153: Lauren Pibworth - On Marketing Your Greatness

Hey everybody, and welcome to This Moved Me, a podcast about creating talks that move the world. With me, your host, Sally Koering Zimney. Together with some fabulous guests, we will have a casual conversation about the art of public speaking, because a good talk can move the world and it'll be fun. Yeah, I would think making alien cows meaningful. That's not a small task. I love your giggle.

Wow.

Oh my gosh, so wait for everybody to figure out the alphabet. Hey Movers, it's Sally Koering Zimney, and I'm so excited to have you back for another interview conversation, this time with the amazing Lauren Pibworth. Now Lauren is the CEO and founder of Pibworth, which is a speaker marketing agency. She is full of the kind of insight and expertise that we are, so many of us are looking for. And I know when I'm talking with my listeners or talking with my speakers and we create an amazing talk and then it's like, okay, now what? How do I find my audience? How do I get hired and be brought back again and again to do keynotes? That is the stuff that honestly is not in my wheelhouse, but luckily it is in Lauren's. So I was really thrilled to chat with her and to pick her brain a little bit on how we can find our audience and how we can bring more of our work out into the world. And what I love about Lauren is that she's got so much spunk and spirit and her joy just comes soaking through, and I love that. We were like, at one point we were like, I think, are we secretly sisters? Are we maybe? Hmm, nope. But it sort of felt that way sometimes, even though what we do complements each other really nicely. So I'm hoping that soon I have some news for you on other ways that Lauren and I are going to partner. Before you get excited about that, you should hear, you should hear how awesome she is. So, uh, I'm really thrilled to share with you Lauren Pibworth and some of her amazing insight on how we can find our audience. Here she is.

Speaking for Profit with Cindy Mason.

Yeah, yes, that was the one. And I heard you on that and was like, mm, that's my girl. I gotta have her on the show. And because you're, what you're talking about is exactly right. There's, and speaking for myself, super motivated, super positive, and I'm doing 8 million things. And when I'm coaching, so my, my main job is coaching speakers. So as I'm coaching them, I'm a content expert. I'm a delivery expert. I am not a build your speaking business expert. And so it's, it, it, I want to connect with people who do know how to do that so that I can help my speakers more and help them find the resources they need because you can't get everything in one person. And so if we can band together, I think it just helps our clients do what they want to do and have more impact and find more success. Of course.

Yeah, you came to the choir, my new friend. You and I are right on track.

Okay, good, good. Well, Lauren, already helping people bring more of their work out into the world as a VA— would you say that's accurate? As a VA?

Yes. Yeah, that's how I started. I thought I was going to spend my life building PowerPoint.

Uh, okay, that's— that is some people's goals, but I don't know, that could never— oh, that sounds like torture to me.

I'm actually one of those people who, who loves to make technology do what I want it to do. So it, you know, it sounded fine in my head, but I only did that for 6 months. Until I was bored and needed to do other things to keep my mind going.

What is your love and your passion? Why do you work with speakers and what are you trying to do?

Well, I chose speakers actually from the very— from the moment I opened my doors. I sat down, I'm a kind of a list person, and I made a list of types of people that I would want to surround myself with. If I'm gonna go into business on my own, Who do I want to work with? What types of individuals? Then I thought about the work that I wanted to do and what work did I want to do, and then I just basically cross-sectioned and I came up with speakers because you're brilliant and motivated and charming and positive and you've got a drive to change the world like no one else, and speakers because you desperately need me because in your your mind, all you want to do is show up and speak and everything else would happen magically. And I do everything else that happens magically. So that made perfect sense in my head. So that's— I started there and just found that as I went on, there was more and more and more things that you needed that I didn't necessarily know how to do at that point. This was 10 years ago, don't forget. I've been in this business for 10 years now. And as I found things that you needed, I either learned how to do them or I brought on experts who would know how to do that. I have no desire to learn how to code in Infusionsoft and I never will. I love to build the sales funnels, I love to do all the strategy, but don't ask me to do that. It's too much like math, it's just not going to happen. So I brought on experts. I built Pibworth into a full marketing agency with a team of 10, each with a specialty in something that speakers need. And we went from, I'm going to build PowerPoints and workbooks, to there's really nothing in a marketing and business building perspective that we can't do. And it was just an awesome, awesome ride.

