,

The Power Of Using Repetition And Triggers In Your Next Speech

You’ve got great ideas trapped in you. You know the importance of public speaking and you want to use your speaking skills to make your audience’s lives better. The problem is that if you aren’t careful, what you say during your speech will just go in one ear and out the next. How can you make your next speech more “sticky”?
Can You Say That Again & Again?
I must confess that I’m a bit torn when it comes to recommending this particular technique for getting your audience to remember what you’ve told them. For you see, it goes against one of my most cherished beliefs about how to be a successful public speaker.
I’m willing to break my long held belief because of the importance of public speaking – if it’s important than you’ve got to find a way to get your audience to remember what you tell them. One powerful way to do this (I can’t believe that I’m actually recommending this) is to repeat yourself.
I’m sure that we’ve all heard the saying “When giving a speech, you want to tell them what you’re going to tell them, tell them, and then tell them again.” I hate this saying. In today’s environment, audience’s won’t pay attention to you if they think that you are just saying the same things over and over again.
All that being said, it turns out that repetition works. All you have to do is think about some of the TV commercials that we’ve all be exposed to over the years and you’ll be surprised at how quickly you can remember a jingle or a silly catch phrase.
In conclusion, I believe that repetition has its place. You probably don’t want to over use it and you certainly don’t want to end up repeating your entire speech; however, picking the key points that you want your audience to remember and taking the time to repeat them can have a powerful impact.
Don’t Just Say It, Trigger It!
No matter how good of a speaker you are, there’s a really good chance that your audience won’t remember what you’ve told them. What this means for you is that you’ve got to come up with a way for the key points that you made to be recalled by your audience – this is one of the benefits of public speaking.
Clever public speakers use what are called “triggers” to make this happen. A trigger is an association that you plant in your audience’s minds that will cause them to remember the point that you were trying to make. An example of this would be if you were trying to motivate an audience and you wanted them to realize that they had an unlimited potential. You could tell them that the green light on a traffic light represented their unlimited potential and that every time they see a green traffic light they should remember what you told them.
The great thing about triggers is that they can last long after your speech is over. A well done trigger will continue to remind your audience about what you’ve told them for a very long time.
What All Of This Means For You
As a speaker you have two main goals: to provide your audience with clear direction on how to solve problems and to provide them with ways to remember what you’ve told them.
There are many different ways to go about doing this. One such way is simply to repeat your key points more than once. The power of repetition is that it will cause what you’ve told your audience to firmly stick in their minds. Another way to make this happen is to create triggers. Triggers will be associated with your key points and will cause your audience to remember what you said when they encounter the triggers in their everyday lives.
Making and communicating powerful information is what public speakers do. All of the presentation tips in the world won’t help your audience remember what you’ve told them. Even if your audience has the best listening skills in the world, they’ll quickly forget what you’ve told them without some help. Use the two techniques that we’ve discussed and they’ll be able to remember what you’ve told them and, more importantly, apply what you’ve told them in their lives…
……………………………………………………………….
Dr. Jim Anderson

Services

Your Source For Real World Public Speaking Skills?
Do you give speeches today, but want to learn how be more effective? Dr. Jim Anderson believes that great business skills are no substitute for poor presentation skills. Dr. Anderson will share with you the knowledge that he has gained while working to improve the speaking ability of both individuals and teams of speakers for over 20 years. Learn the secrets of effective speakers and really connect with your audience during your next speech.
If you want to follow Dr. Anderson on Twitter, he can be found at:

, , , ,

Grothe … Words have incredible power …

“Words have incredible power.
They can make people’s hearts soar,
or they can make people’s hearts sore.”
–Dr. Mardy Grothe

,

Why should you open your speech with a quotation?


1. It will build your credibility. If you choose a striking quotation, or one from someone the audience knows well. If you quote someone the audience knows you call up the reputation and memory of that famous person, and that gives an additional power to the words.
2. It will support your persuasion. Before you choose the quotation, know what you want to say and achieve with the speech. What is the central message? What emotions do you want to call up at the beginning of your speech? You can use the quotation to set the scene for the speech, or even to be a summary of your message, and something you can call back to during your speech for added emphasis.
3. It will allow you to be present with your audience. While it works best if it relates directly to your content. There may be occasions, though, where it can relate to your audience, or the venue or occasion. This personalises your speech and allows you to connect with your audience. It should, however, allow for a minimal amount of time to link, then to your message
4. It will reinforce that presence, and allow connection with your audience, allowing them to buy in to your speech. Oftentimes there is huge power in pausing after the quote to let it sink in, to let your audience nod in agreement or wonder just what you are going to achieve with it. It may be something funny, so wait for the amusement to register.
Make sure to emphasise the emotion that you want to project with the quote. Use gesture and facial expression that will heighten the response you want. Smile when the audience has registered amusement for example. Give a heightened shrug if the quotation comes in the form of a question
Obviously there will be other times when you need to go straight to the next sentence. This is especially true if it is a well known quote, or if you are going to disagree with it. … and that
5. Supports the rhythm of your speech.
.
If you choose quotations that contribute to the message and emotional tone of your speech and if you support that contribution with your delivery, they can be a powerful opening to your speech.

