Speaking in public can be a powerful way to build a business. It can help raise the profile of your business, generate new leads, and generate higher profits. But public speaking can be stressful and stressful for beginners. Writing a speech can be a big challenge, especially for technical writers.
We can all learn by watching professional speakers.
I have achieved a long-time ambition to hear from Bill Clinton, in Perth on Saturday February 23, 2002. It was a fantastic event!
My motivation? Anyone who makes $ 300,000 for a 50 minute keynote presentation must be good. As a professional speaker, I wanted to see Clinton in action. I didn’t want to hear just what he said, but how he said it.
Here is my analysis of what I learn from listening to Bill Clinton in person and noticing how he was introduced. You should be able to adapt at least some of these points to your own circumstances.
1. The marketing strategy
In previous years, a huge publicity blitz prompted audiences to see speakers like former Soviet leader Gorbachev and others. Their marketing approach was very commercially focused with a massive advertising budget. Clinton’s event had a more humanitarian angle with funds raised for a good cause, namely sick children through the Princess Margaret Hospital for Children Foundation. This best matched Clinton’s core values of building community and having empathy for the concerns of ordinary people. The marketing campaign relied heavily on positive media coverage to raise awareness of the event.
2. A memorable entry
Clinton’s entrance into the ballroom was brilliantly accomplished. Everyone was asked to stand and then he entered the room with his theme of the United States presidential election “Happy days are here again.” The excitement in the room was electric and made the hairs on the back of my neck stand up!
3. Personal presentation
His dress and presentation were absolutely impeccable. (Maybe $ 500 haircuts will help.) Many women at my table commented that Clinton looked much more in person than on television.
4. The power of presence
There was a rumor about being in the same room as President Clinton. His body language, smile, and confident handshake radiated charisma. His considerable charm reminded me of that high school science experiment when iron filings are tipped over
a white sheet of paper covering a strong magnet. People were drawn to Clinton like metal filings by a powerful magnetic field.
5. Heating
Alan Jones was the MC and the warm-up included a short film that joyfully depicts Clinton’s final days in office. The scenes included Clinton washing the presidential car, trimming the hedges and playing switchboard operator in the Oval Room. A large scene from a press conference showed Clinton waking up a sleeping journalist.
6. Introduction
A well-constructed introduction helped build empathy and highlighted that Clinton’s life had not been an easy road. The fact that his father died when he was young, his mother was a nursing assistant, and he was born in Hope, a city of 10,000, helped put his success and accomplishments in context.
7. Harness the sense of destiny
A strong personal brand is built on stories. The story of Clinton’s meeting with President Kennedy when he was at a youth leadership camp was used to great effect. Not only was it mentioned in the introduction, but the famous photo of Clinton shaking hands with JFK was also used in marketing materials. Other brand-building shots included an intimate moment with Hilary, a shot of him playing the saxophone, a jogging photo, one with Chelsea, and one with Clinton lined up with 3 former presidents. They all helped define Clinton as the man.
8. Personalization of the message
Clinton’s Perth speech was personalized to include stories relevant to a Perth market, including her memories of Perth turning on her lights at night for re-entry from a US space mission and comments on the career of a former president. from the USA as a mining engineer in Kalgoorlie.
9. Use humor
Clinton had some great lines on how she could have helped previous presidents deal with the media in tough situations.
10. A memorable line using opposites
This can be very effective. Speaking of possible solutions to the war on terror, Clinton said that “most of the important things in life are simple.”
11. Repetition
Clinton used this proven speech writing technique to great effect.
12. Use metaphors
Clinton used the metaphor of the gap between the invention of the club and the shield to describe the current situation in the war on terror. He said that “this gap must be closed.” Metaphors can give intangible concepts a greater impact on the audience.
13. Develop empathy with the audience.
Clinton told the story of how she was in Australia in Port Douglas on September 11 and how her daughter Chelsea was doing in downtown New York. She connected with all the parents in the room when she spoke about her feelings when she was unable to communicate with her daughter for three hours that day.
14. A call to action
The objective of the event was to raise funds for a children’s hospital. Clinton’s last words were “I want you to help me.” Simple, direct and powerful.
Hope you enjoyed this review. I certainly learned a lot from watching one of the world’s great communicators in action.
Whatever your personal views on Clinton … his personal warmth, his ability to connect with an audience, and his presentation skills are exceptional.