Quote: “Understanding your style will keep you from reinventing the wheel. Every time you write a speech, it will make it easier to sell and more marketable if you can show people what they’re going to get. Style is what sets you apart from every other speaker.” Kelly Swanson
As a speaker, you’re constantly rewriting and improving upon your speech and tweaking it to suit each client. But just how good is it? Would you like to move it from good to great? On this episode of The Wealthy Speaker Show, we’re privileged to welcome back the incredible Kelly Swanson to share some great tips and ideas on how you can blow right past great and make your presentation epic!
This was such an information-filled call that we had to split it into two episodes, so be sure to tune in again next week so you don’t miss any of the steps Kelly is sharing to take your presentation from good to epic.
Kelly is an award-winning storyteller, comedian, motivational speaker, Huffington Post Contributor, and cast member of The Fashion Hero television show airing on Amazon Prime. She is also the author of Who Hijacked My Fairy Tale, The Land of If Only, The Story Formula, and The Gutsy Girls Pocket Guide to Public Speaking. She was a featured entertainer for Holland America Cruise Lines, keynote speaker for the International Toastmasters Convention, and has keynoted major conferences and corporate events from coast to coast. She just launched her one-woman show Who Hijacked My Fairy Tale in theaters and it is being booked all over the country.
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Jane Atkinson: Well welcome everyone to the wealthy speaker. Podcast. I am so excited to be talking to my friend Kelly Swanson today about how to move your presentation from good to epic. Kelly. Welcome back to the show!
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Kelly Swanson: Really glad to be here,
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Kelly Swanson: Hey, everybody! Now listen. I'm baking that in order to be inducted into the speaking hall of Fame. You might need to have given an epic speech or two. Am I right?
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Kelly Swanson: Well,
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Kelly Swanson: i'm helping
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Jane Atkinson: or paid off the right people
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tell me how amazing was it to have received this honor from the National Speakers Association this past summer?
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Kelly Swanson: It was surreal. Um on one hand every time the person from the committee called me Jane, I thought they were going to ask for it back.
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Kelly Swanson: I was like, Are you going to take it back. I would even get there and go. Okay. They're going to find a typo on my book. So it's just surreal like, How did this happen to me. But it was a neat moment because
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Kelly Swanson: it just wow, it honored you. You know, my husband, said Kelly, really enjoy this, and really think about how hard you work to get here, and how you did it your way, and that was the neatest thing about it, Jane was. I did not do it a traditional way. I did it my way,
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Kelly Swanson: and it worked. And anyway it was. It's wonderful to have your peers that you've admired for years. Honor you in that way, and you know. But now i'm back to being regular Kelly again.
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Your head has gone down inside,
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Kelly Swanson: not my hair.
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Jane Atkinson: I have to fly your hair.
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Jane Atkinson: Now listen. I want to. I want you to tell everybody kind of your existing business model. What all have you got on the go.
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Kelly Swanson: Ah, okay, so it's. It's pretty complicated, because there's a lot of moving pieces. The thing that drives me most is the keynote. So keynoting from a stage as an artist, I always say, Ah! The art of being the artist drives everything because I can't do. Every spinning plate like It's a full-time job, for example, I also am a private. I do private coaching so, but I just do. If I've heard of mouth, then I happen to offer it, so I don't treat it like other coaches would. So I've got the keynotes, the product
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Kelly Swanson: coaching. I have a one woman shown who hijacked my fairy tale. That's now been in six theaters, and it's booked now for eight more theaters. So
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Jane Atkinson: how exciting! Good for you!
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Kelly Swanson: Now Story Impact Academy. So that's kind of my business model, but really driven by the keynoting aspect of it.
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Kelly Swanson: Ok? Well, congratulations on all friends. I did not know that your one where my show had expanded, and you've lived it through
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Covid, and so many things have.
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Kelly Swanson: Then I launched it. The premiere
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Kelly Swanson: was in January of two thousand and twenty. We did the first show, and then everything shut down. But there's There's silver linings to everything. We also got a lot of attention, because now they weren't booking so more people could go check me out. So there you go right side. There you go, and and I know how much work goes in, because you've told me how much work goes into one of the Ch. So amazing that you have come back from that even stronger. Okay. So today
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Jane Atkinson: we're talking about
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Jane Atkinson: good to epic presentation skills. Lots of people are good, some are even great, and we're talking about how to move to in your presentation. So we've laid out, And actually you gave me these tips for my book, the wealthy paper, three point zero plug for the book. So people are going to be able to see them in the fall in writing. But let's start with Tip number one,
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Jane Atkinson: which is a You've got to have a really strong idea. Talk about that as a good idea, a good speaker, and then let's move it to epic.
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Kelly Swanson: And i'm speaking from the Speaker's perspective, Jane: So if it ever anytime you want to push back and give it to me because you've had the buyer's perspective on this.
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Kelly Swanson: So everybody i'm talking from the speaker's perspective, and that's a very.
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Kelly Swanson: You know. We only have that perspective, and we have to remember that we only see it from where we sit and what's done, what we've done that's worked for us. And I wanted to also say, based on what danger said, going from good to epic, that you've seen a lot of speeches, and you know that the majority of them that you see just sort of get lost in the show after a year or two, and then there's the one
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Jane Atkinson: you don't remember them right. You don't so for your own
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Kelly Swanson: homework.
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Kelly Swanson: What about those speeches you still are remembering? And why? So? This is kind of what I did, and putting the tips together so yes, it starts with a really strong idea which to me you might be like, well done.
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Kelly Swanson: It's not just a bunch of tips cobbled together,
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Kelly Swanson: but one to borrow from Ted talks one really strong idea worth spreading. It's this philosophy that encompasses what you teach and encourages them to hang on to this new perspective, to a problem or the desire they see it's. What is your idea worth spreading?
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Kelly Swanson: What is your idea worth spreading. Okay. So if we were to ratch it up
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Kelly Swanson: Ah ratcheted up, What makes it epic? Okay, What makes it epic is? Make it sound sexy
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Kelly Swanson: different from anything they've heard before. Disrupt the status quo. I don't know if that's sexy anymore. But oh,
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Kelly Swanson: anyway, Sorry disruption is sexy. Actually, Okay, all the businesses that are so successful. Okay, and eventually it won't be anymore as everybody starts doing it. But connected to the hot topic of the day.
