The Art of Credibility: Master Your Vocal Executive Presence | Dr. Laura Sicola

In this episode of the Marketing Boost Solutions Podcast, Capt. Marco interviews an expert in leadership communication and influence, Dr. Laura Sicola. She’s the founder of Vocal Impact Productions, and author of the book Speaking to Influence: Mastering Your Leadership Voice. Her TEDx talk, “Want to Sound Like a Leader? Start by Saying Your Name Right,” has nearly 7 million views (how cool is that?) ;-) And she has a great podcast, “Speaking to Influence: Communication secrets of the C-Suite,” which is all about the role of communication as an essential leadership skill.This conversation tackles the importance of sounding credible in various roles and the pitfalls of not considering the audience. Dr. Laura emphasizes the need to align the message with how it is delivered and the importance of branding and consistency in conveying a message. They also talk about the real significant elements in closing the deal. Her website offers a ten-week program called "Ten Weeks to Influence," which focuses on taking expertise and passion and effectively communicating it to captivate the audience. Find out more about her below: Website:https://vocalimpactproductions.com/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/drlaurasicola/ Facebook:https://www.facebook.com/leadershipvoice1/ Not a MarketingBoost Solutions member yet? Book a free Brainstorming Session with our team today to learn more about our travel incentives. Click here:https://api.automationbooster.com/widget/appointment/brainstorm-session/mb Whether you are a start-up or a well-established business, you need to have a robust platform to help you scale your business with the ease of automating Marketing Boost travel incentives. Schedule a call with our team to explore what Automation Booster can do for you. Book here: https://api.automationbooster.com/widget/bookings/brainstorm-session/ab Timestamps: The importance of audience and premeditated planning [00:03:54] Dr. Laura discusses the significance of considering the audience and planning ahead to achieve the desired impact. Aligning what is said with how it is said [00:05:12] Dr. Laura emphasizes the importance of aligning the message with the delivery to establish credibility and trust. The three C's: Command, Connect, and Close [00:08:10] Dr. Laura explains the three C's of commanding the room, connecting with the audience, and closing the deal for effective communication and influence. The importance of branding and audience [00:10:54] Dr. Laura discusses the importance of considering the audience and aligning one's brand with the message being conveyed. The Pitfalls of Forgettable Communication [00:20:59] Discussion on how some speakers were forgettable due to bland content, nervousness, and lack of fluency. Coaching for Future Debates [00:22:24] Advice on how to improve performance in debates, including avoiding telegraphing nerves and being more judicious in tone and delivery. The Power of Video in Building Influence [00:26:04] Importance of using videos to connect with the audience, promote personal branding, and increase recognition and engagement. The importance of being interesting and engaging [00:31:10] Dr. Laura discusses the importance of being both smart and interesting to captivate and connect with the audience. Free resources for improving communication skills [00:35:06] Dr. Laura mentions two free resources: a guide to equipment recommendations for virtual influence and a one-page worksheet called "Listening to Influence" for having sensitive conversations.