At some point, you have to make the decision to assume the identity of speaker, instead of just playing at it.
— Dr. Michelle Mazur
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Tara: Welcome to Profit. Power. Pursuit. I’m your host, Tara Gentile, and together with my friends at CreativeLive, we talk to powerhouse small business owners about the nitty gritty details of running their business, making money, and pursuing what’s most important to them. Each week, I deep dive with a thriving entrepreneur on topics like time management, team building, marketing, business models, and mindset. Our goal each week is to expose you to something new that you can immediately apply to growing your own business.
This week, my guest is Dr. Michelle Mazur. Michelle is the founder of Communication Rebel, and a coach for entrepreneurs, speakers, authors, and thought leaders who want to speak with impact. She’s also the author of the bestselling book, Speak for Impact, the creator of the Rebel Speaker Boot Camp, and the host of the Rebel Speaker Podcast, plus I actually worked with Michelle on one of my own signature talks, You Really, Really Must: How to Make Bold Choices in an Overwhelming World.
I wanted to find out how Michelle is using public speaking to grow her own business. We talked about negotiating a new engagement, preparing for a talk, getting paid, and all the ways you can speak without ever stepping on stage.
Dr. Michelle Mazur, welcome to Profit. Power. Pursuit. Thank you so much for joining me.
Michelle: I’m so excited to be here, Tara.
Tara: All right. So you have just released a book called Speak for Impact, and it catapulted itself to the top of the Amazon rankings right away. I think that is so exciting.
Michelle: It was. It was very exciting.
Tara: Awesome. So just as your book has been a hot topic, I think public speaking in general is a really hot topic for my audience, but instead of kind of asking you for advice, I want to find out more about how you’ve used public speaking in your own business. So this is going to be a little meta, but I think it’s going to be super fun. So first, can you tell us how you got started with coaching and consulting public speakers in the first place?
Michelle: I’ve been coaching or consulting in some form for 25 years.
Tara: Wow.
Michelle: I did the math this morning. I was like, oh, I’m old. And I started on the speech and debate team in college, and so when I went to graduate school, I became the assistant director of the speech and debate team, and I went to Oklahoma and started the Parliamentary Debate Team there, and so I was always coaching and helping people write speeches and get better at it, and then as I evolved through being a professor and then into corporate, what was interesting is I was doing market research in corporate, which was so not my jam, but that’s a story for another day, but the leadership knew I was great at speaking and messaging.
So they would always come to me and be like, “We have this big sales pitch. Can you come and watch it and give us feedback?” So I spent a lot of my time not necessarily doing research, but coaching and consulting on their message and how it was going to be received and how they were presenting themselves. And eventually, I got to this point where I was having a conversation with one of my good friends, and he’s like, “Michelle, you have all of this great knowledge about communication and speaking and you’re so talented at it. Why are you not doing something with it? Like, why are you in market research? I don’t get this.” And he encouraged me to start a blog, and that blog turned into my business. That’s … I’ve been at it now for about four years.
Tara: Yeah. And it has grown immensely over that time. All right.
Michelle: Yes.
Tara: So speaking of which, what are some of the ways that you’re using public speaking in your own business right now?
Michelle: The first thing is I don’t look at speaking as something that just happens on the stage. As business owners, as creatives, we are always speaking. So I use it, like today, I’m on my way to Portland to speak at an event, but I also use it for webinars and workshops and Facebook Live and podcast interviews like this one, media interviews. I mean, even blog posts, because once you have your message, and you know what you stand for, then you can just use that all over the place, and so I incorporate it into every aspect of my business, and so speaking for me doesn’t happen just on a stage. It happens in so many different venues.
Tara: Yeah. I completely agree with that, and I think it’s one of the reasons that public speaking is a hot topic, and I think it’s also one of the reasons that if you have any kind of resistance to public speaking, it really is time to get over it, right?
Michelle: Yeah, because you’re hiding in your business or your creative work otherwise, because if we can’t know about you, if you can’t articulate what it is that you do in a compelling way that makes people want to listen to you, you’re never going to be found, and you’re just going to die in obscurity, which is really sad.
Tara: Yeah, yeah. Okay, so I want to come back … I want to come back to that, for sure, but I also want to tie how you’re making money, the profit piece of the puzzle …
Michelle: Mmhmm, yeah.
Tara: To the ways that you’re using public speaking right now. So can you just talk about how … how you’re generating revenue in relation to at least a few of the different ways you talked about also using public speaking?
