Episode 26
Professional Speaking Will Catapult Your Brand with Scott Mason
Welcome the phenomenal Scott Mason, motivational speaker, thought leader and podcaster to Saturday Soundbites! Scott and Veronica will discuss the extraordinary business of public speaking. Scott is a popular sought after public speaker who shares his insights on living in purpose and the power of resiliency.
He grows his visibility through authentic appearances on podcasts, live virtual summits, in-person events (when possible), and through powerful interviews with traditional media. Be sure to follow Scott Mason on all of his social media channels and download his awesome podcast. "Scott Mason's Purpose Highway" is a space for discussions with entrepreneurs and great thinkers that drive connections toward people's higher purpose -- to build a better self and a better world.
Transcript
[00:00:00] Veronica: Welcome to a new episode of Saturday soundbites, the vibrant and powerhouse podcast, where we discuss all things, visibility, strategy, public relations, marketing, advertising, branding, and earned media engagement. My name is Veronica VSO and I'm your host. You know, your personal brand is the basis of your visibility strategy.
[00:00:19] And I'm committed to bringing you innovative, passionate, and successful experts who are going to teach you how to develop and enhance your visibility strategy. So whether you're an established businesses, Online entrepreneur or working professional Saturday soundbites is going to be your go-to podcast to hear from experts and learn executable tasks that you can start today.
[00:00:40] Be sure to check out my website, Veronica B. So for.com to learn more about what you need to have a strong and impactful visibility strategy, and to see some of the powerful courses I have created for those of you who are really ready to do it, DIY style. So let's get stuck.
[00:00:58] Hello. Hello. Hello and welcome to Saturday soundbites. I'm your host Ronica V. So for Anne, I am so excited to be here. It's been a couple of weeks. We had some great family vacation time, and now we're all refreshed and relaxed, and I hope everyone has had an opportunity this summer to really just enjoy some fresh air, get out there and get recharged because the world is ever changing.
[00:01:19] And it is time to get back to work and work on your visibility strategy because here at Saturday, soundbite, We talk about visibility strategy all the time. It's our favorite thing to discuss. We're talking about branding, advertising, public relations, marketing, networking, and all of those fantastic elements that bring your business and your brand to life for others.
[00:01:38] So with that in mind, I'm glad that we back at it and that we have a dress that's really going to, um, help explain. Another important part of visibility. And that is your ability to share your story through words and talking about the speakers circuit and what that looks like and how to be a part of it and how to connect all of that networking that you do into making a successful speaking career.
[00:02:02] So let me introduce one of my favorite people in the world, Mr. Scott Mason, he is joining us from hello,
[00:02:10] Scott: Ms. Sofer. I am in the house with the queen of visibility. How are you? I am
[00:02:15] Veronica: so fantastic. I had a great vacation and I am back at it.
[00:02:20] Scott: You can tell and nothing better than a nice summer vacation. Is there.
[00:02:24] Veronica: Absolutely for sure. For sure. So Scott, tell us a little bit about who you are and, uh, and we'll dive right into your areas of expertise.
[00:02:33] Scott: Thank you. So I am a professional speaker and inspirational one at that and a podcaster. I focus on. Resilience. And I focus on connection to purpose and I love bringing the energy, the message that I have as well as a whole toolbox of skills and experiences that I've had in my professional background to motivate, inspire people and having them imagine great possibilities for themselves and the businesses that they're working.
[00:03:02] Veronica: I love that. And we all need some inspiration and resiliency is definitely the word that we've been talking about lately. So share with us a little bit about your resiliency and how you have brought it to the forefront and really what drives you to share that message, especially on stage.
[00:03:18] Scott: Thank you.
[00:03:19] First of all, I want to start by saying that in the past year and a half, I don't think anyone would disagree with this. We, as a people have walked through. The darkest woods that many of us have ever seen in our lives, in our minds, our ability to pull out our inner fortitude to be able to maintain the inner strength to move forward has been stretched and pulled beyond.
[00:03:55] Imagination look at the business world. Some of the greatest businesses that there are, has tottered and shaken, and maybe you've fallen yet. Here we are here. Or those of us who have listened are who have made it through and been able to hear and understand and learn from what's happened. And look for.
[00:04:20] The reason why I say that Veronica is that when resilience has been stretched this far as we move forward, there's a lot to learn from this. There's a lot that I learned through my own personal and professional history, as well as really thinking about and being. In this space and exploring it more deeply in my podcast.