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Kelly Swanson: Now, here's an example of sexy, in my opinion. Anyway, my program was first called hanging on to humor when life doesn't go the way you plan.
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Kelly Swanson: Okay, that works. When I wanted to make it relevant to the client, I changed it to who hijacked my health care system.
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Kelly Swanson: It's a sexy your title. It's an easy tweak you can make to language that goes from good to epic.
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Kelly Swanson: Okay. So who hijacked my health care system, especially if you're on audience and health care, that's exactly what we want is for somebody to say. I know exactly what you're going through right now, and so that little ex you know the word hijacked.
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Kelly Swanson: So we have to obviously be aware of that. But it's working for you in the way, because you also use it to hijack my fairies,
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Kelly Swanson: and I should make that clear to those who who don't know that already my first book was called, who hijacked my fairy tale, and so I was kind of. And and when I went from just hanging on to humor to who hijacked my fairy tale alone, it had a massive change. People to this day
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Kelly Swanson: that time, even with hijack being in it, I have not had one person. The only times people have changed. It is when we thought it might be too chickish, and we've made it more, you know, a little bit more male and female. But then, when I made it to hijack my healthcare system, you know again, it added that relevancy,
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Kelly Swanson: that doesn't mean that you shouldn't go through your programming, and especially your titles, and ask yourself, is this problematic?
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Kelly Swanson: And so we didn't do it necessarily to cave into political correctness.
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Kelly Swanson: It's your own choice. It's your own.
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It's not going to be black and white ever.
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Kelly Swanson: It's your own. I'm gonna make. I've retired jokes because somebody said, you know. Look at how that could be looked at. And I like, Okay, yeah, you're right. And I had to make a decision, and sometimes I didn't um, and here's a great example, too, and and I don't know if i'm calling out any. But but I had one friend who she was working on a book, and I was like, Oh, my God, you've got to call it
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Kelly Swanson: that's that! That is a great title. It's related to your story. You were held at gunpoint, you know. Boom, boom! And she was like No, no, no, no, will not cannot personally don't like it, and I, of course I respect that she chose not to. And I was like man. That's a good title.
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Kelly Swanson: Yeah, fair enough.
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Kelly Swanson: Now somebody's come along and used it for sales.
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Kelly Swanson: Yes, and and created the whole brand around it.
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Kelly Swanson: Does that. I don't think that makes one right or wrong. It's going to come to a personal choice, anyway. It's it's yes, you. But you're right. You have to look at it and and and make that decision. I have to think about it for you. Okay. So I love Tip Number two because it's show them that you get No, yeah. I really think a lot of people can put more emphasis on this more intention.
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Let's say on to this
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Kelly Swanson: sure um, And by the way, on that one we just said, just have an idea worth spreading a philosophy, you know, and make the idea connect to them and their industry even better.
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Kelly Swanson: Okay. So now we're talking about a good speech shows them that you get them, and that I think you already understand, understand and illustrate
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Kelly Swanson: the problems they have,
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Kelly Swanson: how that's making them feel
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Kelly Swanson: what desires they have,
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and how that's making them feel. And the feel is important there, too. This isn't what you think they need, or even the meeting planner.
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Kelly Swanson: It's about tapping into their story, and what motivates them. What does your audience care about? How can you get to know them now? That's what I think every good speaker should be doing already is. Show them that you get what they're wishing for.
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Jane Atkinson: Yes, and I think this comes from doing good research ahead of time, and there's a lot more we could get into that, you know, making them the heroes of your stories, et cetera. But let's talk about what takes it from good to epic.
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Kelly Swanson: Um
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Kelly Swanson: is going is going beyond just telling them. I mean, we've seen somebody say, Oh, your jobs are hard. You had to do that,
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Kelly Swanson: I always say, Show me, Don't, tell me so. If you can illustrate that you get how hard life is from where they sit, it'll be more meaningful.
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Kelly Swanson: Ah, for example, this is a hard But when I want to illustrate how people self-sabotage with their inner script, I open my speech by talking to myself in a mirror,
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Kelly Swanson: which I think is so. Pray I love it, I love it. It's very brave, and I don't do it for every audience, you know. Um, but but the the point is, i'm not saying. Everybody needs to open talking to a mirror, not even saying you need to do brave things, I'm saying,
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Kelly Swanson: Show me that you understand their pain, instead of just telling me you've seen speakers before that sort of check off the box for saying it must be hard, and you know they're not tapped into that. Find a way to illustrate life from where they said,
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Kelly Swanson: Give me thirty seconds of you talking to yourself in the mirror. What might you say? Um, I did it the other day at a keynote, and it was virtual, and when they introduced me, I went. Is this like on?
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Jane Atkinson: Is it, Bill?
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Kelly Swanson: I turn it? Oh, wow! This is like it.
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Oh, no! We haven't started Yet
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Kelly Swanson: all these people staring at me. They're gonna wait for me to say something that's gonna change their lives.
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Kelly Swanson: Probably shouldn't have that third, Margarita.
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Kelly Swanson: I got another hair growing out of my chin, or if I get another one, I can break them. See? And I did the whole opening,
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Kelly Swanson: and then I just kind of went. Oh, we're lab. It's running right now.
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Kelly Swanson: So okay for that,
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Kelly Swanson: you are listening to this without the video, you can all that try to be on Youtube. By the way, Kelly's
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Kelly Swanson: Kelly's facing Uber, close into the camera, and it was very funny. Thank you for demonstrating that I was. I didn't think about it being podcasted, I would be able to see. But I just have a conversation i'm like, Look at all these people that I just talk to myself, and then i'm spin it, and it's segregated.
