How The Three Little Pigs can make you a better speaker
08/01/12 17:07 Filed in: Presentations
It’s not always what you say, but how you say it...
A surefire way to bore people when you speak is to talk in a monotone voice. You may think you’re speaking with expression, but unless you make a conscious effort, you probably aren’t. The good news is that most people can ramp up their vocal variety with just a bit of practice.
Here are three simple techniques to try:
Read out loud. Put the speech or presentation aside and open a children’s book. Choose one with lots of dialogue for best effect. Then tell the story. (Child participation optional)
Mimic broadcasters. These people are pros at using vocal variety. Listen to them deliver the news. Pay close attention to radio newsreaders who have nothing else to work with except their voice and timing.
Argue with a two-year old. Although this technique is highly effective, it is only recommended if you can accept the most likely outcome. Your vocal variety will get a great workout, but the two-year old will win. Good luck. :-)
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Are you flying by the seat of your pants every time you put together a presentation? If so, join me for a day to learn how to plan, organize and write a compelling script and coordinate it with simple visuals.
For details visit Make An Impact: Presentation Design for Non-designers - May 31, 2012 or go to www.echeloncomm.ca to for info about all the workshops scheduled for 2012
A surefire way to bore people when you speak is to talk in a monotone voice. You may think you’re speaking with expression, but unless you make a conscious effort, you probably aren’t. The good news is that most people can ramp up their vocal variety with just a bit of practice.
Here are three simple techniques to try:
Read out loud. Put the speech or presentation aside and open a children’s book. Choose one with lots of dialogue for best effect. Then tell the story. (Child participation optional)
Mimic broadcasters. These people are pros at using vocal variety. Listen to them deliver the news. Pay close attention to radio newsreaders who have nothing else to work with except their voice and timing.
Argue with a two-year old. Although this technique is highly effective, it is only recommended if you can accept the most likely outcome. Your vocal variety will get a great workout, but the two-year old will win. Good luck. :-)
~~~
Are you flying by the seat of your pants every time you put together a presentation? If so, join me for a day to learn how to plan, organize and write a compelling script and coordinate it with simple visuals.
For details visit Make An Impact: Presentation Design for Non-designers - May 31, 2012 or go to www.echeloncomm.ca to for info about all the workshops scheduled for 2012
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Keep attention by mixing questions with answers
08/01/12 16:51 Filed in: Speeches
Where’s the beef?
Even if you’re too young to remember actress Clara Peller asking that question in an eighties-era TV ad, the catchphrase probably sounds familiar. “Where’s the beef?” quickly became shorthand for expressing skepticism, and as such soon graced more than a few speeches and presentations. While Clara’s line might be considered a bit hackneyed today, injecting rhetorical questions into your scripts is still a good idea.
In the book POP! Create the Perfect Pitch, Title, and Tagline for Anything, business communicator Sam Horn writes: “Declarative sentences sit on the page. Questions engage.” The same is true when language is spoken. Audiences like to hear questions. See below for three reasons why you should ask questions and how to use them to engage, intrigue and move listeners through a speech or presentation.
Questions provide vocal variety. A steady stream of declarative sentences can be boring to the ear. Popping a question every once in a while forces the speaker to moderate his or her tone of voice. That change is enticing; so much so that it can even lure back listeners who have drifted off into their own thoughts.
Questions create two-way communication. Posing rhetorical questions turns a monologue into a dialogue. Listeners welcome the invitation to reflect on what they’ve heard. Just remember to pause briefly after asking the question to give the audience some time to answer back in their heads. (If you’re writing for someone else, write the instruction [Pause] into the script.)
Questions work well as transitions. Finding ways to move from topic to topic in a way that listeners can easily follow is always a challenge. An effective segue is to end a discussion with a question that leads into a new discussion.
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To learn more techniques for writing terrific speeches and presentations, register for one of these workshops:
• Make An Impact: Presentation Design for Non-Designers - May 21, 2012
• Write Out Loud: Practical Speechwriting Skills - Oct 18, 2012
• Deliver Value Beyond Words: Advanced Speechwriting Skills - Oct 19, 2012
• Click on the links above, or visit www.echeloncomm.ca for more info
If it doesn't add meaning, nix the adverb
06/12/11 14:08 Filed in: Writing
In everyday spoken English, adverbs run amok. We kneel down; we close up, we pass things over to one another; we gather together; we follow behind; we cancel out each other’s votes and so on and on. The problem occurs when excess adverbs sneak into our writing. In many cases they add clutter rather than clarify meaning. When editing, check your use of adverbs and delete those that don't add value. In some instances, you can strengthen your prose by getting rid of a weak adverb and verb combo and substituting a strong verb. Instead of ”She spoke softly.” for instance, write “She whispered." In Write Tight: How To Keep Your Prose Sharp, Focused and Concise, writer-editor William Brohaugh says adverbs do earn their keep at times. For example, he mentions the case when a verb-adverb combination can’t be distilled into a single word, such as in the sentence “He studiously ignored his father.” As Brohaugh points out, that sentence works because no single English word describes the concept of going to pains to make it clear one is not noticing something.
