081: Be a Better Speaker: Top Takeaways from Watching Presenters at Podcast Movement

What separates a great speaker from a so-so one and how can you be a great one?

I recently attended a 3-day conference (Podcast Movement) and took notes during the keynotes and breakout sessions on what the speakers did well and what could have been better, so you can take these tips and apply them to your own presentations.

Although it was a conference for podcasters, this episode is not about podcasting - it’s about how you can be a better speaker and presenter. (But, if you are a podcaster, it will help with that too!)

You’ll learn:

• Top takeaways from watching presenters at Podcast Movement that you can apply to your own presentations
• What the best speakers had in common
• What Pat Flynn did in his opening keynote
• The worst session I attended - what went wrong and how it could have been better
• The best sessions I attended - and what the speakers did well
• How a panel was structured as a 3-person presentation: Did it work?
• What Terry Gross of NPR’s Fresh Air did in her closing keynote that was incredibly brave

The Speaking Your Brand podcast is hosted by Carol Cox. At Speaking Your Brand, we help women entrepreneurs and professionals create their signature talks and gain more visibility to achieve their goals. Our mission is to get more women in positions of influence and power: on stages, in businesses, on boards, in the media, in politics, and in our communities. Check out our coaching programs and workshops at https://www.speakingyourbrand.com.

Links:

Show notes at https://www.speakingyourbrand.com/81

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Sign up for a Strategy Session at https://www.speakingyourbrand.com/strategy.

Ready to create your signature talk and framework? Email me at carol@speakingyourbrand.com or click here to schedule a call.

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Other Podcasts, People, and Episodes Mentioned:

• Amber De La Garza’s Productivity Straight Talk podcast episode 63
• Amber De La Garza on this podcast episode 43
• Elyse Tager and Maureen Berry
• Jenny Melrose
• Episode 68: Getting Paid to Speak and Negotiating Speaker Fees
• Episode 69: What Event Organizers Look for in Speakers with Erin Smith
• Episode 57: How to Use Simple Story Structure to Create Compelling Content
• Episode 59: Why You Shouldn't Sell from the Stage - and What to Do Instead
• • You can get the Feedback Form template in the download on this episode
• Episode 65: Writing, Publishing, and Promoting Your Book with Julie Broad
• Episode 71: Using Humor in Your Talks Will Get You More Speaking Gigs with Kathy Klotz-Guest
• Episode 55: Should You Give an Instructional or an Inspirational Talk?

Become Bookable Live Online Workshop - April 15, 2026
If you want to speak more but you’re not sure where to start or your efforts haven’t produced the results you want, I’m hosting a live online workshop called “Become Bookable: How to Get Speaking Invitations” on Wednesday, April 15th.

A lot of brilliant women assume they just need to pitch themselves more. But the real reason speakers get invited isn’t because they pitch harder — it’s because they’re positioned as bookable.

In this 3-hour interactive workshop live on Zoom, I’ll show you how speakers actually get invited — and help you clarify the positioning that makes event organizers say yes.

As a podcast listener, use the coupon code “Podcast100” to save $100 on your registration.

Learn more and register at https://www.speakingyourbrand.com/bookable