Maria Franzoni is a former speaker bureau owner and author of The Bookability Formula. She shares a blunt, practical view of what makes a speaker bookable in the UK and European markets, and why “being good” is not the same as “getting hired”. This show is unmissable if you're serious about speaking.

1. Why “follow your passion” is often terrible business advice
2. The UK/Europe market reality vs the US speaking market
3. Why relevance to a paying market comes before polishing a keynote
4. What really builds credibility (and what screams “fake”)
5. The networking mistake almost everyone makes
6. Why speakers overrun and how it hurts the event (and other speakers)
7. The real reason top-paid speakers get booked
8. What makes organisers and bureaus reject someone instantly
9. Demo videos: why bad video is worse than no video
10. Whether your full keynote should be public or private
11. Plagiarism in the speaking industry and why it happens
12. Podcast guesting as visibility and as training for concise communication

1. Relevance is the filter. If the market doesn’t care, your passion won’t save you.
2. Proof beats claims. Testimonials, outcomes and case studies do the heavy lifting.
3. Bookability is business. Relationships, follow-up and sales habits matter more than most speakers want to admit.
4. Assets signal quality. A weak demo video can quietly kill deals before you’re even considered.
5. Great speakers are often not the highest paid. The most bookable speakers usually run the best business.

Maria Franzoni

1. LinkedIn: Maria Franzoni
2. Website: mariafranzoni.me
3. Book: The Bookability Formula (Great read)

1. Speaker bureau newsletters and topic forecasts (example: Chartwell)
2. The Dip (Seth Godin), referenced by John in the wider show context
3. Judy Carter (comedy writing advice mentioned), The New Comedy Bible, and see previous guest appearance.

00:00 The bookability...

Why do so many capable speakers never gain momentum or consistent bookings?

In this short solo episode, John Ball breaks down the single biggest block that stops speakers from becoming successful professionals. It is not talent, confidence, or credibility. It is the habit of overthinking and under-acting.

Drawing on years of coaching speakers and working inside the speaking industry, John explains how planning becomes a comfort zone, why “being ready” is often procrastination in disguise, and how real progress only starts when action meets reality. If you want to treat speaking like a business rather than a hobby, this episode will give you a sharp reset.

CHAPTERS

00:00 Introduction and Episode Overview

02:09 The Main Obstacle for Speakers

03:05 The Importance of Taking Action

06:30 Navigating Challenges and Imperfections

11:30 Building a Speaking Business

17:54 Conclusion and Call to Action

Visit https://strategic-speaker.scoreapp.com to take the 2-minute Strategic Speaking Business Audit and find out what's blocking you from getting more bookings, re-bookings, referrals and bigger fees. There's a special surprise gift for everyone who completes the quiz.

Want to get coached for free on the show? Fill in the form https://forms.gle/mo4xYkEiCjqtz9yP6, and if we think your challenge could help others, we'll invite you on.

For speaking enquiries or to connect with me, you can email john@presentinfluence.com or find me on LinkedIn

You can find all our clips, episodes and more on the Present Influence YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@PresentInfluence

Thanks for listening. Rating the show 5* on Spotify helps their algo recommend the show, so please take a moment to follow the show and leave a rating.

Mentioned in this episode:

The Strategic Speaking Business Audit

Take this quick quiz to find out where and why your speaking business is leaking opportunities.

How to Beat Digital Distraction and Do Deep Work From Home

Summary

In this conversation, John Ball and Steven Puri explore the challenges of remote work, emphasising the importance of focus, intention, and managing distractions. They discuss how digital distractions are engineered to capture attention and the significance of establishing rituals and habits to enhance productivity. Puri shares insights on achieving a flow state for peak performance and the role of luck in success. The discussion also highlights practical strategies for overcoming procrastination and the power of prioritisation in achieving meaningful work.

Takeaways

Focus is about intention, not discipline.

Most of us are overwhelmed, not lazy.

Distraction is engineered to steal your attention.

You can do meaningful work without burning out.

Don't die with the great thing inside you.

You need to jealously guard your brain energy.

The difference is I hit play in your app?

Intention is key to moving your life forward.

You can achieve more by doing less.

Don't let distractions dictate your day.

Sound bites

"Most of us are overwhelmed, not lazy."

"Don't let distractions dictate your day."

"You can achieve more by doing less."

FREE Trial

Try The Suhka free for three days: https://www.thesukha.co/

Chapters

00:00 The Evolution of Remote Work

07:17 The Role of Luck in Career Paths

13:16 Distractions in the Digital Age

18:35 Active Procrastination and Focus Strategies

24:37 Weekly Planning and Daily Tasks

32:35 Personal Development and Productivity Mindset

39:36 Understanding Flow State for Enhanced Productivity

48:42 The Challenge of Focus in a Distracted World

49:11 The Importance of Intention and Environment

49:37 Finding Clarity and Direction in Work

Visit presentinfluence.com/quiz to take the Speaker Radiance Quiz and discover your Charisma Quotient.

For speaking enquiries or to connect with me, you can email john@presentinfluence.com or find me on LinkedIn

You can find all our clips, episodes and more on the Present Influence YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@PresentInfluence

Thanks for listening, and please give the show a 5* review if you enjoyed it.

Mentioned in this episode:

The Strategic Speaking Business Audit

Take this quick quiz to find out where and why your speaking business is leaking opportunities.

 Being a coach can be frustrating. You learn to become a coach. You put in the hours of coaching and build up your confidence to start charging for your services, but then you find out you need to have media and marketing strategies, and you need to do sales and loads of other things that aren't coaching, aren't your zone of genius.

Some coaches don't bother and end up falling by the wayside.  Some will find work with coaching companies that will help to find you clients and will give you an hourly rate, and some will want to do things their own way and grow their own coaching business. Or maybe a combination of those options, and this episode is for those of you who really are ready and willing to learn and do what it takes to grow your business.

Podfluence is all about growing your business and your brand to help you get more clients and more opportunities, but we need to know how to find or create these opportunities.

My guest is Simone Sauter, and Simone became a divorce coach after her partner of 10 years, suddenly left her. In that time, she found that one of the best ways to promote her own business and service was by getting featured in prestigious magazines and on podcasts. She figured out how to do that, and did such a great job of it that people started asking her to teach them how to do it too. So now Simone is a publicity coach for professional coaches like you and me.

If you've been wanting to grow your business and your personal brand, but struggling with the how, you are going to get some great tips in this episode and we'll be taking a look at why coaches should be getting featured in magazines and other podcasts, and how to get you started with this and what you need to be doing to grow your business through digital media.

You can download Simone's insider tips giveaway here: https://www.simonesauter.com/insider-tips/

Enjoying the content? Join me for the Podfluence Weekly newsletter on LinkedIn, Medium or Beehive to get articles and show updates every week(ish).

You are warmly invited to join other coaching & speaking professionals who are building their authority through podcasting in the Podfluencers Facebook Group and get your free download of How to grow your list with podcasts.

There are 2 things that fill my heart with joy: one is people sharing my episodes because they've been helpful and hopefully entertaining, and the other is people leaving reviews for Podfluence on Apple Podcasts or PodChaser. Either of these will earn my ever-lasting gratitude and both might just get you on my Christmas card list.

Of course, if you REALLY like the show, you're welcome to support Podfluence financially with our Supercast link Support the show 

Mentioned in this episode:

The Strategic Speaking Business Audit

Take this quick quiz to find out where and why your speaking business is leaking opportunities.

In this episode, how can you avoid the common mistakes most people make as podcast guests?

Discover the 3 simple fixes that can have you standing out head and shoulders above everyone else and stop people tuning out, dropping off or looking for something else to listen to.

Enjoying the content? Join me for the Podfluencer Weekly newsletter on LinkedIn, Medium or Beehive to get articles and show updates every week(ish).

You are warmly invited to join other coaching & speaking professionals who are building their authority through podcasting in the Podfluencers Facebook Group and get your free download of How to build authority with podcasts

Did you enjoy the show? Did you learn anything new or useful? If you did, then the best way to show your appreciation is by sharing the show with your online network. Tag me and I'll give you a shout-out on an upcoming episode. Leave a review and I'll read it out on the show.

Of course, if you REALLY liked it, you're welcome to support the show financially too using this link Support the show (https://speakinginfluence.supercast.tech/)

Tim Reid, an international coach and speaker, takes on the challenge of creating a successful podcast to build audience and authority and discovers the surprising irony that making podcasting a hobby unlocks the time, money, and energy needed to achieve success.

"If you're into podcasting, make podcasting your hobby. What I mean by that, Johnny, is when something's a hobby, you'll find the time, you'll find the money, you'll find the resources, you'll find the energy, you'll put it in your diary, you'll look forward to the next time it comes around because it's a hobby."

Tim Reid is the host of the Small Business Big Marketing Podcast and the author of 'The Boomerang Effect'. He is a renowned business speaker who has interviewed over 595 successful business owners about their business journey and the role of marketing.

Tim Reid was an aspiring radio personality and when he was given the opportunity to use a fancy studio he seized it, creating the Small Business Big Marketing Podcast and becoming Australia's first business podcast. As the podcast gained traction, Tim realized podcasting was a powerful tool for creating brand awareness and he started to reap the rewards of his hard work. Podcasting has been his hobby and business for the past 13 years and he is passionate about helping other podcasters reach their dreams. By combining entertainment and education, Tim Reid has created a successful podcast and encourages other podcasters to respect the ads that support their shows.

In this episode, you will learn the following:

1. How to make podcasting a business and why it is an amazing format for business owners.

2. How to monetize a podcast by creating your own products or using third-party sponsors.

3. How to create compelling content that educates and entertains listeners.

Resources:

The Small Business Big Marketing podcast

Check out his Website

Give him a call with a question for his show at +61 480 015 150 and let him know what marketing is working for you. He may play it in an upcoming episode.

Other episodes you'll enjoy:

Alex Sanfilippo | How to use podcasts to create business success

Mark Asquith | How to have a full time career in podcasting and why you shouldn't learn marketing from a podcaster

Connect with me: 

Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/johnaball

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/johnaball

Loved this episode? Leave us a review and rating here: https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/podfluence/id1484941406

Join me for the Podfluence Weekly newsletter on LinkedIn, Medium or Beehive to get articles and show updates every week(ish).

You are warmly invited to join other coaching & speaking professionals who are building their authority through podcasting in the Podfluencers Facebook Group and get your free download of

Enjoying the content? Join me for the Podfluence Weekly newsletter on LinkedIn, Medium or Beehive to get articles and show updates every week(ish).