So tell me about all the different pieces that are required from your perspective in terms of like taking somebody's talk and getting it out there into the world more so that the world can hear it. Like, what are some of those big chunks that you know speakers need?

Well, it really comes out, comes down to what you want your speaking business to do for you, right? Because there's a lot of speakers out there who are now tired of the travel and are looking for ways to speak without necessarily getting on a plane. And there's still lots of speakers who that's their life and that's what they want to do. So we figure out what your goals in your business are first, and then we look for new ways to monetize those, right? Because you have to eat. You cannot live on Kraft Dinner forever. You, you, you may think you can, But eventually your skin turns orange and it's just, it's not pretty. So, and then you can only do podcasts.

Hence, that's why I do podcasts. I'm just kidding.

So do I. Hi, honey. So, you know, we take it from making sure that your targeting is correct and making sure that everything that you do is actually hitting the people who are going to hire you. So many speakers get caught up in the audience that is listening to them, and they're standing there and they're soaking in the ovation and the, the, "You changed my life," and all of the stuff that comes through it, and then they realize they don't have a gig for the next 6 months, and they haven't actually been marketing to the people who are going to hire them. So we need to figure out who's going to hire you and create a program around reaching them, not necessarily around reaching the accolades from the audience. And that's sometimes a tough thing for a speaker to wrap their head around. Once we know what that is, we can build websites and e-commerce solutions and really cool follow-up programs. A lot of speakers forget that their best source of future gigs is past gigs. So what can you do? What can you add to the way that you communicate with your existing clients today to make sure that they hire you ongoing next year and next year and next year? And what can you do to make sure that they refer you? And that kind of thing. Of course, we also look for ways to add value to the business itself. So are we looking at a book? Are we looking at a podcast? Are we looking at adding consulting to your business, right? If you're a keynoter and you get up and you talk and you whip them up and you leave and there's no way for them to actually implement what it is you were talking about, that may be a place you're leaving money on the table. There's so many—

Yeah, there are. There are so many pieces to this. Like you said, there's all the background elements of it, the website and the e-commerce and sort of everything that happens passively. And then there's more business offerings, more programs, more follow-up, um, books, podcasts, consulting. Like, there's, there's so much that we can do because who we are as speakers is not just the talk that we give, it's it's a platform and it is about who we are as a person, wouldn't you say?

Absolutely. Who you are as a person comes through loud and clear on the stage, and then how you're going to support your message is the next thing, right? I can scream from the rooftops that I am a banana leaf, but unless there's a way for me to actually prove to people that I am and show them a way that they can become that 2, I'm probably not making the impact in the world that I want to make. And that's why you're a speaker. That's why you do what you do. This is a hard business. It's all glitz and glamour to people from the outside, but once you're in it, you realize just how hard you have to work. It's awesome, and I love it, and I love every single talk that I do. But I know that it's really hard work.

Yeah, it's funny because like, like I— you and I were talking about before the show, my expertise is really grounded in the content development and helping develop the speaker and his or her skills and delivery and confidence level. So it's really focused on all of the prep work. And then once they're back, once they're out there and doing the work, we iterate back and it keeps evolving and growing and changing. But I don't bring a lot of expertise in terms of how to get more gigs. So it's funny when I'm working with, you know, talking with listeners of the show and people who follow my work, I'll say, what are you struggling with right now? And probably half the time it's how to get more business, how to get my talk out there more, where to give my talk, how to convince people that I'm the person they should hire to come give the talk. And I'm like, oh shoot, that's— yeah, that's hard. I don't know how to help you there. I mean, I could give you some ideas because I'm dealing with all the same stuff. I— it— so it's funny to think about I think about the challenge of a speaker is really finding their, their most effective, most authentic, most connected presence and their most powerful signature talk. And then, right, your work is, okay, taking that and then sharing it with the world. So When you think about the kind of those differences, like, are you, are you also helping speakers find their voice? So as they're working on their talk, I'm sure it'd be really hard to not also say to adjust their message and, and really help finesse and polish what it is that they're giving.