Michelle: Yeah. So in the book – this is a great segue to the book – I talk about two different paths to revenue. So I talk about paid speaking, which is the gold standard, which everybody wants, and then I talk about client-attracting speeches. And so for me, I’m using paid speaking right now mostly in workshops, because I am a natural born teacher, so I love to teach my Speak for Impact process, or I teach the How to Fascinate assessment, and so I get paid that way, but then I also do gigs that either are very low-paying or fee-waived, and I have a whole system around how I give a speech, I make an offer from the stage that’s completely free, and people opt-in, so using some of my email marketing mojo, and then I nurture them into clients and customers. So that’s how I’m using that aspect to really fuel my one-on-one work, my small, you know, my small group work.
Tara: Okay. Let’s talk about exactly how you work that process.
Michelle: Okay.
Tara: Because I hosted an event earlier this year where you were a speaker, and you were one of our top speakers at that event. Everyone loves hearing you talk. I love hearing you talk. Anyhow, and I did not pay you for that talk. You know, it was our first event, we didn’t have a big budget. In fact, we were, you know, finished the event in the red, as a lot of event organizers, I’m sure, can … can empathize with that. So how do you make an event like that profitable for you? What does that process, can you walk us through step-by-step?
Michelle: Oh, yeah. Yes. So the first thing you have to ask yourself is, “How do I get paid?” And for me, I run the Rebel Speaker Bootcamp, and I aligned the launch of the Bootcamp with your event, because I know your people are my people. So I gave a speech called Speak for Impact, and within that speech, it led to my free five-day challenge that I was getting ready to run right after the event called Get the Speech, Get the Gig. And so people joined the challenge, and then they took part of it, and there was a Facebook group, and I got to give a lot of feedback, and so they got to know me really well, and then I launched the Bootcamp, and from that, I earned about $4000 of revenue, which was great.
Tara: That is great.
Michelle: It’s awesome.
Tara: And that’s just in that one iteration. We don’t know how much revenue you might earn from that later on because of the beginning ties that you’ve created to potential customers, right?
Michelle: Yeah, because I’ve had speaking gigs pay off two years later.
Tara: Yes.
Michelle: I mean, it’s not an instant, like, make $10,000 in 60 minutes kind of thing, but it is very much, like, okay, if I’m strategic about this and I have a way to nurture people, they will become my clients. And this time, it was like within three weeks they became clients, but sometimes, it’s a month, two months, or even two years.
Tara: Yeah, absolutely. I totally agree. I mean, Pioneer Nation is an event that I’ve done twice and have gotten really great … those same results for. Didn’t get paid, but probably from the first one, made at least $50,000-$60,000 over the course of two years. That’s nothing to sneeze at, and so I think that’s really something to think about when you’re approached with a free speaking gig.
Michelle: Yeah, and I think it’s all about the strategy, because if you don’t have a speech that’s really aligned with your business and leads them to the next natural step, that whole client attraction speech will not work for you.
Tara: Yeah, yeah, yeah. So the other piece of this that I really like, too, is that, you know, I encourage people to create events towards the end of their launches to get people really, or like right before they make their pitch, to get people really on the edge of their seats, ready to buy, and what you’ve done here is not create an event, but leverage an existing event, so you had to do less work to get those customers excited and ready to buy from you, and I think that that’s something, I hope everyone takes that away. Is that something that you’ve done in the past? Was this the first time that you’ve done something like that before?
Michelle: I was never so strategic about it before.
Tara: Okay.
Michelle: Because I was looking, because I knew I had the Quiet Power Strategy Summit coming up, and then I was like, okay, well, when am I going to launch the Bootcamp next? Why don’t I launch it right after that event? It just made a ton of sense to me to do it that way, so I was able to be very, very strategic, but even with this event in Portland, I’m not launching anything after it, but I’m giving a speech called Your Unfair Speaking Advantage. My opt-in is called Your Unfair Speaking Advantage. And then I’m able to nurture people, and have them get to know me, and tell them, like, what I do, and make my offer to them.
Tara: Okay, all right. So let’s talk about that for a little bit, because clearly, consistency is key when it comes to your message. What else are you thinking about when you’re considering what is the message, what’s the takeaway, what’s the big idea that I want to leave with in a particular talk?
