SPEECH SERIES PART 2

CHAPTER 2.

The Message

Renowned speaker and author, Scott Mckain, once told me “People don’t care about what you have done. They care about how what you’ve done applies to them”. If you’ve climbed Mount Everest, in my opinion, you are a rock star, but what really matters to me are what observations, lessons, and skills, you learned along the way that I can use to help me climb my mountain.

A good story is terrific, but in a speech, a story is the simply the means by which you communicate your point. What are you trying to say? In my program, I tell a story about the first time I ordered coffee at Starbucks…it was a disaster. Now, if you are saying “who can’t order a Starbucks coffee?” then you are probably under 30. In the beginning of the story I have no idea how to order. I was embarrassed and frustrated so I just ordered a plain coffee. By the end of the story I am ordering a “double skinny, double decaf latte, no fat, no whip, no foam, no soy, tall cup, short straw, extra hot with a little cardboard cup holder so I don’t burn my fingers.” It gets a huge laugh, and after my story I give the audience the five keys to creating an extraordinary customer experience. You may not have time for five points, but you do have time to connect your story to the audience. If you have received an award in sports, or business. There are generic success principles that enabled you to reach that level of excellence. Your goal is to show the audience how they can incorporate those principles and achieve their own success. If you are honoring someone then the point of your story or anecdote is to show the endearing qualities of the person or organization.

TALKING TIP: DON’T TRY TO TEACH TOO MANY POINTS. THEY WON’T REMEMBER THEM ALL AND YOU RISK BE BORING.

DO THIS:

·      WRITE DOWN WHAT POINT(s) YOU WOULD LIKE THE AUDIENCE TO WALK AWAY WITH THEN WORK BACKWARDS TO CREATE THE STORY OR ANECDOTE.

MORE TO FOLLOW. IF YOU WOULD LIKE THE NEXT PART OF THE SERIES, EMAIL ME AT PATRICK@PATRICKHENRYSPEAKER.COM WITH THE WORD "SPEECH" IN THE SUBJECT LINE