How can you create an emotional connection with your audience? Even if you *think* you have a topic that doesn’t lend itself to creating an emotional connection, there are ways you can pull your audience in. Creating an emotional connection: Engages the audience and keeps them interested Builds trust with you and with each other by being vulnerable and relatable Helps them to remember what you’re teaching Gives them a way to apply what you’re sharing to themselves In this on-air coaching call, my guest Leanne Kabat and I brainstorm about how she can create an emotional connection with her audience in her presentations. We also talk about: What happened in 2006 when Leanne was given 5 years to live Why Leanne needs to evolve her current business model to include speaking How Leanne can use her new book at speaking engagements Creating a story bank Leanne’s “a-ha” moment during our conversation Speaking packages and how to structure and price them A must-have: Why you should provide your audience with a worksheet and feedback form → Get the free PDF download that has the story structure framework, sample workbook and feedback form I share with Leanne that she - and you - can use in your presentations. About My Guest: Leanne Kabat is the CEO and Main Mama at MamaConnects and the award-winning conference for moms called MamaCon. Each year, MamaCon celebrates the journey of motherhood by offering community, inspiration and education at events around the Pacific Northwest. A strong community is a lifeline for women raising children and balancing the complexity of life, which Leanne knows too well as she faced a medical diagnosis that gave her five years to live in 2006. Through events and her podcast called MamaConnects, Leanne nurtures a strong and vibrant community of women who support each other as they stand strong, rise up and take on life’s challenges together. Leanne’s forthcoming book is called “The 5 Seasons of Connection for Parents.” The Speaking Your Brand podcast is hosted by Carol Cox. At Speaking Your Brand, we help women entrepreneurs and professionals create their signature talks and gain more visibility to achieve their goals. Our mission is to get more women in positions of influence and power: on stages, in businesses, on boards, in the media, in politics, and in our communities. Check out our coaching programs and workshops at https://www.speakingyourbrand.com. Highlights: Why and how to create an emotional connection with your audience What happened in 2006 when Leanne was given 5 years to live Why Leanne needs to evolve her current business model to include speaking How Leanne can use her new book at speaking engagements Creating a story bank Leanne’s “a-ha” moment during our conversation Speaking packages and how to structure and price them A must-have: Why you provide your audience with a worksheet and feedback form Links: Show notes and free PDF download at https://www.speakingyourbrand.com/82 Leanne’s website: http://www.mamaconnects.com/ Leanne’s podcast “MamaConnects”. Join the free Speaking Your Brand community at https://www.speakingyourbrand.com/join/ or text the word SPEAKING to 444-999. Sign up for a Strategy Session at https://www.speakingyourbrand.com/strategy. Ready to create your signature talk and framework? Email me at [email protected] or click here to schedule a call. Say hi to me on Instagram and Twitter: @CarolMorganCox. Subscribe to the podcast and leave a review! Other Podcasts and Episodes Mentioned: Episode 57: How to Use Simple Story Structure to Create Compelling Content Episode 81: Be a Better Speaker: Top Takeaways from Watching Presenters at Podcast Movement Podfest podcasting conference in Orlando Katie Krimitsos’ podcast Biz Women Rock My episode on the Biz Women Rock podcast: Amplify Your Message with Your Signature Talk JOIN US: Our in-person Speaking Accelerator Workshop is coming up in Downtown Orlando on October 30, 2025. Create and practice your signature talk in one day using our proven framework, so you can confidently share your message and attract more opportunities. It's a fun, supportive environment where you get personalized feedback, professional photos, and more. Limited to 15 attendees. Get the details and secure your spot at https://www.speakingyourbrand.com/orlando/.

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