“Tell them what you’re going to say. Say it. Then tell them what you said”
Ah … a contentious statement, that!
What do you think?
A great way to visualise the structure of your presentation or speech?
Yes. True. It’s simplistic,
and yes it has been abused.
Audiences may have short attention spans, but they need some subtelty from you.
But then, used subtly, yes it does work.
And that is because we all do have such short attention spans – including our audiences! If we want to make a point that will stay with an audience after they leave the room, we have to repeat and reinforce it throughout the presentation.
We also need to attract the attention, early in the speech, of those who learn best by being told, right from the start, what to expect from any session. If this step is skipped, we lose those people. They fidget and are uncomfortable.
Yes there are a myriad ways to structure a speech. And they can be used within the (subtle) main “Introduction, Body, conclusion.”
Storytelling, plot twists, meandering, and so many more all have their uses at the right place and time.
And for those creating a speech for the first time, its is a fundamental way to remind them to stay focussed on purpose and message,
and to work with an audience to get that purpose achieved and message embedded.
Photo by Jungwoo Hong on Unsplash
Good points here!
Repetition is one of the best ways to ensure your audience “Gets It!”
If they don’t “Get It” there can’t be a discussion going forward.
Two other methods to help the audience “Get It!”
1. Strong Opening – Strong Closing
The Law of Primacy and Recency says we’ll best remember the first
and last things we hear.
2. Something unusual.
Have something in your talk that is a ‘Pattern Interrupt’, i.e. out of the
normal. THIS will be remembered.
Thanks for the post!