[00:04:42] So I'm observed absorbing more and more lessons as I move forward that I think we'll be able to help and inspire people, because I will also tell you this. And I dare anyone to disagree as bad as the past year and a half have been. None of us should be under any illusion that this is the last catastrophe of any magnitude that we will face.
[00:05:06] And if anything, some of the struggles that we have going forward are going to be even greater. And so learning what we can from what's happening and has happened. Being able to pull in the lessons from my own life, from studying it from observing others, being able to use the gifts that I've been able to give, to go out there and inspire people and ignite people and build their inner resiliency.
[00:05:34] Is going to be more and more important as we go forward and I'm committed. Yeah,
[00:05:39] Veronica: I love it. That's so powerful. I just want to start clapping. Yes, yes. And yes. And I think that's true. And now that we're, um, doing more events in person, it's interesting to me how, um, so many people are just having a little bit of entry struggle with the re-entry.
[00:05:57] Right? Cause I thought people would be just all ready to go with open arms, but I'm seeing in different spaces. That people are struggling with reconnecting with people. And so I'm interested in and learning from you, how you've been able to use your podcast and how you've been able to use your downtime, because you haven't been able to be on stage on the stage for a while.
[00:06:17] How have you done that and how have you continued to share your brand and your message.
[00:06:22] Scott: Thank you. First of all, it became apparent quite immediately. Maybe after a couple of weeks of fantasy that the lockdowns and all of that would just last a couple of a very short time. Once it became apparent that this was going to be a longterm thing, particularly here in New York city, where, where I live Veronica a half a block away is central park, where they were opening triaged hospitals on the park wounds that this was going to be something we were going to have to deal with for awhile.
[00:06:51] And so understanding that every single. Life experience and professional experience that I had had required pivoting as much as it was a challenge with regards to visibility also presented an opportunity. It was forcing us whether we were ready to be forced or not, whether we liked it or not to have to adjust.
[00:07:18] Our visibility strategy towards the future. And as 2020 in particular went on, it became apparent that we weren't going back to a true normal, not only anytime soon, but possibly ever. And so really from a resilience perspective, making sure that column. Clear thinking and the ability to psychological psychologically hold yourself out of quick sand, that the changes that the pandemic brought in our day to day became an absolutely essential pivoting and survival skill network.
[00:08:00] Yeah. Thinking about every online resource as a potentially new avenue of developing relationships became essential, really leaning into things like LinkedIn, understanding that social media. Across the board. Didn't have to just be an exercise in narcissism or pushing an idealized image of oneself out there, but an opportunity to connect with people and thinking about globally, understanding that by being able to connect with people around the globe through vehicles like zoom or through shows like this, looking at podcasting as a visibility strategy, that true.
[00:08:42] Is multidimensional beyond what most people can even begin to imagine it as all were ways to continue to do two things, a be visible in the here and now and exercise some creativity in doing it that ties into the individual brands that we have, but also laying groundwork because eventually we were going to step out the doors again.
[00:09:04] And if that groundwork had not been laid, we'd be stepping out the door into another.
[00:09:08] Veronica: Yeah, no, that's so true. And I feel like a lot of people and myself in particular, and a lot of my clients spent 2020 with this downtime and working on their brand, really delving into it. And I've heard you on other podcasts and I know you are passionate.
[00:09:25] Identifying at the core who you are for the world and being able to articulate it and make that happen in your day to day. Share with us a little bit about how you used, um, that time to work on your branding and what some of the steps were because people just assume visibility means you've got a great logo and you've got this color of font.
[00:09:45] Sometimes people aren't willing to. The deep work that it takes to understand a true brand and a true visibility strategy.
[00:09:53] Scott: Now, I appreciate you saying that for many years, when I worked in large organizational life, branding meant just getting that branding guide. And like I said, having a cool logo, it is so much deeper than that.
[00:10:05] And you can have the best logo in the world, which by the way, I love your logo, Ms. Sober, but you could have the best logo in the world, but if it's not tied to anything more substantive, That logo is pushing you out into empty space. Yes. True branding involves understanding. Number one, particularly if you are in the speaking space, in the motivational or self-improvement space, or you're a solopreneur of any type, what you stand for, what are your values?
[00:10:36] What is your purpose? What is, what are your ethics? What is your meaning? Why are you here? And being honest about that? What are your strengths? What are your weaknesses? What impact are you seeking to have? And what does that impact mean? Doing deep work to be, and that can be uncomfortable and unsettling.
