Lessons from a Digital Marketing Virtual Assistant who actually does the work:
If you know me at all, you already know that I’m always searching for the next tool or resource to help my digital media business grow. Or to become a better asset to my own clients as a freelancer. So today I want to share a little about Heather Sager’s “Speak Up to Level Up” course that is one of the best professional investments that I have made for myself.
Because let’s talk about public speaking. Terrifying, right? I get it.
I went from a behind-the-scenes digital media marketing assistant, to the girl in the spotlight on the front stage when I launched my own course. Working behind the scenes I was totally in my comfort zone, hidden behind my laptop. But I knew that I needed to learn to embrace that spotlight if I wanted to level up my business and build my VA Crash Course for digital media virtual assistants.
When I first started showing up on camera, it was a mess. Yes, I was awkward. And I couldn’t talk for more than three minutes, even if I was passionate about my topic. I had trouble balancing my content with the extra fluff to make it interesting. So I knew it was a skill I would have to intentionally develop.
And so many of my unicorn students and business clients agree. It’s really hard for most of us to pitch for a podcast, close a sale, or make a discovery call.
But all that awkwardness is obvious. So that’s why I turned to speaking coach Heather Sager and her “Speak Up to Level Up” course.
Signs that it was time to commit to this public speaking goal…
Like I said, I knew that I really needed improvement.
And I knew that visibility would be crucial to growing my business and being seen as an authority.
I actually heard Neil Patel on stage at the Kajabi conference call me out:
“Get on 3 stages this year!”
It freaked me out … A LOT. But I knew he was 100% right. So by the end of the year I had signed up for Heather’s Course.
Why I Chose Heather Sager and the “Speak Up to Level Up” Program
When I first met Heather Sager, I was launching my first course via webinar. I realized she had coached Tarzan Kay on Amy Porterfield’s stage. Good enough for me.
I signed up for “Speak Up to Level Up” after my first course launch to work on it over Christmas. I was motivated to make improvements and hit big goals.
Heather helped me with my webinar for that second launch, and I had my biggest revenue yet — $24,000. The small tweaks she recommended for my webinar delivery made a huge impact.
What Heather delivers in “Speak Up to Level Up”
Heather’s “Speak Up to Level Up” program offers eight targeted modules packed into a comprehensive twelve-week program. The units cover everything from organizing your content (which I needed the most) to preparing and delivering your message.
From improving your nonverbal communication skills and identifying your perfect audience, to building your authority and growing your engagement every time you speak, it’s all in there.
And even if you think you already know the key points, the gold is inside the small details. All of the little thoughts and actions that you probably have never considered. Heather made them part of my daily awareness.
The lessons I learned from Heather Sager’s program:
After completing “Speak Up to Level Up”, I learned some important things:
- Practice makes perfect: Cliché, I know. But very true when it comes to public speaking. The Skills Lab lets you practice, share your recent speaking opps, and get feedback. Plus Heather has office hours to work through any roadblocks.
- Structure that content: I had so many ideas floating around my head and topics people had asked me to speak on. So I had trouble coming up with a core talk. Heather teaches how to stretch it out to 60 minutes or be able to shrink it like an accordion down to something that’s only 10 minutes.
- Storytelling is key: Heather is brilliant at analogies and bringing in story telling. She was able to help me expand my tech skills and dry content by adding in stories and analogies. I started a story bank, which has also only helped me in my writing for other areas of my business.
And the benefits I gained from “Speak Up to Level Up”:
After working through the SULU program, I landed my first HUGE speaking event. Granted, it wasn’t a keynote, but 5,000 virtual attendees no less!
And I put my name in for a real, in-person speaking event. (Shocking!! Who is this girl?!?) Unfortunately, it was cancelled due to COVID. But taking that first step to put myself out there was huge.
Since then, I’ve been on several virtual summits (with a third coming up soon). Now I’m even thinking about hosting my own.
I’ve started my own podcast – 579 downloads just in the last month!
Lately I’ve been hosting my own clubhouse rooms. (What’s the measurement here? Attendees staying the longest? Does it even matter?)
And I’m pretty honored to have been invited to be a guest speaker on quite a few podcasts (13 to date and more in the queue).
Most importantly – I’m more confident in all areas of my business. I’ve learned to effectively control imposter syndrome and feel like the authority in my area of expertise. And I can convey that confidence to my target audience and my potential business contacts.
And of course, I’m always improving. I find myself frequently going back to my notes, thinking about Heather’s recommendations, and constantly working to make my message more solid and connecting to my audience even more than before.
To me, that’s the most important takeaway of all. That’s why I know it was really worth it.
⚡️ Related Podcast Alert: Why I Started My Own Course
Interested in learning more about why I shifted from the behind-the-scenes-support-girl to the creator of my own course?
I explain the whole story in this podcast episode. From Amy Porterfield’s inspiration to getting the confidence to just jump in, here’s the info you need if you’re ready to level up!
Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Libsyn | iHeartRadio | Listen Notes
Speaking of podcasts, don’t miss my guest episodes on the Heather Sager Show!
Speaking of being honored, Heather recently invited me to be a guest on her own podcast, the Heather Sager Show!
Take a few minutes to listen to our chat about how a unicorn VA can make all of the difference in making pitches and finding your next stage. And enjoy a small sample of how Heather can work her magic on her audiences.
Because even though I know that committing to a new course can be hard, this is one that I think is worth it.
No one’s born, knowing how to structure a talk or wow us on a podcast.
But learning how to structure your ideas, clarify your message and hone your speaking skills so you can deliver knockout presentations, workshops and videos — is a thousand percent learnable.
Still not convinced? Check out her free training first.
Heather Sager has a free training coming up, Authority Unlocked: How to Fill Your Programs Through Speaking, that is a great way to connect with her and get an idea of her style.
Because like I’ve said, I’ve learned so much from her. And this is one of the programs that I know will level up your business, too. If you’ve taken Heather’s course, or if you’re going to sign up, I’d love to hear about it in the comments!
Can’t wait to see you on your next stage!
– Emily, Digital Media Virtual Assistant AND Small Business Owner
“I help smart women learn the in-demand digital marketing strategies and tech skills to get hired as a unicorn virtual assistant.“
Before you go, make sure you grab my freebie for up-and-coming digital media freelancers and VAs:
Get my list right here of the top 10 tasks that business owners always ask for help with!
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I created a quiz to help you decide which of the VA Tracks you should look into based on your strengths and personality. There are FOUR different results, one which is clearly best suited for the VA to OBM/DOO track.