Michelle: Yeah. I’m very audience focused and audience-centered. So I like to give the audience a bite-sized result that they can walk away with. So for example, when I’m speaking in Portland, it’s all about how do you stand out, and I really want them to identify an idea that they’re either passionate about or it makes them go on a rant, and they’re like, oh, that makes me so mad and I want to do something different. And for me, that’s a great result, because then they can take that, and whether they’re a speaker or not a speaker, they can write a blog post around it, they can do a Facebook Live, they can incorporate it into their speech, and they get one step clearer to really understanding what makes them different from all the other businesses and all the other speakers. So I love to give them that bite-size result, because I know that audience struggles with what’s my message and how am I different from every other business coach or social media strategist out there.
Tara: Got ya. Okay. And so that brings us to another kind of important takeaway for people, too, which is that your goal when you’re on stage or I’m sure on a webinar or you know, wherever you’re doing speaking, especially when you’re trying to attract and nurture new clients is not how can I be inspiring, or even what can I teach them, it’s what can they do because of this talk, right?
Michelle: Absolutely. I am all about action and change, and I feel like I have done my job if they do something differently after they hear me speak. So I’m not … I always say inspiration is cheap, action is priceless. So if we can get the audience taking action, if you can get them a result in a 20-minute talk, they are going to be like, “I love you so much.”
Tara: Yeah.
Michelle: Tell me more. Like, tell me more about what you do. So that’s what I’m always aiming for is that action piece.
Tara: Beautiful. Love it. All right, let’s shift gears a little bit. How do you go about looking for or booking speaking gigs?
Michelle: So for me, a lot of them come through referral at this point in time, and I always tell people your speech is your best marketing tool, because if you can go to a speaking gig and knock it out of the park, other gigs will come from that. So I get a lot of mine from referrals. Yeah, probably the vast majority of even my workshops come through referrals, because somebody talked to somebody else, and I think that’s the best way to get speaking gigs, and I do do some pitching. So if there’s an event that I’m really interested in that I want to be on their stage, I first, I don’t pitch right away. I work on cultivating that relationship, first, and getting to know them, or maybe, I don’t know, going to the event. Hmmm.
Tara: Mmhmm.
Michelle: Because once you have that personal connection, it’s easier to pitch yourself as a speaker, so I’m not one of those people who will be like, you know, cold call ten people today to find your next speaking gig, because yeah, it’s a numbers game, and eventually, you’ll book one or two gigs after you make 100 calls, but ugh, that is not the way I want to run my business or do speaking.
Tara: Yeah, I’m really glad that you pointed out actually going to events before you try pitching an event organization or pitching, you know, an event committee, because one misstep I think I see people make is for those people who want to get into public speaking, they will only go to conferences, you know, that they have successfully pitched, or they will only go to a conference when they’ve pitched it, and it’s like, well, but you’re missing out on all of those relationships that you could be building with people who could be booking you, and so your impact, even though, sure, okay, great, now, you’re getting to speak, your impact is so much smaller than if you just make that kind of short-term investment in actually going to an event and making those relationships happen.
Michelle: Yeah, absolutely. I think that’s the key thing. Like get out of your house and go to the event where you most want to be speaking at, and meet people and be insanely helpful to them.
Tara: Yeah.
Michelle: And that’s the way you’re going to develop a relationship with them, and that makes booking speaking gigs so much easier.
Tara: Yeah, okay, so this makes me think about, sort of like how public speaking is a long game.
Michelle: Mmhmm.
Tara: Can you talk about that a little bit? I don’t know that I have a fully-formed question, but I feel like you probably have some really good inside on playing that long game of public speaking.
Michelle: Yes, it is a long game, and I hate all of the marketing that’s like, “Make 6 figures from speaking in 6 weeks,” or, “I made a million dollars and so can you,” because I think that gives the wrong idea about what speaking is about, because the first step of it is you have to have something to say. You have to have a speech that you can market and sell into an organization, and then once you have something that’s good and remarkable and people really want. Then it’s about okay, how can I book this? How can I sell this into different organizations? And who do I know? And going to those events. And I think about one of my clients, and she and I have been working on and off for like two years, and she’s finally getting a ton of momentum. Like, she spoke at Google a couple of weeks ago, and she, every time she goes out and speaks, she’s booking more gigs, but it’s been two years in order for that to happen. So if you need to make money fast in your business, speaking is not the way to go. But if it is a way that you know you want to get your message out there, start with writing that speech and giving it to anyone who listens at first, and then really focus on the selling and the marketing of that.