You are warmly invited to join other coaching & speaking professionals who are building their authority through podcasting in the Podfluencers Facebook Group and get your free download of How to grow your list with podcasts.

There are 2 things that fill my heart with joy: one is people sharing my episodes because they've been helpful and hopefully entertaining, and the other is people leaving reviews for Podfluence on Apple Podcasts or PodChaser. Either of these will earn my ever-lasting gratitude and both might just get you on my Christmas card list.

Of course, if you REALLY like the show, you're welcome to support Podfluence financially with our Supercast link Support the show 

Mentioned in this episode:

The Strategic Speaking Business Audit

Take this quick quiz to find out where and why your speaking business is leaking opportunities.

If you're going to spend time being a guest on other podcasts, don't you want to know how to make the most of your appearances? I can't imagine why you wouldn't and this episode is gonna help.

I'm speaking with Jason Cercone, host of Pod Theory and Evolution of Brand, Jason is helping people improve their experiences and ability as podcast guests. If you're a regular listener, you will already imagine that we have. a lot in common but whilst we have many commonalities, there are also areas of divergence that make our approaches distinctive.

Some big questions in this episode:

• How fast should you get to the meat of things?
• What does your host want to achieve?
• The 2 main types of podcast guest
• How to sell by not selling
• Why starting your own show might not be a great idea and when you should
• How to establish yourself as an industry authority

Jason has done some deep-dive research into podcasting that gives him a great overview of the industry, such as it is, and how you as a business owner can be making a bigger impact with audiences.

Enjoying the content? Join me for the Podfluence Weekly newsletter on LinkedIn, Medium or Beehive to get articles and show updates every week(ish).

You are warmly invited to join other coaching & speaking professionals who are building their authority through podcasting in the Podfluencers Facebook Group and get your free download of How to build authority with podcasts

Did you enjoy the show? Did you learn anything new or useful? If you did, then the best way to show your appreciation is by sharing the show with your online network. Tag me and I'll give you a shout-out on an upcoming episode. Leave a review and I'll read it out on the show.

Of course, if you REALLY liked it, you're welcome to support the show financially too using this link Support the show (https://speakinginfluence.supercast.tech/)

Mentioned in this episode:

The Strategic Speaking Business Audit

Take this quick quiz to find out where and why your speaking business is leaking opportunities.

As a podcast host, I see two main approaches for guests who want to come on my show. One gets results, the other not so much. Which are you using?

This week it's a short solo episode continuing the theme of the 7 deadly sins of podcasting, which can all probably apply to any of our professional interactions and collaborations with content creators.

Full transcript is available to read or you can check out #37 of the Podfluence Weekly Newsletter on LinkedIn, Medium or Beehive to get articles and show updates every week(ish). Be sure to subscribe.

You are warmly invited to join other coaching & speaking professionals who are building their authority through podcasting in the Podfluencers Facebook Group and get your free download of How to build authority with podcasts

Did you enjoy the show? Did you learn anything new or useful? If you did, then the best way to show your appreciation is by sharing the show with your online network. Tag me and I'll give you a shout-out on an upcoming episode. Leave a review and I'll read it out on the show.

Of course, if you REALLY liked it, you're welcome to support the show financially too using this link Support the show (https://speakinginfluence.supercast.tech/)

Mentioned in this episode:

The Strategic Speaking Business Audit

Take this quick quiz to find out where and why your speaking business is leaking opportunities.

Connecting with an audience isn't always easy, especially when you can neither see nor hear them. One way to do this is by making the right connections in their thoughts and that is where the magic begins.

My guest today is making a welcome return as a friend of the show to help us connect more. In fact, he's going to teach us how we can inspire, influence and energise anyone, anywhere, anytime. Are you ready to learn a new superpower?

I first encountered Simon Lancaster watching his TEDx Verona talk on YouTube where I was introduced to the world and art of rhetoric. As someone with a keen interest in influence and persuasion, it was like being given the keys to enter a magical land that I had never known existed before. I find rhetoric just as exciting today as I did then and one of the people I have learned the most from in this subject is my guest on this episode.

During the lockdowns, many of us were desperate for connection with our fellow humans and Simon felt that need very acutely too finding new ways to connect, keeping his speechwriting skills sharp and discovering a new platform as well as a new passionate hobby.

The show was a live launch for Simon's book Connect which has taken somewhat longer than anticipated to publish as a podcast episode but I think it is a great way to close off 2022 and welcome 2023. Simon's book recommendations in this episode were Sense by Russell Jones and How Confidence Works by Ian Robertson. I added both to my own personal reading list.

Make sure you learn Simon's 6 powerful speechmaking tools near the end of the episode and join us again in the new year when we will continue our series on the 7 Deadly Sins of Podcasting that you need to avoid and overcome to be a successful guest.

Enjoying the content? Join me for the Podfluencer Weekly newsletter on LinkedIn, Medium or Beehive to get articles and show updates every week(ish).

You are warmly invited to join other coaching & speaking professionals who are building their authority through podcasting in the Podfluencers Facebook Group and get your free download of How to build authority with podcasts

Did you enjoy the show? Did you learn anything new or useful? If you did, then the best way to show your appreciation is by sharing the show with your online network. Tag me and I'll give you a shout-out on an upcoming episode. Leave a review and I'll read it out on the show.

Of course, if you REALLY liked it, you're welcome to support the show financially too using this link Support the show (https://speakinginfluence.supercast.tech/)

Mentioned in this episode:

The Strategic Speaking Business Audit

Take this quick quiz to find out where and why your speaking business is leaking opportunities.

I started a 7 Deadly Sins of Podcasting in my weekly newsletter and wanted to bring it to you here on the podcast too.

Number one of the 7 deadly sins of podcasting is gluttony or what we also call over-indulgence. Many of us like to talk but sometimes we risk taking over or ignoring the cues from show hosts and making it all about us instead of considering the audience and what they would most benefit from.

What do we do about it? How can we deal with it as show hosts? What's the most likely outcome of being too self-absorbed and self-indulgent as a podcast guest?

Look out for my holiday special episode coming out later this week as I bring back the amazing Simon Lancaster to the show.

Come and join other professionals who are building their authority through podcasting in the Podfluencers Facebook Group https://bit.ly/3aesFPJ and get your free download of How to build authority with podcasts

Did you enjoy the show? Did you learn anything new or useful? If you did, then the best way to show your appreciation is by sharing the show with your online network. Tag me and I'll give you a shout-out on an upcoming episode. Leave a review and I'll read it out on the show.

Of course, if you REALLY liked it, you're welcome to support the show financially too using the link below. It's not expected but it's very much appreciated.

Support the show (https://speakinginfluence.supercast.tech/)

Mentioned in this episode:

The Strategic Speaking Business Audit

Take this quick quiz to find out where and why your speaking business is leaking opportunities.

Do you really know what people think about you or your professional brand?

Are the words you use to speak about yourself or your products and services creating the right connections in the minds of your prospective customers?

Is there a better way to communicate with people who have vastly different opinions and beliefs than just expressing your own beliefs more loudly or disparaging theirs because you know they are not right?

My guest on this episode is Lee Carter and Lee has written an amazing book called Persuasion: Convincing others when facts don't seem to matter. You'll likely hear me say several times in this episode that most of the recent books I've read on Influence and persuasion have been rehashes of Cialdini or Greene, unless they've actually been by those guys. There are some exceptions but it is quite rare to encounter knowledge in this field that is original and valuable and Lee has, in my opinion, managed that successfully.

In this episode, we'll discuss the rationality of people in general, language landmines, communicating with people who hold polar opposite beliefs and the role of active empathy in persuasion. We also got onto discussing how Lee was able to see that Donald Trump was going to win in 2016 when everyone else was saying he couldn't. I even managed to get Lee to share some of her top media tips from her many appearances on national media in the US.

Lee's book Persuasion: Convincing Others In A World Where Facts Don't Seem To Matter is available to buy in paperback, kindle format and on Audible. This is one I recommend getting on multiple formats because you're gonna want to refer to it time and time again.

(I've been waiting to bring this episode to you for so long and am super happy to finally release it. It's not been without problems. Despite the whole summer hiatus thing with my new job, and then getting covid, I also had to deal with technology issues on the platform I recorded the episode with. No one said podcasting would be easy... lol. That service actually offered to sponsor my episodes but I declined it as I can not in good conscience recommend a service I've had so many issues with. Just know that getting this episode to you has been a labour of love and it really is one of my personal favourite episodes of Podfluence. Let me know if it is yours too.)

Next time, It's just me and I'm going to be talking about the 7 deadly sins of podcasting. I hope you will join me for that.

Want to find out what podcasting could do for your business? Take this short quiz https://mrqz.to/podcastpossibilities

Come and join other professionals who are building their authority through podcasting in the Podfluencers Facebook Group https://bit.ly/3aesFPJ and get your free download of How to build authority with podcasts

Did you enjoy the show? Did you learn anything new or useful? If you did, then the best way to show your appreciation is by sharing the show with your online network. Tag me and I'll give you a shout out on an upcoming episode. Leave a review and I'll read it out on the show.

Of course, if you REALLY liked it, you're welcome to support the show financially too using the link below.

Support the show (https://speakinginfluence.supercast.tech/)

If you're a professional focused podcaster who could do with some help growing and monetizing your show, you should check out the Grow The Show podcast with Kevin Chemidlin. Kevin is helping countless podcasters like myself to make the improvements and practices on...

Do you really want to have Podfluence? You can't have charisma without having confidence but many of us hold ourselves back from feeling confidence or showing up in professional situations with the necessary level of confidence needed for people to pay attention. Remember those substitute teachers at school? The first sign of any weakness and lack of confidence from them would lead to the class going wild and terrorising them.

How can you be confident and charismatic if you've never felt able to before?

How can you be charismatic without confidence?

What's the trick to confidence?

Want to find out what podcasting could do for your business? Take this short quiz https://mrqz.to/podcastpossibilities

Come and join other professionals who are building their authority through podcasting in the Podfluencers Facebook Group https://bit.ly/3aesFPJ and get your free download of How to build authority with podcasts

Did you enjoy the show? Did you learn anything new or useful? If you did, then the best way to show your appreciation is by sharing the show with your online network. Tag me and I'll give you a shout-out on an upcoming episode. Leave a review and I'll read it out on the show.