When speaking in threes "Oops" just doesn't cut it
06/12/11 14:03 Filed in: Presentations
U.S. presidential hopeful Rick Perry had the right idea during a recent Republican Debate when he tried to make key point in his platform. Unfortunately, for him, he suffered a memory lapse at a critical time. Perry began to name three government agencies he would cut if elected president; but he could only remember two of them. After racking his brain for the third, all he could do was offer a feeble “Oops”.
Whether or not his gaffe derails his political plans, Perry stumbled when he should have soared. If he had delivered his list as intended, he would have tapped into the considerable power of speaking in threes.
Writers, speakers and comedians in the western world have exploited the rule of three for millennia. The Romans even had a term for it: "omne trium perfectum”, which translates to everything that comes in threes is perfect, or, every set of three is complete.
When it comes to people, three seems to be the lucky charm. Humans are good at pattern recognition and three points are the minimum needed to create a pattern. Patterns also help us remember things. Most of us can rhyme off three-part lists even if we haven’t heard them in decades. Try it yourself: the butcher, the baker and the _____ ______. Or The Lion, The Witch and The _____. Or veni, vidi, ____. (OK. Enough Latin.)
Working in threes seems to touch something in human nature. Courtroom lawyers often focus on three points when summing up in front of juries. Experience has taught them that, generally, people can manage to keep three ideas in mind at one time. Likewise, stories often feature characters in groups of three: The Three Musketeers, The Three Little Pigs, even Goldilocks and The Three Bears. Just imagine if Goldilocks had struck pay dirt on the second bowl of porridge. How satisfying would the story be then?
Although Mr. Perry wasn’t up to the challenge, politicians through the ages have made good use of triads (groups of three). According to Shakespeare, Mark Antony began his famous speech by asking: “Friends, Romans, Countrymen, lend me your ears.” In the Gettysburg Address, Abraham Lincoln spoke of “government of the people, by the people, for the people.” While to the north, the Canadian Confederation was established on the principles of “peace, order and good government”.
Comedians make hay out of the rule of three to create humour. For instance, have you ever noticed how often stereotypes gather in threes to walk into a bar? Building a punchline around a three-part list is also highly effective — especially when the first two items in the list are perfectly logical and the third one comes out of left field. For example: How do you get to my place? Go down to the corner, turn left, and get lost. (Groaner courtesy of Wikipedia)
So, next time you write a speech or presentation make a point to tap into the power of the rule of three. Just remember to commit your material to memory. For instance, give the triad an acronym or use another mnemonic to make it easy to bring to mind. Better yet, write it down and keep it in sight.
Whether or not his gaffe derails his political plans, Perry stumbled when he should have soared. If he had delivered his list as intended, he would have tapped into the considerable power of speaking in threes.
Writers, speakers and comedians in the western world have exploited the rule of three for millennia. The Romans even had a term for it: "omne trium perfectum”, which translates to everything that comes in threes is perfect, or, every set of three is complete.
When it comes to people, three seems to be the lucky charm. Humans are good at pattern recognition and three points are the minimum needed to create a pattern. Patterns also help us remember things. Most of us can rhyme off three-part lists even if we haven’t heard them in decades. Try it yourself: the butcher, the baker and the _____ ______. Or The Lion, The Witch and The _____. Or veni, vidi, ____. (OK. Enough Latin.)
Working in threes seems to touch something in human nature. Courtroom lawyers often focus on three points when summing up in front of juries. Experience has taught them that, generally, people can manage to keep three ideas in mind at one time. Likewise, stories often feature characters in groups of three: The Three Musketeers, The Three Little Pigs, even Goldilocks and The Three Bears. Just imagine if Goldilocks had struck pay dirt on the second bowl of porridge. How satisfying would the story be then?
Although Mr. Perry wasn’t up to the challenge, politicians through the ages have made good use of triads (groups of three). According to Shakespeare, Mark Antony began his famous speech by asking: “Friends, Romans, Countrymen, lend me your ears.” In the Gettysburg Address, Abraham Lincoln spoke of “government of the people, by the people, for the people.” While to the north, the Canadian Confederation was established on the principles of “peace, order and good government”.
Comedians make hay out of the rule of three to create humour. For instance, have you ever noticed how often stereotypes gather in threes to walk into a bar? Building a punchline around a three-part list is also highly effective — especially when the first two items in the list are perfectly logical and the third one comes out of left field. For example: How do you get to my place? Go down to the corner, turn left, and get lost. (Groaner courtesy of Wikipedia)
So, next time you write a speech or presentation make a point to tap into the power of the rule of three. Just remember to commit your material to memory. For instance, give the triad an acronym or use another mnemonic to make it easy to bring to mind. Better yet, write it down and keep it in sight.
