How to Use Stage Marketing to Amplify Your Audience Authority and Activate Your Audience – In Just 7 Minutes with Richard Mulholland

Resources/Links:

• What to know how to find the missing link action? Click here: msng.wtf/framework/

Summary

What do you have that others don’t and how can you share it with the world? Do you want to know how you can effectively share your value while earning a profit?

Cliche marketing, like investing in different advertising, isn’t as effective as before. So how can you market yourself and your products? Through stage marketing, you are able to give the audience a glimpse of what you have to offer authentically and relatable.

Richard Mulholland is a rock and roll roadie turned entrepreneur that helps other entrepreneurs suck less in public.

Tune in to find out how Richard uses stage marketing to deliver extraordinary presentations that will keep your audience invested and turn them into one-time clients to loyal customers!

Check out these episode highlights:

• 02:04 – Richard’s ideal client: Entrepreneurs, business leaders, and rugby supporters of decent teams who believe that they have unique- shots fired believe they have a unique point of view in the world, but they’re frustrated by their relative anonymity in getting that idea out.
• 02:42 – The problem he helps solve: There are a few problems with what it is. The first is that they have imposter syndrome. So, a lot of people think, “Well, I’ve got this idea, but I’m not great at being out there. Do I really deserve to be there?”
• 03:53 – The symptoms of the problem: Well, there are two. There’s one that’s tough for us but is ultimately tough for them. And there’s one that’s tough for them. The one that’s tough for them is they don’t know where to start. So, they don’t know where to start to position themselves as a thought leader.
• 05:32 – Clients’ common mistakes before consulting Richard: Well, the first thing is that they’re taking a brief from the conference organizer. So, the conference organizer phones you, “Hi, Tom, we’ve heard your podcast. We’d love you to come and speak. And we want you to speak to the state of marketing in podcasting today.”
• 07:09 – Richard’s Valuable Free Action (VFA): Everyone should take a moment to consider what their UPOV is– their unique point of view. And it’s your unique point of view. You know, it shouldn’t be a five-horse race. When you’re pitching or presenting, it should be you to the horse race—you versus the other four.
• 08:06 – Richard’s Valuable Free Resource (VFR): What to know how to find the missing link action? Click here: msng.wtf/framework/
• 08:37 – Q: Why is this the right time? A: And I’ll tell you, it’s the right time because the world is changing. And there is an opportunity for those who are willing to put their hands up to take advantage of that disruption and change.

Tweetable Takeaways from this Episode:

“Your story is only important when it helps people relate to your point. You start with the point you want to make and then you write the story that will support it.” -Richard Mulholland Share on X

Transcript
(Note, this was transcribed using a transcription software and may not reflect the exact words used in the podcast)

Tom Poland 00:10
Greetings, everyone, and a very warm welcome to another edition of Marketing the Invisible. I’m Tom Poland joined today by Richard Mulholland in South Africa via Glasgow where he was born and buttered for the first- what? eight years of your life, Rich. Welcome to the show!

Richard Mulholland 00:25
That is correct. Thanks so much, Tom.

Tom Poland 00:27
So, if you notice a bit of a Glaswegian accent combined with- through the African, with the park the car, then that’ll be why, given that Rich’s a strong supporter of the South African rugby team, who just beat my beloved All Blacks on the weekend. We’re not going to talk about rugby. Richard, stop talking about rugby. Alright, let’s get on with it. Folks, Richard is an extraordinarily dynamic stage presence. People who attend his events write testimonials, like, “Having Richard in our event is like throwing a grenade and knocking all the doors down. He opened people’s minds, their hearts”, and so on. He is a tour de force and the reason, maybe, lies in his roots, which is a rock and roll roadie, turned entrepreneur, who helps other entrepreneurs. I think what you’d like to say is you help them to suck less in public, right?

Richard Mulholland 01:23
That is correct.

Tom Poland 01:25
It’s a high bar, but we can get over it. The title today is-

Richard Mulholland 1:29
It’s actually a low bar, Tom.

Tom Poland 01:31
It’s a low bar, right? Yeah, a bit tongue in cheek with that one. The subject, folks, is really interesting. And this is- you crack this! It really is one of the truly most profitable methods for marketing and bringing in new clients. The subject is, “How to Use Stage Marketing to Amplify Your Audience Authority and Activate Your Audience”. We all know if people aren’t activated, they’re not going to get off the charts and do anything. So Rich, thanks for being on the show. Our seven minutes start now. Question number one, sir, who is your ideal client?

Richard Mulholland 02:04
So, entrepreneurs, business leaders, and rugby supporters of decent teams who believe that they have a unique- shots fired believe they have a unique point of view in the world, but they’re frustrated by their relative anonymity in getting that idea out.

Tom Poland 02:22
Right. So, feeling invisible, unheard, not getting cut through. Thank you for that! And interesting, you say, you know, they feel like they’ve got a gift. They’ve got something special. And I think probably everyone has but it’s just not being able to get it out there. So that sounds like that’s the problem you solve. Question two is what’s the problem that you solve? Six and a half minutes left. Anything you want to add to that?

Richard Mulholland 02:42
Yeah, I mean, so the problem is- there are a few problems with what it is. The first is that they have imposter syndrome. So, a lot of people think, “Well, I’ve got this idea, but I’m not great at being out there. Do I really deserve to be there?” But many, many experts- there are two kinds of experts, Olympians, and journalists. You know, if you’ve run the Olympics, you’re the first person on the moon, you’re an Olympian. But if you’ve done your research well, and you have a unique point of view, like say, Malcolm Gladwell, who doesn’t speak about objects, he doesn’t speak about journalism and writing, then you have this opportunity to go out there. And so, when we get people to realize that they realize they’re not the imposters that they think they are. And then the second problem is that most people don’t understand what it takes to write, design, deliver, and then, I guess, of course, market a great presentation that will help them steal the spotlight in any event they go to.

