110: Making the Most of Speaking at Trade Shows and Conferences with Sue Monhait

When you speak at a conference or trade show, have you thought about how you can invite the audience to continue the conversation with you after your session?

In this episode, my guest Sue Monhait shares strategies she uses when she speaks at trade shows - and she’s done it a lot!

Sue has two different kinds of businesses: one is product-based called The Ribbon Print Company (she sells ribbon printers, software, and ribbon itself - the kind you see on gift packages) and the other is an online program, Makers MBA.

Sue is delightful and you’ll hear her experience come out as we talk about how she makes the most of speaking at trade shows.

Whether you’re a product or service business, you’ll learn:

• Tips for continuing the conversation with the audience after you speak
• Doing demos from the stage
• If you’ve written a book, offering book signing times
• The pros and cons of paying for a booth
• Hosting your own meetups while at a conference

Sue lives in Chicago and I was recently there for a business retreat with 7 other women business owners, including Sue. We booked an extra day at the AirBnB we rented and did a VIP Day in person to create Sue’s new signature talk, so you’ll hear a bit about that experience at the end of the episode.

Interested in a Virtual VIP Day to create your signature talk? Schedule a free consult call.

About My Guest: Sue Monhait is a business owner, podcast host, speaker, educator and bestselling author for the community she’s lovingly named, “Gifters-Bakers-Crafters-Makers” – people who create beautiful and/or delicious products that they want to share with the world.

Sue has been working in both the retail and online spaces for over 25 years. After spending time in corporate sales/marketing, working with literally hundreds of boutique shops and larger brands, she went on to open two profitable multi-six-figure businesses of her own. The Ribbon Print Company offers custom ribbon printing systems, supplies and training so businesses can provide product personalization right in their store or craft studio. Gift Biz Unwrapped is a weekly podcast, online training and a membership community for women who have a hobby or creative passion. Sue teaches them, step by step, how to turn their hobby into a profitable business. Her book, “Maker To Master: Find and Fix What’s Not Working in Your Small Business” is available on Amazon in paperback, Kindle and Audible formats.

About Us: 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/110

Visit Sue’s website at http://giftbizunwrapped.com/.

Listen to Sue’s podcast “Gift Biz Unwrapped.”

Listen to my episode #200 on Sue’s podcast.

Join the free Speaking Your Brand community at https://www.speakingyourbrand.com/join/ or text the word SPEAKING to 444-999.

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.

Say hi to me on Instagram and Twitter: @CarolMorganCox.

Subscribe to the podcast on Apple Podcasts or Google Podcasts and leave a review!

Related Podcast Episodes:

• Episode 59: Why You Shouldn’t Sell from the Stage – and What to Do Instead
• Episode 65: Writing, Publishing, and Promoting Your Book with Julie Broad
• Episode 66: Mastering Your Speaking Style and Stage Presence
• Episode 69: What Event Organizers Look for in Speakers with Erin Smith

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