TEDx Talking: Kassi Kincaid of ‘Book Days’ On What You Need To Know To Secure, Prepare, and Deliver a Highly Effective TEDx Talk
Make The Talk Personal — Upon feedback from a friend on my script, and she mentioned that it was missing a personal touch. I was putting so much pressure on myself to say the right things, that the talk came across academic and sterile. While a TEDx talk is highly refined and calculated, it is also presented to real people who want to connect with you. That is where the impact lies. Remember to make it personal.
In a world that is more connected than ever, the power of a well-crafted message to inspire, educate, and evoke change cannot be understated. TEDx Talks have emerged as a prestigious platform for sharing ideas worth spreading, reaching a global audience and creating impact on a grand scale. In this series, we are discussing the process of delivering a TEDx Talk that resonates and leaves a lasting impression. We are talking with experts who have successfully navigated the TEDx journey, including TEDx speakers, speaking coaches with a focus on TEDx preparations, and organizers involved in the selection and coaching of speakers. As part of this series, we had the pleasure of interviewing Kassi Kincaid.
Kassi Kincaid, the visionary behind Book Days, spearheads a groundbreaking children’s literacy program that breathes life into books. Recognizing the transformative power of reading on young minds, she recognized that embracing creativity was pivotal in creating a meaningful impact. Finding herself unexpectedly becoming an agent of change, Kassi discovered that her creative journey has become an inspiration to adults in otherwise stagnant careers. Consequently, Kassi is on a mission to help people bring creative fire to their careers. She believes everyone is creative and can make a unique impact on the world!
Thank you so much for your time! I know that you are a very busy person. Our readers would love to “get to know you” a bit better. Can you tell us your “Origin Story”? Can you tell us the story of how you grew up?
I grew up on a beautiful four-acre property in central Texas about 30 minutes north of Austin in a suburb called Round Rock. My mom owned a preschool, and my dad owned a custom cabinet business. The hard working, entrepreneurial spirit ran in my family. I went to private school through the eighth grade and then was homeschooled until high school graduation. I graduated summa cum laude from Concordia University Texas with my business degree in 2016 and went to work for my mom’s preschool as the school administrator.
Can you tell us a bit about what you do professionally, and what brought you to this specific career path?
I am the founder and program director of a children’s literacy program called Book Days. I started the program during my time as a preschool administrator. I loved my job but needed a creative outlet. I began pairing children’s books with experiences and the idea snowballed into a formal program. In September of 2022, I was approached by an angel investor that launched the program into a full-time venture and I never looked back.
Thank you for all that. Let’s now turn to the main focus of our discussions. Can you tell us a bit about your particular experience with TEDx talks?
My earliest introduction to TEDx talks was in college. I would use them as sources in my research papers. It wasn’t until Book Days gained traction that I believed my story had the makings of a talk. So, I applied and got accepted to TEDx Youngstown, hosted at Youngstown State University in Ohio. I have to say, it has been the MOST incredible experience. Any other TEDx event would have a hard time rivaling this one. From day one, I was surrounded by a world class team, giving me and all my colleagues exceptional advantages, such as TEDx coaching, voice lessons, and covering various travel expenses. They were punctual with announcements, deadlines, and communications. Overall, a truly high-quality experience.
Before we talk about the details, let’s consider the big picture. Preparing for a TEDx talk and securing it obviously requires a lot of mindshare, bandwidth, resources, and energy. From your personal experience, why is it worth it to invest all that to do a TEDx talk?
The investment is worth it for two reasons. The first reason is impact. The TEDx stage is a global platform. Your world changing idea has the potential to impact countless lives. The second reason is credibility. Being a TEDx speaker instantly puts you in a different sphere of authority and influence. The more credible you become, the further your impact will spread.
Now, let’s talk about the how. Can you describe the application process for becoming a TEDx speaker? What are some common challenges faced in the application process that our readers should be forewarned about?
