = https://www.amazon.com/Its-Not-That-Complicated-Personalized/dp/1599326582/ Jan’s writings = https://janlbowen.com/private-musings/ Jan’s Instagram = @JLBowen13 Jan’s Twitter = @JanLBowen Advantage Media/Book Publishing = http://advantagefamily.com/ Join the free Speaking Your Brand community at https://www.speakingyourbrand.com/join/. Interested in my online group program? Sign up to be notified when it opens at https://www.speakingyourbrand.com/signature-talk-group-program/. Say hi to me on Twitter @CarolMorganCox Subscribe to the podcast and leave a rating and review!

As solopreneurs and small business owners, we often get stuck doing tasks that we really need to delegate or hire someone else to do. We tell ourselves that it only takes a few minutes, or we don’t have time to train someone, or we’ll do it later. The problem is that a bottleneck occurs (us!) that limits our business growth. As the business owner, we should be focusing on doing the activities that drive revenue. My guest, Jamara Wilson, has a great insight into this and helps me through some of my own thinking on this topic. Jamara is CEO & President of Tuxedo Impressions LLC, a company whose mission is to help small businesses create efficiency in their daily operations to sustain growth by using technology that will support your company values and culture. In this episode, we talk about: When businesses come to Jamara (what are they facing) Symptoms vs problems in your business (this is a really key point) Resistance to change Finding the time to create processes As business owners, we need to focus on what we do that drives revenue Technology isn’t enough Hiring VA’s and other team members The software and apps Jamara uses in her own business and why she chose them Apps we mention: Asana HubSpot CRM Zapier G-Suite/Google Apps Links: Jamara's website = https://www.tuxedoimpressions.com/ Jamara's Instagram = @JamaraWilson Jamara's Twitter = @TrulyJamara Join the free Speaking Your Brand community at https://www.speakingyourbrand.com/join/. Say hi to me on Twitter @CarolMorganCox Subscribe to the podcast and leave a rating and review!

If you’ve listened to some of my other episodes, you’ve heard me help my clients with on-air coaching calls. Now, I’m turning the tables and having someone do a strategy session on me. My guest Carolyn Delaney is the founder of OurCraft.com, which helps creatives and makers by taking care of their technology needs and digital presence through email marketing, SEO, content marketing, ecommerce, and online advertising to amplify their message, reach more of their customers, and sell more of their products. In this episode, you get a peek inside the marketing and technology I’m currently using for my business and for this podcast, and Carolyn asks me insightful questions that you should be asking yourself and gives recommendations you can use as well. Highlights: The danger of the DIY entrepreneurial movement in technology and marketing Being intentional about technology and making sure it’s the right tool for what you need Working in your zone of genius and hiring experts to work in theirs Carolyn asks me what lights me up in my business, the outcomes my clients get, and who my target audience is The technology I’m currently using for my online group program How I’m using my Facebook group, what social media platforms I use, and what SEO and online advertising I’ve done The value of testing hypotheses and assumptions in our marketing The pros and cons of automated posting to social media What is the ROI we’re getting from social media - know your goal and the results you’re getting What has been working for me to get clients Content I should add to my website for SEO How Carolyn works with her clients for their marketing and technology How you can support this podcast: Share it with a friend Leave a review on iTunes (this is how iTunes knows that people like this podcast and will show it to others when people search, plus it’s nice to know that you’re listening and enjoying the content!) Click on the Subscribe button in iTunes or Stitcher (this is also how podcasts are ranked, so this helps more people find the podcast, plus you’ll automatically see new episodes in your podcast queue) Links: Carolyn’s website = http://www.ourcraft.com Join the free Speaking Your Brand community at https://www.speakingyourbrand.com/join/. Say hi to me on Twitter @CarolMorganCox Subscribe to the podcast, so you don’t miss out on future episodes!

