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Public speaking- would you take to the stage for your brand?

Public speaking- would you take to the stage for your brand?

public speaking

Brace yourself, because in this blog (and on the podcast you can listen to below!) we’re diving into the world of public speaking. We’re going to explore the incredible benefits that public speaking can bring to your life and business. Stick around; you might just discover something game-changing!


I know there are countless ways to promote yourself and your business – social media, PR, marketing, the list goes on. Shameless plug alert: I even wrote a book about it – “Small and Supercharged: Small Steps to Supercharge Your Brand on a Budget.” But today, let’s focus on public speaking. Before you roll your eyes and click away, hear me out.

I didn’t like public speaking

I wasn’t always a fan of public speaking. In fact, I actively avoided it for a long time. The mere thought of standing in front of people, baring my soul, was enough to make me break into a cold sweat. My journey to embracing public speaking wasn’t love at first sight. It took time, nerves, and a bit of self-discovery.

I think it all started at a a brand launch where, despite its success, I felt crippled with nerves- to be very honest, I wanted to be sick the whole time, which wasn’t ideal at all. From this point on, I decided public speaking wasn’t for me. The chimp in my brain, as explained by Professor Stephen Peters in “The Chimp Paradox,” wasn’t a fan. And so I turned down opportunities or avoided them altogether.

What changed? I applied for a TEDx talk…

Fast forward to 2018.  I got bored of myself and this block, so I applied to give a TEDx talk. Surprisingly, I got it. My topic? Supporting rural communities with social media. Standing on that stage, facing my fears, I realised the worst-case scenarios were manageable. The experience was a turning point, and I started to see the potential public speaking held.

Since that TEDx talk, I’ve spoken at various events –  universities to conferences, podcasts to live streams. The nerves evolved into excitement. Public speaking elevated my exposure, credibility, and authority in my field. Even feeling a bit sick was worth it all.

I’m not saying that the ‘cure’ to feeling nervous about speaking in public is a TEDx talk. In all honestly, this could have gone the other way, but there are lots of other ways you can start. Podcasts are a great way, as they are pre recorded videos moving up to live sessions on social media.

Podcasts are really easy because they can be edited and although (hopefully) a LOT of people hear them, it’s just you chatting to yourself or one or two others.

As you gain confidence in one space, you can expand and maybe look at webinars, speaking to smaller audiences, and then speaking to bigger audiences as a natural progression.

Why bother with public speaking?

Besides expanding your reach and exposure, it can directly translate into professional opportunities. I’ve been approached for collaborations and received invitations to contribute to articles, all stemming from my speaking engagements.

Whether you like it or loathe it, it’s hard to deny that public speaking is a powerful tool for personal and professional growth. It’s not just about the immediate buzz but the long-term benefits – increased exposure, enhanced credibility, and a platform to share your expertise authentically.

To those of you contemplating public speaking, know this – it’s okay to feel nervous. The first step in anything new that you do is rarely your best, but it’s a crucial one. Embrace the journey, learn from each experience, and watch as your confidence grows. I’ve been there, and if I can do it, you really can!

Shameless plug – I talk about public speaking in the book mentioned above! You can bag yourself a copy of Small & Supercharged the book through Amazon. Enjoy!

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Do you really want to go viral?

Do you really want to go viral? Let’s talk about the Unicorn of Social Media: Going Viral”so you want to go viral

Welcome to the Small and Supercharged podcast! In this solo episode, I explore the concept of social media virality, talk about what it means to go viral, why people are obsessed with it, and whether it should be the aim of our content.


 

I was recently on the radio discussing the topic of going viral, and did a dive into the pros of reaching the right audience versus any audience. Because that’s the think. When content goes viral, it can extend way beyond your audience, beyond your audience’s audience, and out to thousands and thousands (or even millions) of people who aren’t ‘your people’. This can apply to various forms of viral content, including videos, memes, and photographs.