,

Give credit to build your credibility


 
In public speaking, there are times when the best way to support the points you are making is by using data or quotations. Well-chosen quotations are certainly powerful, adding backup to our own opinions. Data comes in many forms – dates, figures and statistics, as well as visuals using graphs, diagrams, tables and more, and it can also be a powerful support for the ideas or opinions you want to sell.
Most of the time, these quotations and data are not our own. Often we are quoting other people’s work – or using other people’s work.
Imagine what would happen if we did use other people’s work – not crediting the source of our quotations and data?
We might very well get away with it, just as we might get away with all sorts of indiscretions, on-stage and off. But sooner or later it will be obvious to someone if not the entire audience that you are not crediting your sources. Your credibility will drop to zero, or maybe even into the negative.
It’s plain good manners to quote the source. Not doing so, really, amounts to theft. And audiences know that, they feel that.
Always quote your sources.
Your originality should be evident in the propositions you put;
and the power of your speech or presentation comes from that originality, that uniqueness.
There is no weakness in quoting the sources of your facts and figures or of your quotations. In fact you gain even further credibility, because it is obvious you are familiar with the information out there on your subject. You are knowledgeable or you have researched or both.
The process is easy, really – to be able to quote sources.
When you are researching, you need to start at the beginning of every book, webpage, or report. Before you start to take notes or store the content, note the details of the resource and its author. Then take the notes you need, and when the time comes to use them, if you are using them, you will have the details of the source ready at hand to quote…
and another reason to keep your audience engaged.

, ,

Preparing to Speak in Public

In making a speech, it is vital that the speaker gets the message across clearly to his listeners. The audience should get what it is exactly that you want them to know. The length of the speech is irrelevant as long as it fits the time frame you have been given and covers all the bases. These bases are the issue, the facts concerning it, the options they have and the proposal that you and your organization wants to bring up.
http://bit.ly/ouoMxs

,

Remember To Use The “Rule of Three” When You Speak

The Magic of Three
The number three is a magical number in the English language. We see it in movie titles as in “The Three Stooges, The Three Musketeers and The Three Amigos,” we see it as far back as being the most famous phrase in the Unites States declaration of independence – “life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness”, and we see it by speakers and comedians all across America.
I don’t know why this is so. We can theorize the reason for this phenomenon from today till tomorrow, and in fact some people have, but my philosophy is, “if something works – just go with it!” Why spend your energy trying to figure out the “why” of it when you can just be in the “now” and just go with it. If it is good for our founding forefathers, if it is good for Hollywood, then it is good for me – You see, there is the rule of three in action!
In speaking, the “rule of three” is mostly used to create humor. When comedians create their humor, they use what is called the “set up – punch”. Comedians use this set up-punch formula to get every one of their laughs. Comedians don’t always need to use the rule of three, they are so good at creating humor that they don’t always need to rely it, but for the rest of us speakers, using the rule of three is a technique that we should always use, and that if done right, can almost guarantee a laugh from the audience.
The psychology of the Set up-Punch Formula
What is the comedian’s secret to getting a laugh from the audience? Comedians are not psychologists, but they know how the human minds works – at least when it comes to getting a laugh. Comedians know three things about the human mind very well when it comes to humor.
1. That a “Spontaneous shift” is the key.
2. That proper timing is crucial
3. That the content must be appropriate for the audience
Spontaneous shift
So what is a spontaneous shift? A spontaneous shift is when the speaker puts the audience on one track. The speaker fills up the mind of their audience with a vivid picture of one particular thought or idea and just at the point when the audience is expecting to continue on that track, the speaker suddenly puts them on a totally different track and Walla a laugh occurs!
The key here is spontaneous. From the speakers perspective, it may not seem spontaneous, because the speakers is prepared and knows what he or she is planning to say. However, from the perspective of the audience it definitely comes across as spontaneous. How many times have you had conversations with friends or family and laughs seemed to easily flow. If you think about it, you will probably realize that the instant the laugh occurred, someone said something spontaneous and which also put everyone else’s thoughts on another track.
Proper Timing
Putting your audience on another thought track is not enough. You also need to have your timing down in order to make an impact and receive a laugh. Your punch line needs to come immediately after the set up. If you wait too long, you will lose the impact potential of your punch line.
When using the rule of three, you are essentially doing the same thing as what comedians do with their set-punch in their comedy routines, but your set up will be a bit longer.
The rule of Three in Action
A friend of mine and fellow speaker, Marry Cheyne, had used the rule of three extremely well when she delivered her speech “Nelly” at the Toastmasters 2009 international convention. She gave some background about how challenging and uncomfortable it was for her to come to Australia as a 7 year old Chinese. She then said, “I was so uncomfortable that I felt like a fish out of water, like a bird out of its nest, like a “guest (pause) at a toastmasters meeting.” The last line, “like a guest at a toastmasters meeting” was the punch line. The other two lines were the set up for her punch line.
The background story gave the audience the “thought track” of her being uncomfortable, The first two lines went along that track – uncomfortable like a fish out of water, uncomfortable like a bird out of its nest and then she throws the twist – Like a guest (she pauses) and then says “at a toastmasters meeting”. The audience was expecting her to stay serious, but she doesn’t. She spontaneously puts their thought on another track and walla she gets a laugh!
The Rule of Three must be Adaptable to Your Audience
When coming up with the right content for the rule of three, make sure your content is applicable to your audience. When Marry came up with her content, she knew who her audience was. It was a room full of fellow toastmasters. So everyone in her audience knew how uncomfortable a guest at a toastmasters club meeting feels, because at one time or another everyone was a guest before they became a member. That is why it was funny to that audience. Her line would not have been funny to a group of people no affiliated with toastmasters and surely she would not have used it. So always make sure that your content is appropriate to your audience. Enjoy tinkering with “the rule of three” for your next speech!
……………………………………………………………
Lewis Roth helps speakers build a presentation that is memorable and keeps their audience members on the edge of their seats. Lewis is an award winning speaker, certified world class speech coach, keynote speaker and presentation skills trainer. To receive his free audio download, please visit http://www.hightouchspeaking.com