Tara: Yeah. It’s just like so many things in business. If you know you want to do it eventually, like, start now, because it’s going to take time.
Michelle: I know. Every once in a while, somebody will say, “Well, you know, public, I’m going to hit it out of the park next year with my speaking.”
I’m like, “Great, so how’s your speech?”
“Oh, well, I’ll do that next year.”
And I’m like, “No.”
Tara: No.
Michelle: I’m so sorry, it’s not going to work for you like that.
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Tara: All right, let’s go back to booking gigs. So what’s the first thing that you do or the first thing you think about when you get an inquiry for a speaking gig?
Michelle: Yeah, the first thing that I do, especially if I don’t know the person or the organization, is I Google them. I find out who their audience is. I find out all about their event. I find out if they’re charging for their event, how much they’re charging for their event, because then I kind of get an idea of like do they have a budget or is this something that I’m going to have to negotiate, like, will you buy my books in order for me to speak. So it just gives me a good idea about what they’re about. I also look at like … like their Board of Directors and see if I know anyone or someone I know knows them. So I just really do my research before I respond back, because it also tells me if these people are the people that I want to be talking to. Especially if they can’t pay me, I need to be in front of my ideal audience for my speech to work. So research is always first.
Tara: Totally agree with that. I’m so glad you brought up research. Because yeah, I will still speak for free, too, if I’m talking to exactly the right people. If I’m not talking to exactly the right people, I need to get paid, because I’m not going to make that money on the backend, right? And that is so important. It’s so important to know that and think about that, because when that email comes into your inbox, and you’re like, “Can you come speak in,” I don’t know, a great city, “San Diego?” Yes, I would love to speak in San Diego. What do you want me to talk about? Science fiction? Sure. You know, whatever it might be, but you know, as exciting as a new inquiry can be, I totally agree that research has to be the first step.
So what does that response then kind of look like from you? Because I think immediately you get into that negotiation piece, where it feels like both parties are kind of a little, like, I don’t want to give you too much information. I don’t want to give you too much information. How do you handle that? What does that first email back look like if you’re wanting to move forward?
Michelle: I try to get them on the phone.
Tara: Okay.
Michelle: Because it’s so much easier to talk about the money thing. I honestly feel like negotiating your speaking fee is like negotiating for a used car. Because yeah, you’re right, nobody wants to give too much information. Like, they won’t tell you your fee, they won’t tell you the budget. It’s like trying to buy a car, and you’re like how much is that car? They’re like, “I don’t know. How much do you think it’s worth?”
Tara: That is exactly what negotiating speaking fees feels like.
Michelle: And it causes a lot of stress, and I just did a workshop for my tribe around I don’t care if you’re speaking for free or not, you have to have a price in your head. So whether they have the budget or not, you can decide whether to work with them, but if you don’t have a price, and you’re like, “Oh, yay, someone wants to pay me to speak, but I don’t know how much I charge,” that’s kind of a problem. So having that price in your head is key, but I much would rather hop on the phone with someone for 15 minutes, and say, “Hey, yeah, so what is your budget? And what are you looking for? And what are you able to pay?” And just have more of a dialog, because then it’s just, it’s easier that way.
Tara: Yeah. Can you talk a little bit about how you personally determine your speaking fee?
Michelle: Yes. So what … so in this webinar that I just did, I talked about coming up with like an hourly rate that represents your value, at least. Because there’s a lot of intangible value in your speaking fee. Because it’s not the hour you’re on stage. It is your years of experience, your education, everything you’ve done to become the speaker you are today, and that needs to be considered. And then there are other things that you can actually measure. Like how long is it going to take me to prep and practice? How long will it take me to travel? How long am I on stage? How much recovery time do I need? So I consider all of those things for each, well, and I have a pretty standard fee right now, which I’ll just say it’s $4000. It’s like …
Tara: Thank you for sharing that.
Michelle: I’ve done … I’ve done the math, it’s $4000, and that covers my costs, it covers my time away from business to do the speaking, it covers my practice time, and I feel like it represents my value really well.
Tara: And just to stop you right there for a second, you’re expecting the organization to cover travel and other expenses on top of that?
Michelle: Yes.
Tara: That’s not included in the $4000.
Michelle: Yes. And I know there’s other models where people do say okay, I charge $10,000, but it’s all included. Like travel is included, and my hotel, you don’t have to worry about any of that.