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Oh, look at what it! And you know Sometimes
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Kelly Swanson: we are so hard on ourselves, and I think for you to amplify that it's just so. Oh, okay, she gets me, I say yes. Oh, I feel like, Oh, i'll turn to the audience. I'll say, what's that? Boys telling me when you look in the mirror, and why does it matter? And we're all now. Not Everybody's going to be that brave
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Kelly Swanson: I did it for? Ah, I could go in front of a group of alcohol Abc stores or the alcohol stores in our area. I spoke to their managers. I opened up with this just funny little bit about how thankful I am for Abc stores and what they did for me during covid and it was tongue-in-chief, and it was you, you know, and it was, and it kind of spun into. Ah, yeah, I know your jobs are hard, and I know this, and you know it must be like this, and and and and and and see. See, I was showing that
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Kelly Swanson: I was showing them in a different way. You could also show them by having a story that says, you know that. Thank you. Nurses, You know your jobs are hard. Okay, that's just telling them
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Kelly Swanson: My sister's a nurse, and I remember her saying, You know you're just taking that extra step to say I get you and I get what you're going through, and some people don't even say it. Anyway,
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Jane Atkinson: I remember her walking in after a twelve-hour shift with the marks from the mask on her face, and really demonstrating it beautifully that
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Kelly Swanson: all right. So moving on to a number three, What
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Jane Atkinson: a clear understanding of your style! Talk a little bit about what's it? From a good perspective, and then we'll flip over to epic.
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Kelly Swanson: Yeah, and understand, too, that I look at things I like to. As an artist, I look at websites like an album cover. And there's that whole, you being you're selling you in a them, You, the artist, hit the music and them what they're buying the kind of songs that they like, whatever. So that's kind of how I think of style in a way for us. So are you lots of humor with the light relevant message.
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Kelly Swanson: I mean that works. There's plenty for some people that are you deep content with a lot of interaction? Are you facilitating a group conversation with tips walking in. Do you play games and crack jokes, are you? Ah, take off the face and get real approach to a subject. Are you touching in heartfelt Are you? Um, a combination of Tony Robbins and Oprah?
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Kelly Swanson: I believe, Jane, that no matter what your topic, consider that you're that artist on that stage Now, unless you're a training company where your face really is not what you're selling, I mean, and that's important to note. That's different, because there's No, there's no identity attached to you for many of us. The brand falls apart. If you take Kelly Swanson out of it, and that's kind of where i'm coming from so
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Kelly Swanson: um
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Kelly Swanson: understanding your style,
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Kelly Swanson: man, have I not believed this any more than now at where I am in my career? Understanding your style will keep you from reinventing the wheel every time you write a speech it will make it easier to sell and more marketable. If you can show people where they're going to get. The style is what sets you apart from every other speaker.
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Kelly Swanson: Now that's what every speaker, I believe, should should have a good understanding of their style, and not what the style should be. That's the I kept spent so many years going. Baby, I need
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Kelly Swanson: be a trader, or maybe I need to be this, or maybe I need to be like that person. No, and I got to this point where they gave me that award, and I looked back and I went. I should have just chosen what I wanted to be,
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Kelly Swanson: and gone with it,
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Kelly Swanson: and and and not trying to keep thinking how I needed to change my style. All right. So that's that's what I think a good one. Now, we're not even talking up again.
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Jane Atkinson: I I want to just read the word authentic in there, because I think when you truly land on your most authentic, I think when you first get in the industry, it's very easy to start to absorb a little piece of this person's style a little,
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Kelly Swanson: he said. This person's job, and then you start to lose yourself in the mix. And so, when you truly step into your most authentic self, then great. So I wonder. Um! There was an example so moving into epic. Well, I want to say one thing about that.
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Kelly Swanson: You Still, you can't sell yourself as just an authentic speaker.
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Kelly Swanson: Okay? Well, I would challenge you. I'm agreeing with everything you're saying, and go one step further,
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Kelly Swanson: and be able to define what that authentic style is, and looks like. But I agree with you one thousand when you step into your authenticity, and and it doesn't have to be pirouettes and flips and music, and you know you can simply speak from the heart about what means something to you.
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Kelly Swanson: So when we level it up to epic talk about prides hollow, and how you step fully into your most authentic self-
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Kelly Swanson: This will freak some people out
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Kelly Swanson: right. They'll be like. This is not fair. I can't. I'm not that everybody will go this far?
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Kelly Swanson: No, and what you have to understand is this is what I wanted to do all along the
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Kelly Swanson: I was the kid
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Kelly Swanson: who got picked on, and who bullied. Sorry i'm kind of emotional. I don't know why, when I think about it, and I zipped myself up in an imaginary town with a group of people, I I created a story I could live in,
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Kelly Swanson: actually moving forward in my keynotes. It's going to become the story, you know, and and what what was my refuge became my art,
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Kelly Swanson: and and and so I've spent my whole life knowing if I was supposed to tell you all this story so. But to make it just an you know an example of a unique way to illustrate your style as different. I will challenge anybody to find somebody who is doing what I'm going to be doing,
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Kelly Swanson: and that's not you. Don't, get more points for that. I'm just saying that charges me up. I'm embracing the fact of my pride's hollow. Okay, it's my second theater show. So that's the I know where it's going with that it is. I turned my newsletter into the Pridesholm Gazette.
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Kelly Swanson: Okay, that was a bold. I am rebranding myself, not changing anything else. I do. But i'm putting it all under. That's my second job, as i'm editor of the Gazette.
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Kelly Swanson: So you get your as that as the newsletter, and it's very real to me, and then you get a black and white copy on your place at the keynote so. And then, when I'm in my keynote, the phone rings and people are calling me with the stories they want me to put in the Gazette, so it gives me a reason to tell you, Earl, I can't talk. I'm i'm talking supply chain people. Yes, i'm speaking to supply chain. I don't know exactly what it is they did. I don't know how you you know
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Kelly Swanson: I do a whole customized bit for the for you know, customize that I hang up, and yes, I do this right on stage, and then I say y'all in addition to a speaker, i'm also editor of the magazine, putting their stories in, and you got to hear what happened in our town, because all it all started with the letter.
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Kelly Swanson: And so i'm telling you the story about. We all got these letters in our town, asking what we would do if we were brave. And this is my store. I want to tell you the stories of what these people did, their episodes, their shorts, their stories in my keynote, and they can be written to fit the audience. They become my material. But then I pause, and it's the last thing i'll say, I don't want to go too deep into it.
