Many conferences get hundreds of speaker submissions. How can you make yours stand out so it gets selected? Then, once you do get selected, how do you make sure you deliver an engaging presentation at the conference? That’s what I talk about with my guest Cathy McPhillips, who is Chief Growth Officer at the Marketing AI Institute. Along with the virtual events they host year-round, they also host an in-person conference called MAICON, which I spoke at in 2023. I invited Cathy on the show to share with us: Her background and what brought her to the Marketing AI Institute How Cathy and the team select speakers for MAICON and their other events What they look for in speaker submissions What makes a great speaker at their events (based on audience feedback) Tips she has for the listeners who want to speak at conferences >What they’re doing at the Marketing AI Institute and you can get involved About My Guest: Cathy McPhillips is Chief Growth Officer at the Marketing AI Institute, overseeing marketing, growth, and customer experience, including MAICON and AI Academy for Marketers. Previously, Cathy led marketing at Content Marketing Institute and Content Marketing World, managed community growth for Share Our Strength’s No Kid Hungry campaign, and owned her own strategic digital marketing business. She started her career at two Cleveland advertising agencies. Cathy was an Ohio University Jerry L. Sloan Visiting Professional in Public Relations, is a Folio: Top Women in Media, and a MarTechExec Woman You Need to Know in Martech. Show notes at https://www.speakingyourbrand.com/388/ Marketing AI Institute: www.marketingaiinstitute.com The Artificial Intelligence Show podcast: https://www.marketingaiinstitute.com/podcast-showcase Discover your Speaker Archetype by taking our free quiz at https://www.speakingyourbrand.com/quiz/ Connect on LinkedIn: Carol Cox = https://www.linkedin.com/in/carolcox Cathy McPhillips (guest) = https://www.linkedin.com/in/cathymcphillips Related Podcast Episodes: Episode 245: How to Get Selected as a Speaker by Event Organizers with Sarah Soliman Episode 342: I Almost Got Stuck in the Expert Trap: How I Created My Recent Successful Conference Presentation 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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“What did the council decide on item 42?” — answered with the speaker and the moment.