Honestly, I, I really believe that that needs to be left to the experts. Okay. I will polish the marketing message, but as far as getting into the content of their talk, it's the content of their talk that drives the marketing message and the brand. Yeah. Ultimately, of course I'll say, you know, what if you said this slightly differently, but I am not a presentation person. I am a content person but from a marketing perspective. So when someone— let me just give you an idea. When someone comes to me, and I can't tell you how often this happens, they come to me and they say, "Oh, Lauren, I want you to market me. I've always wanted to be a speaker." I say, "Great. First be a speaker and then I can market you." Because ultimately it is It is completely unethical of me to, you know, sure I could build a brand, won't be yours because you don't know what it is yet, right? So first I would tell them to go and work with a professional like you to actually develop their talk, figure out what their marketing message is going to be, figure out what they actually want to say, right? And those people who say, oh, I can talk about anything, I just want to hang up the phone.

Yep. It's so frustrating.

I could talk about chickens, but that doesn't make me an expert on chickens.

Right?

Right?

Yeah, it's one of those things where when I talk to a speaker who says, I just want to speak, and I say, like, the message, where is it? What's your message? And they say the same thing, like, 'Well, I, you know, I could talk about this or this or this or this,' and I'm like, 'Uh-oh, that's a problem,' because the message has to come first. Otherwise, this is going to be received so as an empty package. You will stand up there and they will know you're a fraud, even if what you're talking about is something that you care about. It's like the message has to drive you out there And I, I see it a lot, unfortunately. I don't know, is that something that you're seeing too, Lauren? Is that the glitz and the, the— it's money, it's good money, so I want to be a speaker. It's like, uh-oh.

I, I compare it to being an actor. You, you know, you see people doing it and doing it well and making great money, and you figure, hey, I can do that. And you forget that there have been years of training, and then there have been years of poverty And you know, like, you don't just step into a CEO position. And that's what a really good speaker is because they have built a business. It is not just, hey, I'm going to get out on stage and talk. That might be your hobby, but that is not your business. So you've got to invest the effort into making it a business, making it profitable, figuring out which messages, figuring out what it is that is that burning desire in your heart that matches the knowledge in your brain that people will pay you to talk about. And then you have to figure out how to talk about it well. Then you can come to me.

Then, then Lauren's gonna swoop in and she's gonna blow your mind. Okay, so Lauren, um, What advice could you give to all of my listeners, speak, who are, who are listening and thinking about this and who themselves are struggling with just finding the right place for them and like getting their talk out there more? What is step one for them if they're, if they're already doing some speaking and maybe can't afford to hire a marketing professional to help them get their talk out. What are some things that, that we can all be doing to find more avenues to share our work?

Well, the first thing I would say is make sure that your marketing platform, aka your social media, your website, and your brand, actually reflects what it is that you want to say and who hires you. Don't forget, you're marketing to the people who sign your checks, unless you're like a Speak to Sell speaker. In which case that's slightly different. But if you are marketing to corporations or associations or an individual that is going to hire you and pay you one check, then that's who you need to speak to. And you need to speak to them in terms of benefits. So for instance, when I speak to the Microsoft audience, then they do this. And because they do this, Microsoft sees a benefit this way, right? That, and I mean, it's a simple concept, sometimes hard to grasp. And I actually have, if I don't know whether you do this, but I've actually got some free offers on my website. So if you want to go on the website and check out any of the blogs, All of that, all of this information, this how to do this, how do I figure this out, it's all in the blog, so you can take a look, and there's also some free downloads. Because I get that not everybody has the budget right now to work with me, but I think of it as if I help you now, then maybe you'll remember who helped you later.

Mm-hmm, yeah.

Yeah, so start with your messaging because, You know, your marketing messaging, just like you're starting with your messaging about what you're gonna say, I say start with your messaging about what you're gonna say to get those gigs. And then once you have a really clear idea of who your target is, it sounds so simple to say go find them. Find out what types of associations, for instance, you wanna work. Use, leverage things like LinkedIn, leverage things like Google Alerts that you can set a Google Alert that, you know, every time the word RFP shows up in a post, you get an alert so you can go through and look at that. Now I'd be more targeted than that because otherwise you'll be spending your day going through RFP notices that have nothing to do with what you do. But don't forget to just include everything that— don't forget the people who are hiring you. That's just, it's the best way that I can say it. Give them what they want and then develop a follow-up system and make sure that you have more than one thing to sell, right? If you've only got one talk, That's actually not a bad thing, but how many ways can you deliver it? Is there a consulting package you can offer to an executive team? Is there a follow-up series of podcasts or paid group training or whatever fits with your model, right? 'Cause everyone's gonna wanna do something different, but how can you continue to support the people who have hired you to give, give your message? And how can you let— how can you help them continue to implement the message so that you provide a lasting solution long after your keynote is finished?

