Create 5 testimonials or referrals for people who have had an impact on your life. A testimonial is defined as a ‘formal statement testifying to someone's character and qualifications.’ While your testimonials can be professional in nature - for example, your accountant, coach, hairdresser, etc, our strong preference is that they are more personal, such as a childhood friend, teacher, or family member. This is your opportunity to share your feelings about this person.

The purpose of this activity is:

• Building Relationships: Providing testimonials, referrals, and tributes is a gesture of support and appreciation that strengthens relationships with colleagues, partners, clients, and industry peers. It fosters goodwill, trust, and rapport, leading to long-lasting connections and collaborations.
• Reciprocity: Giving testimonials and referrals often leads to reciprocity, where others are more inclined to reciprocate by endorsing or referring you in return. This reciprocal support strengthens mutual trust, loyalty, and support within your professional network.
• Elevating Your Brand: Associating yourself with individuals and organizations who receive your testimonials and referrals can elevate your own brand and credibility. It positions you as a supportive, generous, and well-connected professional who values and celebrates the success of others.
• Personal Satisfaction: Giving testimonials, referrals, and tributes can be personally satisfying and fulfilling. It allows you to express gratitude, admiration, and respect for others' accomplishments and contributions, contributing to a sense of purpose and fulfillment in your professional relationships.

The process of how to do the challenge:

1. Create your testimonial. Take time to reflect on your experience with the individual. Consider the nature of your relationship, the specific interactions or services provided, and the impact they had on you.
2. Be genuine and sincere in your testimonial, expressing your honest thoughts and feelings. Avoid generic or vague statements and instead provide specific details, examples, anecdotes, or stories that illustrate your points and add depth to your feedback.
3. Share publicly with the person you wrote about.  You can do this by posting your testimonial on their social media, giving them a LinkedIn recommendation, posting on a review website, posting on your own social media and tagging them, or reading out loud at a gathering. Let your testimonial be searchable when people look up that special person. This way, your gift of a testimonial lives on for that person.
4. Send this testimonial to your person in an email and give them permission to use any part of it if they’d like.  Often people are looking for testimonials that they can share on their websites or blogs.
5. Feel free to post in our community group to help inspire others with this challenge.
6. When you have completed all 5 testimonials, you will submit your task to complete the challenge.

Knowing your message as a speaker is essential to inspire and make impact.  It forms the foundation of your speaking brand and influences how your audience perceives and responds to your presentations.

The purpose of this activity is:

• Clarity: Knowing your message helps you communicate with clarity and precision. It allows you to articulate your ideas, concepts, and insights in a way that is easy for your audience to understand and engage with.
• Impact: A clear message has a greater impact on your audience. It resonates with them emotionally, intellectually, or spiritually, leading to a deeper connection and lasting impression.
• Consistency: Knowing your message enables you to deliver consistent content across different platforms and presentations. Consistency builds trust and credibility with your audience, as they know what to expect from you.
• Inspiration: A powerful message has the potential to inspire and motivate your audience. It can ignite passion, spark creativity, and encourage positive change or action.
• Alignment: Your message should align with your personal brand, values, and goals as a speaker. It reflects who you are, what you stand for, and the impact you want to make in the world.

The process of how to do the challenge: 

1. Start by defining your purpose as a speaker. Ask yourself why you want to speak, what impact you want to make, and what outcomes you want to achieve through your presentations.
2. Reflect on what you are called to share with the world.
3. Imagine you are given the opportunity to speak on stage with speakers you admire. You have 10 minutes to speak in front of millions. What is the one message you will share?
4. Identify your target audience or ideal clients.  Tailor your message to resonate with their specific preferences and concerns.
5. Create a post on social media that shares your message. You can weave it into a story or share it directly.
6. Feel free to post in our community group to help inspire others and get feedback.

A credibility-driven bio is a powerful tool that enhances your reputation, credibility, visibility, and opportunities as a speaker. It is an essential component of your personal brand and plays a key role in attracting and engaging audiences, clients, and collaborators. Develop a bio you are proud to share with event organizers and for award-nominations, press and other opportunities that really shows your credibility and expertise. 

The purpose of this activity is:

• Establishing Trust: A credibility-driven bio helps establish trust and credibility with your audience. It provides evidence of your expertise, experience, qualifications, achievements, and credentials, which are crucial for building trust and confidence in your abilities as a speaker
• Building Authority: A well-crafted bio positions you as an authority in your field or niche. It highlights your knowledge, insights, and contributions, demonstrating to your audience that you are a trusted source of valuable information and expertise.
• Attracting Opportunities: A compelling bio attracts speaking opportunities, partnerships, collaborations, media interviews, and other professional engagements. Event organizers, conference planners, and industry stakeholders often rely on speaker bios to evaluate and select speakers for their events.
• Enhancing Visibility: A well-crafted bio enhances your visibility and presence in your industry or niche. It allows you to showcase your brand, expertise, and accomplishments to a wider audience, including potential clients, collaborators, and influencers.
• Professionalism: A well-crafted bio demonstrates professionalism and attention to detail. It reflects your commitment to excellence, quality, and professionalism in all aspects of your speaking career, from your presentations to your marketing materials.

The process of how to do the challenge:

1.  Begin your bio with a strong opening sentence or paragraph that grabs attention and sets the tone for the rest of the bio. Use engaging language, an interesting fact, a relevant quote, or a compelling statement to capture readers' interest.
2. Next, brainstorm and begin thinking outside of the box. Can you create something unique and special to include in your bio. For example, can you create a charity event? Can you collaborate with someone to host a unique or special event? What can you do within your brand to set you apart?
3.  Make a list of all of your credentials, achievements, successes, awards, accolades and wins. Share them powerfully.
4. Include: Professional Experience, Accomplishments, Education and Training, Expertise and Skills, Publications or Media Appearances, and Professional Affiliations
5. Feel free to post in our community group to help inspire others with this challenge.

