Latest / She Speaks to Scale / 3. How to Speak so You’re Remembered when it Matters
Transcript
- Sarah Collins: It's a noisy world out there, more so now than ever before. So how do you use your voice to stand out? How do you make sure your audience remembers you so that you're top of mind when they need what you have to offer? That's what we're discussing in today's episode. Hello and welcome to She Speaks to Scale with me, Sarah Collins. The podcast that empowers women in business to own their voice, be heard and create impact, one communication insight at a time. I'm a media trainer and communication coach and a former senior television producer. It's my mission to bring the communication skills we need to thrive in today's world of business to the generation of women who simply weren't taught them. Whether it's scaling your voice to step into thought leadership in a media interview, speaking with confidence on camera, on stage and beyond, or scaling the way you communicate when it really counts. This podcast will help you use your voice to be heard in the moments that matter. Thank you for listening to this episode of She Speaks to Scale. If you liked the episode or you think it will be useful for someone else, please follow, rate it, or leave a review. If you've got any questions, do let me know via the social handles in the show notes, where there's also a link to my free five-minute camera confidence audio. Remember to speak with intention, not hesitation, and let your voice be heard. As you scale your presence, whether that be online to grow your business or in the boardroom to show your potential, there is one thing that needs to evolve with it, and that's your communication. Now the title of this episode is how to speak so you're remembered. And there are several ways you can be remembered, but it all starts with raising your visibility. So that could be online, so on social media, perhaps it's in person via live events. Your focus might be more on the local area. So perhaps networking locally and giving talks in networking groups, or just being in the right rooms in the workplace. Anywhere where your visibility is going to be raised, people are going to start to get to know you. Now I'm a media trainer and communication coach. And so obviously one of the best ways I know to raise your visibility is through media interviews. And they are a brilliant platform because they reach a large audience and can instantly raise your visibility. But for many people, this really feels out of reach. So I'm here to tell you that you don't need to have written a book. Definitely not. You don't need to have done a TEDx talk either. And you don't need thousands of followers online before this could be a goal for you. But what you do need to do is you need to prepare yourself to talk intentionally before those opportunities come along. So whether in a conversation or talking to camera or even in an interview, have you ever found yourself saying afterwards, I hope that sounded okay or kicking yourself because you wish you had said this and not that. Now imagine never having those thoughts again. That's right, completely banished. Now I can't perform miracles in a short solo podcast episode, but what I can do is provide you with the tools that I've used that can help you on your way. as you're probably beginning to understand, my expertise is in media interviews, which can be game changing. ⁓ whether you're a business owner ⁓ becoming a more recognisable voice or spokesperson within the organisation you work for. They allow you to expand your reach and impact more people, grow your audience and elevate your visibility, position yourself as the go-to expert in your industry and open doors to new opportunities. But they actually can be a wasted opportunity if you haven't intentionally thought about what you will say. Now the words that you use matter and our voice is our greatest tool so why not use it for the greater good? You could share your insights or share your opinions. And this is how you truly create impact, make a difference and leave a legacy. I know this is easier said than done and my own journey is testament to that. I spent 20 years avoiding being in front of the camera, But what I know is that if you start sharing how you truly feel and what you really think, then every time you do that, your confidence will be raised and it will be easier to do it the next time. If you do struggle to share them, then I want you to listen to my previous episode, episode one on overcoming the fear of judgment, because this is something that I know holds a lot of people back. it comes to our words, we also think we need to use jargon specific to the industry we're in. But actually, this is far from the truth. You want to keep your language pitched at a level your audience will understand using words they would pick to use because that's when things really start to sink in. What I loved about my job as a senior producer was being able to take the information that a business would send over ⁓ and draw out what makes them unique. every business and every individual is different. We all have different expertise and have experienced different journeys to get to where we are today. And that's what makes us unique. But are you telling your audience about this? Are you using your voice to share? Why you? And if the answer is no, then I've got a few things for you to think about. What's your USP? What's your unique approach? What would make people want to listen or work with you? What credentials could you share? And does your voice reflect your experience, your approach, your credentials, or does it tell a different story? One exercise that is useful here is to remind yourself, make a list even of all the things that make you you, particularly the achievements you've had today, it's a great exercise for raising your confidence. So what does it take to become instantly memorable? One of the things that I talk about a lot is storytelling. And the reason why that is so important when you speak is because it evokes an emotion in your audience. That emotion or that feeling will stay with them for much longer than any facts or figures could. In fact, there is scientific evidence for this as well. Neuroscience Paul Zak claimed that when we hear emotionally charged stories, our brain releases oxytocin, the hormone that builds trust and connection. If people feel something, they are far more likely to remember and act on what you say. I attended a live event recently and I can't recall specifically what the presentations were about, things like the titles or the frameworks that were shared, but I can remember the stories that were told. And I remember the people that told those stories because they evoked a feeling in me from feeling empowered to feeling motivated to take action and change something in life. That's the power of storytelling. Now you might be thinking, but what stories do I share? So it could be a personal journey or a transformation you've been on. I know CEOs are now encouraged to share personal stories when speaking to employees or their audience because it gives them that human factor, makes them relatable. It could be a business story, perhaps the inspiration behind your business, Or it could be a client story, how someone has successfully used your product or service. perhaps the most important part of all of this is my next point which is repeat, repeat, repeat. It's really not enough to explain what you do once and expect everyone to understand or it. You need to repeat it again and again and again and it's consistent act of repetition that will help you to become remembered. Tell your story, share your unique approach, explain what you do again and again, but speak as if someone is coming across you for the first time. You can repeat it across your social media, across your emails, wherever you have contact with your audience. And of course, repeat when you speak on podcasts, radio, or even TV too. And of course, the most beneficial thing about being remembered is obviously that potential clients will have you top of mind when they need the solution to the problem that you're solving. So I've got three questions I want you to ask yourself before every speaking opportunity. What would being successfully remembered look like to me? What stories am I sharing that will be remembered and evoke an emotion in my audience? If people already remember me and what I do, how would I show up physically? And this is about raising that confidence and physically acting like that person you want to be. Now I want you to channel your answers to these questions. How are you going to speak so you're remembered going forwards?