Tom Poland 03:33
So, question three is what are some of the symptoms that people are going to be experiencing who’s got this problem with imposter syndrome? And I guess self-esteem might be one and the methodology to be able to steal the show on the stage. What else would you say are the typical symptoms of your ideal clients before they find you?

Richard Mulholland 03:53
Well, there are two. There’s one that’s tough for us but is ultimately tough for them. And there’s one that’s tough for them. The one that’s tough for them is they don’t know where to start. So, they don’t know where to start to position themselves as a thought leader. It’s kind of difficult. You have this idea and you want to go out there and you want to let the world know, “Hey, I’m here and I’ve got an idea that can help you.” The other problem, though, and this is the one that’s very, very frustrating for us is that you’ve probably heard of it. It’s called the “Dunning Kruger” effect, where you know, people who are bad drivers think they’re good drivers and people who are great drivers think they’re worse. The kind of experts rate themselves lower and amateurs rate themselves higher. And most people when it comes to presenting, to quote Malcolm Gladwell, again that 10,000 hours, they think when we speak to them about their speaking, they’re like, “Oh, but I’ve been presenting since before you were alive. You know, I’ve got 10,000 hours of presenting.” Yes, you got 10,000 hours of shit presenting, and this is the problem– that’s most people, right? Then you got most of the rest and they have 10,000 hours of fine presenting. They’re okay, but they’re not memorable. They’re beautiful greatness and lying on the beach. They have to be remarkable. They have to be different for people to say, “Hey, I want to hear that person.” And we believe that that’s what we got to solve for What makes you stand out? What makes you different? What makes you a choice?

Tom Poland 05:03
And the big challenge must be remaining authentic during all that and not actually, you know, necessarily being as dynamic as Richard Mulholland might be on stage or as good-looking as Tom Pollard might be but they have their own voice. Yeah, say no more. Let’s move on quickly. So, question four are common mistakes. Three and a half minutes left. What would you say are the top one or two mistakes that people make when they’re trying to get or steal the show on the stage? What are you seeing people do that, really, they shouldn’t be doing?

Richard Mulholland 05:32
Okay. Well, the first thing is that they’re taking a brief from the conference organizer. So, the conference organizer phones you, “Hi, Tom, we’ve heard your podcast. We’d love you to come and speak. And we want you to speak to the state of marketing in podcasting today.” Now you’re a marketer. You understand it. You’re a podcaster. But that’s not your keynote, that might not be your area of authority. But it sounds like a good audience. So, you’re just like, “Yes, I don’t do that.” I say no. I say, “I think I could add far more value by speaking at your event on this topic. And let me explain to you why.” I can move the needle of your audience by A, B, and C by doing one thing. And the problem with this is that then what happens is you say yes because you want the audience. You’ve got to write the talk. You scope creep because you’re trying to get your air of authority anyway. But actually, you’re nervous as all heck because you’re writing new content for the first time and you can never use it again. So, you’ve added too much friction to your speaking journey, rather write a great talk that you’re comfortable giving, and then only take the gigs in which that is irrelevant. So that would be the biggest single mistake that we would say.

Tom Poland 06:34
Beautiful pivot you just gave everyone there. Anyone who has been on the speaking circuit will know that problem. You try to bend yourself out of shape to get the gig, but then you regret it because you’ve got to create all this new context already, a specialty. So beautiful, perfect.

Richard Mulholland 06:46
And content takes time to add. Like you’d have to practice in public.

Tom Poland 06:51
It does. And it takes repetition. And it takes rethinking. And it’s a bit like, you know, books aren’t written, they’re rewritten, while speeches are kind of similar. So, let’s move on. Two minutes left. Question five is one valuable free action. Give us a top tip. You’ve given us one already, but you’ve got another one up your sleeve?

Richard Mulholland 07:09
Yeah, I mean, I think everyone should take a moment to consider what their UPOV is– their unique point of view. And it’s your unique point of view. You know, it shouldn’t be a five-horse race. When you’re pitching or presenting, it should be you to the horse race—you versus the other four. You have to have an idea that’s counterintuitive or counter-narrative. And the problem is that too many leaders think they want to tell their story, but nobody cares about your story. Your story is only important when it helps people relate to your point. You start with the point you want to make and then you write the story that will support it. If you’re starting with a story you want to tell and retrofitting the point, you’re going to fail. So, figure out what is my unique point of view on our industry would make people say, “Huh, I never thought about it that way.” Get that and you’re off to the races!

Tom Poland 07:58
Perfect. Thank you, sir. Question six, 50 seconds left. A valuable free resource. Give us a URL people can go to find out and get some cool free stuff from you.

Richard Mulholland 08:06
Yeah, so absolutely. If you go to msng.wtf/framework/, we’ve created a Trello board and video tutorial that will actually help you structure your presentation from the first word you say to where you get your ovation.

Tom Poland 08:19
Okay. www.msng, M for Michael, S for Selly, N for Nigel, G for golf, .wtf, I’m not going to tell you what that stands for, /framework/. Thank you, sir. 15 seconds left. What’s the one question I should have asked you but didn’t?

Richard Mulholland 08:37
Why is this the right time? And I’ll tell you, it’s the right time because the world is changing. And there is an opportunity for those who are willing to put their hands up to take advantage of that disruption and change.

Tom Poland 08:48
Richard Mulholland, thank you so much for your time.

Tom Poland 08:52
Thanks for checking out our Marketing The Invisible podcast. If you like what we’re doing here please head over to iTunes to subscribe, rate us, and leave us a review. It’s very much appreciated. And if you want to generate five fresh leads in just five hours then check out www.fivehourchallenge.com.