Of course, if you REALLY liked it, you're welcome to support the show financially too using the link below.

Support the show (https://speakinginfluence.supercast.tech/)

Mentioned in this episode:

The Strategic Speaking Business Audit

Take this quick quiz to find out where and why your speaking business is leaking opportunities.

SUMMARY

In this episode, John addresses the challenges faced by speakers and coaches in gaining visibility and securing bookings. He emphasises the importance of marketing and the need for professionals in these fields to shift their identity from being just a performer to becoming a business owner. By focusing on marketing, networking, and consistent visibility, speakers and coaches can improve their chances of success. John also discusses the significance of setting clear goals and taking actionable steps to achieve them, urging listeners to treat their speaking or coaching endeavours as a business.

The LinkedIn Article: READ HERE

Key Takeaways

• Many talented speakers and coaches struggle to get bookings.
• Skill alone is not enough; marketing is crucial.
• Successful individuals take action before they feel ready.
• Recognition comes to those who actively seek it.
• Being known is more important than being the best.
• The best speakers often excel at running a business.
• Identity shift is foundational for success.
• Spend at least half your time on marketing activities.
• Set clear revenue goals and reverse engineer them.
• Treat your speaking or coaching as a business.

Sound bites

"Your identity shift is not optional."

"Prospecting should be a daily activity."

"Now's the time to start taking action."

CHAPTERS

00:00 The Pain Point of Speakers and Coaches

02:28 The Importance of Marketing in Speaking

05:05 Identity Shift: From Speaker to Business Owner

07:44 Setting Goals and Taking Action

10:13 Call to Action and Future Insights

11:41 Close

Visit presentinfluence.com/quiz to take the Speaker Radiance Quiz and discover your Charisma Quotient.

For speaking enquiries or to connect with me, you can email john@presentinfluence.com or find me on LinkedIn

You can find all our clips, episodes and more on the Present Influence YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@PresentInfluence

Thanks for listening, and please give the show a 5* review if you enjoyed it.

Mentioned in this episode:

The Strategic Speaking Business Audit

Take this quick quiz to find out where and why your speaking business is leaking opportunities.

On relaunching my podcast and re-branding as Podfluence, I knew who I wanted as my first guest and am super grateful he agreed. Bob Gentle is not only a friend but one of the most insightful business coaches/consultants I've met. He's really well-clued into what's going on in the business world and knows a great deal about leadership branding.

I wanted to speak to Bob because he's a fellow podcaster with a show I still enjoy listening to and he's also appearing on more shows as a guest and is someone who not only believes in the power and potential of podcasting but has actively grown his business and professional authority with podcasts. Those things make him an ideal first guest for Podfluence.

In this episode we discuss:

• Why being really authentic is hard
• What makes someone charismatic
• The law of balance in business
• Is there still value in podcasting
• The fear of niching
• The #1 difference between you and the names on the books on your bookshelf

and a few other things besides.

I mentioned I'm a fan of Bob's podcast, and it's true. It's called The Personal Brand Entrepreneur Show and you can check it out here: https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/the-personal-brand-business-show-personal-branding/id1439009077

I highly recommend Bob's Facebook Group The Personal Brand Business Dojo

& you can download a free copy of Bob's Personal Brand Business Roadmap, just Like I have: https://amplifyme.agency/personal-brand-business-success-blueprint/

Want to be a part of the Podfluencer Community? Join us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/971673626709254 and subscribe to the Podfluencer Weekly Newsletter on LinkedIn or on Medium.com

Are you a podcaster looking to grow & monetize your show? Check out Kevin Chemidlin's podcast Grow The Show & join us in the free Facebook group.

Did you enjoy the show? Did you learn anything new or useful? If you did, the best way to show appreciation is by sharing the show with your online network. Tag me and I'll give you a shout-out on an upcoming episode. Leave a review and I'll read it out on the show.

Of course, if you REALLY liked it, you're welcome to support the show financially using the link below.

Support the show (https://speakinginfluence.supercast.tech/)

Mentioned in this episode:

The Strategic Speaking Business Audit

Take this quick quiz to find out where and why your speaking business is leaking opportunities.

What is thought leadership?

Is it being a guru with all the answers?

Is it being the leading voice and authority in your industry?

Perhaps that's what it has been seen as for a long time and for many, this might make thought leadership seem unattainable and maybe even undesirable.

My guest Trevor Merriden is here to blast through our preconceptions and misconceptions about thought leadership and show us that modern thought leadership is a conversation we can all be a part of.

Trevor is a thought leadership consultant and content strategist with a history in journalism and ghostwriting, as well as being a radio show host and podcaster himself.

In this episode:

• What is thought leadership?
• How to guide the future
• Conversations that lead to sales
• The age of the guru is gone
• Why it's better not to have all the answers
• Trevor's three C's
• The power of curiosity

If you would like to know more about Trevor and thought leadership, Trevor invites you to connect with him on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/trevormerriden/ and/or visit his website http://www.merribornmedia.co.uk/

I feel confident that you will get value and takeaways from this conversation and I'd love to hear what they are. Please reach out on social media or email through my website presentinfluence.com

Want to find out what podcasting could do for your business? Take this short quiz https://mrqz.to/podcastpossibilities

Come and join other professionals who are building their authority through podcasting in the Podfluencers Facebook Group https://bit.ly/3aesFPJ and get your free download of How to build authority with podcasts

Did you enjoy the show? Did you learn anything new or useful? If you did, then the best way to show your appreciation is by sharing the show with your online network. Tag me and I'll give you a shout-out on an upcoming episode. Leave a review and I'll read it out on the show.

Of course, if you REALLY liked it, you're welcome to support the show financially too using the link below.

Support the show (https://speakinginfluence.supercast.tech/)

Mentioned in this episode:

The Strategic Speaking Business Audit

Take this quick quiz to find out where and why your speaking business is leaking opportunities.

My guest for this episode is Paul Ruppert who has some amazing experiences and stories to share from his time working in the US political machinery and also in the private tech sector.

Want to find out what podcasting could do for your business? Take this short quiz https://mrqz.to/podcastpossibilities

Come and join other professionals who are building their authority through podcasting in the Podfluencers Facebook Group https://bit.ly/3aesFPJ and get your free download of How to build authority with podcasts

Did you enjoy the show? Did you learn anything new or useful? If you did, then the best way to show your appreciation is by sharing the show with your online network. Tag me and I'll give you a shout out on an upcoming episode. Leave a review and I'll read it out on the show.

Of course, if you REALLY liked it, you're welcome to support the show financially too using the link below.

Support the show (https://speakinginfluence.supercast.tech/)

Mentioned in this episode:

The Strategic Speaking Business Audit

Take this quick quiz to find out where and why your speaking business is leaking opportunities.

How does someone go from professional nanny to best-selling author and then help other amazing people publish and profit from their books and knowledge? That's what my guest Lily Petrascu is all about. She helps people with great knowledge and useful experience get their books written and then leverage an amazing network she has built up around her to help those books flourish. Lily is someone you will want to get to know.

Want to find out what podcasting could do for your business? Take this short quiz https://mrqz.to/podcastpossibilities

Come and join other professionals who are building their authority through podcasting in the Podfluencers Facebook Group https://bit.ly/3aesFPJ and get your free download of How to build authority with podcasts

Did you enjoy the show? Did you learn anything new or useful? If you did, then the best way to show your appreciation is by sharing the show with your online network. Tag me and I'll give you a shout out on an upcoming episode. Leave a review and I'll read it out on the show.

Of course, if you REALLY liked it, you're welcome to support the show financially too using the link below.

Support the show (https://speakinginfluence.supercast.tech/)

Whatever business you are in, you're in the business of sales and marketing. There's no way around it. You may have the best product, service, keynote or program in the world but if no one knows about it, what good is it?

I used to work for a personal development company that would often invite audiences to ponder on the value of one great idea. I was never very happy with that, something just didn't feel right about it. Is an idea valuable? Only if you do something with it.

In the personal & professional development world, there are many people who are great speakers, coaches, trainers and more but the world doesn't know who they are. Why not? Because they don't know how to market themselves and they don't know how to sell.

Rob Elliott is a sales coach, a keynote speaker and a podcaster who knows a lot about sales. It was his bread and butter for many years and he realised very quickly how bad most people are at it and often how fearful people are when they hear the word sales or salesperson.

There is not a professional person on the planet who could not benefit from being better at sales skills and understanding more the processes and principles of selling, whether to individuals, businesses or large audiences. If you recognise that for yourself, then pay attention to Rob in this episode as he shares insights and ideas. You may well want to check out his book The Sales Chain https://amzn.to/3GWGn64 or his podcast The Real Journeys of Success.

In this episode:

• Learn the emotional resource anchor for sales
• The importance of confidence in sales situations
• Why sales require practice
• Making a good first impression
• The most important skill to master in sales
• How to recover from a bad first impression or mistake
• Overcoming sales awkwardness
• Why a sales coach started a podcast and more...

Want to find out what podcasting could do for your business? Take this short quiz https://mrqz.to/podcastpossibilities

Come and join other professionals who are building their authority through podcasting in the Podfluencers Facebook Group https://bit.ly/3aesFPJ and get your free download of How to build authority with podcasts

Did you enjoy the show? Did you learn anything new or useful? If you did, then the best way to show your appreciation is by sharing the show with your online network. Tag me and I'll give you a shout out on an upcoming episode. Leave a review and I'll read it out on the show.

Of course, if you REALLY liked it, you're welcome to support the show financially too using the link below.

Support the show (https://speakinginfluence.supercast.tech/)

Mentioned in this episode:

The Strategic Speaking Business Audit

Take this quick quiz to find out where and why your speaking business is leaking opportunities.

Is being everywhere on social media the only way to grow a personal brand business?

How can we make sure we are being ethical in our enrolment processes and client acquisitions, especially when so many out there are being less than?

Coach Jan Broders has built a business as a stress and overwhelm coach without being all over social media. In this episode he explains how he does that and the principles that keep him ethical and develop strong client relationships.

Want to find out what podcasting could do for your business? Take this short quiz https://mrqz.to/podcastpossibilities

Come and join other professionals who are building their authority through podcasting in the Podfluencers Facebook Group https://bit.ly/3aesFPJ and get your free download of How to build authority with podcasts

Did you enjoy the show? Did you learn anything new or useful? If you did, then the best way to show your appreciation is by sharing the show with your online network. Tag me and I'll give you a shout out on an upcoming episode. Leave a review and I'll read it out on the show.

