Six
Sensational Secrets for Branding Yourself As A Speaker
Six
Sensational Secrets for Branding Yourself As A Speaker
By
Kristie Rimmele of Branding
on the Net
Wish
you could be one of those speakers that people talk about
long after the program is over? While people won’t
remember everything that you say in a program, they will
remember who you were being while you presented. Here are
six innovative ideas for how you can inject your personality
and brand to create an unforgettable experience for your
audience.
Secret
#1: Tell your Signature Story
Nothing
is better than a good story. Weaving your signature stories
into the core of your message turns an ordinary talk into
a real crowd pleaser. That’s just the kind of experience
that leaves speaker Rich Fettke’s audiences hanging
in suspense waiting for more.
Rich
is a highly sought after keynote speaker on overcoming fear
and achieving breakthrough success. In his spare time, Rich
likes to engage in adventure sports like skydiving, bungee
jumping, and rock climbing. In his signature talk, “Take
The Leap,” Rich tells an adrenaline-fueled,
heart-pounding story about his first experience sky diving
and shows how anyone can step out of their comfort zone
to achieve greater success.
Do you
have a turning point in your life that shaped you into the
person you are? Do you have a “rags to riches story”?
Make a list of your trademark stories that you could share
in presentations.
Secret
#2: Don’t be Afraid to Show Your Flaws
One
of the things we sometimes forget as “experts”
is that it’s okay to show your vulnerability. In fact
sharing your weaknesses, can actually build credibility
and trust. A few weeks ago I had the great privilege of
seeing Jeff Blackman speak at a NSA of Illinois chapter
meeting. Jeff is a "business-growth specialist"
with a full speaking, training and consulting calendar.
Toward
the end of his program, he shared a story about a six year
old boy who had a speech impediment that caused all the
kids to make fun of how he talked. And he told us the story
in the voice of the little boy who mispronounced his R’s
like L’s. Every day that little boy worked hard to
improve his speech. Over the next few years, that boy continued
speech correction lessons, until he was able to enunciate,
articulate and communicate. Eventually, he grew-up to become
a professional speaker, an attorney, a radio and TV talk-show
host and...the author of a book called Peak Your Profits.
And can you guess who that boy was? You guessed it, that
boy was Jeff Blackman.
Do you
have a story about a challenge you faced or a hard learned
mistake? People really admire when you are not afraid to
show their “warts” like that. You know, no one
is perfect. Everyone starts from somewhere. And when you
see that someone has overcome great obstacles like that
it gives us hope.
Secret
#3: Create a Signature Presentation Style
and Look that’s All Your Own
Imagine
this: you are sitting in a room when all of a sudden, the
lights are dimmed, the roaring sound of an helicopter landing
fills the room, and on a screen in front of you a helicopter
lands and a man climbs out. Then out of the corner of the
room charges a man dressed in full army garb. That’s
the exhilarating ride that audiences experience when speaker
Don Peters, a.k.a. “Big Ticket Ace”, enters the
room. Don has developed a reputation as a dynamic presenter
and is known for his trademark speaking attire.
While
a uniform or costume may be too extreme for some of us,
there are other ways to create your own signature style.
For example, sales expert Jeffrey Gitomer is known for his
blue bowling shirt that has his name stitched on it.
Or even
if you just want to position yourself as a world class speaker,
having a polished looking suit or even wearing a tie in
your brand colors can set you apart.
Secret
#4: Pull your Hobbies, and Interests into Your Program
Watch
Monday night football and you know that people get pretty
passionate about their sports. That’s why weaving
your interests, hobbies, and pets into your speaking programs
turns regular audience members into raving fans.
The
last words of Jeff Blackman’s introduction are this:
“However,
Jeff's greatest business goal, is to some day, own and
operate, a World Series Trophy Shop... (Big Pause) for
the Chicago Cubs!”
And
during his program, Jeff made a couple other subtle references
to being a true Cubs fan that makes his program really memorable.
Think
about what fun or unique things you would share about yourself
during your programs. Do you love karaoke? Are you a dog
lover? Do you love to fish? By tying these personal facts
into your program you add instant interest.
Secret
#5: Add Your Unique Brand of Humor
Jeff
Blackman reveals his former life as a 70's
Chick Magnet |
Humor has
the power to transform an ordinary program into a fun experience
for the whole audience. For some speakers, their humor bits
become their trademark.
Here
are a quick excerpt from Jeff Blackman’s trademark
story.
“The
year is 1974. I am a freshman in the University of Illinois.
I am wearing a polyester shirt that was highly fashionable
and highly flammable. It is set off by a puka shell necklace.
You
see, in 1974, men only needed one eyebrow… But,
thankfully through therapy and counseling, I now have
2 eyebrows instead of one.”
Apparently
Jeff still has that shirt. He calls it his “vintage
collection.” And today his teenage son and daughter
beg to borrow shirts from his “vintage collection”
to wear to school because it’s so cool.
Jeff’s
“vintage collection” photo (and the story) is
such a hit, that his clients often request that he tell
the story and show his groovy “unibrow” picture
during his programs.
Secret
#6: Share Use your Own Quotes
Do
like Brian Tracy does and brand your own quotes with
Mem-Cards |
Often speakers
get caught up in sharing the famous words of other speakers.
Why not leave the audience with your words as the final thought?
Before you know it people will be quoting YOU in articles
and speeches.
You
can create your own quotes to share during presentations,
as instant quotes for the media, and to add to your handouts.
Brian Tracy has a set of cards (from Mem-Cards.com)
that feature his quotes in the form of advanced selling
tips.
And
here's another way to get your quotes in the public realm.
Hayley Foster is an editor who works for a CyberNation,
a free daily quote subscription service . You can submit
your unique quotes to her free daily quote subscription
service by sending them to admin@hayleyfoster.com.
 I
actually did this by having my virtual assistant go thru
my book, "I Love My Life: A Mom's Guide to Working
from Home" and pulling out the notable quotables.
Here's
one from my book that reveals my belief about sharing your
brand with the world.
"We
all have unique gifts and talents. … There are treasures
stored inside each one of us. It's our duty to uncover
and use the gifts we were bestowed with. We are all created
for a purpose. Pursue your personal purpose and live from
that plan."
--
Kristie Rimmele
Summary:
So take a moment to look at your presentation. What unique
insights and stories do you have? What mistakes have you
made in your life that others can learn from? By sharing
your unique brand in your programs, you create an entertaining,
one-of-a-kind experience they’ll never forget!
About
the Author:
Article
by Kristie Rimmele - Got a brand? Speaker, Author, and Consultant,
Kristie Rimmele is President of Branding
on the Net, and Founder of WebMomz.com,
a national support organization for work at home parents.
When she's not helping moms to make money working from home,
Kristie is helping turns regular business people into sought
after experts in their field. Kristie does that by creating
branded websites that position you as a mini celebrity so
you increase sales, book more presentations, and become
headline news. Claim your free report "Web Branding
Secrets" by visiting www.brandingonthenet.com today.
Now that you have learned expert branding advice and how speakers can brand themselves by sharing their unique personality and experiences in their speaking and marketing that reinforce their brand, you are ready to read the related Making Your Website Sell articles below:
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a Domain Name
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with a Big
Company Look and Feel
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