[00:10:57] It also means understanding your unique brand DNA. What is it about you that is different than everyone else? When it comes to personal branding? My belief is blending in with the crowd is a disaster. I couldn't if I wanted to anyway, but I take that as a blessing, that being said, we all have the power within us to see how am I different than everybody else.
[00:11:23] Then pull that up from within our hearts. Transmogrify that into an actual brand identity, and then have those drive where you're going forward and tie into your strategy. Now I am a big believer. None of us know. Sometimes I'm shocked at how little I know. So you get involved with people that are experts in this.
[00:11:45] You are a visibility strategist, you are an expert in your field and have a long, deep history of being able to promote people. So of course, as someone who believes in going with the best, I'm going to go with you. I also work with a personal brand strategist that can walk you through the steps, develop the pillars that underpin, that brand identity that you're creating.
[00:12:04] So that's a part of it too. And then of course, making
[00:12:07] Veronica: it happen. Right. Right. And that's, and that's the truth, right? Making it happen is it's great to have all that support and legwork. And you know, a lot of people invest in big strategic plans. And if you're in the corporate space and you're listening or you're watching you, you've gone through that strategic plan planning took six months and you've got a big three inch, three ring binder, and it's just sitting on your show.
[00:12:28] Right, right. You've lived that life. You can promote that space and so execute and you just do a fantastic job of, of executing and talk a little bit about, um, purpose, you know, it's in the name of your show. Yes. The name of your podcast. And we've talked a little bit about resiliency, but let's talk a little bit about purpose, especially how you have, um, adjusted your talks.
[00:12:54] Now that you're on stage.
[00:12:56] Scott: Yeah.
[00:13:01] I feel is an absolute essential when it comes to developing a visibility strategy, as well as, uh, identity. Because if you don't know your purpose, especially from a potential client or customer perspective, they will never know what it is. And of course, most people are unwilling to spend money for something that serves no purpose whatsoever.
[00:13:24] They do tend to spend money as well as invest themselves. In things that actually have meaning that have value. And so connection to purpose is how we figure out what our value is going to be into the world. I see connection to purpose as essentially being put into place by via a formula. Although it sounds mathematical, there is some reason to it.
[00:13:50] Purpose is looking at the gifts that you've been given. Plus the experience that you've had. Paramedical around those, then multiplying them by your sense of service. All of us, if we are going to succeed in any enterprise, whether it is our life business, nonprofit, or even government in order to truly offer value, need to approach it from a position of service service.
[00:14:26] Is something that people will galvanize around to such a degree that under the right circumstances, they will even sacrifice their lives for it. You think about it when people join the military, what do they. The service, that's the power of service. If people are willing to die in the name of service, they are willing to part with their money.
[00:14:49] And in part, the information are taking the information from someone who they believe is serving them. If we understand the full inputs into that formula. Our skills, our gifts, our experience, and a sense of service. We will have our purpose. We will be able to connect. And if we're able to, then again, as I mentioned earlier, tie our emotions into that.
[00:15:17] Then those out there who need, what we have to offer will be.
[00:15:23] Veronica: Absolutely it does. And you got me pumped up and I'm ready. And, uh, you know, it takes me back to my, um, my time when I was very active in the girl Scouts of America, you know, I've got two, two teenage girls and at one point they were little and we did brownies and we did cookies and it was all about service.
[00:15:39] And that really spoke to me because I'd done a lot of volunteering in other spaces. But when I was volunteering as a parent with the girl Scouts, it really felt like we were contributing to this greater good. Bringing resources and activities and experiences to these young girls. And it truly was probably, um, one of the most profound ways I was able to provide, um, my expertise and my skills as a parent volunteer.
[00:16:04] So you are speaking my language for
[00:16:07] Scott: sure. And by way of contrast, I worked for someone once who went into the entrepreneurial space and her tagline was such and such. Billionaire had me for. A business under him. So I decided to do it for you. I don't see the service there and I'm surprisingly, it didn't last, very long.
[00:16:32] The service I try and provide is helping people to understand the formula so that they can connect to their own purpose and then that fulfilling life and be resilient. But then also, as we mentioned earlier, have the strategies and skills in place so that when the need for those resilience muscles to be truly flexed, they're ready to go.