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Kelly Swanson: Then I pause, and i'll say, speaking of the voices, i'll tell my story also of being with the you. Don't, realize that these two stories i'm telling you Don't, realize i'll tell this my my story about having these voices and characters in my head, and then I stop and I go. Let's talk about the voices for a minute,
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Kelly Swanson: and I stopped. I did this in a ninety-minute virtual keynote. I stopped and said, We're going to talk about how you rewrite voices, and when
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Kelly Swanson: deep into content, If it had been a different kind of client, I would have gone deep into. Let's talk about how story changed our town, and how you can influence for a new story, and then we go back into it. So that's an example, and i'm. So i'm telling you that it's the hardest thing I've ever done. Do not try this at home. Oh, what you're doing!
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Kelly Swanson: It sound cool and delicious, and and keep in mind. This has been written because I want I shouldn't say the big stage opportunities we shouldn't be thinking, and some of my biggest clients only had eleven people in there. But this is the kind of thing that you're going to want at your National Conference to open or to close It's just It's got as much entertainment as it does content,
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Jane Atkinson: like a one-woman show in a keynote. But let's give a lightened up version of this
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Kelly Swanson: Yeah,
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Jane Atkinson: bernice flygirl armor.
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Kelly Swanson: Yeah.
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Jane Atkinson: A Uh
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Kelly Swanson: African-american female fighter pilot If I have that right. I may not have her actual role. I can't remember exactly. I always say fighter pilot, but a military pilot. I'm pretty out of my way. And so she comes out, maybe in a flight suit.
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Jane Atkinson: That is a lightened up version of her kind of knowing who she is, and walking out like the badass that she really is on to stage.
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Kelly Swanson: Yes, I call it your wow factor.
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Kelly Swanson: Um! And sometimes there's more than one. It could just be that you come in from a different place on stage or you sit. I'd never forget the year because it was such an aha for me. I watched. Oh, shoot African American! He worked at Disney.
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Kelly Swanson: Uh
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Kelly Swanson: nah! His name escapes me, but i'll never forget. He gave his whole speech, sitting in a wing back chair at the Nsa. Convention.
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Kelly Swanson: I could not stop thinking about what a different impact and experience he created because he sat in a wing back chair instead of standing up.
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Kelly Swanson: Salmon Bailey, Salmon, Bailey, it doesn't have to be, and going right back to what the point is. It's it's your style. You'll be thinking about? What is
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Jane Atkinson: your authentic style? And how do you demonstrate that more for people?
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Jane Atkinson: So number four is a clear understanding of your substance? What's that? From the good perspective.
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Kelly Swanson: Now I know that some some people
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Kelly Swanson: have a relevant message. They're They're given a keynote, and and I think there's a difference in Do you want me to go heavy into content? Or do you want me to bring a light, relevant message? And when I started iterating that with my car with us with my clients. It was easy for them to go. Oh, just give us a like message, And then that released me. But now i'm talking about your substance. I'm. Talking about your content, and even your messaging should have this
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Kelly Swanson: solution. Are you selling to their problem whether it's one concept or twenty? Do you have a good grasp of your curriculum,
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Kelly Swanson: right? Or are they just random points that you're making? I mean you really have a clear path to a destination.
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Jane Atkinson: I think, in the fact that they are all glued back to one strong idea is so important, and I think I think structure, and having very intentionally crafted messages is really where your
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Kelly Swanson: your brilliant shrines through, because you tend to tie things all together. Now let's talk about how to make that happen, Sure, and you're right. I believe in having a solid structure
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Kelly Swanson: that makes a persuasive argument underneath. The pride's hollow stuff. There will still be a we're in the business of persuasion. This is the problem we have. If we don't fix it, we're relying on data where that's going to be evidence.
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Kelly Swanson: You see, there are different layers, so I know solidly what my content is, and and the progression I need to take people. But let's say we want to make it even better. I think every good speaker should understand what they want to understand their content now to make it epic, sell the transformation and the end result
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Kelly Swanson: and notice we are not just talking about.
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Kelly Swanson: I know you said what makes a good keynote, but in the key there's just a lot in selling your company and selling your inside the keynote. There's a lot of overlap, a lot of the language you're going to use on your website. It's going to be the same argument. I'm going to have you making your keynote. So follow me here. These can work in both places. Sell the transformation and the end result. Wrap your curriculum, your content, your talking points whatever into one bucket. Best advice I have that I exaggerate. But one of the best pieces of advice
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Kelly Swanson: was when Doug Stevenson came to me and said, Stop selling me everything you know about story, Selvia's system. Sell me a method,
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Kelly Swanson: sell me a formula, sell me four steps to this five pillars to that don't sell me everything you know. Sell me the system you have created. People love to buy a system even when you're giving it in your keynote. They love to receive a system. Do you see It's a more organized package way for them to get their information. For example,
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Kelly Swanson: I used to tell people I would come, teach them the power of story.
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Kelly Swanson: Then I changed it to. I will come, teach you my story formula, which is a three-step system to take you from learning about emotional connection, to finding the story idea to crafting it out to powering it up plus four whenever you get it.
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Kelly Swanson: So
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Kelly Swanson: numbers. But we really do love three's, do we not? We? We love three's, and you can change them every time you get a new job
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Kelly Swanson: you can change them based on what they need needed from you. It doesn't have to live an infamy.
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Kelly Swanson: Yes, it doesn't have to be written in stone. So a clear understanding of your substance package. And can I just say
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Jane Atkinson: we need to sell our systems. We need to also sell the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow constantly, rather than getting too far into the weeds, because really we want people to follow us to where we're going.
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Kelly Swanson: Yes, and they they you want them to buy in
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Kelly Swanson: um. I just watched a Ted Talk. I've watched several this week because I work with people on their Ted Talks. I see this a lot in Ted Talks. I see a lot of information, and you get to the end, and you can't really understand
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Kelly Swanson: what that main thing was they wanted you to get,
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Kelly Swanson: and and it wasn't given to you in an organized way. So start watching Ted talks because they're shorter, and they're quicker, and you'll see that even in a short amount of time I walked by going craving. If you'd understood better like. I'll go back to this person now and say, Tell me
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Kelly Swanson: what was the main point? What was the problem? How did how, what's the solution? When you force people to start looking at that. Then everything becomes a lot clearer. Does that make sense, Jane? Or did I just muddy it up, you know.
