How to talk so people listen.

In preparation for my upcoming TEDx talk on turning ideas into action (May 2^nd), I’ve been (desperately) looking into simple ways to make my talking style more impactful.

These points came from ‘Talk Like TED’ and are ways to amplify any subject matter so it sounds more powerful…

Gestures.

The first simple way to make your point more powerful is by using gestures.

‘Are gestures necessary? The short answer is yes. Studies have shown that complex thinkers use complex gestures and that gestures actually give the audience confidence in the speaker.’

In the book, Gallo says that in order to make your body language coherent with what you’re saying, you need to practise relentlessly.

When you have completely internalised your content, you can then make your body language fully coherent with what you’re saying. If you don’t know what you’re saying next, your gestures will reflect it.

Ø  Inspire confidence in your message by practising your talk, and using gestures to clarify what you’re saying.

Speed.

Speed up your delivery…

‘Most people slow down their rate of speech when they give a speech or a presentation, making their verbal delivery sound unnatural. Don’t deliver a presentation. Have a conversation instead.’

Interestingly, the ideal rate of speech for a face-to-face pitch of conversation is 190 words per minute. However, this is not a rigid guide…

You should not slow down your pace beyond that of your normal conversation style.

Ø Once you’ve nailed what you want to say, match the pace of your verbal delivery with your natural conversation style.

Story.

The best talks tell a story (I wrote a bit about ‘pathos’ (emotional appeal) in my blog on Jeremy Clarkson). You can use stories to reach people’s hearts and minds.

‘Brian Stevenson, the speaker who earned the longest standing ovation in TED history, spent 65% of his presentation telling stories. Brain scans reveal that stories stimulate and engage the human brain, helping the speaker connect with the audience and making it much more likely that the audience will agree with the speaker’s point of view.’

It is stories that will truly sway your audience towards your point of view.

Ø During your presentation, think very carefully about how you can paint your point with a story. Try to spend over 50% of your time telling stories that convey your message effectively.

I’ll be trying to incorporate these three points in my TEDx talk in May. 

I look forward to your feedback!