Of course, if you REALLY liked it, you're welcome to support the show financially too using the link below.

Support the show (https://speakinginfluence.supercast.tech/)

Mentioned in this episode:

The Strategic Speaking Business Audit

Take this quick quiz to find out where and why your speaking business is leaking opportunities.

Many of us have had that feeling of being invisible, in life and in business, especially if we are on the introverted side of the scale. If that's you, you're going to love this episode with Stevie Dawn Carter where we discuss emotional intelligence, performance energy and how to be someone who is getting noticed for the right reasons.

Most of us have heard about emotional intelligence but most people don't really know what it means. Stevie is going to explain all of that and how emotional intelligence is a key aspect of improving your communication and connection skills. I learned a lot in my chat with Stevie and I know you will too.

Dr Stevie Dawn Carter is a professional speaker and coach based out of Mansfield, Texas. Her experience as a 4-time business owner, along with her work in the private and public sector, allows her to enhance her presentations with real-life stories and examples that are applicable to every audience. Her educational background includes a master’s degree in sociology from Wichita State University and a doctorate in leadership from Colorado State University. With over 20 years of teaching and training experience, Dr Stevie Dawn approaches every engagement with humour, inspiration, and energy to get people moving towards their best lives.

In this episode:

• Connect to your why
• Overcome feeling invisible
• What is EQ?
• How does EQ relate to communication?
• The difference between good and bad performance energy
• How to pump up your energy
• Why you should be more like a shark and more...

In the episode, Dr Stevie promised you a special checklist and you can grab that here you can visit Stevie's own website here: http://www.drsteviedawn.com/ and get your copy of Always Be The Shark here

To connect with Stevie on social media, here's where to go:

Instagram Facebook LinkedIn Twitter

Dr Stevie's book recommendations were Emotional Intelligence 2.0 by Travis Bradberry, Atomic Habits by James Clear and Big Magic by Elizabeth Gilbert.

Want to find out what podcasting could do for your business? Take this short quiz https://mrqz.to/podcastpossibilities

Come and join other professionals who are building their authority through podcasting in the Podfluencers Facebook Group https://bit.ly/3aesFPJ

Did you enjoy the show? Did you learn anything new or useful? If you did, then the best way to show your appreciation is by sharing the show with your online network. Tag me and I'll give you a shout out on an upcoming episode. Leave a review and I'll read it out on the show.

Of course, if you REALLY liked it, you're welcome to support the show financially too using the link below.

Support the show...

There are few things in this world that will make you as charismatic and captivating as having the ability to tell great stories. Whether that's stories from the imagination or stories of experience, being able to master great storytelling is an enviable gift.

Personally, one of my favourite storytellers is the well-known raconteur Fran Lebowitz. If you haven't watched her Netflix documentary 'Pretend it's a city', please do yourself a favour and check it out but maybe not before you check out this conversation with my very esteemed guest and storytelling academic Leon Conrad who gives us a real masterclass in understanding stories and how we can best utilise it. He's here to give us some insights into his new book The Unknown Storyteller and I feel certain you're gonna love it. (The book is not yet available but certainly will be one to keep an eye out for.)

I'll be honest, I felt like I might be a little out of my depth intellectually on this one, since I am not an academic and I really do not have much expertise in this area, however, after listening back to the recording, I think I did better than I gave myself credit for but much like the time I interviewed professor Donald Robertson regarding the great Roman Emperor Marcus Aurelius' experience with rhetoric and stoicism, it was an opportunity for a masterclass from someone who truly knows their stuff and is able to make it understandable and interesting for those of us not in academia.

In this episode:

• How many types of story are there?
• What makes the story of Cinderella?
• Why we're wired for stories.
• How to be a better storyteller.
• Traditions of storytelling.
• How to become more charismatic with stories and more...

You can find out more about Leon on his website https://www.leonconrad.com and Leon invites you to connect with him on social media.

Pretty soon, Speaking Influence is going to become Podfluence as we focus the show more on building professional influence and developing leadership charisma through podcasts. I hope you will stay with us through this transition and maybe even find yourself getting more professional leverage and following through podcasts.

Did you enjoy the show? Did you learn anything new or useful? If you did, then the best way to show your appreciation is by sharing the show with your online network. Tag me and I'll give you a shout out on an upcoming episode. Leave a review and I'll read it out on the show.

Of course, if you REALLY liked it, you're welcome to support the show financially too using the link below.

Support the show (https://speakinginfluence.supercast.tech/)

Mentioned in this episode:

The Strategic Speaking Business Audit

Take this quick quiz to find out where and why your speaking business is leaking opportunities.

What comes to your mind when you hear something like storytelling for business? Are you envisioning someone in professional attire reading bedtime fairy tales to C-suite executives dressed as babies being put down for their afternoon nap? Well... if you weren't, you probably are now. Of course, this is not what storytelling for business is about, as funny as that might be.

My guest on this episode is Sophie Wadsworth. Sophie is an executive coach who is teaching people the power and value of stories in their professional lives. Sophie shares how you can weave stories into your communication without being a professional storyteller. The power of this is it can help us to be more relatable, to drive change and to develop magnetic leadership.

In this episode:

• Why it's worth taking time to reflect
• How to find the stories you already have
• Knowing how much to reveal about yourself
• Why you should consider your challenges
• How to help an audience to go with you in a story
• How your stories make you more magnetic and charismatic

Sophie shares her book recommendation of Talk Like TED by Carmine Gallo. Having read it myself, I think it is well worth checking out, even if you have no intention of ever taking to the stage with a TED talk. If you'd like to check it out too, here's the link: https://amzn.to/3vRriif

If you'd like to connect with Sophie, you can find her on LinkedIn and let her know that you heard her on Speaking Influence. linkedin.com/in/sophie-wadsworth-99368073

If you'd like to stay up to date with all that is going on with Speaking Influence and also read additional articles, get access to video content and invites to events for people looking to build professional authority and become powerfully persuasive communicators, you can subscribe to my Podfluencer Weekly newsletter on LinkedIn using this link https://www.linkedin.com/newsletters/podfluencer-weekly-6882642444815519744/ and if you'd like to know my top 5 influence & persuasion books, you can get access to my FREE PDF here: https://bit.ly/3wbc3jh See you next time.

Did you enjoy the show? Did you learn anything new or useful? If you did, then the best way to show your appreciation is by sharing the show to your online network. Tag me and I'll give you a shout out on an upcoming episode. Leave a review and I'll read it out on the show.

Of course, if you REALLY liked it, you're welcome to support the show financially too using the link below.

Support the show (https://speakinginfluence.supercast.tech/)

Mentioned in this episode:

The Strategic Speaking Business Audit

Take this quick quiz to find out where and why your speaking business is leaking opportunities.

I do wonder how many business owners find themselves where I've been, feeling like they're working hard and doing all the things they see industry leaders doing but not experiencing even a fraction of their success? They're burning rubber with the wheels spinning and have barely crossed the start line, let alone the finish line.

I first encountered my guest today through Pat Flynn's YouTube channel. Pat is someone I've been following for a long time and this guest said that you can't expect people to take you seriously in business if you don't have anything they can buy on your website. It was a wake-up call for me and the start of my learning from someone who has now become a business mentor and a friend. His name is Chris Ducker and he's the author of several best selling books including Virtual Freedom and Rise of the YouPreneur.

In this episode:

• Chris' biggest influence builder
• Why most entrepreneurs are starting in the wrong place
• How to level up your business
• The damage done by shortcuts
• Why Chris started a podcast
• The power of being prepared and more...

This is an unmissable episode if you are in business yourself, especially if you're not taking off and feeling frustrated. Chris gave several book recommendations on the show:

1. Zig Ziglar's See you at the top https://amzn.to/3LGNyAI
2. Gary Vaynerchuck's Crush It https://amzn.to/3y2U0y5 and
3. Rocket Fuel by Gino Wickman and Mark Winters https://amzn.to/3vs9g65

You can find out more about Chris, his books, the incubator program, his round table, podcast and more from his website https://www.chrisducker.com/coaching and he's always happy to connect with people on social media. Let us know what your takeaways have been from this episode of Speaking Influence.

Are you wondering if a podcast is the right move for your business or whether there are other ways to leverage podcasting beyond having a show then we should talk? Book a free 15-minute discovery call with me https://calendly.com/presentinfluence/15-discover-coaching and let's get the power of podcasts working for you.

Did you enjoy the show? Did you learn anything new or useful? If you did, then the best way to show your appreciation is by sharing the show with your online network. Tag me and I'll give you a shout out on an upcoming episode. Leave a review and I'll read it out on the show.

Of course, if you REALLY liked it, you're welcome to support the show financially too using the link below.

Support the show (https://speakinginfluence.supercast.tech/)

Mentioned in this episode:

The Strategic Speaking Business Audit

Take this quick quiz to find out where and why your speaking business is leaking opportunities.

Unlocking the Power of Stagecraft with Merit Khan: From Keynotes to Comedy

SUMMARY

In this episode of Present Influence, join John as he converses with Merit Khan, a dynamic speaker and performer, about the art of landing paid speaking engagements and refining your stagecraft. Merit shares insights from her journey, emphasising the importance of mastering sales skills to sell your talks before perfecting your stories. She discusses her diverse career, including keynoting for serious audiences, coaching sales professionals, and her one-woman show, 'Optimistic Personality Disorder.' Discover how improv, comedy, and understanding your audience can enhance your presentations and contribute to a thriving speaker ecosystem. Whether you are just starting out or looking to expand your existing speaking business, this episode offers practical strategies and inspirational stories to help you succeed.

Find out more about Merit at meritkahn.com or her one-woman show at opdshow.com

Here's the link to that article on why so many great speakers are broke: CLICK HERE TO READ IT

CHAPTERS

00:00 Introduction and Episode Overview

00:40 Meet Merit Khan: Sales and Comedy Expert

01:36 Contrarian Viewpoint: Sales Skills First

03:30 Building a Business Ecosystem

06:19 Adapting to Market Needs

09:44 Balancing Multiple Business Ventures

17:55 The Importance of Sales Experience

22:35 Creating a One-Woman Show

24:44 Unexpected Connections and Personal Growth

26:09 Diving into Standup Comedy

29:35 The Power of Humour in Speaking

32:13 The Art of Storytelling and Performance

36:39 Personal and Professional Growth in Speaking

42:24 Lessons from Standup and Knowing Your Audience

46:25 Podcasting and Future Projects

49:33 Final Thoughts and Takeaways

Visit presentinfluence.com/quiz to take the Speaker Radiance Quiz and discover your Charisma Quotient.