Tara: Yeah, I need to switch to that model, because I’m very picky. Just so we’re all clear on that, I’m a little bit of a diva when it comes to travel. Okay, I feel like I have … oh, I know what my follow-up question to that was. You mentioned earlier kind of negotiating fees maybe around something like are they going to also buy your books. Can you talk about maybe some of the creative negotiations that you’ve done over the years? You don’t need to need names.
Michelle: Yeah.
Tara: Just, I think people don’t think about all of the options that they have for getting compensated for a speaking engagement that is not financial.
Michelle: Yes. So sometimes, they don’t have a budget for speakers, but they have a budget for swag. So they’ll say, “Okay, well, can you buy a book for every single person who comes to this event,” and if they have 200 people and you charge $20 per book, that is a pretty great fee for you. So thinking about your books and having them buy those and give them out as swag. Thinking about sponsorships. Like either having someone sponsor you to speak at the event, or negotiating with one of the event sponsors to speak at the event. There’s also things like video, which is so valuable for speaking, and photos. So if they have a professional videographer and a photographer, you can use that for all your speaker marketing materials, and that has value, because that means you’re not paying, you know, two grand out of your own pocket to get video of you on stage in your element.
Tara: Yes, amen. I’ve also negotiated around promotional consideration before, too. So like are you willing to feature me in your newsletter a couple of times? Can I do a webinar with your audience outside of the … like with your whole audience, instead of just the conference attendees.
Michelle: Mmhmm.
Tara: And doing things like that can be really beneficial to me.
Michelle: Yep.
Tara: But it goes the other way, too, where you may want to negotiate a higher fee based on how much promotional consideration they’re looking for from you.
Michelle: Mmhmm.
Tara: Yes. So good. So good. So good. Okay. So how do you go about preparing for a talk once you’ve booked the gig.
Michelle: Yes. So at this point, I have two signature talks that I give all the time.
Tara: Okay.
Michelle: Which is great. So that means I don’t have to write it. But if I ever do have to write a new talk, I use my Speak for Impact methodology, because it’s a great way, it’s the way I use with my clients to write a speech that gets results for the audience. So I use that method, and then as I prepare, I kind of revisit the method, and I decide things like which stories should I tell for the audience. At this point in time, I have like three openers for my speech, and I have one that’s a Rocky Horror Picture Show opening, and for edgy audiences, that’s awesome. Like, they love it, they eat it up. For more conservative audiences, it’s like, no, I’m going to do like the what do you want to be when you grow up, or the visualization one. So I have these three openers that work really well, they’re tested, so I kind of figure out which one is best, and then I go through. And my main content never really changes. It’s typically the stories and the examples that will change based on the audience and what they need.
Tara: Ah, I love that. So it’s almost like building with different puzzle pieces, or from building blocks, or like Breanne would say, Lego.
Michelle: Yeah, it’s exactly like that, and once you get to the point, it’s like, okay, this is my core message, now, I can just plug and play different stories that I know that work, different introductions, different conclusions, and customize it for that audience.
Tara: Nice. Okay, so you mentioned you have two core talks that you give. And I know how this goes. I mean, like, I have two or three core ones that I give as well, but an event organizer comes to you and they say, “We’d really like you to talk about X,” and X is not actually one of your core talks. What do you do then?
Michelle: I try to negotiate.
Tara: Okay.
Michelle: Because I feel it’s very important, in order for you to get known as a speaker, you have to have a consistent message.
Tara: Mmhmm.
Michelle: You know, I think about like Sally Hogshead or Brene Brown, they’re not going to be talking about topics outside of their area because an organizer wants them to. And sometimes, I think you get to a point, and you’re like, nope, sorry, I don’t talk on that, I just can’t, it’s not my area of expertise, I’m not comfortable, I can talk to you on this, but you know, trying to negotiate and I’m always super creative. Like I am good at making the link between whatever they want to talk about and whatever I want to talk about.
Tara: Yeah, I’m really glad you brought that up, because I think there’s … there’s sort of an objection to that, or an immediate objection to that, which is, well, but I want to book the gig, so I want to do what they want me to do, right?
Michelle: Mmhmm.
Tara: But I think there’s a way to balance that against what you also need to be talking about that’s best for your own personal business strategy.