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Kelly Swanson: Okay, Now listen. We're going to break this up into two different sessions. So I want you to know that you are not
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Jane Atkinson: going to want to miss part, two of moving your presentations from good to epic. So stay tuned, and we will be right back
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Jane Atkinson: Well welcome everyone to the wealthy speaker. Podcast. I am so excited to be talking to my friend Kelly Swanson today about how to move your presentation from good to epic. Kelly. Welcome back to the show!
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Kelly Swanson: Really glad to be here,
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Kelly Swanson: Hey, everybody! Now listen. I'm baking that in order to be inducted into the speaking hall of Fame. You might need to have given an epic speech or two. Am I right?
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Kelly Swanson: Well,
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Kelly Swanson: i'm helping
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Jane Atkinson: or paid off the right people
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tell me how amazing was it to have received this honor from the National Speakers Association this past summer?
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Kelly Swanson: It was surreal. Um on one hand every time the person from the committee called me Jane, I thought they were going to ask for it back.
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Kelly Swanson: I was like, Are you going to take it back. I would even get there and go. Okay. They're going to find a typo on my book. So it's just surreal like, How did this happen to me. But it was a neat moment because
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Kelly Swanson: it just wow, it honored you. You know, my husband, said Kelly, really enjoy this, and really think about how hard you work to get here, and how you did it your way, and that was the neatest thing about it, Jane was. I did not do it a traditional way. I did it my way,
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Kelly Swanson: and it worked. And anyway it was. It's wonderful to have your peers that you've admired for years. Honor you in that way, and you know. But now i'm back to being regular Kelly again.
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Your head has gone down inside,
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Kelly Swanson: not my hair.
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Jane Atkinson: I have to fly your hair.
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Jane Atkinson: Now listen. I want to. I want you to tell everybody kind of your existing business model. What all have you got on the go.
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Kelly Swanson: Ah, okay, so it's. It's pretty complicated, because there's a lot of moving pieces. The thing that drives me most is the keynote. So keynoting from a stage as an artist, I always say, Ah! The art of being the artist drives everything because I can't do. Every spinning plate like It's a full-time job, for example, I also am a private. I do private coaching so, but I just do. If I've heard of mouth, then I happen to offer it, so I don't treat it like other coaches would. So I've got the keynotes, the product
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Kelly Swanson: coaching. I have a one woman shown who hijacked my fairy tale. That's now been in six theaters, and it's booked now for eight more theaters. So
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Jane Atkinson: how exciting! Good for you!
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Kelly Swanson: Now Story Impact Academy. So that's kind of my business model, but really driven by the keynoting aspect of it.
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Kelly Swanson: Ok? Well, congratulations on all friends. I did not know that your one where my show had expanded, and you've lived it through
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Covid, and so many things have.
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Kelly Swanson: Then I launched it. The premiere
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Kelly Swanson: was in January of two thousand and twenty. We did the first show, and then everything shut down. But there's There's silver linings to everything. We also got a lot of attention, because now they weren't booking so more people could go check me out. So there you go right side. There you go, and and I know how much work goes in, because you've told me how much work goes into one of the Ch. So amazing that you have come back from that even stronger. Okay. So today
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Jane Atkinson: we're talking about
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Jane Atkinson: good to epic presentation skills. Lots of people are good, some are even great, and we're talking about how to move to in your presentation. So we've laid out, And actually you gave me these tips for my book, the wealthy paper, three point zero plug for the book. So people are going to be able to see them in the fall in writing. But let's start with Tip number one,
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Jane Atkinson: which is a You've got to have a really strong idea. Talk about that as a good idea, a good speaker, and then let's move it to epic.
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Kelly Swanson: And i'm speaking from the Speaker's perspective, Jane: So if it ever anytime you want to push back and give it to me because you've had the buyer's perspective on this.
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Kelly Swanson: So everybody i'm talking from the speaker's perspective, and that's a very.
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Kelly Swanson: You know. We only have that perspective, and we have to remember that we only see it from where we sit and what's done, what we've done that's worked for us. And I wanted to also say, based on what danger said, going from good to epic, that you've seen a lot of speeches, and you know that the majority of them that you see just sort of get lost in the show after a year or two, and then there's the one
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Jane Atkinson: you don't remember them right. You don't so for your own
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Kelly Swanson: homework.
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Kelly Swanson: What about those speeches you still are remembering? And why? So? This is kind of what I did, and putting the tips together so yes, it starts with a really strong idea which to me you might be like, well done.
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Kelly Swanson: It's not just a bunch of tips cobbled together,
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Kelly Swanson: but one to borrow from Ted talks one really strong idea worth spreading. It's this philosophy that encompasses what you teach and encourages them to hang on to this new perspective, to a problem or the desire they see it's. What is your idea worth spreading?
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Kelly Swanson: What is your idea worth spreading. Okay. So if we were to ratch it up
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Kelly Swanson: Ah ratcheted up, What makes it epic? Okay, What makes it epic is? Make it sound sexy
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Kelly Swanson: different from anything they've heard before. Disrupt the status quo. I don't know if that's sexy anymore. But oh,
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Kelly Swanson: anyway, Sorry disruption is sexy. Actually, Okay, all the businesses that are so successful. Okay, and eventually it won't be anymore as everybody starts doing it. But connected to the hot topic of the day.
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Kelly Swanson: Now, here's an example of sexy, in my opinion. Anyway, my program was first called hanging on to humor when life doesn't go the way you plan.
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Kelly Swanson: Okay, that works. When I wanted to make it relevant to the client, I changed it to who hijacked my health care system.
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Kelly Swanson: It's a sexy your title. It's an easy tweak you can make to language that goes from good to epic.
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Kelly Swanson: Okay. So who hijacked my health care system, especially if you're on audience and health care, that's exactly what we want is for somebody to say. I know exactly what you're going through right now, and so that little ex you know the word hijacked.
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Kelly Swanson: So we have to obviously be aware of that. But it's working for you in the way, because you also use it to hijack my fairies,
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Kelly Swanson: and I should make that clear to those who who don't know that already my first book was called, who hijacked my fairy tale, and so I was kind of. And and when I went from just hanging on to humor to who hijacked my fairy tale alone, it had a massive change. People to this day
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Kelly Swanson: that time, even with hijack being in it, I have not had one person. The only times people have changed. It is when we thought it might be too chickish, and we've made it more, you know, a little bit more male and female. But then, when I made it to hijack my healthcare system, you know again, it added that relevancy,
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Kelly Swanson: that doesn't mean that you shouldn't go through your programming, and especially your titles, and ask yourself, is this problematic?