For speaking enquiries or to connect with me, you can email john@presentinfluence.com or find me on LinkedIn

You can find all our clips, episodes and more on the Present Influence YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@PresentInfluence

Thanks for listening, and please give the show a 5* review if you enjoyed it.

Mentioned in this episode:

The Strategic Speaking Business Audit

Take this quick quiz to find out where and why your speaking business is leaking opportunities.

In a focus on what really differentiates people in podcasting, training, public speaking and edutainment in general, there does seem to be a group of people who just seem to have something about them. That je ne sais quoi, the x-factor, a charisma that makes them much more appealing to listen to than 'average' people.

In this episode, we get into some real talk about the elements of charisma and why it matters with coach, speaker, podcaster and personal development trainer Daniel Tolson. I had thought for the longest time that I was unique in the personal and professional development world as a former flight attendant who had become a coach and podcaster but it turns out, not so much. However, it's nice to have met someone with so many similarities in their journey and has helped me put to bed the idea that my past as a trolly dolly was a barrier to my future as anything else.

One of the things I think is striking about the conversation with Daniel is that he's failed many times in business. More times than most people would even try. Despite that, he's persevered and is now doing very well with his own show, his coaching & training business and a nice life in Taiwan. We both left our flying careers around the same time and it is interesting for me to have found out that my challenges were far from unique.

Whilst we did talk a little about our flying days, it's hard for two ex hosties not to, we mostly discussed influence and persuasion through the lens of charisma, something that has a huge impact on influence, authority and persuasive capability. Whilst wit and charm were taught to Daniel as being key from a young age, there's an element he feels made all the difference but most people don't get.

In this episode:

• Coaching at 40,000ft
• Charisma = wit+charm+?
• The importance of the basics
• Getting in your own way
• The achievement mindset
• Coming back from failure and more...

This was a fun chat between 2 former flyers and present podcasters which I am certain you will enjoy and get value from. The book Daniel mentions is called Maximum Achievement and is available on Amazon https://amzn.to/3OAWSYP If you'd like to know more about Daniel you can visit his site https://danieltolson.com/ or find him on social media. As you will tell from the show, he's super friendly.

Please let us know what you like and what you take away from the episode and consider leaving a 5* review on Apple Podcasts or Podchaser.com

Did you enjoy the show? Did you learn anything new or useful? If you did, then the best way to show your appreciation is by sharing the show to your online network. Tag me and I'll give you a shout out on an upcoming episode. Leave a review and I'll read it out on the show.

Of course, if you REALLY liked it, you're welcome to support the show financially too using the link below.

Support the show (https://speakinginfluence.supercast.tech/)

Mentioned in this episode:

The Strategic Speaking Business Audit

Take this quick quiz to find out where and why your speaking business is leaking opportunities.

Is hypnosis a real thing?

Is Neuro-Linguistic programming a scam?

Are there important elements of influence and persuasion that just can not be taught?

You will discover the answers to all these questions and more as we delve into the secret world of the mentalist.

Mentalism is the performance art of demonstrating seemingly magical and mysterious powers of influence and persuasion, at times appearing to cross into the realms of magic, but as my guest Duncan Stevens tells us, mentalism and magic are very different worlds. If you have ever seen the amazing Derren Brown at work, you will know that mentalism and tricks or sleights of the mind can be very entertaining and also quite spectacular.

Duncan Stevens is a professional mentalist, a terrific keynote speaker and the author of Effective Influence, one of the few books on influence and persuasion I have ever come across that gives us useful and practical examples of influence and persuasion at work. Duncan is also the CEO and founder of the Influence Association in the UK, an organisation that helps businesses understand and apply the psychology of influence and persuasion, to be able to stand out in the marketplace.

In this very enjoyable and fun conversation, Duncan and I got onto talking about things like manipulation, using influence and persuasion to con people and how stage hypnosis works. We also had the chance to discuss suggestibility and the predictability of humans who like to think of ourselves as unpredictable, which he very capably demonstrates on me with several tricks.

In this episode:

• What is mentalism?
• Is hypnosis real?
• Why mentalism is not magic.
• Is manipulation always bad?
• Will Duncan be able to trick Johnny?
• Why we need to understand influence on business
• Can you be mind-controlled?
• What is the one tool of influence that can not be taught?

You can find out more about Duncan at DuncanStevens.com and at the InfluenceAssociation.com and you can check out his book Effective Influence on Amazon https://amzn.to/3KSM322. For Kindle Unlimited users, you can read it for free as part of your subscription. (We use Amazon affiliate links and we may make a few pennies from your purchases but it won't cost you any extra.)

Next time on the show I am speaking with the silky smooth voice of Daniel Tolson, a professional coach, speaker, trainer and podcaster who had so many business fails you would have thought he'd give up. He didn't and he is now very successful and also a super nice guy. I promise you won't want to miss it. Also, keep an eye out for new influence & persuasion book reviews coming up and some new style of episodes where I'm going to share some of my knowledge and experience around influence and persuasion.

Did you enjoy the show? Did you learn anything new or useful? If you did, then the best way to show your appreciation is by sharing the show with your online network. Tag me and I'll give you a shout out on an upcoming episode. Leave a review and I'll read it out on the show.

Of course, if you REALLY liked it, you're welcome to support the show financially too using the link below.

Support the show (https://speakinginfluence.supercast.tech/)

Mentioned in this episode:

The Strategic Speaking...

One thing I know from the majority of my coaching clients is that they want to build their profile and become a known voice and go-to figure in their industry. And why would they not? You start getting invited on more stages, you start selling more books and courses and you start generating way more lead flow for whatever business you have.

With that in mind, we continue the recent series of shows with professional podcasters by talking with Adam Adams, host of The Podcast on Podcasting and the man behind Grow Your Show where Adam and his team help people successfully start podcasts and build listenership.

In this episode:

• What is the right way to start a podcast?
• Stop with the ready, fire aim and do ready, aim, fire
• Launch plans done right
• How to get earballs on your show (whatever earballs are?)
• Why more content output can be better
• Growing with quality and quantity
• Should you start as a guest or host?
• The best CTA on a podcast
• How podcasting can help your business

and more.

Find out more about Adam and book your free discovery call at https://growyourshow.com/

Take a listen to The Podcast on Podcasting https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/the-podcast-on-podcasting/id1560389468 A show that is regularly on my playlist.

Books Adam mentions on the show are:

1. Rich Dad, Poor Dad by Robert Kiyosaki https://amzn.to/3xlejq2
2. The Compound Effect by Darren Hardy https://amzn.to/3O0r4MH
3. Beyond Religion by the Dalai Lama https://amzn.to/3DT7NrQ

Please note that using these links to purchase may generate a little affiliate commission for the show and will not cost you a penny more, so please do consider using them to help support Speaking Influence.

You may remember that I have been trying to set up an interview with Chris Ducker from YouPreneur and that's now booked in and promises to be a very fun episode. Next week, look out for my chat with mentalist and professional speaker Duncan Stevens.

Have an amazing week.

Mentioned in this episode:

The Strategic Speaking Business Audit

Take this quick quiz to find out where and why your speaking business is leaking opportunities.

Long, long ago (last Tuesday), in a galaxy far far away (the North of England) I chatted to one of the hosts of the Spark of Rebellion, a podcast about all things Star Wars, Mr Mark Asquith.

Mark's a bit more than a Star Wars stan podcaster, he's one of the founders of Rebel Base Media, Captivate.fm podcasting and the host of the Podcast Accelerator podcast and is kind of a big deal in UK podcasting, often referred to as "That British podcast guy". To me, he's Mr Captivate and a great guy to chat to as someone who gets invited to speak the world over about podcasting and we had a chance to chat about how, why and whether you should be including podcasts in your professional ecosystem too.

In this episode:

• The influence of the Terminator
• The trouble with taking yourself too seriously
• Podcasts for content marketing
• Is better > more?
• Why you should stop listening to gurus
• Motivation isn't the answer
• You should learn SEO
• Why you should always be yourself
• Why you shouldn't learn marketing from a podcaster
• Should you outsource your own show?
• What Apple say about ratings and reviews
• Can you be a full-time professional podcaster?

You're going to love the answers and I hope you will also be inspired to add podcasting into your professional ecosystem in some way, shape or form. If you'd like to try Captivate.fm free for 7 days as your podcast host, click here https://www.captivate.fm/signup?ref=johnball Yes, it's an affiliate link but it won't cost you anything more and helps to support the show. If you want to start a show then here's the link to the free course Mark mentioned https://www.captivate.fm/how-to-start-a-podcast

You can contact Mark on Twitter @MrAsquith and find out more about him at https://www.markasquith.com/ Listen to Spark of Rebellion, a Star Wars podcast https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/spark-of-rebellion-a-star-wars-show/id1462305304 or The Podcast Accelerator show https://www.markasquith.com/podcast-accelerator/episodes/

The books Mark recommends in the show are:

• Influence: The psychology of persuasion by Robert Cialdini https://amzn.to/3NJeNvW
• Pre-suasion by Robert Cialdini https://amzn.to/3uODjmJ
• The One Thing by Gary Keller https://amzn.to/3tZV9nI
• Atomic Habits by James Clear https://amzn.to/3tWLZbF

Did you enjoy the show? Did you learn anything new or useful? If you did, then the best way to show your appreciation is by sharing the show to your online network. Tag me and I'll give you a shout out on an upcoming episode. Leave a review and I'll read it out on the show.

Of course, if you REALLY liked it, you're welcome to support the show financially too using the link below.

Do you have a dirty mind? No, not those salacious thoughts about how nice that sexy guy/lady looked in those tight jeans earlier today. I'm talking about all the heuristics and unexamined beliefs that are hanging around in that lovely brain of yours and polluting your thinking.

The truth is that we all fall prey to logical fallacies and cognitive biases more often than we realise and although we can't remove them all completely, there's a lot we can do to improve our thinking, do a bit of Feng shui on our beliefs and have a more beautiful mind. Change starts with awareness.

The Art of Thinking Clearly is the first book I ever read about logical fallacies and critical thinking skills. There are many other books on this topic but I share this one because it's not in the academic style and it is very applicable for life. See if this review inspires you to read The Art of Thinking Clearly by Rolf Dobelli.