The application process to become a TEDx speaker is not for the faint of heart. However, it is not impossible. Each TEDx event has its own application process. Some events require an extensive form, some basic questions. Other events, such as mine, simply required a one-minute try-out video explaining my world-changing idea. Two of the more common application challenges include timing and geography. TEDx events happen throughout the year. Some events take place in the spring, summer, or fall. Depending on when the event takes place, typically applications open about six months prior. You need to be looking for opportunities at the appropriate times or sign up to receive updates from individual events. Some TEDx events require speakers to either live in a certain geographic radius or explain how their talk could benefit that region. If you are not from that area or have no connection to it, you probably won’t get accepted.
Is there a website where you can apply for a TEDx talk? How do you apply and submit? How can you find out about all of the TEDx’s that are available?
The best place to find TEDx events all around the world is TED.com/tedx/events. From there, you will have to Google individual events to find their page. Some event pages have speaker forms, some do not. If they have a speaker form, you can apply online. If they do not, enter your information to receive updates. That is how I got the update regarding try-outs for TEDx Youngstown.
What strategies did you use or would you recommend to ensure that a talk is engaging and impactful?
My first recommendation would be to practice your talk to the point you can focus on the audience more than your performance. There is a different level of impact that can happen when your talk comes alive, and the audience can experience it and not just hear it.
My second recommendation would be to be very intentional with your performance. Make sure your talk does not speed up or slow down but has even pacing throughout. Make sure your movement on the red carpet is meticulously planned out. Make sure you have vocal variety. All these facets enable your talk to come alive to the audience. That is what makes an impact.
There’s a saying from Mark Twain about how it takes more time to prepare for a five-minute talk than for a two-hour talk. The point is that crystallizing an idea and using the exact words is much more difficult than a freeform talk. So, how does a person do that? How does a person boil down an idea into five minutes?
I wouldn’t know about a five-minute talk. I’ve got mine down to 12 minutes, and that was a feat. However, the concept is the same. It happens with a lot of thought-provoking revision. You start by cementing your core idea. This is the crux of your talk. Once the idea is confirmed, then the talk can evolve by getting your entire story on paper. Once you have an abundance of material, you can go through with a fine-tooth comb, and delete all non-essential support to the main idea. That really helps to boil down your talk. From that point you can scrutinize every word and see if it adds or detracts from your message.
Most of us can think of maybe half a dozen different topics that they could speak about. How does a person choose, and say “Okay, this is the one for a TED talk”? How do they choose which of all their ideas should be the one?
People should choose the idea that they have the most personal connection with and that has the most global impact potential. In my case, the world-changing idea I pitched in my try-out was not what I ended up crafting my talk about. The idea hinged around my story of unexpectedly starting a global children’s literacy program, but the core idea shifted once I started delving into my talk. That’s okay. The beautiful thing about doing a TEDx talk is that it’s a six-month process where you are growing and discovering a deeper part of yourself and your story.
Feedback is crucial in shaping a compelling TEDx talk. Can you describe how to seek out and incorporate feedback during the talk’s preparation? Who do you turn to for honest critiques, and how do you iterate on your presentation based on the feedback received?
It is important to seek out and incorporate feedback during the writing phase. It is vital to receive feedback on almost every revision until you have your complete draft. Seek out four to six trusted friends of different backgrounds, professions, and personalities to test your draft on. Take everything with a grain of salt, especially if you are working with a TEDx coach like I did. My friends helped me greatly by sharing what they liked, what they thought was missing, or didn’t understand. In addition, sometimes the right information was there, but it needed to be in a different order. When it comes to TEDx, little critiques can be game changers. When it came to the presentation side of things, I was very open to feedback, tweaking a word or gesture can greatly impact and/or distract the audience.
Let’s talk about the actual delivery of an excellent TEDx Talk. Most people are scared of speaking in public. How do you manage the stage fright before the talk?