Michelle: Yes. Like, for example, I was working with a client, and she wanted to pitch this CEO group, and she talks about people problems, and how to solve people problems through leadership, and she’s like, “Oh, but they want strategy and technology,” and I was like, “Weren’t you just telling me the other day that in order to have successful strategy, that you have to have your team on board before you do the strategy? And that’s the people part?” I was like, “So actually, your talk fits into the strategy pocket,” and she’s like, “You’re brilliant. Thank you.” But for me, it was just like, oh, well, there’s a very clear connection between what you talk about and what they need.
Tara: Yes. Absolutely. Absolutely. So that’s brilliant. Just what is … what’s the thread that ties these things together so that you can stay on message, but also give the event what they need as well. Perfect. Okay, so what do you do after a gig is over?
Michelle: I rest.
Tara: And what do you, Dr. Michelle Mazur, do to rest after a gig?
Michelle: Mostly, it’s Netflix, going out to breweries, and going out to dinner with the hubby, because I am spent. Now, I’m an ambivert, but I even hear from my extroverted clients that they need that recovery time, and I remember once I did three speaking gigs in one day, and literally, my friend watched my brain shut down. So I spend some time recovering, and then after I’ve had my recovery day, I will definitely follow up with the organizer, I will follow up with people who chatted with me at the event, and start building those relationships.
Tara: Yeah.
Michelle: So, but that recovery is so important. You just can’t go right back into business right after speaking.
Tara: No. You can’t. And just to kind of remind everybody that you mentioned that when you were talking about your speaking fee, too, because it’s not … it’s not just something that you have to … to block off in your calendar, and you do absolutely need to block it off in your calendar when you’re putting that speaking gig on, you know, in your schedule, but you also have to include that time in your fee, as well.
Michelle: Yes.
Tara: Very, very important. All right. Can you tell us more about the book?
Michelle: Sure. Well, I’ll give a shout out to CreativeLive, because I did your publishing course on CreativeLive.
Tara: How to Write and Publish an EBook.
Michelle: In five days, or I did mine in a month, and it was so incredibly easy. Like, it was actually a very joyful process for me, because I took an existing blog post that I had that was all about writing your speech as your next bestselling product, because I believe that your speech is a product that you’re going to sell in your business.
Tara: Which we also talked about in a CreativeLive class.
Michelle: Yes, which we also talked about in a CreativeLive class. And so I wrote this, like, 4000-word blog post around that topic, and I was like, oh my gosh, this is awesome. I have this blog post, and then I just wrote some bridge content. I pulled in some other blog posts, because I felt like there were some missing links, and sent it off for copy editing. I got it out within four weeks, and I had a fabulous launch. Like, I was able … it was kind of insane. I decided to put a street team together, and I emailed my list, and I was like, “Hey guys, I’m releasing this book, if you want a free copy, I would love to have you on the launch team. Here’s what’s involved with that,” and I walked away from my computer to work with a client, and an hour later, I had 40 applications, and had to shut the launch team down.
Tara: Wow.
Michelle: Because I’m like too much, too much, okay. And I think the launch team made it a success. I also reached out to influencers. I was telling you about the book. People like Tonya Geissler, and just letting everyone know, and people really rallied around it, and that’s what I felt, like, the book is definitely what I want to be known for. Like, building your speech as a product and here’s a strategy to do it, and I felt the positioning was good, because all public speaking is about skills, and this is like, okay, let’s think about this strategically, people, and then the marketing was just so easy. It was so much fun and effortless and it was just a joy to do.
Tara: That’s awesome. And tell us how well it sold.
Michelle: Oh, yeah, like it climbed to number one in all of its categories within hours after it launched.
Tara: Yeah.
Michelle: And it’s staying in the top ten. Like, I’m like three weeks out from launch, and every once in a while, I’ll log into Amazon to like spy on the book, and I’m like, “Oh, look, it’s number one again.”
Tara: Yeah.
Michelle: And there’s … and I know Amazon’s been promoting it, so I’ll see like a spike in sales.
Tara: Mmhmm.
Michelle: But it’s doing really well. I’m curious to see what’s going to become of it in like six months, because it’s just kind of that little engine that could, and the feedback I’ve gotten from people, they’re like, “I love this book.” They’re like, “It’s so strategic.” And they’re like, “Yet, you write in such a way that’s approachable, and it’s not stuffy at all, it’s really fun.” So it’s been such a great experience.
Tara: That’s awesome. And just to kind of bring it full circle then, is the book one of … is the topic of the book one of the core topics that you speak on then?