If you would like to get a copy of this book, please consider using this affiliate link: https://amzn.to/3LevrBD it won't cost you any extra and sends a few pennies our way to support the show.

Did you enjoy the show? Did you learn anything new or useful? If you did, then the best way to show your appreciation is by sharing the show to your online network. Tag me and I'll give you a shout out on an upcoming episode. Leave a review and I'll read it out on the show.

Of course, if you REALLY liked it, you're welcome to support the show financially too using the link below.

Support the show (https://speakinginfluence.supercast.tech/)

Mentioned in this episode:

The Strategic Speaking Business Audit

Take this quick quiz to find out where and why your speaking business is leaking opportunities.

The powers of music and movement have inspired and empowered us since the earliest days of humanity and so I have wanted to explore more of this side of the arts for a while now and took the opportunity of my 50th birthday celebration to share with you a fun and light-hearted episode of Speaking Influence with some powerful thoughts.

My guest is dancer and dance teacher Joseph Corella. Joseph made a big professional pivot during the pandemic to set up virtual dance classes but not any old dance classes, he wanted to make something fun for him and other adults to safely explore creativity, get or stay healthy and have fun dancing to show tunes. He started up 567Broadway.com so that anyone could start to feel like a Broadway star in the comfort of their own home. You can try out a live or downloaded online class with Joseph and find out for yourself how much fun it is.

In this episode:

• Dance as a means of channelling expression and emotion
• The power of dance to create presence
• Personal state management with dance and music
• The power of Babs
• How many times has Joseph watched Beaches with Bette Midler?
• The influence & inspiration of Rita Moreno (West Side Story)

and more besides.

This was a fun conversation and a lighter take on influence and persuasion. I hope you will enjoy it and check out some more recent episodes.

If you are serious about connecting your message with the right audience, find out what our sponsor Brand Face can do for you. Visit LearnAboutBrandFace.com and get your hands on some helpful resources.

Thanks for tuning in and see you next time.

Did you enjoy the show? Did you learn anything new or useful? If you did, then the best way to show your appreciation is by sharing the show to your online network. Tag me and I'll give you a shout out on an upcoming episode. Leave a review and I'll read it out on the show.

Of course, if you REALLY liked it, you're welcome to support the show financially too using the link below.

Support the show (https://speakinginfluence.supercast.tech/)

Mentioned in this episode:

The Strategic Speaking Business Audit

Take this quick quiz to find out where and why your speaking business is leaking opportunities.

Over 70 years ago Dale Carnegie released the self-help classic called How to Win Friends & Influence People. Since then, it has gone on to be read and applied by many people, some of whom accredit their success to this book.

I have been planning for a while to bring a series of book reviews back into my regular content. At first, I was planning a new show, then maybe just on YouTube and now I have decided to simply include it in the Speaking Influence catalogue. It's not so often you get to hear from me just by myself or that I give you more digestible episodes than my usual long interviews but this is essentially a test run to see if you like the content and enjoy these solo episodes or would prefer to have them added on to the main show? Your feedback is welcomed.

You can contact me on Twitter @johnaball or through my website presentinfluence.com with any feedback or suggestions.

If you want a copy of How To Win Friends & Influence People, please consider using my affiliate link https://amzn.to/3q8zPKq I may only make a few pennies from your purchase but it won't cost you anything extra and it helps to support the show.

Did you enjoy the show? Did you learn anything new or useful? If you did, then the best way to show your appreciation is by sharing the show to your online network. Tag me and I'll give you a shout out on an upcoming episode. Leave a review and I'll read it out on the show.

Of course, if you REALLY liked it, you're welcome to support the show financially too using the link below.

Support the show (https://speakinginfluence.supercast.tech/)

Mentioned in this episode:

The Strategic Speaking Business Audit

Take this quick quiz to find out where and why your speaking business is leaking opportunities.

What's one of the best, cost-effective, time-effective ways to build a following these days? Podcasting.

My guest Alex Sanfilippo is a podcaster with an entrepreneurial eye for opportunity. He's the founder of PodPros.com and PodMatch.com, both sites I enjoy using as a member and he is also a super nice guy. We chat about the opportunities in podcasting and what we see happening as it hits a huge growth spurt with YouTube, Facebook and now Twitter getting in on the podcast action.

In this episode:

• Starting a podcast do's & don'ts
• Why podcast?
• Keeping the main thing the main thing
• Do you need to be an expert?
• What Alex wishes he'd known sooner
• What makes a valuable show guest?
• The opportunities in podcasting

and more besides.

I encourage you to check out Alex's sites and to connect with him since he's a super nice guy.

Alex's book recommendations are High-Performance Habits by Brendan Burchard and The Mom Test by Rob Fitzpatrick. If you are interested in purchasing either of these, please use our affiliate links, it doesn't cost you anything extra and helps to support the show.

Discover more about our show sponsors Brand Face by visiting BrandFace.com

Did you enjoy the show? Did you learn anything new or useful? If you did, then the best way to show your appreciation is by sharing the show to your online network. Tag me and I'll give you a shout out on an upcoming episode. Leave a review and I'll read it out on the show.

Of course, if you REALLY liked it, you're welcome to support the show financially too using the link below.

Support the show (https://speakinginfluence.supercast.tech/)

Mentioned in this episode:

The Strategic Speaking Business Audit

Take this quick quiz to find out where and why your speaking business is leaking opportunities.

It's been said many times that it is important that people know, like and trust you. Likeability and reliability don't seem like the sexiest of success traits and yet, they are some of the most underrated ones, especially when we move away from the stereotypes of successful people being uncaring and lacking in empathy and we are awakening to the need to have a good relationship with our customers and the people whose products and services we buy.

My guest Jackie Goddard has always had a passion for theatre and the dramatic arts and she saw a great opportunity to bring her experience and knowledge from that industry over to the world of communication skills and presentation training. Jackie's business and her podcast both share the name 'The Power to Speak' and if you want to hear me being a guest on Jackie's show, you can go here: https://apple.co/3vGA036

In this episode:

• How one person can directly affect the course of your life for good or bad
• Likeability & reliability as influence tools
• What it's like working with Dame Judi Dench
• What can we learn from theatre and the arts?
• How to bring out our joy and uniqueness
• You have to memorise to _________?
• What improv does to your brain

and more...

The Ted talk Jackie mentions is by Charles Limb and can be seen on YouTube: https://youtu.be/BomNG5N_E_0

Jackie also mentions several books (if you buy them using our affiliate links it helps to support the show):

• Plato's Lemonade Stand by Tom Morris https://amzn.to/3MnA2CV
• The God of Small Things by Arrundhati Roy https://amzn.to/35SeJbL
• The Secret by Rhonda Byrne https://amzn.to/35SeMUZ (regular listeners will know my thoughts on this book but make up your own mind)

Coming soon, my first book review episode about How to win friends and influence people and a very fun and insightful chat with Alex Sanfilippo from Podmatch and Podpros. Don't miss them

Get the best help with your business branding by visiting our sponsor Brand Face HTTP://learnaboutbrandface.com

Mentioned in this episode:

The Strategic Speaking Business Audit

Take this quick quiz to find out where and why your speaking business is leaking opportunities.

He got to the part in his pitch where he asked for the investment and they just laughed. When he spoke to his team afterwards, one of them said did you go in dressed like that?

Whether it's seeking investments, a date, respect, a job or something else, how we look affects how others see us and with a little awareness and effort, we can make sure we're putting our best Gucci loafer forward.

My guest Joseph Rosenfeld is a style advisor with years of experience in image consulting and personal branding. Modern Luxury Silicon Valley named him 'Best Personal Stylist' in 2020 and 2021. He's on a mission to help you maximise the power of your presence from the inside out and from head to toe.

In this episode:

• Joseph's unusual influence and persuasion role model
• Why appearance is the key to mastering your presence
• How appearance is the prism people filter your gravitas from
• Why personal style saved Joseph's life
• How to get style right
• How many get it wrong
• The 3-part method to create a precise personal style

and more.

Visit JosephRosenfeld.com for more information about Joseph.

Remember to get your brand score from BrandFaceScore.com

Did you enjoy the show? Did you learn anything new or useful? If you did, then the best way to show your appreciation is by sharing the show to your online network. Tag me and I'll give you a shout out on an upcoming episode. Leave a review and I'll read it out on the show.

Of course, if you REALLY liked it, you're welcome to support the show financially too using the link below.

Support the show (https://speakinginfluence.supercast.tech/)

Mentioned in this episode:

The Strategic Speaking Business Audit

Take this quick quiz to find out where and why your speaking business is leaking opportunities.

Strategic Podcast Guesting: Boost Your Professional Impact

SUMMARY

In this episode, John delves into the nuanced value of podcast guesting for professional speakers and coaches. The discussion explores whether incorporating podcast guesting into your promotional strategies is worth it and emphasises the importance of strategic planning over mere volume. Key insights include the potential benefits of both audio and video formats, how podcast guesting can enhance authority and create long-term opportunities, and the importance of being well-prepared for interviews. The episode also highlights the pros and cons of using booking agencies, the significance of a clear call to action (CTA), and how to pitch and promote podcast appearances effectively. Finally, tips are shared on maintaining professional integrity and ensuring guest appearances align with your goals for maximum impact.

CHAPTERS

00:00 Introduction: Is Podcast Guesting Worth It?

00:41 The Potential of Podcasting: Audio vs. Video

03:13 Strategic Podcast Guesting: Quality Over Quantity

05:40 Preparation and Performance Tips for Podcast Guests

12:36 The Role of Booking Agencies

15:29 Starting Out: Tips for New Podcast Guests

18:45 Maximising Your Podcast Guesting Experience

26:01 Conclusion: The Future of Podcast Guesting

Visit presentinfluence.com/quiz to take the Speaker Radiance Quiz and discover your Charisma Quotient.

For speaking enquiries or to connect with me, you can email john@presentinfluence.com or find me on LinkedIn

You can find all our clips, episodes and more on the Present Influence YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@PresentInfluence

Thanks for listening, and please give the show a 5* review if you enjoyed it.

Mentioned in this episode:

The Strategic Speaking Business Audit

Take this quick quiz to find out where and why your speaking business is leaking opportunities.

If you don't know how to effectively talk about what you do and who you help then how can you expect others to be able to talk about you?

Brand Face is all about helping you build authority and influence through your brand and connect with and persuade your ideal clients and customers through having your professional brand dialled in. I'm happy to say they have become sponsors of Speaking Influence since the start of 2022.