Credibility Driven Assessment Template: Click Here

Investing in a professional photo shoot is an essential aspect of building a successful speaking career. It helps you make a positive impression, strengthen your brand, attract opportunities, and connect with your audience effectively

The purpose of this activity is:

• First Impressions: Professional photos create a positive first impression, showcasing the speaker's professionalism and attention to detail. They set the tone for the audience's expectations regarding the quality of the speaker's work.

• Brand Image: High-quality photos contribute to building a strong brand image. They reflect the speaker's style, personality, and values, helping to create a consistent and memorable brand identity across different platforms and marketing materials.

• Credibility: Professional photos enhance the speaker's credibility and authority in their field. They convey competence, expertise, and confidence, which are essential for gaining trust and respect from the audience and potential clients.

• Marketing and Promotion: Professional photos are valuable assets for marketing and promotion. They can be used on websites, social media profiles, promotional materials, and event listings to attract attention, engage audiences, and promote upcoming speaking engagements.

•  Versatility: Professional photos are versatile and can be customized for various purposes. They can be cropped, resized, and edited to fit different platforms and marketing needs, ensuring a consistent and polished appearance across all channels.

The process of how to do the challenge:

1. Research and find photographers who specialize in portrait or professional photography.
2. Review their portfolios to see their style, expertise, and past work to ensure they align with your vision.
3. Work closely with the photographer to capture a variety of poses, expressions, and settings that showcase your personality, professionalism, and brand identity.
4. Make sure to include poses that display your full shoulders, as these photos may have their background removed for marketing purposes. Consider your posture; leaning against a chair or wall may create a sharp edge rather than a natural curve.
5. Submit photos to us for review.
6. Note - if cost is an issue, consider asking a friend with a good phone to spend an hour with you taking photos. Go outside for good lighting, or make sure your space is perfectly set up and well lit. It's important to have photos that are NOT selfies or group shots that are cropped down. 
    

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Creating and sharing brand-related videos on social media is a powerful strategy for you to connect with your audience, showcase your expertise, build brand awareness, drive engagement, and ultimately, grow your influence and impact as a speaker.

The purpose of this activity is:

• Enhanced Visibility: Videos are highly engaging and have the potential to reach a wider audience on social media platforms. By creating and sharing brand-related videos, you can increase your visibility, reach new audiences, and attract followers who resonate with your message.

• Showcasing Expertise: Videos allow you to showcase your expertise, knowledge, and speaking style in a dynamic and compelling format. Whether it's sharing tips, insights, or thought leadership content, videos demonstrate your credibility and value to your audience.

• Building Personal Connection: Videos help you build a personal connection with your audience. Through video content, you can share your story, passion, and authenticity, creating a sense of trust, relatability, and rapport.

• Expanding Reach: Social media platforms offer opportunities for videos to go viral or be shared across networks. A well-crafted video has the potential to reach a global audience, expand the speaker's reach, and attract new followers, clients, or speaking opportunities.

• Supporting Branding Efforts:  by reinforcing key brand messages, values, identity, and positioning. Consistent video content helps build a strong brand presence and recognition in the industry.

The process of how to do the challenge:

1. Craft a short story or anecdote that focuses on your message. Make sure your message is clear and ends powerfully.
2. Memorize your content and speak from the heart. The purpose of this is to be perceived as professional and build your credibility.
3. Create your video and upload it to YouTube, Medium, Your Website, or Linkedin. The purpose is to make yourself search-friendly. 
4. Promote the video via Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Reddit or any other form of social media. Share in any relevant online communities. The purpose is to create conversation, connection, and credibility. 
5. If you are taking part in our Elite Branding Service as part of your Competition entry, use your video interview as an opportunity to craft short reels dedicated to your message and then share on social media. 
6. Feel free to post in our community group to help inspire others and get feedback.

Creating and sharing an inspirational speech on stage is such a powerful opportunity.  It's a chance for you to truly connect with your audience on a deep level, inspire positive change, and build trust and credibility in your message. Your ability to leave a lasting legacy of empowerment and motivation through your words is invaluable. 

The purpose of this activity is:

• Sharing Stories and Wisdom: Inspirational speeches often incorporate personal stories, anecdotes, and wisdom that resonate with audiences. They offer valuable lessons, insights, and perspectives that inspire empathy, empathy, empathy, and empathy.
• Demonstrate Your Speaking Skills: This is your opportunity to share your message and to find the best story or vehicle to deliver your unique message. Craft a speech that is engaging, entertaining and inspiring.
• Memorable Experience: Inspirational speeches create a memorable experience for audiences. They leave a strong impression, spark meaningful conversations, and are often remembered long after the event. This enhances the speaker's visibility and reputation within their industry or community.
• Social Proof: Sharing a speech on stage not only builds trust with your current audience but also attracts new opportunities, collaborations, and speaking engagements
• Practice Makes Perfect:  Speaking in public. Immersion is the best way to develop your speaking skills. 

The process of how to do the challenge:

1. Begin with your powerful message.
2. Decide on the right story to use to support your message.
3. Craft your speech using a strong hook, powerful story and relevant universal close.
4. Find an event and apply to speak. You can also create your own event and invite people!
5. Practice and perfect the inspirational speech you wrote in class.
6. Speak at the event. Be sure to invite family and friends to support you.
7. Bonus if you can capture the speech on video!
8. Feel free to post in our community group to help inspire others with this challenge.