Audiences don’t simply remember information. They remember people attached to information.
A speaker can have brilliant insights, impressive credentials, beautiful slides, and a perfectly structured presentation… and still fade from memory the moment they leave the stage.
Then, there’s the speaker who says something unexpectedly quirky.
Maybe they have an oddly specific metaphor, they tell the audience about their obsession with vintage maps, or they always begin complicated explanations by saying, “Okay, let’s pretend we’re explaining this to a confused golden retriever.”
Suddenly, there’s a character… a personality… a human being.
That is the power of adding a quirky persona moment to a presentation—a small, intentional glimpse of the speaker’s personality that makes them more distinctive, relatable, or memorable.
Think of it as a “personality signature.” It might be:
- A recurring phrase
- An unusual analogy
- A funny personal habit
- A strange but relevant story
- A playful way of explaining something
- An unexpected visual
- A harmless obsession
- A distinctive opening or closing ritual
- A self-aware joke about one’s own personality
- A peculiar example that somehow makes the concept easier to understand
The key is that the moment should feel specific and that it gives the audience pictures they can carry away.
Why Quirkiness Works
Human beings are exposed to an enormous amount of information every day.
Presentations compete with emails, notifications, meetings, social media posts, advertisements, conversations, and whatever thoughts happen to be bouncing around inside an audience’s head.
A perfectly polished presentation can therefore become surprisingly easy to forget. However, something unexpected can interrupt that pattern.
Enter a small quirky moment…
The audience thinks, “Wait. What?”
That moment of surprise can create attention, and attention creates an opportunity for memory.
Imagine explaining the importance of preparation…
You could say:
“Preparation is essential for delivering an effective presentation.”
True. Useful… but forgettable.
… or you could say:
“I prepare presentations the same way some people prepare for a zombie apocalypse. I assume everything that can go wrong eventually will.”
Suddenly, the audience has an image.
They might laugh, recognize themselves in it, and more importantly, remember the point.
The “Signature Quirk” Can Become Your Calling Card
Some of the most memorable speakers have recognizable characteristics that audiences begin to associate with them.
It might be a phrase, storytelling pattern, particular type of analogy, visual motif, recurring joke, or simply a distinctive way of looking at ordinary things.
Over time, these elements become part of your identity.
Think of it as developing a signature flavor…
If every speaker sounds interchangeable—“Today, we’re going to discuss three important strategies…”—the audience has little reason to distinguish one from another.
However, imagine someone who consistently explains business concepts through everyday objects.
They pull a toaster from their bag to explain operational bottlenecks…
They use a suitcase to explain prioritization…
They compare corporate strategy to ordering at a chaotic restaurant…
Suddenly, people know what to expect from them.
More importantly, they become curious about what the speaker might do next.
That curiosity is valuable!
Here’s an easy way to find your quirky persona moment: Look at the things about yourself that you normally consider too random to mention.
Maybe you:
- Organize your books by color
- Talk to yourself when solving difficult problems
- Have an irrational dislike of Comic Sans
- Collect unusual business cards
- Know far too much about Formula 1
- Use movie quotes in everyday conversations
- Keep buying notebooks despite having dozens of unused ones
- Always sit in the same seat when attending events
- Have a bizarre ritual before important meetings
- Explain complicated ideas using food analogies
- Give names to your gadgets
- Have a favorite pen that you refuse to lend anyone
These details might seem irrelevant, but irrelevant does not mean useless.
A small personal detail can become the doorway into a larger idea.
You might tell the audience about your ridiculous commitment to using the same pen every time you prepare for a major presentation.
The pen isn’t the lesson; the ritual is. It opens the door to a conversation about how small routines can create psychological cues for performance.
Suddenly, something ordinary becomes memorable.
Try the “One Weird Thing” Exercise
So, before your next presentation, ask yourself:
“What’s one weird, oddly specific, or unexpectedly personal thing I could bring into this talk?”
Don’t overthink it.
Write down at least five possibilities.
Then ask:
- Does it reveal something authentic about me?
- Does it connect to my topic?
- Could it make the audience smile, wonder, or lean in?
- Could it help explain an idea?
- Would I actually say this in conversation?
If the answer is yes to most of these questions, you may have found your persona moment.
Take note: It doesn’t have to be dramatic. Sometimes, one sentence is enough.
—
You see, in a world where audiences are constantly surrounded by polished slides, rehearsed talking points, and interchangeable corporate language, a little humanity can be surprisingly disruptive.
As you prepare to step onto a stage, don’t ask only:
“What do I want them to learn?”
Ask another question, too:
“What little piece of me will make them remember who taught it to them?”
Maybe it’s a strange metaphor…
Maybe it’s a ridiculous story…
Maybe it’s a favorite object…
Maybe it’s a peculiar habit…
Maybe it’s one sentence that sounds unmistakably like you…
Whatever it is, LET IT IN.
… because sometimes, the smallest, strangest detail is the very thing that will turn you from forgettable into unmistakable.
Have a happy midweek!
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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