This conversation with Tonya Eberhart and Michael Carr is very helpful in understanding how much personal branding affects your results and can be the difference between making it or breaking it.

In this episode:

• There are 77 points in personal branding to work on
• The common mistakes on personal branding
• How do you look to your customer?
• The 5 most important questions any brand should ask
• The importance of consistency
• Why pruning helps things to grow, including your brand

all this and much more.

You can get help with your brand by visiting HTTP://brandfacestar.com

Did you enjoy the show? Did you learn anything new or useful? If you did, then the best way to show your appreciation is by sharing the show to your online network. Tag me and I'll give you a shout out on an upcoming episode. Leave a review and I'll read it out on the show.

Of course, if you REALLY liked it, you're welcome to support the show financially too using the link below.

Support the show (https://speakinginfluence.supercast.tech/)

Mentioned in this episode:

The Strategic Speaking Business Audit

Take this quick quiz to find out where and why your speaking business is leaking opportunities.

How do you deal with buttheads without becoming a butthead yourself?

My guest Jeremy Sherman has been studying multiple disciplines in human sciences in several of the top US homes of academia. As a self-proclaimed psychoproctologist, he helps us explore the asshole mindset and how to counter the tactics they often employ in arguments and why not countering assholery could be the end of us all. This and much more in a fun but adult conversation.

(You will notice in this episode the US/UK divide. In the UK we call people arseholes as a derogative and in the US it's assholes. They mean exactly the same thing, so please consider them interchangeable for this episode and this is my unique rendition of the Gershwin classic 'you say asshole and I say arsehole, let's call the whole thing off!')

In this episode:

• Why Yoda was wrong in Star Wars
• What is psycho proctology?
• What allows us to say someone is an asshole?
• Do assholes know they are being assholes?
• Irony as a tool of persuasion?
• How to tackle trolls

and more besides.

You can find out more about my guest at JeremySherman.com and his book is called What's up with Assholes. Jeremy's book recommendations are Style: lessons in clarity and grace by Joseph Williams (definitely not in everyone's budget, sorry) and Building Great Sentences By Brooks Landon available in audio as part of Audible's Great Courses series.

Please do check out our show sponsors Brand Face and for a limited time you can take their Brand Score Quiz to find out if your brand is being seen the way you want it to. Go to BrandFaceScore.com and find out today for free.

This episode contains strong language in this episode that may not be suitable for everyone.

Did you enjoy the show? Did you learn anything new or useful? If you did, then the best way to show your appreciation is by sharing the show to your online network. Tag me and I'll give you a shout out on an upcoming episode. Leave a review and I'll read it out on the show.

Of course, if you REALLY liked it, you're welcome to support the show financially too using the link below.

Support the show (https://speakinginfluence.supercast.tech/)

Mentioned in this episode:

The Strategic Speaking Business Audit

Take this quick quiz to find out where and why your speaking business is leaking opportunities.

Body size and body image are important to influence and persuasion, whether we like to admit it or not. As someone who has always struggled with my weight, I thought it would be fascinating to have a chat with someone who is using influence techniques to help her clients lose weight and keep it off. In this episode we will look at weight loss coaching from the inside and the outside.

Renee Jones helps women (and a few men) get free of emotional eating so they can lose the extra weight and keep it off.

In this episode:

• It's not hard to get free of emotional eating, just get the HANG of it
• What to do in a snack-filled home, at a family event, or at a buffet to stay on track
• The number one reason diets fail and how to make it work
• Food addictions and emotional triggers
• How to develop self-discipline
• Is low-carb right for everyone?
• Are you body positive?

and more...

Renee is the author of 'What's really eating you?' and you can claim her free gift of an exercise she does with her clients here at https://www.packyourownbag.com/friends

Remember to take the FREE Brand Score Challenge at https://brandfacescore.com It's only free for a limited time, so go and find out if your brand is being seen the way you think.

Did you enjoy the show? Did you learn anything new or useful? If you did, then the best way to show your appreciation is by sharing the show to your online network. Tag me and I'll give you a shout out on an upcoming episode. Leave a review and I'll read it out on the show.

Of course, if you REALLY liked it, you're welcome to support the show financially too using the link below.

Support the show (https://speakinginfluence.supercast.tech/)

Mentioned in this episode:

The Strategic Speaking Business Audit

Take this quick quiz to find out where and why your speaking business is leaking opportunities.

Getting paid to speak may be easier than you think. I made getting paid to speak one of my top goals and I turned to some expert podcasts to help me achieve it. One of those shows was Speaker Lab, hosted by my guest for this episode, Grant Baldwin.

It was a real treat for me last year to be a part of a special online class with Grant in Chris Ducker's Incubator program and have the opportunity to connect with someone who I had not only listened to many times but also read his book The Successful Speaker 3 times in succession and will probably return to it once again very soon.

Grant invited members of the group to message him directly with any questions they did not get to ask during the event. Not only did I get a fast reply, I got a short video saying hello, answering the query and accepting the offer to be a guest on this show which I had cheekily tagged on.

I got very excited about speaking to Grant and for me, it was a solidification of the material I have been learning from him and a great chance to take a specific look into the authority of being a public speaker and also a podcaster.

I hope you will enjoy this conversation with Grant as much as I did and also share my excitement that at some point in the coming months I will also be speaking with Chris Ducker on the show.

In this episode:

• How to decide what to speak about (for paid speaking)
• The silver lining for professional speakers from the pandemic
• How to find paying opportunities to speak
• The realities of a professional speaking business
• What are the best topics for earning money as a speaker?
• Grant's S.P.E.A.K. framework
• The 2 key tools you MUST have to be a paid speaker

Grant's own podcast is called The Speaker Lab and is well worth a listen. Grant's book The Successful Speaker is available in multiple formats, audio being my preference, and full of great strategy, tools and real talk about becoming a successful paid speaker. To find out for free how The Speaker Lab can help you develop a career as a paid speaker, visit https://thespeakerlab.com/apply

Grant's book recommendations are: The Road Less Stupid by Keith Cunningham and Rework by Jason Fried and David Heinemeier Hansson

Remember to check out our friends at Brand Face by visiting LearnAboutBrandFace.com

Did you enjoy the show? Did you learn anything new or useful? If you did, then the best way to show your appreciation is by sharing the show to your online network. Tag me and I'll give you a shout out on an upcoming episode. Leave a review and I'll read it out on the show.

Of course, if you REALLY liked it, you're welcome to support the show financially too using the link below.

Support the show (https://speakinginfluence.supercast.tech/)

Mentioned in this episode:

The Strategic Speaking Business Audit

Take this quick quiz to find out where and why your speaking business is leaking opportunities.

The curse of having a common name is that you can be mistaken for someone else but on the plus side it can be easy to remember. This is something I have in common with my guest Steve Smith. Our names may not be so distinctive but the knowledge and conversation really was.

Steve is a business coach, keynote speaker and podcast host, so we had a few more things in common. In this episode:

• Why the right kind of clout matters
• How speaking in a professional capacity could harm your brand
• Why message matters
• What leaders need to possess
• My own challenge with presentation energy
• Why are your audience checking their devices? (May not be what you think)
• What happens when people think you're inauthentic?

and a few more things besides.

Special thanks to our show sponsors at Brand Face. Find out how they can help you get the right message for your business to connect with the right audience in the right way. Visit LearnAboutBrandFace.com

Did you enjoy the show? Did you learn anything new or useful? If you did, then the best way to show your appreciation is by sharing the show to your online network. Tag me and I'll give you a shout out on an upcoming episode. Leave a review and I'll read it out on the show.

Of course, if you REALLY liked it, you're welcome to support the show financially too using the link below.

Support the show (https://speakinginfluence.supercast.tech/)

Mentioned in this episode:

The Strategic Speaking Business Audit

Take this quick quiz to find out where and why your speaking business is leaking opportunities.

What's your vocal brand? How is your voice best suited to make money for you or anyone else? How can you become an authority with the power of your voice?

If you're interested in the answers, you've landed on the right episode. My guest Jodi Krangle is a voice artist and she has one of the nicest sounding voices, warm, soothing and comforting. She understands her own vocal quality and where her voice fits best for her market, including ASMR.

In this episode:

• Should you hire a voice coach?
• How to identify your vocal brand
• Are you breathing the right way for vocal power?
• The realities of being a voice artist
• Why you should care about how you sound (audio branding)
• What kind of authority can a podcast give you?
• Who is one of my favourite voices of all time?

and more besides is a very light and fun conversation with one of the nicest people I met at Podfest in 2021.

Jodi is super passionate about audio branding and she wants you to be too as it may be the missing piece to developing the trust factor you need to hit success.

Check out Jodi's podcast Audio Branding and if you want to get serious about how you sound, you can download her Top 5 Tips for Implementing an Intentional Audio Strategy: https://voiceoversandvocals.com/audio-branding-strategy/

Jodi's book recommendations are anything by Seth Godin and EVerything is Figureoutable by Marie Forleo.

Enjoy the episode and remember to check out our sponsors Brand Face: Learnaboutbrandface.com

Did you enjoy the show? Did you learn anything new or useful? If you did, then the best way to show your appreciation is by sharing the show to your online network. Tag me and I'll give you a shout out on an upcoming episode. Leave a review and I'll read it out on the show.

Of course, if you REALLY liked it, you're welcome to support the show financially too using the link below.

Support the show (https://speakinginfluence.supercast.tech/)

Mentioned in this episode:

The Strategic Speaking Business Audit

Take this quick quiz to find out where and why your speaking business is leaking opportunities.

Oh boy! Do I have a treat for you this week! Get Known, Get Paid Mentor Nancy Juetten transforms speakers, experts and authors into sought-after podcast guests who speak their way to 6-figures and beyond.

Nancy combines her years of public relations agency success, proven online marketing strategies honed since 2009, and velvet boot of accountability to kick clients into an empowering and sustainable gear of performance and profits.

In this episode:

• Why appearing on podcasts is one of the best ways to build your professional profile
• Common mistakes people make with their bios
• How to craft a bio that will get you booked over and over again
• What makes people stand out as 'must have' guests?
• A masterclass in how to be a podcast guest
• Why me, me, me = no, no, no!

and more besides.

