Yesterday I spoke at the National #RadioShow2014 which is put on by the Radio Advertising Bureau.

I was on a panel with my new friend Fran Kelly and we talked branding!
For myself I spoke to the attendees about how they can and should build their personal brand (but I don't want copycats so I advised on no Hot Dog Costumes!)
Fran talked company branding and there was no one better to do it. 

Here's a few of the brand building programs he has helped implement:
1) Volkswagen's Drivers Wanted Tagline.
2) Flo from Progressive
3) The runner's attitude involving New Balance.

Needless to say we had an awesome time talking and hanging out with everyone.  I offered everyone there a free Personal Brand Ingredients PDF to help build their personal brand in their career.
If you haven't signed up for my newsletter yet do so today and I'll send it to you as well if you email me at mike@marketingfunwithmike.com and say "ADD ME" and I'll send it over!

While speaking there and doing public speaking at other conferences and company outings (Yes I'm for hire!) I've learned that the benefit of speaking in public goes way beyond just getting up in front
of an audience and talking about ideas, facts, or stories to help them in their lives.

Here are three what i consider HUGE surprising benefits to speaking and I encourage you to consider doing some public speaking in your corner of the world if you haven't yet.

1) New faces, new stories.  I had the pleasure to meet a gentlemen who is nominated for a "Marconi Award" for his cause marketing in his community in Idaho.  This is like getting nominated for an Academy
in the radio world.  And he does great community ideas built from the ground up, which is a major theme of this blog!  I also got the chance to meet a great guy who worked at the radio station that
I work at back in 1980 through 1996.  Small world huh?!

2) Growth.  Often when you speak somewhere you will have the opportunity to attend other sessions.  You will get to learn and grow as an individual and as a speaker you will get to see just how well
you stack up compared to others at the event. 

3) Exploration.  Not all speaking gigs will be in your hometown.  It was wonderful to spend an hour yesterday during lunch walking the streets of Indianapolis while rehearsing for my panel.
I got this great pic above of George Washington, read some historical markers, and realized I need to make a trip back to Indy soon for a basketball and American Indian Art museum that I didn't have the time to visit!

Bottom line is speaking just like anything else in life has to move the needle both personally and professionally for you to make sense.
But just like everything else in life there is the opportunity to look beyond that needle and find out what else it does for you.  What else it can accomplish internally and make you a happier, smarter, YOU!

Take some action now.  Pick out something you do in your life and think about three surprising or different benefits you get from it that at face level aren't why you do it but it definitely helps.  You'll enjoy the exercise I think.

Thanks for reading today my friend, I appreciate the support.  If you would share with a friend who might enjoy that is the greatest returned favor I could ask for.

And don't forget if you want my new story guide "Three Hot Dog Stands Cooked and Served" PDF sign up today for the newsletter.

Carpe Diem!

Mike