This idea of empathy and sharing our stories, especially our deep and vulnerable ones, has been coming up a lot for me lately, from panel discussions on politics and social media I’ve participated in to podcasts I’ve been on talking about the power of public speaking to build trust and empathy. Empathy is defined as the ability to understand and share the feelings of another. I would add to that not just feelings, but their life situation and what brought them to where they are today. My guest today is Karen Millsap, the founder of The Grief Consultant, which helps organizations implement practical empathy in the workplace to strengthen engagement and improve overall performance. In this episode, we talk about: Why Karen started her company The impact of vulnerability in sharing your story What kinds of speaking engagements Karen has done and how she’s used them to build her business and network How Karen has gotten speaking engagements Her new podcast Invest Human and how she sees it aligning with her business goals What it’s like to be a woman in her field What she wants to be known for Karen also founded Well Now Global Retreats, wellness-inspired retreats to help you navigate complex or suppressed emotional baggage and also teach you how to implement simple healthy habits that will change, and can often save, your life. Karen has a book coming out soon called “Now What?”, in which Karen shares her journey of healing and personal development and gives you guidance on how to pick yourself up, grow through any hardship, and ultimately unleash the best version of yourself. Links: Karen’s website = http://www.karenmillsap.com/ Karen’s podcast Invest Human = https://www.investhuman.co/ Karen’s book = http://www.karenmillsap.com/nowwhat Sheryl Sandberg article = http://time.com/sheryl-sandberg-option-b/ Main Street Vegan podcast I was recently on = http://mainstreetvegan.net/msv-show-notes-april-19-2017-romance-vegans-speaking-cause/ Join the free Speaking Your Brand community at https://www.speakingyourbrand.com/join/. Say hi to me on Twitter @CarolMorganCox Subscribe to the podcast, so you don’t miss out on future episodes!

As speakers, we want to use our voices effectively, feel confident, and project confidence on stage. In this episode, professional singer and vocal coach Freya Casey shares exercises we can do to improve and warm up our voices and how to reduce stage fright and project confidence. What I love about Freya is that she helps people discover the awesomeness in their voice and that she emphasizes mindset and personality as much as physiology and technique. We talk about using the energy of the audience, the benefits of being an introvert as a performer and speaker, what to do if we think our voices are too high pitched or low pitched, and much more. About my guest: Freya Casey is a professional singer and vocal coach from Germany. She studied opera at Southern Methodist University and at the Musikhochschule Stuttgart in Germany, has performed lead roles in opera productions in the United States and Europe, and has been a performing artist on cruise ships all around the world. Freya is also a composer and songwriter and has produced music for commercials, movies, and CD productions. Besides having a very active career on stage, Freya has a passion for helping other singers find the beauty in their voice. With her tutorials on YouTube, Freya has reached tens of thousands of people and enjoys creating opportunities for ambitious singers to work with her. In her weekly podcast "Freya's Singing Tips", she gives valuable advice for anyone who wants to learn how to use their voice in a healthy way for the rest of their lives. Freya has an online course called "Conquer Your Stage Fright", which is for singers and speakers alike, anyone who presents on stage. Highlights: Freya's background as a performer and singer The benefits of being an introvert as a performer and speaker Using the energy of the audience What to do if you have a higher or lower pitched voice (can you change it?) Symptoms of vocal fatigue and what to do about it Vocal exercises to do to warm up your voice How to reduce stage fright and dry mouth The importance of projecting confidence as a speaker Links: Connect with Freya on her website: http://www.freyas-singing-tips.com/ Freya's online course = http://freyas-singing-tips.thinkific.com/courses/conquer-your-stage-fright Facebook = https://www.facebook.com/Freya-Casey-Singer-Vocal-Coach-235591456456207 YouTube = https://www.youtube.com/user/foundmydestiny74 Join the free Speaking Your Brand community at https://www.speakingyourbrand.com/join/. Sign up for a strategy session at https://www.speakingyourbrand.com/strategy-session/. Say hi to me on Twitter @CarolMorganCox Subscribe to the podcast, so you don’t miss out on future episodes!

If you’ve been giving presentations for awhile that are the typical 30-60 minutes in length, but you’re curious as to how to condense your idea into a speech that’s less than 10 minutes (it is possible!), you’re going to learn a lot in this episode. My guest, Tara Lynn Foster, is a leadership speaker and coach for women professionals and entrepreneurs. She spent her career in corporate America, dutifully climbing the ladder, until she realized she was on the wrong ladder. Earlier this year, Tara was invited to give a TED-style lightning talk at a conference for women entrepreneurs in Denver, so in this episode, I help Tara with putting that together. Since this call was recorded, Tara delivered her speech and I just watched the video. She did great, as I knew she would! We cover how to open and close the speech, what to cut to stay on theme with an 8-minute speech, what slides Tara should use, and how to prepare. I also go over my presentation framework and how it relates to Tara’s talk. You can download the free PDF by going to https://www.speakingyourbrand.com/framework/. If you’d like to hear more episodes on creating presentations, be sure to listen to episode 11 on creating and preparing for a keynote, and episode 3, where I deconstruct a short speech I gave at a conference. Highlights: Who Tara works with and the speaking engagements she’s been doing Shifting your presentation from practical to inspirational, from trainer to thought leader How to grab the audience at the beginning Have to stay on theme and cut everything that’s not on theme, especially for short speeches How to end the speech An overview of my presentation framework and how Tara’s speech fits into it What slides Tara should have How to write the speech, memorize it, and prepare for it Links: Connect with Tara on her website: http://www.taralynnfoster.com/ Facebook = https://www.facebook.com/taralynnfosterllc Instagram = @TaraLynnFoster Twitter = @TaraLynnFoster Download the free PDF of my presentation framework I describe in the podcast: https://www.speakingyourbrand.com/framework/ Join the free Speaking Your Brand community at https://www.speakingyourbrand.com/join/. Sign up for a strategy session at https://www.speakingyourbrand.com/strategy-session/. Say hi to me on Twitter @CarolMorganCox Subscribe to the podcast, so you don’t miss out on future episodes!