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Kelly Swanson: And so we didn't do it necessarily to cave into political correctness.
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Kelly Swanson: It's your own choice. It's your own.
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It's not going to be black and white ever.
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Kelly Swanson: It's your own. I'm gonna make. I've retired jokes because somebody said, you know. Look at how that could be looked at. And I like, Okay, yeah, you're right. And I had to make a decision, and sometimes I didn't um, and here's a great example, too, and and I don't know if i'm calling out any. But but I had one friend who she was working on a book, and I was like, Oh, my God, you've got to call it
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Kelly Swanson: that's that! That is a great title. It's related to your story. You were held at gunpoint, you know. Boom, boom! And she was like No, no, no, no, will not cannot personally don't like it, and I, of course I respect that she chose not to. And I was like man. That's a good title.
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Kelly Swanson: Yeah, fair enough.
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Kelly Swanson: Now somebody's come along and used it for sales.
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Kelly Swanson: Yes, and and created the whole brand around it.
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Kelly Swanson: Does that. I don't think that makes one right or wrong. It's going to come to a personal choice, anyway. It's it's yes, you. But you're right. You have to look at it and and and make that decision. I have to think about it for you. Okay. So I love Tip Number two because it's show them that you get No, yeah. I really think a lot of people can put more emphasis on this more intention.
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Let's say on to this
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Kelly Swanson: sure um, And by the way, on that one we just said, just have an idea worth spreading a philosophy, you know, and make the idea connect to them and their industry even better.
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Kelly Swanson: Okay. So now we're talking about a good speech shows them that you get them, and that I think you already understand, understand and illustrate
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Kelly Swanson: the problems they have,
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Kelly Swanson: how that's making them feel
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Kelly Swanson: what desires they have,
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and how that's making them feel. And the feel is important there, too. This isn't what you think they need, or even the meeting planner.
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Kelly Swanson: It's about tapping into their story, and what motivates them. What does your audience care about? How can you get to know them now? That's what I think every good speaker should be doing already is. Show them that you get what they're wishing for.
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Jane Atkinson: Yes, and I think this comes from doing good research ahead of time, and there's a lot more we could get into that, you know, making them the heroes of your stories, et cetera. But let's talk about what takes it from good to epic.
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Kelly Swanson: Um
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Kelly Swanson: is going is going beyond just telling them. I mean, we've seen somebody say, Oh, your jobs are hard. You had to do that,
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Kelly Swanson: I always say, Show me, Don't, tell me so. If you can illustrate that you get how hard life is from where they sit, it'll be more meaningful.
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Kelly Swanson: Ah, for example, this is a hard But when I want to illustrate how people self-sabotage with their inner script, I open my speech by talking to myself in a mirror,
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Kelly Swanson: which I think is so. Pray I love it, I love it. It's very brave, and I don't do it for every audience, you know. Um, but but the the point is, i'm not saying. Everybody needs to open talking to a mirror, not even saying you need to do brave things, I'm saying,
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Kelly Swanson: Show me that you understand their pain, instead of just telling me you've seen speakers before that sort of check off the box for saying it must be hard, and you know they're not tapped into that. Find a way to illustrate life from where they said,
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Kelly Swanson: Give me thirty seconds of you talking to yourself in the mirror. What might you say? Um, I did it the other day at a keynote, and it was virtual, and when they introduced me, I went. Is this like on?
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Jane Atkinson: Is it, Bill?
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Kelly Swanson: I turn it? Oh, wow! This is like it.
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Oh, no! We haven't started Yet
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Kelly Swanson: all these people staring at me. They're gonna wait for me to say something that's gonna change their lives.
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Kelly Swanson: Probably shouldn't have that third, Margarita.
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Kelly Swanson: I got another hair growing out of my chin, or if I get another one, I can break them. See? And I did the whole opening,
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Kelly Swanson: and then I just kind of went. Oh, we're lab. It's running right now.
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Kelly Swanson: So okay for that,
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Kelly Swanson: you are listening to this without the video, you can all that try to be on Youtube. By the way, Kelly's
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Kelly Swanson: Kelly's facing Uber, close into the camera, and it was very funny. Thank you for demonstrating that I was. I didn't think about it being podcasted, I would be able to see. But I just have a conversation i'm like, Look at all these people that I just talk to myself, and then i'm spin it, and it's segregated.
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Oh, look at what it! And you know Sometimes
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Kelly Swanson: we are so hard on ourselves, and I think for you to amplify that it's just so. Oh, okay, she gets me, I say yes. Oh, I feel like, Oh, i'll turn to the audience. I'll say, what's that? Boys telling me when you look in the mirror, and why does it matter? And we're all now. Not Everybody's going to be that brave
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Kelly Swanson: I did it for? Ah, I could go in front of a group of alcohol Abc stores or the alcohol stores in our area. I spoke to their managers. I opened up with this just funny little bit about how thankful I am for Abc stores and what they did for me during covid and it was tongue-in-chief, and it was you, you know, and it was, and it kind of spun into. Ah, yeah, I know your jobs are hard, and I know this, and you know it must be like this, and and and and and and see. See, I was showing that
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Kelly Swanson: I was showing them in a different way. You could also show them by having a story that says, you know that. Thank you. Nurses, You know your jobs are hard. Okay, that's just telling them
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Kelly Swanson: My sister's a nurse, and I remember her saying, You know you're just taking that extra step to say I get you and I get what you're going through, and some people don't even say it. Anyway,
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Jane Atkinson: I remember her walking in after a twelve-hour shift with the marks from the mask on her face, and really demonstrating it beautifully that
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Kelly Swanson: all right. So moving on to a number three, What
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Jane Atkinson: a clear understanding of your style! Talk a little bit about what's it? From a good perspective, and then we'll flip over to epic.
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Kelly Swanson: Yeah, and understand, too, that I look at things I like to. As an artist, I look at websites like an album cover. And there's that whole, you being you're selling you in a them, You, the artist, hit the music and them what they're buying the kind of songs that they like, whatever. So that's kind of how I think of style in a way for us. So are you lots of humor with the light relevant message.