My TEDx talk is two weeks away. While I can’t yet attest to the moments right before the talk, my nerves have started to build in regard to the event. I think about two things that help me manage it. First, I think about global possibilities and the great privilege of sharing my ideas. Second, I think about how exhilarating public speaking is. As a keynote speaker, I still get butterflies every time I step on to a stage. When I am just about to go on, I get excited for the opportunity to command an audience and share my thoughts and story. Taking hold of the opportunity instead of being fearful of it makes a difference.
What can a person do to ensure that people will remember the talk and that it won’t just go in one ear and out the other? Can you share how you gauge and adapt to audience reactions in real time during your talk to ensure maximum engagement?
Ensuring people will remember your talk is a combination of an outstanding script, rehearsed dynamics, and most importantly, being yourself. Remember that your passion and your story resulted in getting accepted to the TEDx stage. Let your audience feel your idea.
I will soon find out how the audience will respond to my talk. From previous speaking experience, I would say that you can feel when the audience is hooked. Eye contact goes a long way in the crowd. Know your talk so well that little interruptions or unexpected expressions do not phase you.
Here is the primary question of our discussion. Based on your experience or research, what are the “Five Things You Need To Deliver a Highly Effective TEDx Talk ”? If you can, please share a story or an example for each.
- A Core Idea That You Are Passionate About — In my beginning writing stages I pondered my core idea for weeks. I knew my story had the makings of a TEDx talk but highlighting one idea from it was harder than I thought. It wasn’t until I considered the bigger picture of my story from a global perspective that things started falling into place. The second revision of my core idea was the one I fell in love with and fueled the direction of my final draft.
- A Solid Script — An amazing talk comes from an amazing script. As my coach told me, the script must stand by itself, or the delivery won’t matter. The talk must be written in a way that is captivating, clear, and concise. The delivery is simply the icing on top.
- Support is a key component to a highly effective talk. Being at the end of the process, I am so thankful I had a TEDx coach to walk me through and give me specialized help in my weaker areas. These talks are so specialized it is important to have someone with TEDx experience to guide you through the process. If I did it all over again and was not gifted a coach, I would invest in one.
- Discipline — A highly effective talk comes from many hours of memorization and practice. By the time my talk was written, it seemed like I had got to the “easier” stage of the process. I realized that the talk hinges on the delivery. It takes discipline to carve out time to memorize the script and deliver it so well it seems effortless. I spent thirty minutes- one hour almost every day practicing and rehearsing in the weeks leading up to my talk.
- Make The Talk Personal — Upon feedback from a friend on my script, and she mentioned that it was missing a personal touch. I was putting so much pressure on myself to say the right things, that the talk came across academic and sterile. While a TEDx talk is highly refined and calculated, it is also presented to real people who want to connect with you. That is where the impact lies. Remember to make it personal.
After delivering a TEDx talk, what strategies do you use to maximize its impact and reach? Could you share how to engage with your audience through social media, follow-up events, or other means to encourage action or further discussion on the topic?
During the preparation process, I started making a list of individual people that I planned to share my talk with. I found that as I spread the news of my acceptance, it was a perfect opportunity for me to offer to share the talk with them when it came out on YouTube. It was a built in “pre-sale.” Three weeks before my talk, I was at the Kendra Scott Color Bar getting some jewelry made to go with my speaker outfit. I was sharing with her that the jewelry was for my TEDx talk. She expressed how much she loved TED talks, and I asked her if she had an email she wanted to share for me to send her the talk. This is one way I plan to share my talk.
Another way I plan to maximize reach and impact is adding TEDx speaker across all platforms, as well the TEDx logo for credibility. In addition, I plan to use pictures from my TEDx talk to create thought-provoking posts across social media platforms.
How can our readers watch your TEDx talk and follow your work?
My TEDx talk is not out yet but be on the lookout for it!
The title is: Create local, go global!
When it is live you can find it on my website: www.kassikincaid.com
Thank you so much for sharing these important insights. We wish you continued success and good health!
TEDx Talking: Kassi Kincaid of Book Days On What You Need To Know To Secure, Prepare, and Deliver… was originally published in Authority Magazine on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.