(Be prepared: I am going to “should” all over you about storytelling in your speech. There are always ways to bend rules, but as a general practice, I find these to be effective in regards to creating an emotional powerful moment with the audience – which is a huge part of what stories are for.)

 Annnnnd Action.

He was an old white guy rambling on for an hour. His speech was basically a thinly veiled sales pitch to hire him for his services. Right when I thought he couldn’t annoy me anymore, he pulled out the ol’ sports hero story to end his sales pitch/speech.

 He wasn’t an athlete. If he was and it was HIS story - that would be different. It wasn’t. It was something I could have googled and read about on Wikipedia. I, and half the room, don’t care about sports. We politely endured what I am assuming was what he considered motivational.

When he was done, I imagined him getting his hefty speaking check, sauntering...

How do you get someone to fall in love with you the first five minutes they meet you? I don't know that answer, which is probably why I'm single. However, I do know a few "tricks" to get an audience to fall in love with you within the first 5 minutes of taking the stage.

Your Intro:

Your intro is often wasted real estate space for audience connection. If your bio/intro is filled with a bunch of accolades such as you hold a PHD and won the Olympics after falling off a cliff and now are a CEO of a multi billion corporation...you've probably lost me already.

Why? Because you're obviously a better person than me. You may be interesting and I may get a nugget or two, but we have nothing in common. You don't know my life, so why should I trust you with telling me how to make it better?

When creating your intro it's fine to showcase your knowledge or experience, but throw in some things that are relatable. Examples could be that you are the proud owner of two dogs, you once...

I had the privilege of being on set for two different projects over the last week. I LOVE being on a commercial set. Also, I LOVE getting my make up done by their professional make up artists.

One thing I started doing YEARS ago was ask the artists about the products they use and why. I was excite to learn what all has changed this time around. I was surprised that the oldies are still the goodies with a few updates I'll share.

First, Make up for camera is very different for make up for stage. Neither are the same for everyday. Make up for camera is much more subtle because the camera is right in your face. Light eye shadow, neutral lips, usually only eye shadow for eyeliner and it's very subtle.

Hair is also a it trickier because any flying frizz, tiny staticky piece, one grey root, show so bad!!!

Finally, no "dewy". Oil (shine is the enemy of camera.) I am always her "dewy" with terribly shiny skin for camera. Give me an hour on set and my skin will look like...

There is a something called, "rule of thirds" used in most design. Whether it is photography, interior design, a piece of artwork, etc., things simply look better to the human eye with odd number and varying "levels". There are different types of "levels" that go beyond just visual.

I've yet to hear one speaker talk about how they thought through "levels" in their speech to add interest. In this article I'll address a few types of "levels" that can help add engagement, entertainment or intrigue to your speech.

Vocal Levels

Vocal levels are one most speakers DO think about in regards to variation of their vocal tone. No-one wants to listen to someone monotone for an ENTIRE hour. Vocal inflection is often thought about in regard to the voice going up and down.

However, there are levels in regards to how loud or soft your voice is which is a great way to keep attention. Ever been in front of a room where no-one is paying attention so you try and out voice them decibel wise?...

A lot of us speakers struggle with this question, especially when we are just starting out. I paid attention to experienced speakers vs new when I began my speaking journey.

What I noticed is that experienced speakers weren't happy with their message if there wasn't something meaningful, in a personal way, behind it. New speakers wanted to get hired. Seasoned speakers wanted purpose.

What "should" you speak about?

First, there is a difference between your message vs. what tract you are or how you fit into the marketplace.

I'll bring the cat hair analogy back because it's actually a real thing!! (My ex-Mother-in-Law gave me a Christmas ornament once made out of her dog's hair...True Story! She's dead now so I can finally talk about her.)

You are passionate abut cat hair. You love it. You sleep on it. You have your doctorate in the evolution of it. You have 12 books on amazon about it. You want everyone to know how amazing cat here is because without it, no cat would survive. People...

