How to Use Public Speaking to Build and Elevate Your Founder or Personal Brand
Liam Sandford
Liam Sandford is a public speaking coach, marketing leader, and 2x Best Selling Author, including the book Effortless Public Speaking. He helps introverted professionals and leaders take control of public speaking anxiety and use speaking to market themselves, build influence, and communicate with impact.
Public speaking is one of the fastest and most effective ways to grow a personal or founder brand. Speaking builds visibility, credibility, and trust much faster that written content can. Whether on stage, in a video, or guesting on podcasts, every time you speak, you show the world what you stand for and how you think. This shows a level of depth that adds to your credibility and helps in the trust building process with your audience.
When used strategically, speaking can accelerate your business growth, expand your influence, and position you as a thought leader in your industry. It allows you to connect directly with your ideal audience, differentiate your message, and attract opportunities that align with your vision and values.
Why Public Speaking Is a Strategic Growth Channel for Founders and Personal Brands
Speaking is not just about communication. It is about influence. When founders and leaders speak publicly, they build authority faster than through most other marketing channels. Speaking transforms abstract ideas into personal connection and turns expertise into trust.
Building Credibility Through Consistent Visibility
Visibility is a powerful form of credibility. Every time you appear on a stage, podcast, or social media feed, you give your audience another opportunity to see you as an authority in your field. Over time, this visibility compounds and shapes public perception. People remember those who speak with clarity and confidence.
For founders, this credibility does more than attract followers, it attracts investors, partners, and customers who trust your expertise. By consistently showing up and sharing insights, you become synonymous with the values and solutions your brand represents.
This consistency also signals reliability. The more often you are seen contributing value, the more people begin to expect thought leadership from you. Eventually, you are not just participating in industry conversations, you are leading them.
Transforming Expertise Into Thought Leadership
Expertise is what you know. Thought leadership is how you share it. Speaking is the bridge between the two. When you translate your experiences, data, and lessons into stories that inspire others, you become a trusted guide rather than just another professional.
Great thought leaders take complex ideas and make them practical for others. They use stories to connect emotionally and insights to demonstrate depth. By developing your own perspective and sharing it regularly, you differentiate your personal brand from competitors who rely on general knowledge or surface level commentary.
When audiences perceive you as a thought leader, they not only trust your ideas but also associate your brand with innovation, authority, and authenticity.
Defining Your Brand Story and Core Message
Your personal or founder brand begins with your story. Before you step onto any stage or record any video, you need to define what you want to be known for and why it matters. Your story gives your speaking authenticity, and your core message gives it direction. It’s ultimately a big reason why people will listen to you and buy from you. Your founders story humanizes you and your brand.
Crafting a Compelling Founder Story
Every founder has a journey that includes moments of challenge, discovery, and transformation. These experiences are what make your brand relatable. When you share your story honestly, you allow your audience to see not just what you have achieved, but what you stand for.
Your founder story should answer three key questions:
Why did you start your business?
What problem were you trying to solve?
What lessons have you learned along the way?
Audiences connect deeply with transparency. They want to hear the human side behind the brand. When you communicate your journey clearly, you turn your personal experience into a brand narrative that inspires loyalty and engagement.
Developing a Core Message That Reinforces Your Brand
Your core message is the thread that connects every speaking appearance, social post, and interview. It defines what you want your audience to think and feel about you.
To develop your message, focus on three components:
Clarity: Keep it simple enough that someone can repeat it after hearing it once.
Relevance: Tie it directly to your audience’s goals and pain points. Even though it’s your story, you need your audience to see themselves in your story.
Consistency: Reinforce the same message across every platform and speaking format.
When your story and message align, you create a strong foundation for brand recognition. Over time, your audience begins to associate your name with a specific idea or expertise area, which strengthens your positioning in your niche.
Choosing the Right Stages to Build Authority
The best speaking opportunities are the ones that place you in front of your ideal audience. Not all events or platforms will serve your goals equally. Choosing where to speak strategically ensures that your time and effort translate into long term growth.
Selecting High Value Events That Match Your Goals
Industry conferences, business summits, and professional associations often attract concentrated groups of decision makers and potential clients. Speaking at these events positions you alongside respected peers and gives you the credibility of being endorsed by a trusted platform.
When selecting events, prioritise quality over quantity. Speaking to 50 highly relevant attendees can be more impactful than presenting to 1,000 people outside your niche. Research who attends each event, what industries are represented, and what kind of speakers are typically featured. Also consider the credibility you might gain from being associated with the event, or what kind of reach the event might give you both before or after the event on social media.
Align your event selection with your brand goals. For example, if your aim is to attract enterprise clients, choose industry conferences or panel discussions where corporate decision makers are present. If your focus is on growing a community or product led brand, look for events that prioritize storytelling and audience engagement.
Maximizing Exposure Through Virtual Stages
Virtual events such as webinars, digital conferences, and podcasts can offer huge reach. They remove geographic limitations, or physical room sizes and allow you to connect with audiences worldwide.
The key to succeeding in virtual speaking is preparation. Engage with the audience using polls, Q&A sessions, and storytelling. Speak with energy and intention, even if you cannot see the audience.
Recordings of virtual public speaking can be great for repurposing in your social media content. A single appearance can become short form social clips, or YouTube videos, and even blog posts if you pull the transcript. Virtual stages extend the lifespan of your message and help you build digital authority even when you are not physically present. For more on how to maximize event coverage from public speaking, check out the Ultimate Guide to Public Speaking in Marketing.