Michelle: Yes, that is my other signature talk is Speak for Impact, and talking about how to build your speech like a product, how to make money from speaking, and how to really get known for your idea. So that is in a speech of itself, so the book lines super well with my speaking, it aligns well with my one-on-one service, and I just feel like … in some ways, it was like marking my territory on this idea, writing that book, because no one else is talking about it this way, and I felt like okay, it is my time to mark my territory, and now, I … this is my viewpoint, and if people want to know how I’m different from other speaking coaches and consultants, they can read that book and figure it out in an hour.
Tara: Brilliant. Brilliant. Brilliant. Brilliant. Okay, two more questions. The first one, for people who have been speaking kind of casually, maybe they get those inquiries about a free gig here or there, or they’ve been doing webinars and they really want to get on stage, what would be one or two things that they should do next to really start accelerating their speaking career?
Michelle: I think the first thing is really deciding on what your signature talk is going to be and building that and writing that, and I have to say, I know for some people, that’s like the struggle part. It’s much more fun to get a gig, and then write a speech, but it’s so necessary for you to be known for what you want to do. So if you’re doing it casually, and especially if you’re reinventing the wheel every single time you’re speaking, you’re wasting your time and you’re blowing any momentum you’re getting from that speaking gig. So having that one, like, one or two go-to talks, and just knocking it out of the park would be the first step, and then I think at some point in time, you’ve got to get serious, and make the business decisions. How am I going to get paid? Like how am I going to make money from this? Am I okay? Like, and how many times do I want to speak a year? Like, for me, I have … I want to speak six to eight times a year, because in a past life, I was on the road a lot speaking, and I’m over it.
Tara: Mmhmm.
Michelle: Like I want to be at home with my cats and my husband, and making some of those business decisions, like how am I going to make money, how often do I want to be speaking? What kinds of events do I want to be speaking at? Because at some point, you have to make the decision to assume the identity of speaker, instead of just playing at it.
Tara: Oh, brilliant. Okay, last question. What’s next for you and your business?
Michelle: Yeah, right now, I am working on getting my Speak for Impact process out as like a DIY just in time learning course, because it’s a great way to write a speech, and I know most people don’t know how to write a speech and they waste a lot of time and put a lot of effort into something that audiences don’t want. And then the other thing that I’m thinking late 2017, early 2018 is I want to do my own live event that’s an alternative to TED.
Tara: Ooh.
Michelle: Which … so this is new.
Tara: No kidding.
Michelle: I mean, this is like breaking news.
Tara: You heard it here first, folks.
Michelle: I know. Because I love TED, I love what they do. The, you know, Ideas Worth Spreading, but I also think ideas aren’t enough, it’s change and action are where it’s at. So I want to have speakers who are more for social justice, more for change, sustainability, having some of those conversations. So I’m really scared telling you this, but I’m really … I know that that’s the next step for me.
Tara: That is so awesome. I’m so excited for you. Well, Dr. Michelle Mazur, thank you so much for joining me.
Michelle: Thank you, Tara, I’m so pleased to be here.
Tara: Find Dr. Michelle Mazur online at DrMichelleMazur.com or at The Rebel Speaker Podcast on iTunes.
Next week, I talk with Debbie Millman, host of the first and longest running podcast about design, Design Matters. Debbie and I talk about the 10 to 12 hours she puts into interview prep, how she started with just a phone line back in 2005, and the opportunities that have come her way thanks to the podcast.
CreativeLive is highly-curated classes from the world’s top experts. Watch free, live video classes every day from acclaimed instructors in photography, design, audio, craft, business, and personal development. Stream it now at CreativeLive.com.
This has been Tara Gentile. Discover how to accelerate your earning as a small business owner with my free class, Revenue Catalyst, at QuietPowerStrategy.com/PPP.
That’s a wrap for this week’s episode of Profit. Power. Pursuit., a CreativeLive podcast. Download more episodes of this podcast and subscribe on iTunes. If you appreciate this kind of in-depth content, please leave us a review or share this podcast with a friend. It means the world to us.
Our theme song was written by Daniel Peterson, who also edited this episode. Our audio engineer was Kellen Shimizu. This episode was produced by Michael Karsh. We add a new episode of Profit. Power. Pursuit. every week. Subscribe on iTunes, Stitcher, or wherever you love to listen to podcasts so you never miss an episode.
