How to Create a Disney-Level Speaking Experience with Vance Morris - 336
The Speaking Club: Mastering the Art of Public SpeakingShow Notes
A lot of speakers think their job starts when they walk on stage. But what if a huge chunk of your impact, and your future bookings, are being created long before that moment… and long after it ends? In this episode of The Speaking Club, I'm joined by former Disney leader and customer experience expert Vance Morris to explore what happens when speakers start thinking differently about customer experience. Because as a speaker, you have more "customers" than you think. They're: * The event organiser * The person booking you * The AV team * The audience members talking about you afterwards * And every person interacting with your brand before, during, and after the stage And every one of those touchpoints shapes whether you get remembered, referred, or rebooked. In this conversation, Vance shares what speakers can learn from Disney about creating memorable experiences, building loyalty, and turning one speaking gig into multiple opportunities. We explore how the experience starts before you arrive, continues through your delivery, and extends long after the applause. Because a great talk matters. But the experience around it? That's often what fills the pipeline. What you'll discover: • The unexpected lesson from Vance's journey — from Disney to bankruptcy — that still shapes how he runs his business today • What most speakers get wrong about customer experience (and what Disney does differently) • Where speakers are quietly "bleeding profit" — and why they don't even see it • How to turn one speaking gig into multiple opportunities (without chasing the next booking) • The things speakers do that they think build loyalty… but actually push clients away • How to create a "Disney-level" experience that people remember — without it feeling forced or gimmicky • Why combining direct-response marketing with customer experience changes everything • What actually moved the needle in building Vance's speaking business — and what turned out to be a waste of time Enjoy! If you'd like to watch the video of the episode, you can do that here>> Guest Information: Website: https://vancemorris.com LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/vancemorris/ Books & Resources*: Think and Grow Rich by Napoleon Hill The Ultimate Marketing System by Dan Kennedy 52 Ways to Wow Your Customer Speaking Resources: Grab Your From Blank Page to Stage Guide and Nail the Topic for a Client Winning Talk: https://saraharcher.co.uk/newguide-tsc Want to get better at finding and sharing your stories then check out our FREE Five Day Snackable Story Challenge: https://www.saraharcher.co.uk/challenge To share your thoughts: · leave a comment below. · Share this show on Facebook or LinkedIn. To help the show out: · Leave an honest review at https://www.ratethispodcast.com/tsc Your ratings and reviews really help get the word out and I read each one. *(please note if you use my link I get a small commission, but this does not affect your payment)
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Let's be honest... Most of us think moderating a panel is just introducing the speakers, asking a few questions and making sure nobody waffles on for too long. Turns out... it's a little more complicated than that. Xenia Wickett has moderated conversations with some of the most influential people in the world, CEOs and senior policymakers including people like Elon Musk and Volodymyr Zelenskyy. Xenia has spent her career working at the highest levels of international affairs, advising governments and businesses, and moderating conversations. In this episode she shares what she's learned about guiding discussions, managing disagreement, reading an audience and asking the kinds of questions that unlock genuinely interesting conversations. Whether you ever plan to chair a panel or not, you'll come away with ideas that will make you a better speaker, interviewer and communicator. What you'll discover: • How Xenia found herself moderating some of the world's biggest conversations • Why moderation is far more than asking questions and keeping time • What interviewing CEOs and world leaders taught her about communication • How to challenge influential people without becoming confrontational • The subtle signs a conversation is losing the audience • How to keep discussions productive when opinions collide • The mistake many speakers make that frustrates moderators • Why listening is often a communicator's greatest superpower • Practical advice if you'd like to moderate panels yourself • The communication habits every speaker can borrow from great moderators Enjoy! If you'd like to watch the video of the episode, you can do that on our YouTube Channel shortly. Guest Information: Website: www.wickettadvisory.com Xenia's Blog: https://www.wickettadvisory.com/blog LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/xenia-wickett-2686b0 Books & Resources*: Winnie the Pooh by A.A.Milne TEDx | 5 Tips for Asking Better Questions, Xenia Wickett: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3IuyCJUJgDk You can find Xenia's interview with Elon Musk here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mWCfqBb0YTE Blog: How to Moderate Powerful Conversations: https://www.wickettadvisory.com/post/how-to-moderate-powerful-conversations [Quick Tip] Talk Flow Tips: Create Seamless Transitions Like a Pro, Episode 326 Speaking Resources: Grab Your From Blank Page to Stage Guide and Nail the Topic for a Client Winning Talk: https://saraharcher.co.uk/newguide-tsc Want to get better at finding and sharing your stories then check out our FREE Five Day Snackable Story Challenge: https://www.saraharcher.co.uk/challenge To share your thoughts: · leave a comment below. · Share this show on Facebook or LinkedIn. To help the show out: · Leave an honest review at https://www.ratethispodcast.com/tsc. Your ratings and reviews really help get the word out and I read each one. *(please note if you use my link I get a small commission, but this does not affect your payment)
Many speakers think that the sexiest part of their story for the audience is the before and after. They're wrong. The most valuable bit is often missed entirely or not given the space it deserves in your talk. In this episode, I'm covering what that missing part is, what leaving it out is costing you and why you might feel resistance to including it in your signature story. If you've ever felt your story isn't quite landing with your audience, or not getting you the results you want when you speak this episode might explain why ... and completely change the way you tell it. What you'll discover: • The storytelling mistake Sarah spotted happening judging this year's Speaker Awards • What The Odyssey can teach you about telling a memorable signature story • Why audiences care less about your success than you might think • The missing piece of your story that undermines trust • Why sharing your failures can make you more credible, not less • The reason audiences often admire your transformation but don't believe they can achieve it themselves • How expert blindness can sabotage your story • The simple questions that help you uncover the lessons hidden inside your story • How to include the struggle, even if you've only got a short speaking slot • Why the decisions you made matter more than the destination you reached • What caterpillars, butterflies and chicken recipes have to do with great storytelling Enjoy! If you'd like to watch the video of the episode, you can do that here>> Speaking Resources: Grab Your From Blank Page to Stage Guide and Nail the Topic for a Client Winning Talk: https://saraharcher.co.uk/newguide-tsc Episode 194, Storytelling. The Long and Short of It: https://thespeakingclub.com/episodes/tsc/194 Want to get better at finding and sharing your stories then check out our FREE Five Day Snackable Story Challenge: https://www.saraharcher.co.uk/challenge To share your thoughts: · leave a comment below. · Share this show on Facebook or LinkedIn. To help the show out: · Leave an honest review at https://www.ratethispodcast.com/tsc Your ratings and reviews really help get the word out and I read each one. *(please note if you use my link I get a small commission, but this does not affect your payment)