Description

For years, Donna Peterson dreaded public speaking — sweaty palms, shaking knees, and sleepless nights before client presentations. But everything changed when she joined Toastmasters, discovering that public speaking isn’t just about overcoming nerves — it’s also a powerful traditional marketing channel that can accelerate business growth.

In this episode of the B2B Marketing Excellence & AI Podcast, Donna shares how public speaking helped her build confidence, elevate the World Innovators brand, and establish trust in an AI-driven world. You’ll learn how speaking engagements complement digital marketing, position you as an expert, and generate valuable content you can repurpose across multiple channels.

Whether you’re an industrial brand, a B2B marketer, or a business leader, this episode shows you how to start small, use your voice authentically, and turn communication into a growth engine.

Key Takeaways You Can Implement Right Away-

• Start small. Join a local group, speak on a webinar, or volunteer for a panel before tackling big stages.
• Public speaking builds trust. In-person engagement validates expertise and creates stronger brand connections.
• Position yourself as a subject matter expert. Repeated exposure on your niche topic reinforces credibility.
• Repurpose content. Each talk can become blogs, social posts, newsletters, or video clips.
• Stand out from AI. Speaking live shows authenticity and personality in an era of AI-generated content.
• Leverage AI smartly. Use ChatGPT for brainstorming or structuring ideas, but keep the message uniquely yours.

Episode Chapters-

• 00:00 Introduction: Fear of public speaking and its impact on business
• 01:25 My nerves and struggles before client presentations
• 03:00 Joining Toastmasters — the turning point
• 05:10 Beyond speaking: communication skills for business and networking
• 07:15 Two big business benefits: visibility and sharing your mission
• 09:50 Public speaking as a traditional marketing channel that boosts digital ROI
• 12:20 Three ways speaking accelerates growth: trust, expertise, and content repurposing
• 14:50 Practical tips to start: small steps, niche focus, and using AI as a support tool
• 16:20 Call to action: take one step this week toward improving your communication

Call to Action-
Public speaking changed my career — and it can transform your business too. Take one step this week: join a group, volunteer to speak, or repurpose a conversation into a short talk.

📩 Reach out to dpeterson@worldinnovators.com
if you’d like to talk about Toastmasters, my journey, or how speaking can elevate your marketing.

🎧 Visit www.worldinnovators.com
to learn more about building trust and relationships through authentic communication.

🔔 Subscribe to the B2B Marketing Excellence & AI Podcast for weekly insights into marketing, communication, and leadership in today’s business world.

*** Reach out to dpeterson@worldinnovators.com
if you’d like help building a marketing strategy that builds relationships and/or AI training for individuals or full teams.

*** Visit www.worldinnovators.com
for more resources on building stronger marketing and leadership strategies.

*** Subscribe to the B2B Marketing Excellence & AI Podcast for weekly insights into marketing, leadership, and the future of AI.