So one thing that is striking me, Lauren, as I'm hearing you talk is that this is such an iterative process. So even if, you know, we We've really honed our marketing messaging. We know who we're talking to. We're finding them. We're getting out there. This is something that you have to really stay on top of and can you continue to evolve, I'm guessing, because we have to be so relevant to what's happening right now in the world and, and to our audience. Would you agree?

Absolutely. You're never Just like, well, tell me, when you first started your business, did it look exactly the way it does now?

Oh my gosh, no. I mean, just yesterday, Lauren, I was struggling to articulate the benefits of this program that I'm doing and realizing that I haven't articulated the benefits to the people who want to buy it exactly like you're talking about. And I've been focused on this. I'm passionate about it. I think it's an awesome offering. I'm really excited about it. And it was hard to really kind of dig to that level and get really clear about what the benefit is. And it's amazing to me. I'm a messaging person and I was like, wow, how can I say this? What, like, what is that really?

And why would that person care about it?

You know? It's like, it's amazing.

I do, I do, I know exactly. But just as, you know, our business, I mean, I shared with you right at the beginning, I started out thinking I was going to be a virtual assistant, that this was going to be a part-time gig that I would kind of do from the house and my husband would be the breadwinner and I would stay home and have babies. It didn't quite work out that way. But, you know, now I have a staff, and how you look at business changes, and the world around you changes. So you're never finished. You know, and that's, to me, that's a wonderful thing, because when I'm finished, I stop working.

Right.

And you can never stop working. You will never be finished in developing your craft. You will never be finished in marketing your message. You will never be finished in coming up with new and amazing things to share. And thank God, because if you're finished, you're dead. Mm-hmm.

Right. And it is what I love about it. But it can be so draining for people to feel like, oh my gosh, it just— like, I keep thinking I have it figured out. And then the the sort of the tectonic plates beneath us shift a little bit and we have to adjust again. And, um, like, in the right mindset, that is exciting and it is fun and it is part of what we do. But there's another way of looking at that when you're feeling drained that is just like, oh, why can't that— why can't we just be done and put this on a shelf? But it's just, you can, you can put it on a shelf for a while, it's just going to get stale and your audience will feel that.

And when you do feel drained and tired, that's when it's time to seek out individuals who are like you, who can help bring you back around, right? That's why so many like associations like The National Speakers Association, for me in Canada it's CAPS, the Canadian Association of Professional Speakers. That's why I belong to associations like that because we all hit those roadblocks. But when you surround yourself with people who are your tribe, they can help bring you up because they've been there too. Right? There have been many days where I really wish that all I had to do was serve coffee at Tim Hortons. That was the extent of the brain power that I had to expend that day. But I also know that's not where I want to live.

Yeah, I think I like that distinction that there are some days where we just need to like park it and give ourselves a break and take some deep breaths and like rejuvenate. But that's not where you want to stay. But we've got to like step away sometimes and go to Cabo or wherever, right?

Exactly. I mean, I went to Cozumel. I feel fantastic.

Cozumel, that was it. I was trying to get a callback, Lauren, but I missed it. Cozumel, not college.

Okay.

Got it.

I actually, I have a talk that I do outside of my marketing business and I say in it, you know, rest when you need to and move forward when you can. And that really resonates with that whole thing. You've got to rest because if you're on high gear all the time, you will burn out. But accept the fact that, you know, rest is good, but movement is good too.

I talk to a lot of people who feel really discouraged and really like wonder, is this worth it? And why can't I break through? And everybody else seems to make it look so easy. And I think, like you're saying, to find other people and to have a conversation like this and be reminded that no, there's no secret, like, magic pill. There's no shortcut. That there are things that we can do, but it's not easy. And it is about persistence and consistency and determination and making sure that you're being smart about it. But yeah, there's no magic formula, is there? Do you have a magic formula?

No, I wish I could say I did because I would be so rich.

Yeah.

