Have you ever almost fallen asleep during a boring presentation?
Have you ever been invigorated after a great presentation?
Throughout your lifetime, you have been in the ‘audience’ countless times, listening to and watching others present. You have had experiences that inspired and motivated you, and you have had experiences that have bored you to tears before putting you to sleep.
You can have two different people presenting the same information, one engaging you the whole time, the other causing you to tune out quickly.
How does that happen?
There is a difference between knowing your material and delivering your material. Someone can be quite knowledgeable about a subject, but not be able to deliver it in a way that keeps the attention of his listeners.
A professional speaker myself, I have presented thousands of times over the past 20+ years. I have learned that there is a way to put together your speech that lends itself to not only you delivering the message effectively, but also you being relatable and interesting to listen to.
When you have this combination, your audience starts with you and stays with you.
How do you do that? Here are five things to do anytime you want or need to craft an impactful speech.
The Opening
If you don’t grab their attention at the beginning, their minds are going to wander. Your opening needs to be strong and needs to let them know what to expect. When you go into a speech without letting people know what to expect, they spend the first few minutes wondering what they’re going to get out of it. If you take the time at the beginning to fill them in on what to expect and what’s in it for them, you effectively tell them how to listen to you and they are going to be with you right from the start.
The Ending
What do you want them to walk away with? What is the purpose of this speech? It’s not just about giving them information, (if it is, please just send them an email)l, it's about why you learned what you learned today, how to apply it, and what the end result will be when you do that. This is powerful! If there is one sentence, phrase, idea or concept you want them to be able to repeat when they walk out the door, what is it? End with that.
The Guts
Once you decide what you’re going to teach them and why (you told them this in the opening), put together the content that will help to accomplish that. My formula often has three key points or categories. I used to use five, but I have learned that our brains handle three things well, but after that, it’s too much and it gets easy for a listener to get overwhelmed and tune out.
What are three key points I want to make about this topic? Every subject has three components; there's the ‘why’ of the topic (philosophy), the ‘what’ (the components), and the ‘how to’ (actionable steps). When a presenter gets stuck in only offering one or two of these components, the listener doesn’t have the full picture. They might know the history, but not the lesson or they might have the lesson, but not know how to apply it to their own situation.
When you include all three of these pieces to the puzzle, you help your listeners see the full picture. Also, because they are not lacking an understanding about the why, what, or how, it’s easier for them to stay engaged and interested. It helps them “get it.”
Be a Storyteller
Stories bring your topic to life. They give you the opportunity to show, not just to tell. Information is one thing, but what does applying that information look like? Walk them through “a day in the life” or talk to them about what you used to do, what you do now, and what the impact that has had for you. Information alone is boring, but how that information plays out in real life is engaging. Remember, a picture is worth a thousand words; help them see what you are sharing with them. It will make you more relatable and your content more memorable.
Tell Them Exactly What To Say
If you are doing training, one of the most impactful things you can offer your attendees is to tell them exactly what to say in certain situations. Of course you want them thinking for themselves in the moment, but when you can give them the verbiage of what to say in routine circumstances, it helps them cut to the chase. When you have words ready, there is less of a chance you will ramble, repeat yourself, or get off on a tangent.
Great speakers are not born, they are made. They have learned, applied, and practiced a skill set that anyone can learn. Use these tips the next time you are asked to present and you will see the positive impact they have on your speaking ability.
Want to take a deeper dive? Listen to my Tuesday Tip, The Formula for Crafting an Impactful Speech.