How can you get media coverage for your business? In this episode, you’ll learn common mistakes business owners make when pitching journalists, what to put in your pitches, how to show you’re an expert, and how the media landscape is changing. My guest is Christina Nicholson, an award-winning journalist with more than a decade of experience anchoring, reporting, writing, blogging, video production, editing, excelling in social media, photography, and live TV. She has been featured in Forbes, Fast Company, the Huffington Post, and on CNN, WTVJ in Miami, WPTV in West Palm Beach, News 12 in New York City, and many other media outlets. Christina now has her own company called Media Maven and helps businesses with their marketing, PR, and publicity, through consulting as well as by teaching business owners how to do it themselves through her online course. Highlights: What got Christina interested in being a TV reporter and how she got started What to put in your demo reel The reasons to start small and local before looking for national media coverage How to get more comfortable talking about your business and your message Common mistakes business owners make when trying to get media coverage What to put in your pitches How to show that you are an expert How the media landscape is changing Whether it’s better for a pitch to come from the business owner or a publicist Links: Connect with Christina on her website: http://www.mediamavenandmore.com/ Facebook = https://www.facebook.com/mediamavenandmore/ Instagram = https://www.instagram.com/christinaallday/ Twitter = @ChristinaAllDay Join the free Speaking Your Brand community at https://www.speakingyourbrand.com/join/. Sign up for a strategy session at https://www.speakingyourbrand.com/strategy-session/. Say hi to me on Twitter @CarolMorganCox Subscribe to the podcast, so you don’t miss out on future episodes!

How many of us wouldn't rather market and grow our businesses with heart rather than hustle? It’s exhausting trying to keep up with every new social media channel and tactic (Facebook Live! Snapchat! Instastories!), much less everything else that goes into running our businesses and working with clients. But, it doesn’t have to be that way. In this episode, Lisa Princic and I talk about why "hoping for the best and hustling" is not a sustainable business strategy and what to do instead. The place to start is by defining your value proposition: the unique combination of your attributes, your values, and the outcomes you get for your clients. Listen in for some examples of good and not-so-good value propositions. Let me tell you about my guest Lisa Princic: I know Lisa because she was my business coach. I hired her back in 2015 when I was starting Speaking Your Brand and needed to make sense of and prioritize all of the ideas I had. As I tell people, you can’t do this all in your own head. Even though I teach entrepreneurship, business models, and marketing and started my first business 15 years ago, I realized I needed someone else to verbalize my thoughts to and get feedback to keep me moving forward. Lisa helped me to articulate the value I bring to my clients. Through her one-on-one coaching and group programs, Lisa helps impact-driven business owners dive deep into their truth and unique value and build a highly compelling brand around it so they can attract their best clients, create more powerful offers, and build more profit into their business models. She does this in a way that allows them to meet their growth goals with more heart than hustle. In this episode, Lisa and I talk about the importance of having a clear value proposition and a business model that works for you, so you can be intentional with your marketing to get better results. Highlights: What exactly is a business model and how it’s different from a business plan Why having a skill set is not necessarily enough to have a business The core of a business model is the value proposition Why “hoping for the best and hustling” is not a sustainable business model Lisa’s business model evolving from exclusively one-on-one coaching to adding group programs The benefits of doing a small pilot program first Your value proposition is a combination of your personality and the outcomes you can get for people Making your outcomes tangible (buy now) combined with visionary goals (buy in) Nurture your current and past clients - see how you can serve them again Focus first on the marketing strategies that are already working for you Links: Connect with Lisa on her website: https://lisaprincic.com/speaking-your-brand/ Facebook = https://www.facebook.com/groups/soulstrategy/ Twitter = @LisaPrincic Join the free Speaking Your Brand community at https://www.speakingyourbrand.com/join/. Sign up for a strategy session at https://www.speakingyourbrand.com/strategy-session/. Say hi to me on Twitter @CarolMorganCox Subscribe to the podcast, so you don’t miss out on future episodes!