And so happy. Those two things are separate.

Yeah.

But no, you know what? The magic formula is an awesome talk supported by lots of hard work and a fantastic team behind you.

Yep, very much.

And a team behind you can be anything from a supportive family, your bookkeeper, to your marketing agency, to your best friend. Right, there's, it doesn't necessarily have to be a paid team if you're not there yet.

Right.

Just don't overlook the fact that your team can include your friends, your family, people who take you out for a drink when you need one, people who give you a hug when you need one, slap you upside the head when you need it.

Love it. Okay, Lauren, I wish, I wish we had some more time with you, but we are already at the point where we share a This Moved Me moment, something that has moved you recently. Because for all of us speakers who are out there trying to share our message and share who we are, we've got to stay fueled and inspired so that we can continue to reach and connect with other people as well. So, do you have a This Moved Me moment or would you like me to start?

I have one. It has nothing to do with my business though. Is that okay?

That's totally cool. Yeah, whatever is striking you.

Awesome. So, as I mentioned, I was in Cozumel just this past week. And, you may or may not be able to see by my photo that I am a larger lady, and I have struggled with perceptions around my own self-worth and being attractive and so on and so forth for most of my life. I'm going to be 50 years old this year, and in Cozumel, for the very first time, I wore a bikini. And I wore it comfortably and confidently. What moved me was this young, what I would have considered physically beautiful thing, and she's lying in the chair next to me and she's fretting because she has stretch marks on her belly from her child and she was saying, I don't, You know, she was telling me how proud she was of me that I could step forth and wear a bikini. She never could because she's not perfect. Well, I'm about as far from perfect as, you know, as the rest of us. What moved me was this beautiful, seemingly confident, physically perfect young woman still has the same issues, the same insecurities, the same lack of confidence, the same building herself worth on what others see in her that I did. And it just reminded me that no matter what the size of our hips or our guts or whatever else, we really can't just assume that someone else's pain is more or less. In other words, what makes me think that my pain about being insecure was greater than hers just because my hips were bigger, right? It just, it really, really struck me that no matter what, no matter what our physical shape is, we are all the same inside. So that really, really moved me this week.

I'm so proud of you, Lauren. Good for you. Get out there. And I mean, this is who we are. There's a really, I think, powerful metaphor in that, uh, for any of us if we want to take a risk and just really show who we are. And, you know, whether that's like on the beach or whether that's on the stage, there is sort of this similar kind of vulnerability. And I mean, we're probably battling different vulnerabilities, but I think metaphorically it's very similar. Um, I think I've told this story before, but really quick, um, in college they used to I was a theater major in college and they used to encourage all the theater majors to do— be like the nude models for the art classes. And I was like, no way.

I am—

there is no way I am doing that. Are you insane? That's crazy. You got to stand there naked for 45 minutes while they like hone in and try and draw the details of my body. Like, that sounds so awful. Absolutely not. And I never did it, and I kind of regret it because I think it would have pushed me in a really powerful, important way to just like get over myself and, and just say, here I am. And there was no— absolutely, there was nothing wrong with my body. But I mean, I, I, I, I'm sure I didn't feel that way then, but looking back, I'm like, Oh my God, if there was ever a time to like be a nude model, it was then. But I, I, I think there's something to be able to like liberate yourself from whatever keeps us from just embracing who we are. That is what life is all about. So whatever got you to that point, Lauren, like I'm just— I want to drink your Kool-Aid. That's awesome. Good for you.

Well, thank you. And I think that being open and vulnerable and authentic is actually what makes you strong enough to be open and vulnerable and authentic. The more yourself that you can share to the world and accept that some people will accept it and some people will not and be okay with that. Believe me, I have had comments, "What makes you think you can wear a bikini?" But those people are coming from a place of their own personal pain. That comment had nothing to do with me and everything to do with them and it's taken me a lot of years to realize that. But I just, I think The more of myself that I show to this world, the happier I am.

That was so powerful what you just said. The more of myself I show to the world, the happier I am.

I have friends and love and my life is awesome and I am not 120 pounds. And my life is still awesome. Who knew that that could happen?