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Kelly Swanson: I mean that works. There's plenty for some people that are you deep content with a lot of interaction? Are you facilitating a group conversation with tips walking in. Do you play games and crack jokes, are you? Ah, take off the face and get real approach to a subject. Are you touching in heartfelt Are you? Um, a combination of Tony Robbins and Oprah?
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Kelly Swanson: I believe, Jane, that no matter what your topic, consider that you're that artist on that stage Now, unless you're a training company where your face really is not what you're selling, I mean, and that's important to note. That's different, because there's No, there's no identity attached to you for many of us. The brand falls apart. If you take Kelly Swanson out of it, and that's kind of where i'm coming from so
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Kelly Swanson: um
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Kelly Swanson: understanding your style,
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Kelly Swanson: man, have I not believed this any more than now at where I am in my career? Understanding your style will keep you from reinventing the wheel every time you write a speech it will make it easier to sell and more marketable. If you can show people where they're going to get. The style is what sets you apart from every other speaker.
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Kelly Swanson: Now that's what every speaker, I believe, should should have a good understanding of their style, and not what the style should be. That's the I kept spent so many years going. Baby, I need
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Kelly Swanson: be a trader, or maybe I need to be this, or maybe I need to be like that person. No, and I got to this point where they gave me that award, and I looked back and I went. I should have just chosen what I wanted to be,
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Kelly Swanson: and gone with it,
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Kelly Swanson: and and and not trying to keep thinking how I needed to change my style. All right. So that's that's what I think a good one. Now, we're not even talking up again.
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Jane Atkinson: I I want to just read the word authentic in there, because I think when you truly land on your most authentic, I think when you first get in the industry, it's very easy to start to absorb a little piece of this person's style a little,
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Kelly Swanson: he said. This person's job, and then you start to lose yourself in the mix. And so, when you truly step into your most authentic self, then great. So I wonder. Um! There was an example so moving into epic. Well, I want to say one thing about that.
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Kelly Swanson: You Still, you can't sell yourself as just an authentic speaker.
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Kelly Swanson: Okay? Well, I would challenge you. I'm agreeing with everything you're saying, and go one step further,
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Kelly Swanson: and be able to define what that authentic style is, and looks like. But I agree with you one thousand when you step into your authenticity, and and it doesn't have to be pirouettes and flips and music, and you know you can simply speak from the heart about what means something to you.
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Kelly Swanson: So when we level it up to epic talk about prides hollow, and how you step fully into your most authentic self-
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Kelly Swanson: This will freak some people out
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Kelly Swanson: right. They'll be like. This is not fair. I can't. I'm not that everybody will go this far?
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Kelly Swanson: No, and what you have to understand is this is what I wanted to do all along the
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Kelly Swanson: I was the kid
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Kelly Swanson: who got picked on, and who bullied. Sorry i'm kind of emotional. I don't know why, when I think about it, and I zipped myself up in an imaginary town with a group of people, I I created a story I could live in,
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Kelly Swanson: actually moving forward in my keynotes. It's going to become the story, you know, and and what what was my refuge became my art,
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Kelly Swanson: and and and so I've spent my whole life knowing if I was supposed to tell you all this story so. But to make it just an you know an example of a unique way to illustrate your style as different. I will challenge anybody to find somebody who is doing what I'm going to be doing,
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Kelly Swanson: and that's not you. Don't, get more points for that. I'm just saying that charges me up. I'm embracing the fact of my pride's hollow. Okay, it's my second theater show. So that's the I know where it's going with that it is. I turned my newsletter into the Pridesholm Gazette.
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Kelly Swanson: Okay, that was a bold. I am rebranding myself, not changing anything else. I do. But i'm putting it all under. That's my second job, as i'm editor of the Gazette.
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Kelly Swanson: So you get your as that as the newsletter, and it's very real to me, and then you get a black and white copy on your place at the keynote so. And then, when I'm in my keynote, the phone rings and people are calling me with the stories they want me to put in the Gazette, so it gives me a reason to tell you, Earl, I can't talk. I'm i'm talking supply chain people. Yes, i'm speaking to supply chain. I don't know exactly what it is they did. I don't know how you you know
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Kelly Swanson: I do a whole customized bit for the for you know, customize that I hang up, and yes, I do this right on stage, and then I say y'all in addition to a speaker, i'm also editor of the magazine, putting their stories in, and you got to hear what happened in our town, because all it all started with the letter.
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Kelly Swanson: And so i'm telling you the story about. We all got these letters in our town, asking what we would do if we were brave. And this is my store. I want to tell you the stories of what these people did, their episodes, their shorts, their stories in my keynote, and they can be written to fit the audience. They become my material. But then I pause, and it's the last thing i'll say, I don't want to go too deep into it.
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Kelly Swanson: Then I pause, and i'll say, speaking of the voices, i'll tell my story also of being with the you. Don't, realize that these two stories i'm telling you Don't, realize i'll tell this my my story about having these voices and characters in my head, and then I stop and I go. Let's talk about the voices for a minute,
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Kelly Swanson: and I stopped. I did this in a ninety-minute virtual keynote. I stopped and said, We're going to talk about how you rewrite voices, and when
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Kelly Swanson: deep into content, If it had been a different kind of client, I would have gone deep into. Let's talk about how story changed our town, and how you can influence for a new story, and then we go back into it. So that's an example, and i'm. So i'm telling you that it's the hardest thing I've ever done. Do not try this at home. Oh, what you're doing!
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Kelly Swanson: It sound cool and delicious, and and keep in mind. This has been written because I want I shouldn't say the big stage opportunities we shouldn't be thinking, and some of my biggest clients only had eleven people in there. But this is the kind of thing that you're going to want at your National Conference to open or to close It's just It's got as much entertainment as it does content,
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Jane Atkinson: like a one-woman show in a keynote. But let's give a lightened up version of this
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Kelly Swanson: Yeah,
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Jane Atkinson: bernice flygirl armor.
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Kelly Swanson: Yeah.