We're going behind-the-scenes to look at what it’s really like to prepare and deliver a keynote. Keynotes are meant to be inspirational and aspirational, which is different from a standard business presentation or breakout session where you’re sharing tactical, step-by-step things that people can do. In a keynote, you want to take the audience on a journey, weaving in your own stories and experiences, and sharing with them your big idea. In this episode, I talk with one of my clients, LuAnn Nigara, and we do a debrief of the keynote she recently gave at a large industry conference. You’ll hear about the process we went through to create the speech, how LuAnn felt on stage, and LuAnn shares with us some things she would do differently. I knew she would nail her keynote - and she did! You’ll love LuAnn’s energy - she was a lot of fun to work with and to have on the show. Let me tell you about LuAnn’s background: She is an award-winning window treatment authority, host of one of the most popular podcasts for the design industry, A Well-Designed Business, and overall business dynamo. She has a multi-million-dollar window treatment business in New Jersey, which has serviced over 24,000 customers over the past 35 years. Be sure to subscribe to the show if you haven’t already. I have more training and coaching calls coming up, including on TEDx talks and pitching the media, so this way you’ll automatically get the new episodes. And share this episode with a friend, especially if you know someone who will be doing a keynote or wants to in the future. Highlights: Why LuAnn was invited to do a keynote How LuAnn prepared for the keynote, starting 3 months ahead of time until a few days before What LuAnn felt like she needed the most help How LuAnn and I worked together to create her message and keynote speech How LuAnn decided to start her keynote Lessons she learned and what she would do differently next time LuAnn’s decision to memorize her talk and how she went about doing that The importance of really knowing your transitions between sections The feedback she received after her keynote The core message from LuAnn’s keynote Links: Connect with LuAnn on her website at http://windowworks-nj.com LuAnn’s podcast A Well-Designed Business = http://windowworks-nj.com/podcasts/ Instagram = https://www.instagram.com/luannnigara/ Twitter = https://twitter.com/WindowWorks_NJ I was on LuAnn’s podcast, A Well-Designed Business, in episode 140, to celebrate her 1 year podcast anniversary: http://windowworks-nj.com/luann-nigara-2/ Join the free Speaking Your Brand community at https://www.speakingyourbrand.com/join/. Sign up for a strategy session at https://www.speakingyourbrand.com/strategy-session/. Say hi to me on Twitter at https://twitter.com/carolmorgancox/. Subscribe to the podcast, so you don’t miss out on future episodes!

If you've struggled with figuring out who your ideal target market is, what problems and needs they have, and what results you can get for them, this coaching episode is going to show you the process I use with my clients to help them identify this. We know that in our businesses and in our speeches, we can’t try to appeal to everyone, because then we appeal to no one. So, what do we do? We need to uncover our unique angle, our particular combination of experiences, expertise, approach, and worldview, and then identify the type of people who are attracted to who we are and what we stand for and who are ready and eager to hear our message and use our product or service. In this coaching call you’re about to hear, my guest Susanna Barkataki and I work on defining who exactly her target market is. Susanna is a gifted writer, speaker, educator, and yoga teacher trainer and recently founded the Ignite Yoga and Wellness Institute in Orlando, Florida. Susanna and I talk about how her approach to yoga, meditation, and mindfulness is different from others and why that’s a big attraction for the clients who come to her. If you’d like to work together on identifying your core message, unique angle, and target market, book a 90-minute strategy session with me. It’s virtually impossible for you to do this work in your own head. You really need someone to walk you through the process and to see what you can’t see for yourself. It’s not because you’re not smart and brilliant and capable - you very much are! It’s just that we’re too close to ourselves, so our unique strengths become invisible to us. I’ll help you uncover them. You can learn more about the strategy session and sign up on my website at https://www.speakingyourbrand.com/strategy-session/. I know you’re going to get a lot out of this episode, so be sure to share it with a friend and leave a review on iTunes. I really appreciate it! Highlights: The power of local events for creating community and building brand awareness Susanna’s elevator pitch for her new wellness institute We want to make sure we’re attracting the right clients to us, because we want them to be successful. I help Susanna define her target market for the institute, including selecting one of her two avatars to focus on. Why Susanna’s clients come to her and how aspiration fits in Susanna’s energy secrets (these are really good!) What does Susanna do differently from others in her field? What problems/needs are Susanna’s target clients experiencing and where are they in their journey of self development? Don’t spend your time and effort trying to convince people they need a solution to their problem. Focus on the ones who are already looking for solutions. We work on Susanna’s brand statement and her unique angle/approach/mindset What do you think of the brand statement we came up with for Susanna? Join us in the free Speaking Your Brand community at https://www.speakingyourbrand.com/join/ and let us know! Links: Connect with Susanna on her website at http://susannabarkataki.com/ Facebook = https://www.facebook.com/susanna.barkataki Join the free Speaking Your Brand community at https://www.speakingyourbrand.com/join/. Sign up for a strategy session at https://www.speakingyourbrand.com/strategy-session/. Say hi to me on Twitter at https://twitter.com/carolmorgancox/. Subscribe to the podcast, so you don’t miss out on future episodes!

