307: Selling success through speaking with Colin Boyd

Selling Success Through Speaking: Insights from Colin Boyd on the Her Empire Builder Show

If you’ve ever wondered how to leverage speaking opportunities to grow your business, Colin Boyd just dropped an absolute masterclass on the latest episode of the Her Empire Builder Show with Tina Tower. As a sought-after speaking coach (and creator of Self from Stage Academy), Colin brings a wealth of real-world wisdom, some seriously useful frameworks, and a refreshingly honest take on what it takes to sell through speaking—whether you’re on a stage or online.

Here are the top takeaways from their inspiring conversation:

1. It’s About More Than a Standing Ovation

Colin’s journey as a speaker didn’t start with star-studded confidence or sold-out rooms. In fact, he confessed to shaking hands and overwhelming nerves, recalling, “I remember standing, when I was at university… holding my notes that I had to grab the notes with two hands to try to get it to stop shaking and it just wouldn’t.” But something shifted when he realized that the real power of speaking wasn’t just delivering an impressive presentation—but crafting an experience that actually leads to future work, clients, or sales.

As he tells it, even if you’re not making a direct pitch, “If you do the right things in a presentation, it should lead to more work.” Standing ovations are great—but being unforgettable (and bookable) is even better.

2. Don’t Overwhelm—Connect

A big mistake many speakers make? Packing in so much expertise that the audience leaves overwhelmed and paralyzed. Tina relates, “There’s a big temptation in going like, show your value, show your worth. Like, pack it full of everything so that you’re not wasting people’s time… But it does, it has that one result: massive overwhelm.”

Colin recommends “chunking” your content—break ideas into manageable steps, dial back on jargon, and always remember that your listeners are likely a couple of steps behind your knowledge. This approach not only creates a more enjoyable experience, but ensures your audience is ready (and eager) to take the next step with you.

3. The Power of Presence, Not Performance

Whether you’re on stage or running a webinar, Colin says the goal isn’t “performance”… it’s presence. “So often we see it as a performance, so we’re like, okay, I get on stage, I perform. But you can’t see it as a performance. You have to see it as a space of presence.” This means being genuinely there for your audience, responding to their energy, and “getting the content in your body” through practice—so you can show up authentically and confidently.

In fact, one of Colin’s favorite pre-stage rituals is a grounding exercise: notice your breath, the colors in the room, the feeling of your toes—anything that brings you back to the moment, so “when you stand on stage and you get present… you have empathy, and when you do that, people feel that and it leads to a sense of them wanting to connect with you and then wanting to work with you.”

4. Infusion Selling: Sell and Serve at the Same Time

Tina credits Colin with transforming her approach to webinars with his “Infusion Selling” strategy. Instead of dumping all your value and then hitting your audience with a sudden awkward pitch, Colin teaches you to infuse stories, micro-decisions, and subtle selling cues throughout your content. This way, when you transition into your offer, it feels natural and aligned—never salesy.

He explains: “Infusion selling is the idea that you should deliver value and sell at the same time. And what most people do is they deliver lots of value and then their cool factors super high and then they deliver the offer and then their cool factors hit the floor.” The solution? Weave your offer’s core premise and storytelling throughout your presentation, so every insight is a step on the path to your solution.

5. Claim the Identity—You’re the Leader Now

A recurring theme is giving yourself permission to step into the role of speaker and leader. “No one is going to knight you as the speaker… we have to decide that we’re going to lead… you can knight yourself and just be like, I am a leader. And you can be a leader in your purely authentic way.”

Whether your vibe is bold and energetic or calm and soft-spoken, the only real requirement is authenticity. As Colin and Tina both agree, the most magnetic speakers are the ones who own their unique style, not the ones who try to copy the “hype” of someone else.