In addition to being an Amazon #1 best-selling author and a consistent content creator, Nancy speaks up on 40+ podcasts and virtual stages each year with her sassy sound bites leading the way. Leading the Raise Your Voice – Make Your Impact Facebook Group is among her favourite ways to connect with new action takers who can soon become her best clients and newest success stories. Join right here: www.getknowngetpaid.com/group

Did you enjoy the show? Did you learn anything new or useful? If you did, then the best way to show your appreciation is by sharing the show to your online network. Tag me and I'll give you a shout out on an upcoming episode. Leave a review and I'll read it out on the show.

Of course, if you REALLY liked it, you're welcome to support the show financially too using the link below.

Support the show (https://speakinginfluence.supercast.tech/)

Mentioned in this episode:

The Strategic Speaking Business Audit

Take this quick quiz to find out where and why your speaking business is leaking opportunities.

What's the most important to your customers and clients?

My guest Greg Kihlstrom is an expert on applying agile principles to things like customer experience and we have a great chat about why we should all consider customer experience and also a good chat about which professional assets make the biggest difference to your industry status and clout?

In this episode:

• Bootstrapping a business
• How introverts can build success
• Why customer experience matters
• Becoming a known brand
• Why start a podcast?
• Leveraging your online content

and more.

Greg's book recommendations are The Hard Thing About Hard Things by Ben Horowitz, Drive by Daniel Pink and The Goal by Eliyahu Goldratt.

Greg's latest book is called Meaningful Measurement of the Customer Experience and is available to buy now. Greg's podcast is called The Agile World and if you'd like to connect with him, he's on LinkedIn and happy to hear from you: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gregkihlstrom/

Remember to check out our sponsors BrandFace by visiting LearnAboutBrandFace.com

Did you enjoy the show? Did you learn anything new or useful? If you did, then the best way to show your appreciation is by sharing the show to your online network. Tag me and I'll give you a shout out on an upcoming episode. Leave a review and I'll read it out on the show.

Of course, if you REALLY liked it, you're welcome to support the show financially too using the link below.

Support the show (https://speakinginfluence.supercast.tech/)

Mentioned in this episode:

The Strategic Speaking Business Audit

Take this quick quiz to find out where and why your speaking business is leaking opportunities.

She walked up to him on the street and said, "Hey you! You were that trainer at the event I went to last year. Because of you I left my job and left my husband!" He gulped audibly and said sheepishlly, "Yeah, probably." "Becuase of you I am now doing the work I love and with my soulmate. Thank you, thank you, thank you."

There is a lot of power and empowering influence to delivering events and personal growth trainings and few people know more about this kind of thing than Robert Raymond Riopel. Robert was spotted and mentored by my own mentor and friend T. Harv Eker and became the first person to deliver Harv's training and workshops without Harv being there, something he still does now. Since I am a coach and trainer with the Harv Eker organisation who has also worked with Harv for over 12 years and led the online versions of the live events Robert often leads, we have a lot of shared ground.

In this episode:

• How you show up makes the difference
• Why you need to surround yourself with growth minded people
• What makes a great trainer
• The reality of burnout and coming back from it
• What makes an amazing trainer
• What are the 4 currencies of life?

And more besides. This was a great fun episode for me and I hope you will enjoy it as much as I did.

Robert is the author of the book Success left a clue, and you can download it for free here: https://robertriopel.com/book1

Robert's book recommendation is one of my own personal favourites, The 4 Agreements by Don Miguel Ruiz, which to my mind has some of the best life principles to live by.

Remember to check out our show sponsor BrandFace and get your brand connected to your perfect future clients. Learnaboutbrandface.com

Did you enjoy the show? Did you learn anything new or useful? If you did, then the best way to show your appreciation is by sharing the show with your online network. Tag me and I'll give you a shout out on an upcoming episode. Leave a review and I'll read it out on the show.

Of course, if you REALLY liked it, you're welcome to support the show financially too using the link below.

Support the show (https://speakinginfluence.supercast.tech/)

Mentioned in this episode:

The Strategic Speaking Business Audit

Take this quick quiz to find out where and why your speaking business is leaking opportunities.

How can someone go from making people's eyes glaze over when they start a presentation to having the wrapt attention of an audience and a rush for referrals with just a few hours of work? It's all about finding the silver bullet.

My guest Neil Gordon helps speakers and authors become the face of their movement. With years of experience in publishing and a flare for performing arts, he realised that he was able to make a powerful impact with speakers in much less time than it took him to achieve similar results with writers. And so began his professional transformation from a bird of paradise to a chameleon (that will make sense in the episode, I promise).

In this episode:

• The power and draw of mystery
• Why being a competent speaker is no longer good enough
• How to really be memorable
• How to find your silver bullet
• What is your public speaking spirit animal?
• Mastering the first 7 seconds of your talk

and more besides.

You can find out more about Neil on his website: https://neilcanhelp.com/ where you can also take the quiz to find out your public speaker type.

To learn more about our sponsors BrandFace, go to LearnAboutBrandFace.com

Did you enjoy the show? Did you learn anything new or useful? If you did, then the best way to show your appreciation is by sharing the show to your online network. Tag me and I'll give you a shout out on an upcoming episode. Leave a review and I'll read it out on the show.

Of course, if you REALLY liked it, you're welcome to support the show financially too using the link below.

Support the show (https://speakinginfluence.supercast.tech/)

Mentioned in this episode:

The Strategic Speaking Business Audit

Take this quick quiz to find out where and why your speaking business is leaking opportunities.

Rejecting Overachievement: Embrace the Low-Pressure Success Method

SUMMARY

In this episode, John reflects on the pervasive culture of overachievement and hustle culture, discussing its detrimental effects on personal well-being and productivity. He shares his experiences and insights from coaching individuals who have faced burnout and highlights how this toxic mindset can lead to long-term damage. John advocates for a sustainable approach to success through the 'low-pressure success method,' emphasising consistency, patience, and maintaining one's health and relationships. He also encourages listeners to redefine success by focusing on presence over performance and taking deliberate, manageable steps toward their goals.

CHAPTERS

00:00 The Overachiever Myth

00:32 The Evolution of Hustle Culture

01:25 The Hidden Costs of Burnout

02:42 Redefining Success

05:21 The Low-Pressure Success Method

07:27 Final Thoughts and Resources

Visit presentinfluence.com/quiz to take the Speaker Radiance Quiz and discover your Charisma Quotient.

For speaking enquiries or to connect with me, you can email john@presentinfluence.com or find me on LinkedIn

You can find all our clips, episodes and more on the Present Influence YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@PresentInfluence

Thanks for listening, and please give the show a 5* review if you enjoyed it.

Mentioned in this episode:

The Strategic Speaking Business Audit

Take this quick quiz to find out where and why your speaking business is leaking opportunities.

What's the worst thing that has ever happened to you in your professional life?

Would you change it? If you did, would you be the person you are now?

In this episode, we take a look at conflict in our own lives and conflict situations as a means for growth and also as an opportunity to persuade. My guest is a former weather presenter and has been the host of some home renovation shows in Canada. Her name is Elissa Lansdell and she's left her TV career behind now to teach authentic communication skills, and she really is very good at communicating. 

You can find out more about Elissa and how you can work with her at https://www.rockstarcommunications.ca/

Did you enjoy the show? Did you learn anything new or useful? If you did, then the best way to show your appreciation is by sharing the show to your online network. Tag me and I'll give you a shout out on an upcoming episode. Leave a review and I'll read it out on the show.

Of course, if you REALLY liked it, you're welcome to support the show financially too using the link below.

Support the show (https://speakinginfluence.supercast.tech/)

Mentioned in this episode:

The Strategic Speaking Business Audit

Take this quick quiz to find out where and why your speaking business is leaking opportunities.

Here's a missing word quiz. When you have __________ in yourself, others will have __________ in you. 

You can use trust or confidence to fill the gap and that is one of the main themes of this episode.

Today's professional needs to be able to communicate effectively, whether it's in the boardroom, on Zoom or from the platform. My guest is a professor of communication, the founder and lead trainer of Professional Presentation Strategies and the author of the brand new book 'The Effective Presenter'. His name is Ryan Warriner and I'm delighted to bring you our fascinating conversation.

In this episode:

• Why confidence is so important in communication
• How Ryan helps students make the transition to professional life
• Why effective presenting is an essential skill for business
• Whether structure or emotion matters more
• Why some people mess up their presentations
• The challenges of getting feedback
• How to know if your presentation was effective

and more besides.

Ryan's new book The Effective Presenter is available for pre-order on Amazon: https://amzn.to/3JRXvuG and you can find out more about his consultancy work here: https://www.professionalpresentationservices.com/

Ryan's book recommendations are:

• How to Win Friends and Influence People by Dale Carnegie - https://amzn.to/3t715LJ
• How to Manage Oneself by Peter Drucker - https://amzn.to/32UxsTh

For those wanting to check out my new newsletter on LinkedIn, here's the link: https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/why-talented-people-often-fail-what-you-can-do-johnny-ball-

Did you enjoy the show? Did you learn anything new or useful? If you did, then the best way to show your appreciation is by sharing the show with your online network. Tag me and I'll give you a shout-out on an upcoming episode. Leave a review and I'll read it out on the show.

Mentioned in this episode:

The Strategic Speaking Business Audit

Take this quick quiz to find out where and why your speaking business is leaking opportunities.

Q. What has always been the best form of promotion and probably always will be?

A. Word of mouth marketing, ie. getting people talking about you, your product or your service.

Happy new year to you! Would you like some good PR?

Let's get 2022 off to a flying start with one of the best ways to help you build influence and become known, without having to compete for keywords. Welcome to the world of Press Releases.

My guest today is Mickie Kennedy and he's the founder of eReleases, a company that specialises in press releases and helping get other people talking about you. Who's it for? Who's it not for? What makes a compelling press release and what makes a waste of time and money as a press release?

In this episode:

• What is a press release?
• Who should use press releases and why?
• How do you know if your press release is any good?
• Why press releases are so cost-effective when done right.
• How to get help with your press releases.
• How many releases do you need for a decent campaign?

and more besides.

Find out more about Mickie and eReleases: https://www.ereleases.com/hello-ereleases/?a=115

and take Mickie's FREE 1 hour Press Release strategy masterclass: https://www.ereleases.com/plan/

Mickie's book recommendation was Contagious: Why things catch on by Jonah Berger available on Amazon https://amzn.to/3pPpbIF

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Join me next time when we'll be speaking about persuasive presentation skills.

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The Strategic Speaking Business Audit

Take this quick quiz to find out where and why your speaking business is leaking opportunities.