|
A few years ago, I saw the legendary NFL coach and television commentator, John Madden, speak. He was addressing a crowd of about 8,000 people and frankly, I didn’t expect much from him. Sure, he’s funny on TV and does some great turkey jokes during the yearly Thanksgiving games, but he didn’t strike me as a riveting public speaker.
At the end of 45 minutes, I stood corrected. He had delivered a talk that was of great interest, funny, moving and memorable.
At one point he described to us the toughest part of being a football coach: 3rd and long. This is the time when the quarterback turns to the sideline to find out how they are supposed to get the crucial first down. Madden said that that was when he would routinely turn his back to grab a cup of Gatorade. That way, the quarterback made his own call, and if he screwed up, Madden wouldn’t be to blame.
What John did for us that day was what every great speaker must do: keep the audience interested. He did this largely through the use of anecdotes. Think about these three facts:
- The average person speaks at around 125 words per minute
- The average person’s mind processes information at about 250 words per minute
- The average adult attention span is 8 seconds
What this says is that as speakers, we must do whatever we can to grab and maintain the attention of our listeners. The best way to do that is through the use of short stories, or anecdotes.
Have you ever noticed that virtually every good speaker sprinkles his or her material with stories? Lance Armstrong and Norman Schwarzkopf don’t thrill crowds with their platform skills. They fetch $50,000 for a one-hour talk because of the stories they tell. And even though you may not have any personal tales of riding down the Champs Elysees in a yellow jersey or winning a war in the desert, you have stories that you can and should be using. This is because stories:
- Are the most interesting part of any talk
- Help people understand complex or abstract ideas
- Create pictures for people which are much more memorable than facts
So how do you use stories in your presentations? Here are some guidelines:
- Use your own stories from every day life. This is what people relate to the best.
- Don’t be afraid to improvise a bit; use your poetic license.
- Make sure the story is appropriate.
- Keep it brief.
- Use humor. It is virtually impossible to dislike someone that you think is funny.
- Use other people’s stories if you like (giving credit where due), but don’t tell the same old stories we have heard so many times. If I hear the one about the SCUBA diver being thrown onto the forest fire again, somebody is going to pay!
When should you tell these stories?
- To open a talk
- To close a talk
- At the beginning of each major topic
- Whenever people start drifting
- Whenever a good one comes to you
Do not, however, plan to go up there and “wing it” and hope that you are flooded with great stories. To use stories well in your speaking, you have to plan on it. Most great speakers keep a file of stories that they continually use and update.
Lastly, here’s a great technique that is easy to use and never fails to impress your listeners: If you start with a story, end your talk by going back to that story. It makes you look skilled, organized and well rehearsed.
You don’t have to be a John Madden to be able to effectively use stories in your presentations. But you do have to plan for it, practice and deliver. I guarantee you will find that your talks are more interesting, memorable and more fun to deliver.
Robert Graham
Robert Graham is the Principal of GrahamComm (www.grahamcomm.net), a consulting and training company that helps clients increase their sales and deliver outstanding presentations. He can be reached at 415-652-0763 or Robert@grahamcomm.net.
Re-Print Conditions
We offer this article on a nonexclusive basis. You may reprint or repost this material as long as Robert Graham’s name and contact information is included. Robert@grahamcomm.net, 415-652-0763, www.grahamcomm.net.
Back to Articles
 |