Inflight refuelling & other secrets: 5 top scribes spill
02/10/11 21:58 Filed in: Speeches
What happens when speechwriters from the U.K., Europe, the U.S. and Canada gather to talk shop? A lot of cross pollination of ideas, that’s for certain. In mid-September the third annual U.K. Speechwriters’ Guild Conference took place in Bournemouth, England. I was honoured to be a speaker and lucky enough to sit in on sessions lead by some mighty impressive wordsmiths. Read the ideas shared by five keynoters below.
Martha Leyton & Martin Shovel: Speaking to The Mind's Eye
The words speakers use have a huge effect on the ability of listeners to connect with and remember ideas. Abstract terms such as globalization and new world order are cold and remote. In contrast, language that conjures up pictures in our mind's eye engages our senses, stimulates an emotional reaction and helps to make material memorable. The key is to find the right words to describe images that link to the audience's experience. For example, former British Prime Minister Gordon Brown suffered a deep political wound when an opponent described him as someone who had morphed from Stalin to Mr. Bean.
Professor Max Atkinson: In Praise of PowerPoint?
The shift from chalk & talk sessions to slide presentations means presenters often dump too much visual information on the audience at one time. People prefer the presenter to lead them through the material gradually (e.g. by building slides) rather than packing each slide full of content and expecting viewers to absorb it all in one fell swoop.
Conor Burns MP: Political Speechwriting
In Burns’ view, speechwriting is a process rather than an event. As a result he is constantly gathering information, jokes and stories. He also recommends using quotations because someone at some point has said what you want to say, only better. When speaking in the House of Commons he tries to work from a few notes rather than a full script. If he loses his train of thought he relies on prompts from colleagues; a practice that is known among British parliamentarians as inflight refuelling.
David Murray: Write For Your Life: How to Transform Impossible Speechwriting Assignments Into Improbable Communication Victories
When dealing with a crisis, mention the problem, but put the emphasis on what is being done to address it. And make sure it's the leader who steps up to the microphone. People want to know that the person in charge is doing the right thing. Audiences also listen for certainty. That's what they heard in 1974 when Jimmy Carter, then Governor of Georgia, gave an impassioned speech about the importance of politics as a means of social justice. Carter’s speech so impressed journalist Hunter S. Thompson that he wrote an article about it in Rolling Stone Magazine.
Stuart Mole: The Power of The Spoken Word
Effective speeches are the bedrock of the ability of a leader to actually lead. For that reason Mole is perplexed by the tendency he witnessed in the business world to treat speech assignments casually in comparison to the focus and resources devoted to advertising and marketing. He also questions the practice of dreaming up soundbites and asking the speechwriter to put them in the speech. The process, he says, should work the other way around.
For more information about the conference and the speakers click here.
Martha Leyton & Martin Shovel: Speaking to The Mind's Eye
The words speakers use have a huge effect on the ability of listeners to connect with and remember ideas. Abstract terms such as globalization and new world order are cold and remote. In contrast, language that conjures up pictures in our mind's eye engages our senses, stimulates an emotional reaction and helps to make material memorable. The key is to find the right words to describe images that link to the audience's experience. For example, former British Prime Minister Gordon Brown suffered a deep political wound when an opponent described him as someone who had morphed from Stalin to Mr. Bean.
Professor Max Atkinson: In Praise of PowerPoint?
The shift from chalk & talk sessions to slide presentations means presenters often dump too much visual information on the audience at one time. People prefer the presenter to lead them through the material gradually (e.g. by building slides) rather than packing each slide full of content and expecting viewers to absorb it all in one fell swoop.
Conor Burns MP: Political Speechwriting
In Burns’ view, speechwriting is a process rather than an event. As a result he is constantly gathering information, jokes and stories. He also recommends using quotations because someone at some point has said what you want to say, only better. When speaking in the House of Commons he tries to work from a few notes rather than a full script. If he loses his train of thought he relies on prompts from colleagues; a practice that is known among British parliamentarians as inflight refuelling.
David Murray: Write For Your Life: How to Transform Impossible Speechwriting Assignments Into Improbable Communication Victories
When dealing with a crisis, mention the problem, but put the emphasis on what is being done to address it. And make sure it's the leader who steps up to the microphone. People want to know that the person in charge is doing the right thing. Audiences also listen for certainty. That's what they heard in 1974 when Jimmy Carter, then Governor of Georgia, gave an impassioned speech about the importance of politics as a means of social justice. Carter’s speech so impressed journalist Hunter S. Thompson that he wrote an article about it in Rolling Stone Magazine.
Stuart Mole: The Power of The Spoken Word
Effective speeches are the bedrock of the ability of a leader to actually lead. For that reason Mole is perplexed by the tendency he witnessed in the business world to treat speech assignments casually in comparison to the focus and resources devoted to advertising and marketing. He also questions the practice of dreaming up soundbites and asking the speechwriter to put them in the speech. The process, he says, should work the other way around.
For more information about the conference and the speakers click here.