You are going to get so much out of my conversation with Donna Cravotta, who is a social media expert and founder of Social Pivot PR. This episode is part coaching - I give Donna feedback on her presentation content and how she should position herself. And then it leads into training. Donna is so good at what she does with social media that I couldn’t help but ask her questions I have and that I knew you would benefit from. Donna gives us some fantastic tips and tools for how to use social media, as speakers and thought leaders, to build our personal brands and connect with fans and influencers - without spending a lot of time or getting distracted. Highlights: The importance of listening on social media Donna pivoting her business from a volume-based business to a handful of clients All of her new clients came from speaking engagements she did in the fall of 2016 and what had changed Audiences wanted less training and detail and more focus on story and what’s possible The framework I use for presentations My recommendations for Donna for her presentations and her unique angle What Donna sees that people are missing about social media Donna’s recommended tools for social media management Make sure your social media marketing aligns with your business objectives Having a balance between automated posts and real-time interactions Donna’s social media tips for speakers Links: You can connect with Donna on her website at https://socialpivotpr.com/ LinkedIn = http://www.linkedin.com/in/donnacravotta Twitter = @DonnaCravotta Facebook = https://www.facebook.com/SocialPivotPR Join the free Speaking Your Brand community at https://www.speakingyourbrand.com/join/. Sign up for a strategy session at https://www.speakingyourbrand.com/strategy-session/. Say hi to me on Twitter at https://twitter.com/carolmorgancox/. Subscribe to the podcast, so you don’t miss out on future episodes! Get all of the show notes at https://www.speakingyourbrand.com/9

What kind of topics are worthy of a keynote versus a presentation you would do in a workshop or breakout session? How can you position what you offer so that clients see you as a go-to expert rather than a one-time or infrequent purchase? Both of these questions are key if you’re looking to expand your business and get paid as a speaker. My guest, Danielle Liss, is a lawyer, but don’t worry - she’s not like the attorneys you’ve met at your typical chamber of commerce or networking meeting. Instead, Danielle and her partner have been called “cool lawyers”. That’s because they understand online entrepreneurship and the new economy. In this episode, I help Danielle come up with a messaging strategy to make legal topics less boring and more appealing when she’s pitching to conferences, especially for keynotes, and to podcasts. I also put my business hat on and help Danielle think about a way she can increase her own company’s revenue by offering a new type of service to entrepreneurs who are in a growth stage. We end the episode talking about how and why to track and measure the results of your speaking. About my guest: Danielle Liss is a partner and founder of Hashtag Legal. As former Chief Marketing Officer and General Counsel of FitFluential, an influencer network concentrating on health and wellness initiatives, Danielle has intimate knowledge of the challenges facing influencer networks and social media professionals. Danielle has extensive experience creating and negotiating contracts, interpreting FTC guidelines, and creating website policies. Danielle is also an accomplished speaker and has spoken at dozens of conferences on legal issues related to bloggers and social media professionals. We talk about: How Danielle works with her clients, who include entrepreneurs, influencers, bloggers, and speakers Two key things that should be included in your contracts as a speaker How to position Danielle and her legal business so that it’s not boring or fear-based The current presentation topics Danielle speaks on The difference in content between a keynote and a workshop or breakout session The value proposition we come up with that Danielle can use to appeal to entrepreneurs as they’re growing their companies Finding the right places to pitch (whether conferences or podcasts) that have the best audience for you My recommendation that Danielle not offer prospects free strategy calls and why How and why to track and measure the results of your speaking Links: Connect with Danielle on her website at http://hashtag-legal.com DIY legal forms at http://www.businessese.com/ LinkedIn = https://www.linkedin.com/in/danielleliss/ Facebook = https://www.facebook.com/hashtaglegallc Twitter = https://twitter.com/danielleliss Join the free Speaking Your Brand community at https://www.speakingyourbrand.com/join/. Sign up for a strategy session at https://www.speakingyourbrand.com/strategy-session/. Say hi to me on Twitter at https://twitter.com/carolmorgancox/. Subscribe to the podcast, so you don’t miss out on future episodes!