I love it. That's so great. It's amazing that even as an adult, as a grown mature adult, there's still something about that that really strikes me as powerful and true and needed. Awesome. Okay, Lauren, really quick, here is my This Moved Me moment. Um, I, I I was thinking about this one and sharing with you in particular. I don't know why, but there's a friend of mine who, she writes for the blog Pinch of Yum. She's a, I don't know if you've ever heard of it, but she's a food blogger. And her husband used to work at the same organization that I worked at. And so I've known her for several years. And truly the two of them are just like, the nicest people on earth, and they have this beautiful— several websites, uh, that they've created, and they do really beautiful work. And, uh, she's one of those people who— she was a teacher and then quit to blog full-time, and they have this gorgeous space, and like everything that they touch sort of turns to gold, and it's so beautifully done, but they're like the most humble, grounded, good people. So every success that has come their way, I'm just like so happy for them because they totally deserve it. Well, this past December, really late in December, um, Lindsay was pregnant and they lost the baby. He came really early I think he was at 23 weeks, and he, I think, lived for about a day, and then they lost him. And Lindsay is this amazing writer, and she has been writing about it, and it is truly some of the most stunningly beautiful, heartfelt, honest, heart-wrenching writing that I've seen and so vulnerable. So there must have been kind of a vulnerability thing that I was feeling with you because I was like, I want to talk about Lindsay today. And that's what I found so powerful about her is her openness and willingness. And she's like, I can't do food right now, guys, sorry. So I'm going to write about my son who died. And it is so beautiful and powerful. And I just am so honored to even know her. And I would suggest for anybody to take an hour and go to her website and, and read about it because it just like brings you back to what matters and what's important. And her humanity in that is, uh, just heartbreaking and also so beautiful at the same time. So check it out, pinchofyum.com, I think. And, um, she's on Instagram, and she's— it's just sad and beautiful.

I am going to go on it Very soon. Yeah, yeah, I would love to read stuff. I love— I mean, first, it's interesting that you chose that story because that's a similar story to mine, and, and you, you did not know that. No, but, um, it's, it's just, yeah, beautiful to, to be able to share. And I mean, she's healing and grieving, but sharing openly and helping others at the same time. And you know what? As speakers, we share our successes and our failures with others as a way to help others and a way to help ourselves too.

Yeah, absolutely. I mean, hers is an account of like real-time pain and she is just putting it out there for everybody. And so I think her inviting us into that story is so powerful. And I'm just really grateful and proud of her because this is— and she says, "This is for me. I'm doing this for me and on the off chance that it might be healing for other people." But she's like, "This is the only thing I know how to do right now." So, yeah. Oh, well, Lauren, this has been really, really great to connect with you. I'm, I'm so excited. I always love having Canadians on the show. I don't know why. I've had a lot of Canadians on the show. I love Canadians. I think as a Minnesotan, we're, we're like cousins, don't you think? We are cousins.

We're family. We're all family. Yeah, totally.

But I really, I really like your Prime Minister.

I don't want to trade.

Oh, I know. I don't blame you. All right, I hope everybody enjoyed that conversation. Thanks so much, Lauren. It was such a joy to have you on the show. My sister, my spirit sister. Woo! Go be your bikini self. Yeah! Love it. I really, really enjoyed that conversation. I hope you got some really good tangible stuff out of that as well. Ways that we can bring our work out into the world more and you know what? I'm going to— when I write up the show notes, I'm going to download a really beautiful visual that I think we all need to keep in front of us all the time. And I can't wait to share it with you. And it's this: "The more of myself I show to the world, the happier I am." And Lauren said that at the end there, and I think it's so beautiful. So I made a little something for all of us. If you go to my website, you can download it. It is on the show notes page, so check it out there. And while you're there, there's tons of other stuff for you to take a look at. I've got my quick coaching, which I would love— I'd love to be your quick coach if you're working on a talk and want some redirection, want to know what you can be doing specifically so that it has even more impact. Check check that out. I'd love to see you over there. And then there's a new resources page, you guys, and it is chock-full of good stuff that is free for you to download along with all of these podcasts that I think, I hope, are valuable for you. So, uh, that's enough for me. thismovedme.com, you can find it all there. Uh, check you later, friends. See you soon. This moved me. What's moving you? Go Lauren! Let's do this. I think Lauren and I, we're gonna partner somehow. We're gonna bring her brain and my brain together.

Duh, duh, duh, duh, duh.