[00:16:50] Veronica: Yeah, they're absolutely ready to go. I love that. And in any space, whether it's healthcare or brick and mortar selling insurance, whatever it is you're doing it certainly once you're connected to purpose, you will be able to complete your day knowing that you were, who you were supposed to be for the world.
[00:17:05] So I love that. That's my language. You're speaking to my heart. So, um, Scott talking, going back to your podcast, you know, you've had an opportunity to not only have, um, this phenomenal life that you've led, and I know I have shared and listened to a lot of your story before, but, um, now you are connecting with others through your podcasts.
[00:17:28] And the quality of guests you have just blows my mind, share with me a little bit about how you nurture those relationships, how you, um, incorporate that into your talks. Share with me about this, this, this opportunity that you have. Yeah.
[00:17:44] Scott: Podcasts superficially can be a way to provide information and education or even just entertainment to an audience.
[00:17:53] Okay. A little bit level deeper than that. They can be a way to enhance your brand simply by having content out there that goes into your email list or onto your social media. And so your face is in existence. The true power of that visibility strategy, of course is not necessarily maximized. If you don't have it tied into your personal brand and a visibility strategy, having worked with someone like you, it goes deeper than that as your question hinted at quite quickly, Hey, if the podcast and its approach are developed and executed in a strategic fashion.
[00:18:38] Then it can even serve as a revenue driver or an ability for you to begin to pull in potential audience members or potential strategic business partners that will get you interested in developing the sorts of relationships or even directly come to you, seeking whatever services that you have to offer.
[00:18:57] So that is, um, um, third level power. There's. More deep of a potential impact that podcasting can have with regards to visibility strategy. That goes as to what you were mentioning a moment ago, which is the guests. First of all, from a networking perspective. If you want to successfully network of course, number one.
[00:19:21] Yeah. You always have to enter into the networking transact or the networking, um, interface that you're having that contact with the person with an interest in what they're doing and a willingness to be of help to them in whatever way that you can. But when you have a podcast, let me know. Oh yeah. As you know, doing this show, you're walking into the conversation.
[00:19:44] With something of value. And that is the possibility of through the podcast itself or connection to other podcasters. Because once you're part of that community, you build a network of people that can provide visibility to whoever you're attempting to network with. That's power. People will return your calls or emails because of that.
[00:20:04] Number two, you develop. Subject matter expertise. Why would anyone have quality appear on your show? If you had no expertise, how can you sit there on a show week after week after week, particularly if you persist with it. And it is successful as mine has been listening and engaging in conversation and researching and preparation for each show.
[00:20:25] So there's that level of, of potential impact. And of course, subject matter expertise helps only bolster visibility and personal branding. If you are willing to and able to leverage your network and get quality guests, a rolling stone that gathers more and more Moss gets created. There was an early network pulled that I use in order to get as a guest on my podcast was someone that was a client of mine in a former business that I own.
[00:21:04] The man is a fashion legend. He. Close veteran, the metropolitan museum of art in the New York times, the wall street journal, GQ time magazine did full write-ups of them. He is a legend. When I worked for that company, I would say his name when people's jaw would hit the floor and then they'd pick it back up, getting him on, enabled me to say to the next guest I've got so and so on this podcast.
[00:21:29] That next guest appeared. They were incredible. And then you start shooting out emails or having conversations with people saying these are the guests that I've had. People prefer to be around. Those that are successful and that reflect on them. I've had guests say. I don't know if I'm qualified to even be on your show.
[00:21:48] They probably weren't, but at least it made it attractive to them. And to be able to be discerning about your podcast guesting, then again, bolsters that more and more. Now I'm at the point, the podcast guests that I had on the, the, my season two debut. Came out this week had a number one New York times bestseller for 47 weeks.
[00:22:08] And it was on the New York times, top 10 list for over 90 weeks. And of course you tell people I'm hanging out with the number one New York times bestselling author. Yes, they want to hop on that train. So it boosts the visibility of the show because those people drive the, um, their own audiences to the show.
[00:22:28] But who are you hanging out with? Am I hanging out with Joe Schmoe down the street? Or am I hanging out with so-and-so who had a top five billboard dance hit? It's a different impression that it gives.
[00:22:39] Veronica: Yeah. Yeah. I love that. And I love how we're connecting all of that. We're connecting visibility strategy.
[00:22:46] We're connecting the branding. We're connecting, networking, which people really don't spend enough time doing. And I want people to hear that networking is really, uh, the, the glue that brings all your business components together. All right. And then it just allows you to be, um, in community, in community with like-minded people.