How can you set yourself apart from others in your field? What makes your approach different? We all have something that is unique to us, but it’s hard for us to see it in ourselves because we take it for granted - it’s with us all the time, after all! In this episode, I coach my guest Puja Madan to help her find her unique message to stand out, so that’s she’s attracting the right clients and creating content that reflects what’s different about her and her approach to productivity and time management. Along with hearing the questions I ask my clients (and which you should be asking yourself), you’ll get some excellent tips on how to structure your day and your week for improved productivity and creativity. Here’s a hint - as women, we need to do productivity differently from men. Let me tell you about Puja Madan: She is the creator of Wild Radiant Woman and coaches high-performing, heart-centered women entrepreneurs to help them create more time and ease in their business by teaching them a system of profitable productivity. Puja’s qualifications include an MBA, 8 years in tech startups, certification in health coaching, and 12+ years of meditation and spiritual development from India. And, as you’ll hear as we get deeper into the coaching, Puja’s approach is very unique. If you’d like to work together on identifying your core message, book a strategy session with me. We spend 90 minutes together on a call, as I pull out your experience and expertise, using a framework I created. This can then become the foundation for your signature talk or the messaging you use on your website. Learn more at https://www.speakingyourbrand.com/strategy/. I know you’re going to get a lot out of this episode, so be sure to share it with a friend and leave a review on iTunes. I really appreciate it! Highlights: Puja’s double life when she was working at a tech start during the week and going on meditation retreats on the weekends Puja’s turning point that caused her to shift her career Purpose-driven women have a lot of fuel and they don’t realize when they’re empty, which can lead to burnout Strategizing on Puja’s unique message What’s working well in Puja’s current business Productivity systems have been designed by men for men, so women oftentimes have a hard time plugging into them. Why are these systems not working for women? When people are searching for help with productivity, what’s missing from what they’re finding? What are your prospects’ “buy now” moments? What are the benefits to them starting working with you now rather than waiting? Puja’s approach to time and why she’s a bit resistant to owning it as part of her brand My recommendations for Puja and her message What do you think of Puja’s approach and message? Join us in the free Speaking Your Brand community at https://www.speakingyourbrand.com/join/ and let us know! Links: Connect with Puja on her website at http://wildradiantwoman.com/ Discover your productivity archetype at http://wildradiantwoman.com/assessment/ Facebook = https://www.facebook.com/pujamadan11 Twitter = https://twitter.com/pujamadan Join the free Speaking Your Brand community at https://www.speakingyourbrand.com/join/. Sign up for a strategy session at https://www.speakingyourbrand.com/strategy-session/. Say hi to me on Twitter at https://twitter.com/carolmorgancox/. Subscribe to the podcast, so you don’t miss out on future episodes!

Whether you’re an entrepreneur, an executive, or a professional, you’re a leader, especially if you’re speaking in front of groups of people. It’s important to be aware of the diversity (or lack thereof) in our businesses and in our networks - it's good for us as people and it's good for our company's bottom line. As we sum up at the end, "It all starts with people." We cover a lot in this conversation, from imposter syndrome to what it means to be approachable as a leader to how diversity of both people and ideas impacts your workplace and your business’s bottom line. About my guest: Loren Margolis established her expertise at Columbia Business School in New York City as a leadership coach and career strategist for global leaders in Investment Banking, Management Consulting, Consumer Goods, and Technology. Loren then led executive coaching and large-scale management development programs in the healthcare sector before launching her own company, Training & Leadership Success. She is a contributor for Forbes.com and themuse.com. We talk about: The social media channel we use to connect with influencers What Loren was like as a little girl that led her to her profession The 3 pillars of career happiness Amy Cuddy’s work on body language, taking up space, and presence Imposter syndrome and “flexing” rather than “faking” til you make it How face-to-face interactions, including speaking in front of a group, builds trust What it means to be approachable as a leader How diversity of both people and ideas impacts your workplace and your business How businesses can really increase diversity and inclusion and not just pay lip service to it Why “blind” hiring and promotion is not the answer to increasing diversity Why we’ve seen a stagnation in getting more women and people of color into upper-level positions A way you can make your network more diverse With the increasing speed of technology, globalization and change, as a business you need diversity to be competitive and innovative Tips for public speaking from Loren Links: You can connect with Loren Margolis at: LinkedIn = https://www.linkedin.com/in/talentdevelopmentexpert Twitter = @LorenMargolis Join the free Speaking Your Brand community at https://www.speakingyourbrand.com/join/. Sign up for a strategy session at https://www.speakingyourbrand.com/strategy-session/. Say hi to me on Twitter at https://twitter.com/carolmorgancox/. Subscribe to the podcast, so you don’t miss out on future episodes!