, , , ,

Frank Luntz on 5 Phrases that Maximize Results

I was asked to identify the five words or phrases that mattered more than any other. If I was limited to just five recommendations–and these phrases had to work in every aspect of life–what would I say?

=> http://bit.ly/gMK9Ts

, ,

A good introduction/opener

A good introduction to the delivery of your presentation is extremely important. The first minute or so sets the stage for the rest of your talk.
You should start with an upbeat, positive mood. The first impression you make lasts. You want to quickly gain the attention, interest, and respect of your audience. Your first words should be lively, interesting, clear, and simple.

read more => http://bit.ly/hYUrJe

, , ,

Thought for Thursday – don't use words that are too big

Don’t use words too big for the subject. Don’t say “infinitely” when you mean “very”; otherwise you’ll have no word left when you want to talk about something really infinite. –C.S. Lewis 

,

Tuesday's tip for public speaking success – defining the wow

The impact of your presentation is not an accidental by-product of a presentation. It is something you create deliberately.
And the first thing to do is to define what it is that you want to create. What exactly is the impact going to be? In other words, you need to define:
How will your audience respond to your speech or presentation?
What will they take away with them and remember?
What will they remember of you?
Why will they think “Wow what a fabulous presentation!”?
Start by defining the purpose of your presentation or speech. What do you want its impact to be?
You may even want to have several– in different parts of your presentation. But they must not be left to chance or you risk creating “Ho-hum …” rather than “wow!”
Then define the message; the central message of your presentation – what one thing do you want the audience to take away? This message – you need to be able to state it in one sentence. That way you will stay focused on that outcome when you are planning
The second of the questions was “What do I want them to remember of me?”
Who are you? How will you be remembered after this presentation?
You cannot be someone you are not, when you present, unless you are prepared to be a performer for the entire production. Insincerity will detract from your speech as quickly as a joke in bad taste. But you can present a side of yourself as the highlight – the side you want your audience to remember.
And the most powerful choice you will make is how you get that image to support your message – how you
put the two together.
This package, this combination of impact, message and image are what people take away from your
presentation. They are the wow you create.
But the pivotal word, there, was “choose” – the impact you choose to make, the impact you choose for your presentation to make.
Whatever you may be trying to achieve, don’t let the impact of your presentation be an accident. Right from the beginning, it needs to be part of the planning. When you are visualizing your production, toying with ideas and possibilities and first drafts, make the impact of you as a person and of your performance an integral part of that process. Visualise it and work it into all aspects of your production planning.
Then you have the foundation for creating the “wow” factor.