You’ve packed your presentation with data, insights, and value — but your audience isn’t responding the way you hoped.

If you’ve ever looked out and seen glazed-over eyes… or walked off stage and didn’t get the results you wanted, this episode is for you.

As a former software developer and technology strategist who has presented at countless conferences and meetups, I’ve learned what works — and what doesn’t — when it comes to making technical or detail-heavy presentations land with impact.

If you’re in a technical field — technology, software, AI, science, healthcare, academia, finance - this episode is especially for you.

I share 6 key strategies you can use today to make your presentations more engaging, memorable, and actionable — so you not only inform but also inspire your audience.

You’ll learn:

• 3 quick changes to make in your slide deck (these alone will change how your talk feels)

• Why your “About Me” slide should never be the first or second slide in your deck — and what to do first instead

• What your audience wants more than information

• How to incorporate storytelling so your data sticks

• The “palm tree” method for organizing your talk (goodbye, content overload!)

• The one thing I never do anymore in technical talks — and what I do now (learned the hard way at a Microsoft event years ago)

Whether you’re speaking to peers in your industry or to potential clients, you’ll walk away from this episode with practical strategies to improve your next presentation.

Links:

Show notes at https://www.speakingyourbrand.com/431/

Let us give your presentation a makeover! Learn more at https://www.speakingyourbrand.com/work-with-us/presentation-makeover/

Want to create your talk from scratch? Book a VIP Day or join our Thought Leader Academy: https://www.speakingyourbrand.com/work-with-us/coaching/

Connect with me on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/carolcox

Related Podcast Episodes:

• Episode 429: What Most Speakers Miss: 3 Secrets to Insightful and Inspirational Presentations

• Episode 398: Storytelling for Leaders: Crafting Narratives that Inspire and Persuade

• Episode 327: From Expert to Thought Leader: 3 Key Strategies You Need Now in the AI Age

Have you ever wondered what it really takes to create, practice for, and deliver a powerful TED-style talk - especially one that’s only 8 minutes long?

In this episode, I’m joined by Diane Diaz, our lead speaking coach at Speaking Your Brand, as we take you behind the scenes of our recent TED-style speaking experience.

We were invited to be part of a live event called ElleX, hosted by a women’s entrepreneurship group at a local college.

We had only one week to prepare our full talks for the audition!

Diane and I share:

• How we came up with our topics and aligned them with the theme

• The difference between a TED-style talk and a typical keynote or presentation

• How we approached “memorizing” our talks (spoiler: we didn’t, exactly!)
  What surprised us about the experience (and what we’d do differently next time)

• Why it's essential to amplify who you naturally are on stage

• And… which of us has decided TED-style talks are not her favorite and what is 😉
  
  

You’ll hear how Diane used humor and storytelling to deliver a deeply moving (and yes, funny!) talk about her Ironman triathlon journey and how I wove in women’s leadership, history, and AI into my talk about the future of tech and humanity.

Whether you're preparing for your own TEDx talk, want to challenge yourself as a speaker, or simply love the behind-the-scenes of crafting powerful messages, this episode will inspire you to lean into your unique style and maybe even try a new speaking “muscle.”

Want to discover your speaker archetype? Take our free quiz at https://www.speakingyourbrand.com/quiz to get personalized recommendations based on your strengths.

We’ll add the video links to our talks in the show notes as soon as we get them, so check back!

Links:

Show notes at https://www.speakingyourbrand.com/430/

Discover your Speaker Archetype by taking our free quiz at https://www.speakingyourbrand.com/quiz/

Enroll in our Thought Leader Academy: https://www.speakingyourbrand.com/academy/

Connect on LinkedIn:

• Carol Cox = https://www.linkedin.com/in/carolcox

• Diane Diaz = https://www.linkedin.com/in/dianediaz

Related Podcast Episodes:

• Episode 429: What Most Speakers Miss: 3 Secrets to Insightful and Inspirational Presentations

• Episode 376: Use the Secrets of Comedy for Better Storytelling and Delivery in Your Talks

Have you ever walked away from a presentation thinking, “That was… fine,” but not truly moved, inspired, or motivated?

Here’s the truth: Most presenters mean well - they want to share valuable information - but they miss what truly makes a talk stick with the audience.

In this episode, I’m pulling back the curtain on a recent presentation I gave at a local AI meetup that got amazing feedback - not because I taught all the things, but because I did these 3 key things instead.

You’ll learn:

• What made this AI-focused talk both insightful and inspiring to a room full of people at all levels of tech

• Why having a clear structure (yes, our Signature Talk Canvas!) is non-negotiable

• How to go beyond teaching and step into thought leadership by showing your audience what’s possible

• The powerful “aha” moment a friend shared with me after my talk - and why it matters for your delivery

• How I use AI workflows and agents in my business, from podcast production to lead nurturing
  
  

Whether you're speaking to clients, colleagues, or on a stage, these 3 secrets will help you create the kind of talk that resonates and gets you invited back.

Links:

Show notes at https://www.speakingyourbrand.com/429/

Get my AI presentation slides + my Notion project: speakingyourbrand.com/ai-human

Want to create your own insightful and inspirational signature talk? Book a VIP Day or join our Thought Leader Academy: https://www.speakingyourbrand.com/work-with-us/coaching/

Connect with me on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/carolcox

Related Podcast Episodes:

• Episode 288: A Framework for Creating a Signature Talk for Income and Impact

• Episode 327: From Expert to Thought Leader: 3 Key Strategies You Need Now in the AI Age

• Episode 355: What a Signature Talk Is and What It Should be Doing for You