A talk doesn’t always have to last for thirty minutes to an hour for it to be effective and inspire listeners to action.
Sometimes, all a speaker needs is less than half an hour to inform, to make a point, and rouse others into action.
… but how exactly should you go about this?
How can you say more by using up less time?
For today’s “Speak on the Shoulders of Giants,” these are the very questions we will answer!
According to Dale Carnegie, author of the book, “The Quick and Easy Way to Effective Speaking,” short talks are an effective way of driving action from the listeners… even if that talk is just two minutes long.
To achieve this, Carnegie and his colleagues came up with a “magic formula” speakers can follow when structuring their talks.
This formula starts with giving the details or an example that explicitly illustrates the idea a speaker wants to get across.
Next, the presenter has to articulate his or her main points in clear terms.
Lastly, the speaker has to highlight the advantage or benefit to be gained when the listener acts on the idea or proposal provided by the presenter.
Carnegie says the formula is suited for articulating presentations in a straightforward language as “every word is measured and nothing is wasted.”
Now that you know what Carnegie’s “magic formula” is, here is a breakdown of its aspects.
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Give your details or example as vividly and as clearly as you can.
Carnegie says this is the part of your talk that will take up most of your time. In this stage, you will describe an experience that taught you a particular lesson.
He says that by vividly reconstructing an experience in front of an audience, a speaker can make them the basis of influencing others. Carnegie argues this works precisely because other people respond to words in the same way they respond to real-life happenings.
So, when delivering your talk, make sure to start it by going into detail about your example and make sure it is relevant.
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Articulate your primary message as clearly and as precisely as possible.
Precision is crucial in articulating the message you’re trying to convey because listeners will only act on something if they clearly understand it.
Carnegie says to ask yourself what it is exactly you want your audience to do or take away from your talk so you make your language as clear and explicit as possible.
If you’re recommending a course of action, make sure that what you’re proposing is doable for your listeners.
Moreover, state your message with conviction. If your audience senses even an ounce of doubt in what you’re saying, they are less likely to be convinced by what you have to say.
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State the benefit.
You cannot expect your listeners to buy into what you’re saying or proposing if you don’t highlight the benefit of doing so.
When stating the benefit of your idea or recommended action, make sure that it’s highly relevant to what you’ve already said throughout your talk.
Your audience is least likely to be persuaded when they’re given a benefit that doesn’t logically fit into what has been prior to it.
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You don’t always need to spend 30 minutes or more when presenting in front of an audience.
Sometimes, keeping it short and simple is the best way to articulate your ideas and to convince your audience to buy into what you’re saying.
That’s why the next time you prepare for your talk, keep Carnegie’s “magic formula” in mind.
You never know, it just might be what you need to create a killer talk!
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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