It seems counter-intuitive, but it's true: the narrower the niche for your business (or podcast), the more successful it will be. In this episode, I talk with my guest Edie Berg about her shift in focus from strong women to strong Jewish women, some of her concerns in making this change, and why she ultimately decided to do it. We cover a lot, including: Why you need to niche down in your business Why Edie decided to shift from talking to all business women to focusing on Jewish women One of the reasons that almost kept Edie from making this shift How being open about your identity and what matters to you gives validation and permission to others How Edie’s online summit is set up and her business model for it What Edie looks for in selecting podcast guests When pitching for podcasts or speaking engagements, why what you do isn’t as important as your bigger message The angle I used to get on podcasts last fall and why it worked How Edie can pitch sponsors for her online summit My advice for creating an elevator speech Edie Berg is the founder of The Strong Women’s Club, whose mission is to promote Jewish women’s leadership and to build a community of Jewish women who support one another, through workshops and masterminds. As she says on her website, “No politics, no judgement. Each member celebrates her Judaism in her own wonderful way.” Edie is the creator of the Strong Jewish Women’s online summit, which is The World’s Largest Online Symposium for Jewish Women, which is coming up soon. It’s entirely free to participate: 5 days, 2 live panels, over 40 interviews and practical sessions. You’ll hear stories from Jewish women leaders and learn practical and useful tools and tips to grow your business. This summit grew out of Edie’s podcast, The Strong Women’s Club, which highlights the behind-the-scenes stories of successful Jewish women. I met Edie because we’re currently in a mastermind together and I’ve been on her podcast (episode 66), before her decision to niche down from strong women to strong Jewish women, which is part of what we discuss in this episode. Links: You can connect with Edie on her website at http://www.thestrongwomensclub.com. Register for Edie’s free online summit for Jewish women = http://thestrongjewishwomenssummit.com/ Facebook = https://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Strong-Womens-Club/717444848336523 Twitter = https://twitter.com/edieberg LinkedIn = https://www.linkedin.com/in/edieberg/ I was on Edie’s Strong Women’s Club podcast episode 66 = http://www.thestrongwomensclub.com/066-tv-democratic-analyst-and-speaking-mentor/ Join the free Speaking Your Brand community at https://www.speakingyourbrand.com/join/. Sign up for a strategy session at https://www.speakingyourbrand.com/strategy-session/. Say hi to me on Twitter at https://twitter.com/carolmorgancox/. Subscribe to the podcast, so you don’t miss out on future episodes!

Shelli Warren of SheConnex spent 25 years as an executive leader and trainer at a Fortune 500 company and is now a success coach helping other women launch their own encore careers as entrepreneurs. I met Shelli through the mastermind we’re currently in together and have been so impressed with her wisdom and her fierce advocacy for women. Shelli is particularly good at creating local events to connect women with each other. In this episode, Shelli and I strategize ways she can leverage podcasts as well as local speaking engagements and events to build her following and get more clients. We talk about: Shelli’s career and why she decided to leave and start her own business The differences Shelli has seen between men and women getting promoted How Shelli helps her clients see the skills they have as transferable and marketable Shelli’s focus on local clients and speaking engagements Why Shelli should branch out from speaking to all women’s groups to co-ed groups too Shelli’s two different client avatars but the common need they share (and how that impacts her presentation content) What to hand out at speaking engagements (not your business card!) How to most effectively pitch podcasters Links: You can connect with Shelli on her website at http://www.sheconnex.com. Be sure to sign up for her free SheLeads Success video series. Facebook = https://www.facebook.com/sheconnex Instagram = https://www.instagram.com/iamsheconnex/ Twitter = https://twitter.com/SheConnex Join the free Speaking Your Brand community at https://www.speakingyourbrand.com/join/. Sign up for a strategy session at https://www.speakingyourbrand.com/strategy-session/. Say hi to me on Twitter at https://twitter.com/carolmorgancox/. Subscribe to the podcast, so you don’t miss out on future episodes!

