Vassilena Valchanova has helped brands clarify their message and connect deeply with audiences. In our conversation, she shared practical tools every speaker can use to sharpen their content and personal brand.
Vassilena Valchanova
1. Find your remarkable content angle
The key is finding the intersection of what your audience wants to hear and what you are passionate about. The best litmus test is what naturally comes up in conversation, what raises your emotional temperature when discussing your field. What do you strongly believe in? What annoys you most about the industry? What have you heard others say that made you think, “it is not really that simple”? Your remarkable angles live in those passionate beliefs and pet peeves, especially when you bring a contrarian take or a hard-won truth.
2. Fix your LinkedIn and website story
The biggest mistake speakers make is not creating a cohesive story. You cannot just present a list of credentials and expect people to connect the dots. Your LinkedIn headline should not just state your position, it should explain what you do in a way that sparks interest. Your About section needs to tell your origin story, not recycle clichés about a proven track record. And when updating Experience, focus on roles that align with your current positioning and the character you want to present to the world. Think classic branding: first align with a familiar category, then show why you are different.
3. Measure resonance, not vanity
Look for real human discussion, not vanity metrics. When I send my newsletter, I am less interested in open rates and more curious about replies, how many people actually hit reply and what they say. On LinkedIn, focus on posts that spark meaningful discussions, especially when your audience starts talking to each other in the comments. It is like speaking at an event: you are not looking for polite applause, you are looking for the people who come up afterwards with questions or want to continue the conversation.
4. Turn expertise into value
In the age of AI, generic information is everywhere. What people want is your experience. Do not just explain frameworks; share what you have learned implementing them, how you adapted them for clients, and the behind-the-scenes insights people cannot get anywhere else. This both demonstrates your expertise and provides genuinely valuable, experience-based insights.
5. Stay consistent on the road
My personal content strategy relies on two things: an idea backlog and batch creation. Develop the habit of capturing ideas as they happen, always ask yourself, “What can my audience learn from this experience?” Then dedicate focused time to create content in batches. It may feel like more work upfront, but it is the only way to stay consistent when you are busy with travel and keynotes. You need to be your own marketing department and treat content creation like client work.
6. Homepage non-negotiables
Your homepage must answer three questions. What do you do: the value you provide, topics you cover, what people get from listening to you. Who are you for: be specific, the more exclusive you are, the more your ideal clients will recognise themselves. Why should they believe you: experience, testimonials, and social proof that show you are credible. It sounds simple, because it is. The most effective messaging is just clear messaging.
About this newsletter
The Oratore Speakers newsletter connects 3,000+ rising speakers and thought leaders. Each edition spotlights leaders who bring real value to the speaking community. If you’ve got insights (not just promos) worth sharing, let’s talk. You might be next.
Thanks for reading,
Steven
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