I'm still rebelling over "getting started" with the New Year. I keep procrastinating thinking, "It's stillll kind of-sort of- a holiday weekend. I mean it's only the 4th..."

If you'll be hitting it hard on Monday, here's a few things for January in regards to speaking:

January is HIGH HIRING Season:

This is the month a loooot of people book speakers for their conferences. Depending on the size of the conference- they're booking anywhere from March to the end of 2025.

(If you are doing your own outreach - you might get lucky for April, but I'd focus heavily on Summer and Fall events.)

Because it "high hiring season", make sure your website and assets are up to date. If your website header is a pic from 30 lbs ago...you probably need to change that.

Make sure your website has clear messaging in regards to what problem you are solving and why you are the one to deliver the solution. It can be your speaking style, expertise, or personal story - preferably all three.

Videos

Some trends...

Because I speak for a living, I watch a lot of other speakers at the same event. The one thing many of these speakers have in common is: they're boring. Intelligent content....but so hard to pay attention to for a full hour.

When I watch these speakers, the fact they are boring is easily fixable. They seem to make the same mistakes in regards to "engagement".

Here's how you'll know if you are accidentally a snoozer on stage.

1. You have graphs and a lot of words on your slides. No-one will remember all of your stats. No-one. Slides are valuable real estate for making an emotional connection with your audience, as well as reaching your visual learners. One image or one powerful statement is way more impactful than 6 points with numbers on the same slide. One powerful piece of art - hits you emotionally. One powerful quote - hits you emotionally. Facts and data make many wonder when lunch and recess is.

2. You think your job is to educate and inform. If I ask you to name 3 presidents in...

You have a message. You see on social media these speakers flying to and fro making money at paid events. You've gotten offered to speak but the event doesn't pay. You've googled "paid speaking" and you still can't find the elusive strategy of how these professional speakers find paid events.

I'm going to say something controversial right from the get go. There is no one strategy to find paid speaking events. What happens is speakers throw a lot of spaghetti on the wall until something sticks. When that sticks - they hone in and refine what they are doing and keep doing whatever it is that worked.

I've paid a bajillion dollars over time learning other people's sales strategies for speaking and none of them worked for me because I don't speak on what they speak on. My audience and target market is different. So is my personality including strengths and weaknesses, which is why their processes may have given me ideas - but I was never able to implement fully or successfully.

Having...

 You Hate Being on Camera.

I get it.

Your nose looks funny. Your head does a weird side tilt thing when you talk that you didn't know it did. Your voice sounds shockingly different. You didn't know your office or your hair actually looked like that.

However, you KNOW you should be making videos. 

Or worse, you just paid a fortune for a videographer to create your demo reel and you hate all the footage they shot.

As an actor who has done a lot of commercials and some film, I so understand the cringe factor of watching yourself. An acting coach once gave me the advice, that I turned into a worksheet below, to help you.

First, remember we live in a world of glorious photo and video filters. I am so spoiled with using filters that a regular photo or video of me makes me want to dry heave. Here's the truth. You don't look like the filtered version of you. SORRY! But you can't expect to be on regular video and think the filtered you is going to show up. It's not. The...

Unlocking Paid Speaking Opportunities: 10 Tips to Find Your Next Gig

In today's competitive landscape, many aspiring and seasoned public speakers are eager to unlock paid speaking opportunities to grow their speaking careers. Whether you are a new speaker or an experienced professional, finding gigs that align with your expertise can be challenging. This article will provide you with ten actionable tips to help you find your next paid speaking engagement, ensuring that you get paid to share your message and build a successful speaking business.

Understanding Paid Speaking Opportunities

What is a Paid Speaking Gig?

A paid speaking gig refers to an opportunity where a public speaker is compensated for sharing their insights, knowledge, or experiences at an event or conference. These engagements can vary widely, from delivering keynote speeches at large conferences to conducting in-person workshops or webinars for smaller audiences. In essence, a paid speaking gig is a chance...