[00:23:07] And that's why I love spending time with you, Scott. I mean, really? That's what it is because I love your energy. I love what you bring to the stage. I love what you bring to your show. I love I'll tell you the thing I love most. I love your detailed posts on LinkedIn because they tell beautiful stories.
[00:23:24] Your writing is succinct. I can tell that you have. Thought about it and, and you have, um, been mindful, but then you bring that little flurry of, of, of, of just brilliance and sat words to it. So I love it.
[00:23:42] Scott: Okay. If I could just say something about that, by the way, social media, podcasting, or other social media collateral that you put out there as a visibility strategy, I strongly believe.
[00:23:54] That those write-ups connected to your posts are opportunities for awesomeness or disaster. Are you just using them again as opportunities to say I me, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah. Are you boring? Are you, like you said, droning on and on, or are you using it as an opportunity to impart thought to bring value or to connect whoever is reading it to your purpose and perhaps have them identify with that purpose and connect with you building community?
[00:24:27] My brand identity. Itself, building a movement of people who are seeking meaning in life, every single person who reads a post that I put thought into and is affected by it and takes the time and energy like melody, who I've seen in the comments today. It's part of a community that's networking, that's creating visibility power.
[00:24:51] And when I'm up on the stage, by the way in that moment, that's what I'm trying to do is create a community with everyone. That's there. I feel genuine love for them. If they're in that audience. Yeah, I
[00:25:01] Veronica: know. I know. So talking about that, as we're wrapping up the show, tell us a little bit about what's what you're up to and what you're looking forward to.
[00:25:08] Are you traveling? Are you ready to book events? Where are you at Scott? What's up.
[00:25:13] Scott: So I am so happy that things are open up, opening up again, because I have missed being out in front of people and getting to share that energy to share the message and hopefully get people inspired. I love to travel. I'm beginning to book and the more travel I get to do the happier I am.
[00:25:33] I don't mind sitting in a hotel and eating cheap food. If I am there with an audience, connecting with them, bringing this energy and fire onto the stage and having people really feel exactly what you said earlier. Like they want to stand up and cheer or they feel. Some inside because the story that I've shared or a message that I have, we just, then, then my life has been worth living.
[00:25:58] I want it to be booked and share this message all around. And I'm excited that the doors are beginning to open again for me to do it. I mean, in fact, the possibilities in a way are more endless than ever before, and the message is needed
[00:26:12] Veronica: more. I, and I was just going to say, and we need it more than ever.
[00:26:15] We need that human connection. We need to feed your energy. You need to feed our energy. I'm just so excited for you that the world is slowly opening up, especially with you being in New York city. But what I will say is, I think you have taken this time. During the pandemic to come back to hone into your core, to really work on that strategy.
[00:26:37] You just, you are. When I talk to people about what it takes to get to the next level, oftentimes, especially in the speaking space, I introduce them to you and your work because you did exactly what you needed to do. And so for that, I applaud you.
[00:26:50] Scott: Well, I'm glad I've got you in my corner. That's all I've got to say about that.
[00:26:55] Very lucky indeed.
[00:26:56] Veronica: Ah, thank you. All right. Well, thanks Scott. This has been fantastic. I hope you enjoyed the conversation. I know I did. I'm ready to go to church. You set me on fire. I'm reconnecting to my purpose. I'm going to journal right after this. That's right. I absolutely am. Absolutely. All right. So with that, I'm going to move you on stage and thank you again for joining us.
[00:27:18] Scott: Appreciate it.
[00:27:20] Veronica: Okay guys. I hope you enjoyed this episode just as much as I did, Scott Mason is fantastic. When I tell you that he has invested the time in establishing his brand, his messages, and then putting it all together strategically. I am not kidding. I just, I love the work that he's done. And I'm so thankful that someone of this caliber who has a show as popular and successful as, as he does, has been able to join us on Saturday.
[00:27:45] Yeah. And give you some advice and strategy. So with that, I am going to remind you too, if you're listening on the podcast to hit subscribe, because we want to make sure that you don't miss any episode. If you're watching on Facebook, on the replay, hashtag replay. So Scott and I can go back and engage with you and connect.
[00:28:01] And if you're interested in having. At any of your events, regardless of whatever space or industry you're in, I can tell you that having him onstage and working with your audience is going to be exactly what you need. So with that, I'm going to send you lots of positive energy and light, and we will see you next week. .