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Jane Atkinson: A Uh
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Kelly Swanson: African-american female fighter pilot If I have that right. I may not have her actual role. I can't remember exactly. I always say fighter pilot, but a military pilot. I'm pretty out of my way. And so she comes out, maybe in a flight suit.
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Jane Atkinson: That is a lightened up version of her kind of knowing who she is, and walking out like the badass that she really is on to stage.
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Kelly Swanson: Yes, I call it your wow factor.
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Kelly Swanson: Um! And sometimes there's more than one. It could just be that you come in from a different place on stage or you sit. I'd never forget the year because it was such an aha for me. I watched. Oh, shoot African American! He worked at Disney.
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Kelly Swanson: Uh
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Kelly Swanson: nah! His name escapes me, but i'll never forget. He gave his whole speech, sitting in a wing back chair at the Nsa. Convention.
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Kelly Swanson: I could not stop thinking about what a different impact and experience he created because he sat in a wing back chair instead of standing up.
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Kelly Swanson: Salmon Bailey, Salmon, Bailey, it doesn't have to be, and going right back to what the point is. It's it's your style. You'll be thinking about? What is
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Jane Atkinson: your authentic style? And how do you demonstrate that more for people?
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Jane Atkinson: So number four is a clear understanding of your substance? What's that? From the good perspective.
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Kelly Swanson: Now I know that some some people
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Kelly Swanson: have a relevant message. They're They're given a keynote, and and I think there's a difference in Do you want me to go heavy into content? Or do you want me to bring a light, relevant message? And when I started iterating that with my car with us with my clients. It was easy for them to go. Oh, just give us a like message, And then that released me. But now i'm talking about your substance. I'm. Talking about your content, and even your messaging should have this
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Kelly Swanson: solution. Are you selling to their problem whether it's one concept or twenty? Do you have a good grasp of your curriculum,
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Kelly Swanson: right? Or are they just random points that you're making? I mean you really have a clear path to a destination.
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Jane Atkinson: I think, in the fact that they are all glued back to one strong idea is so important, and I think I think structure, and having very intentionally crafted messages is really where your
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Kelly Swanson: your brilliant shrines through, because you tend to tie things all together. Now let's talk about how to make that happen, Sure, and you're right. I believe in having a solid structure
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Kelly Swanson: that makes a persuasive argument underneath. The pride's hollow stuff. There will still be a we're in the business of persuasion. This is the problem we have. If we don't fix it, we're relying on data where that's going to be evidence.
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Kelly Swanson: You see, there are different layers, so I know solidly what my content is, and and the progression I need to take people. But let's say we want to make it even better. I think every good speaker should understand what they want to understand their content now to make it epic, sell the transformation and the end result
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Kelly Swanson: and notice we are not just talking about.
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Kelly Swanson: I know you said what makes a good keynote, but in the key there's just a lot in selling your company and selling your inside the keynote. There's a lot of overlap, a lot of the language you're going to use on your website. It's going to be the same argument. I'm going to have you making your keynote. So follow me here. These can work in both places. Sell the transformation and the end result. Wrap your curriculum, your content, your talking points whatever into one bucket. Best advice I have that I exaggerate. But one of the best pieces of advice
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Kelly Swanson: was when Doug Stevenson came to me and said, Stop selling me everything you know about story, Selvia's system. Sell me a method,
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Kelly Swanson: sell me a formula, sell me four steps to this five pillars to that don't sell me everything you know. Sell me the system you have created. People love to buy a system even when you're giving it in your keynote. They love to receive a system. Do you see It's a more organized package way for them to get their information. For example,
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Kelly Swanson: I used to tell people I would come, teach them the power of story.
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Kelly Swanson: Then I changed it to. I will come, teach you my story formula, which is a three-step system to take you from learning about emotional connection, to finding the story idea to crafting it out to powering it up plus four whenever you get it.
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Kelly Swanson: So
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Kelly Swanson: numbers. But we really do love three's, do we not? We? We love three's, and you can change them every time you get a new job
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Kelly Swanson: you can change them based on what they need needed from you. It doesn't have to live an infamy.
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Kelly Swanson: Yes, it doesn't have to be written in stone. So a clear understanding of your substance package. And can I just say
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Jane Atkinson: we need to sell our systems. We need to also sell the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow constantly, rather than getting too far into the weeds, because really we want people to follow us to where we're going.
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Kelly Swanson: Yes, and they they you want them to buy in
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Kelly Swanson: um. I just watched a Ted Talk. I've watched several this week because I work with people on their Ted Talks. I see this a lot in Ted Talks. I see a lot of information, and you get to the end, and you can't really understand
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Kelly Swanson: what that main thing was they wanted you to get,
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Kelly Swanson: and and it wasn't given to you in an organized way. So start watching Ted talks because they're shorter, and they're quicker, and you'll see that even in a short amount of time I walked by going craving. If you'd understood better like. I'll go back to this person now and say, Tell me
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Kelly Swanson: what was the main point? What was the problem? How did how, what's the solution? When you force people to start looking at that. Then everything becomes a lot clearer. Does that make sense, Jane? Or did I just muddy it up, you know.
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Kelly Swanson: Okay, Now listen. We're going to break this up into two different sessions. So I want you to know that you are not
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Jane Atkinson: going to want to miss part, two of moving your presentations from good to epic. So stay tuned, and we will be right back
Highlights you won’t want to miss:
- Really, the NSA Speaker Hall of Fame? [1:00]
- Kelly’s business model. [2:00]
- A strong foundation. [4:30]
- Show them that you get them. [9:30]
- Finding your authentic style. [14:30]
- Your WOW factor. [22:00]
- Understanding your substance. [23:00]
Kelly’s wacky wit and powerful stories have charmed hearts and tickled funny bones for over 18 years. In addition to her role as a funny motivational speaker, Kelly teaches people how she does it by sharing what she has learned about connecting and engaging to have more influence in business through the use of one tool – strategic storytelling. Sharing her own powerful journey through story and the formula she discovered, you come to that magical place where the art of story meets the business of persuasion.
If you could use some help in creating your epic presentation, you simply can’t afford to miss this episode (or the next one)!
I hope you’ll download and learn.
Links:
Kelly’s website
Kelly’s books: US Canada
Kelly’s LinkedIn profile
Jane’s LinkedIn profile
The Wealthy Speaker School
