Picture this: If you were a listener/an audience, which presentation would you prefer?
A talk that’s based on a topic that’s been tackled so many times?
… or a presentation that reveals new information about a particular subject?
If you favor the latter, then you’ve just revealed something about listeners that speakers should always take to heart!
… and what is that?
A speaker should always reveal new information to his or her audience!
According to Carmine Gallo, the author of “Talk Like Ted,” the human brain loves novelty, which is why presentations that provide something unfamiliar to listeners are a great way of generating interest.
So, as a public speaker, one of the best ways to pique your listeners’ interest is to present them with something they’re unfamiliar with.
By going this route, you’ll be able to rope your audience in and have them listening until the end of your talk.
Aside from generating intrigue, teaching your audience something new during your talk establishes you as a credible and knowledgeable speaker.
… and when you’re perceived as such, your listeners are much more likely to trust what you have to say since they won’t be on their guard throughout your presentation.
What’s more?
Building your listeners’ trust doesn’t just help you with your current presentation, but it will also build your credibility for future talks as well.
With that said, how can you make sure you impart your would-be listeners with new ideas when you prepare for your talk?
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Know your audience.
It’s important to pay attention to the crowd you’re about to speak to.
Why?
It’s because by understanding your audience, you’re much more likely to find out where their interests lie and what kind of ideas they are already familiar with.
Knowing these things will help you craft the appropriate presentation and know which topic to present.
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Draw inspiration from other fields.
You’re much more likely to become an interesting speaker if you learn and share ideas from fields of study that are different from your own.
By drawing inspiration from other fields and applying what you learned from them to your own field of study, you’ll be able to come up with a nuanced and much more interesting presentation.
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Present an old topic in a fresh and novel way.
What if you have a topic that you’re extremely passionate about and desperately want to present to an audience?
However, the problem is many people have spoken about the exact same topic, making it unremarkable and too plain to listen to for your audience.
Should this dissuade you from talking about the topic?
Absolutely not… provided that you can present your topic in a way that no one else has done before.
You see, there’s nothing wrong with speaking about a topic that’s already been talked about.
The key to making a successful talk out of an old topic is by presenting it in an interesting and unique way.
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In this day and age where everyone is bombarded with information on a daily basis, speakers face the challenge of cutting through the noise.
That’s why it’s important for speakers like you to provide listeners with new information or insights that they haven’t encountered before.
By offering something novel to your audience, you’ll turn them into active listeners who will not only listen to what you have to say, but will be inspired by what you’ve presented, turning both you and them into catalysts for growth and change.
So, when you prepare for your next talk, ask yourself this question: “What new idea can I share with my audience?”
Once you answer that question, you’ll be able to come up with a presentation that will not only leave a positive impact but also challenge, inspire, and empower your audience.
About The Dynamic Marketing Communiqué’s
“Thursdays: Speak on the Shoulders of Giants”
In a meeting with one person…
… a boardroom with five people…
… or a huge venue with hundreds of people…
—whatever the situation or setting, it’s very important to learn and eventually master the art of public speaking.
No matter what, you always need to effectively get your message across.
What good is a presentation with awesome content if you don’t deliver it properly?
Every Thursday, we publish different tips, insights, and secrets on how you can improve your presentation skills to captivate your audience and lead interesting discussions.
The need for great presentation skills applies EVERYWHERE.
(Small meetings with your team, big meetings with your boss, an important marketing pitch, speaking engagements for events with a big audience, etc.)
Learning these skills is not just for the corporate world. Being in other industries such as the Arts, Information Technology, Medicine, and Education while knowing how to communicate and present well will definitely give you an edge.
Have that advantage.
Hope you find this week’s public speaking tip interesting and helpful.
Stay tuned for next Thursday’s “Speak on the Shoulders of Giants!”
Cheers,
Henry Desai
Managing Director
Valens Dynamic Marketing Capabilities
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