Go behind the scenes as I deconstruct the key elements of the presentation I recently gave at Podfest Multimedia Expo, which is a podcasting conference. I do the speech for you (it's less than 7 minutes) and then I deep dive into why I chose this topic, explain the structure I used, and describe how and why I connected the opening and closing. You'll learn about 3-act structure, the rule of 3, using humor and inspiration, and the call back. The presentation I gave is called a Pecha Kucha talk. The format for a Pecha Kucha is 20 slides x 20 seconds each (so the entire presentation is only 6 minutes and 40 seconds). The title of the presentation is "Zebras, Chameleons, and Peacocks: Speaking Your Brand in Our New Media Age." Which are you? Which should you be? (You may be surprised!) You can view the slides and get the free PDF on the show notes page at https://www.speakingyourbrand.com/podfest-pecha-kucha-presentation/. Let me know if you found this episode useful and I'll do more of them in the future. Finally, I have two requests: First, if you haven’t yet, be sure to subscribe to the podcast. Second, share this podcast with a friend. Do you know another entrepreneur who's looking to do more speaking for her business? Let her know about this show. Links: I coach Natalie Eckdahl on her Biz Chix podcast = http://bizchix.com/231/ Need help creating your presentation? Schedule a free call at https://www.speakingyourbrand.com/contact/.

Diane Diaz is the founder of The Brand Teacher and a self-described brand geek. She worked in the corporate world for 15 years doing marketing and branding and now teaches branding classes at the same university where I teach, which is how I met Diane 8 years ago. Diane has been doing speaking engagements during the past year at local networking groups and is now ready to take her speaking to the next level. In this episode, Diane and I strategize about how she - and you - can do that. We talk about: How branding is different from marketing How Diane helps people understand what their brand says about them The speaking engagements Diane did in her first year in business Applying lean startup methodology to speaking The results she got and the lessons she learned What Diane is looking to do with speaking in her second year in business Finding speaking engagements that fit with her target clients Ideas for revenue streams from speaking Links: You can connect with Diane on her website at http://www.thebrandteacher.com/. Be sure to download her free personal brand workbook. Diane’s upcoming workshop = http://www.thebrandteacher.com/events Twitter = https://twitter.com/thedianediaz Facebook = https://www.facebook.com/thebrandteacher/ LinkedIn = https://www.linkedin.com/in/dianediaz Join the free Speaking Your Brand community at https://www.speakingyourbrand.com/join/. Sign up for a strategy session at https://www.speakingyourbrand.com/strategy-session/. Say hi to me on Twitter at https://twitter.com/carolmorgancox/. Subscribe to the podcast, so you don’t miss out on future episodes!

Heather Ryan looks like an elementary school teacher, but for 14 years she served as a Special Agent with NCIS (no wonder she was so effective under cover and as an interrogator!). Now, she teaches effective safety techniques for women and offers innovative prevention education for men, from college campuses to organizations and corporations. Heather has a book called “Special Agent Mom” coming out soon, with stories from her days as an agent plus safety tips. I first met Heather in a mastermind we were in together in the fall of 2015 and we have been business BFF’s ever since. Heather worked with me to create her signature talk on safety and intuition and she was in my Stand-Out Speakers group coaching program in the fall of 2016. In this episode, Heather and I strategize ways for her to reach out to organizations, universities, and companies to hire her as an expert speaker and trainer. We talk about: The eye-opening experience that led Heather to join NCIS What it was like to be a manager in a male-dominated work environment The qualities that made her a good leader and interrogator The work Heather does now in her business My recommendations for what to include in pitch letters What works better than sending emails to get booked as a speaker Putting together speaking packages How to get momentum and buzz for you as a speaker, especially when you’re starting out Whether to contact conference organizers after submitting a speaking proposal Links: You can connect with Heather on her website at http://www.specialagentheather.me. Be sure to download her free PDF with safety tips for you and your family. Twitter = https://twitter.com/SpclAgntHeather Facebook = https://www.facebook.com/SpecialAgentHeather/ Join the free Speaking Your Brand community at https://www.speakingyourbrand.com/join/. Sign up for a strategy session at https://www.speakingyourbrand.com/strategy-session/. Say hi to me on Twitter at https://twitter.com/carolmorgancox/. Be sure to click subscribe on the podcast, so you don’t miss out on future episodes! Show notes at https://www.speakingyourbrand.com/1/