Evaluating Each Opportunity for Strategic Fit
Before accepting any speaking engagement, evaluate it carefully. Consider whether the event aligns with your expertise, brand values, and long term objectives.
Ask yourself:
Does this audience align with my target market?
Will my message resonate with the event’s purpose?
Can I repurpose this content on other platforms?
By filtering opportunities through these questions, you maintain control over how your brand is represented and ensure every appearance contributes to measurable brand impact.
Social Media Speaking: Building an Online Audience That Converts
Your social media channels are digital stages where you can speak directly to your audience every day. Creating bespoke video content allows you to expand your reach, grow trust at scale, and turn your followers into loyal customers.
Using Video to Demonstrate Authority and Personality
Video allows your audience to experience your energy, tone, and authenticity. Platforms like YouTube are ideal for longform educational content where you can go deep on topics, while short form platforms like Instagram and LinkedIn are perfect for quick, attention grabbing insights.
The best performing videos open with a strong hook, share a single powerful message, and end with a clear call to action. You do not need high end production (although it helps), but you do need clarity, confidence, and relevance.
When you use your voice and personality to deliver insights consistently, people begin to feel they know you personally. That familiarity translates directly into brand trust and stronger customer relationships.
Amplify Your Reach Through Event Collaborations
Social media is also a powerful amplifier for your live speaking appearances. By collaborating with event organizers, tagging official event profiles, and sharing behind the scenes moments, you can reach thousands of people who are not physically in the room.
This approach allows you to rent the event’s audience and borrow its credibility. Share updates before the event to build anticipation, post live during the session to increase engagement, and publish follow up content afterward to maintain visibility.
You can even create a content series around your presentation, breaking it into short clips or insights that reinforce your message. This makes your speaking work harder for you and strengthens your online authority while keeping your audience engaged over time.
In Person Networking: Turning Speaking Into Relationship Capital
Speaking at live events provides more than visibility. It gives you the opportunity to build lasting relationships with people who attend your presentation. In person networking creates depth, trust, and momentum that digital communication often can’t match.
Building Authentic Relationships Beyond the Stage
When you speak at an event, people approach you with curiosity and respect. You are already positioned as someone worth listening to, which opens doors to meaningful conversations.
After your session, take time to connect with attendees, fellow speakers, and organisers. Ask questions, listen carefully, and look for ways to add value before expecting anything in return. These genuine interactions often lead to collaborations, partnerships, or client opportunities that are far more impactful than one time impressions.
Finding Community and Support as a Founder
For many founders, the entrepreneurial journey can feel isolating. Speaking at events connects you with others who understand the challenges of building a business. These relationships often evolve into communities that provide advice, accountability, and collaboration.
Networking also helps you identify mentors, advisors, or peers who can support your professional development. The people you meet at events today may become partners, investors, or advocates in the future. Building these relationships through authentic speaking and engagement creates a strong foundation for sustainable brand growth.
Building Thought Leadership Through Consistent Speaking Content
Speaking becomes truly powerful when it is consistent. Each appearance reinforces your authority and builds recognition over time, as well as your confidence as a speaker. When integrated with a content strategy, your speaking engagements can drive long term visibility and business growth.
Repurposing Talks Into Multi-Channel Content
Every time you speak, you are generating valuable content. Turn your presentations into short form social videos, newsletters, or blog posts. Use excerpts, quotes, or insights to create educational or inspirational posts that continue to engage your audience long after the event.
Repurposing also boosts SEO. Search engines value original, expert led content. By publishing key insights from your presentations, you position yourself as an authority in your field and increase the discoverability of your brand across both search engines and AI driven platforms.
Turning Speaking Engagements Into Brand Growth Opportunities
Speaking is the beginning of the conversation, not the end. The way you follow up after each event determines how much long term value you gain from the opportunity.
Following Up Strategically After Events
After every speaking engagement, reach out to event organizers, connect with attendees, and share key takeaways on social media. A simple thank you message or follow up post can go a long way in maintaining relationships and increasing visibility.
You can also ask organizers for feedback or testimonials that strengthen your credibility for future opportunities. These relationships often lead to referrals and invitations to larger or more targeted events.
Transforming Awareness Into Long Term Brand Momentum
Speaking builds attention, but it is your follow up strategy that converts it into growth. Capture leads by directing your audience to your website, newsletter, or upcoming webinars. Continue nurturing relationships through consistent content that reinforces your message.
Over time, your speaking appearances create a flywheel of visibility, engagement, and trust. Each talk contributes to your reputation, expands your network, and compounds the value of your personal or founder brand.
TL;DR: How to Use Speaking to Elevate a Personal or Founder Brand
Speaking is one of the most powerful ways to build visibility, credibility, and authority as a founder or personal brand.
Share your authentic story to connect emotionally with your audience
Choose stages and events that align with your brand goals and audience
Use social media speaking to reach new audiences and build daily trust
Leverage event collaborations to expand your visibility online
Repurpose your presentations into long term content that sustains growth
More From Liam Sandford
Read my book: Effortless Public Speaking. Learn how to speak confidently, reduce stress, and turn public speaking into your competitive advantage. These actionable public speaking tips will help you improve your presentation skills for any audience.
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