Is going viral predictable?

In this episode, chat about the importance of understanding the unpredictability of virality and how it often hinges on the shareability and uniqueness of the content. I also discuss the challenges of defining what constitutes a viral post and whether there are different levels of virality based on individual account metrics (spoiler alert, I’d say there are!)

Why do people want to go viral?

The podcast touches on the reasons why people desire to go viral, including increased exposure, potential opportunities, and positive impacts on personal branding. I do understand the excitement of content taking on a life of its own and spreading rapidly, I really do- this podcast isn’t a negative one about the subject, it just ‘unpacks’ it in. more detail.

The discussion also covers the difficulty in predicting what will go viral and the lack of a foolproof formula for achieving virality. I also talk about what I advise content creators to do, and that’s to focus on putting out their best content, staying true to their brand, and analysing previous successful content to understand audience preferences.

Due to the unpredictable nature of going viral, if you do create a piece of unicorn content, then I’d definitely look to enjoy the ride. That said, see content going viral as a nice to have, the aligns with your account and purpose, but the overriding objective being to build your brand and increase your reach through engaging with your fans and followers via quality engagement.

Shameless plug!

If you’re interested in social media tips and building your brand on a budget, don’t forget to check out my book, “Small and Supercharge: Small Steps to Supercharge Your Brand on a Budget,” available on Amazon.

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So… you want to go viral?

so you want to go viral

So… you want to go viral?

Whenever we share a piece of content, we want it to be seen by as many relevant people as possible, but going viral is another level, and that’s what I’m talking about in this episode.

Viral content takes on a life of its own and can blow up in a short space of time, getting hundreds of thousands or even millions of eyeballs on it. In some cases, it can make it into mainstream media too. But the question here is, is that the goal? Does that help your cause, brand or business? And can you even control what goes viral and what doesn’t?

On this episode of the podcast, I talk about what going viral really means, the impact it can have on your account, and whether or not that necessarily supports your brand or the objectives of your account.

What to you think? Do you aim to go viral with your content?

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IWD special- best tips and advice from 12 wonderful women

IWD Special

IWD special- best tips and advice from 12 wonderful women


Today is International Women’s Day, and what better way to celebrate than sharing 12 of the fabulous ladies in the Small & Supercharged Mastermind group?

I asked members to share the best bit of advice they’d ever received, and Tracey Cole (Tracey Cole NLP), Chelle Mullen (Storm & Grace), Carolyn Watson (Haynet Mate), Claire Barker (Barker & Sloane), Donna Case (The Horse Feed Guru), Emily Cole (Emily Cole Illustrations), Liz Daniels (Equiteam), Louise Towl (Ready to Ride Physio), Odette Insoll (Nouvelle Habit), Jane Brindley (Horse Riding with Confidence Scotland), Amanda Marshall (3 Donkeys Clothing) and Ruth Chappell (Dressage Anywhere) answered!

Lots of great life advice and words to live by this International Women’s Day- enjoy!

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Where do you look for inspiration?

Where do you look for inspiration?

Where do you look for inspiration?

Inspiration is a funny thing. It can appear in the most random of places and can lead to the most amazing things, can’t it? A lot of the time, inspiration appears with no input from you at all, but what happens if you put yourself in different situations and expose your mind to a whole new set of possibilities?

Last week, I had the pleasure of attending Theo Paphitis’s #SBSEvent2023 and was also asked to host a breakout session. It was an incredible day for lots of different reasons, but going outside the industry where I spend a lot of my time was interesting for lots of different reasons too.

I think it’s important for anyone on a small business journey- or any journey at all- to always be looking for opportunities to learn, develop and grow. There are plenty of ways to do this that are very close to what you do, but it’s also worth taking a look a little further afield to see if there’s any golden nuggets or sparkling gems you can apply to what you do that others have had success with in different places. Here’s my thoughts on it all. I would love to hear yours…

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