One Simple Change To Elevate Your Story Impact And Influence
Michael Davis
President & CEO, Keynote Speaker, Presentation And Speaking Coach | Communication And Storytelling Mastery For Leaders and Sales Professionals | Speaker's Advocate
Imagine you're listening to a speech about a topic you love. You’re immediately drawn in to the subject.?
But, in a few minutes, you notice it:
The speaker is talking in a never-ending drone. Soon, your mind wanders to…
Sound familiar?
This often happens when speakers consistently talk in monotonous or high-energy paces. Their voice doesn’t match the tone of their entire presentation. This causes audiences to get distracted, feel annoyed, or completely check out.?
Why It Matters
Engagement Over Monotony:?
When your voice tone and volume are don’t match the mood of your narrative, your storytelling becomes predictable and boring. Audiences are looking for a rollercoaster of emotions, not a constant stream of a single emotion.
Speech vs. Experience:?
Do you want to deliver a speech, or create an immersive experience??
The latter, of course!?
A dynamic vocal delivery brings your stories to life. This makes your audience feel like they're experiencing events with you.
Memorability:?
Want your message to stick??
Varying your tone and volume adds depth to the narrative, making it memorable long after you’ve shared it.
How to Do It Right
Know Your Story:?
Understand the nuances of your story. Is it an inspiring triumph, a heart-wrenching setback, or a hilarious mishap??
Tailor your tone and volume accordingly for each part of the narrative.
领英推荐
Don’t Re-Tell, Re-Live
Hall of Fame speaker Lou Heckler says, “Don’t retell your narrative; take us into it so we can relive it with you.” Paint a picture we can experience with our emotions.
Practice, Practice, Practice:?
Rehearse your story with different tones and volumes. Don’t be afraid to test your delivery. When you practice, overemphasize delivery to stretch yourself to get comfortable emoting.
Pauses:?
Silence is your secret storytelling weapon. Strategic pauses amplify the power of your words and allow your audience to absorb what you're saying. It also creates curiosity and gives them time to laugh — assuming you want them to.
Reflect Emotion:?
Your voice should reflect the emotional journey of your story. If it's a happy moment, let your voice radiate joy. For challenging times, convey empathy and sincerity.
Be Real:?
Authenticity is key. Don't force a tone that doesn't match your personality or the story's essence. Today’s audience is intuitive and will spot insincerity and tune.you.out.
Whether you’re a professional speaker, leader, or salesperson, lack of vocal congruity is the enemy of engagement.?
To stand out, use your tone to create an experience. Allow your voice to? create a mental movie with your story. Make your audience laugh, cry, and cheer along with you.?
Remember, it's not just a speech; well delivered, it can be an unforgettable experience.
The next time you present, match your tone to the mood of your stories. Then watch your audience hang on your every word.
Triple Your Storytelling Impact In Less Than A Year
Want to increase your influence and sell more of your product, service, or idea?
52 Storytelling Insights?offers you weekly bite-sized chunks of storytelling wisdom. Stacking one new insight on top of another, you'll become three times more effective as a storyteller in less than twelve months.
To sign up for these complimentary insights, click the link in the comments box.
Leadership Coach | Keynote Speaker | Entrepreneur | I help successful executives & owners bridge the gap between achievement and fulfillment | Happiness Expert | Faith-driven Leadership Strategist
1 年Don't retell... re-live! Excellent advice Michael. ??
TEDx Speaker| Created 5C Model of Communication | Coach & Trainer | Author of “Navigating Special Education” and "Conversations Lead to Consensus" | Achieving Lasting Success Starts with the Way You Communicate|
1 年Micheal great ideas and insights. I agree that practice is the key to authenticity. You can never be overprepared. Practice can reduce your anxiety and reduce the chance of sounding memorized and scripted. It helps you own your talk. As a licensed speech-language pathologist and communication coach, I encourage my clients to practice in front of a mirror. It helps them see what the audience sees, while honing their ability to have eye contact with the audience.
NSA Storytelling Champion | Keynote & TEDx Speaker | WSJ & USAToday Bestselling Author | Inspiring Teams to Innovate, Activate, and Motivate to Fuel The Future? | Training & Workshops
1 年Let's be honest- most presenters are worried about finishing and not making a fool of themselves onstage when they present. Using your simple tactics above, they can easily transform their presentation into an experience which should have been the goal all along. Great insights, Michael Davis
Transformative Innovation, Creativity, and Breakthrough Thinking Programs | In-Person and Virtual Keynotes | Team Innovation Labs | Team Consulting & Mentoring ?? Book Your Free Innovation Accelerator Call Below ??
1 年When I was coaching emerging speakers—particularly those who had trouble with vocal variety (SO necessary, as you so eloquently make clear, Michael Davis)—I would suggest they volunteer at their local library to read stories to young kids (say, ages 3-6). You HAVE to use vocal variety with this audience, and a LOT of it! Otherwise, they'll let you know!!!
President & CEO, Keynote Speaker, Presentation And Speaking Coach | Communication And Storytelling Mastery For Leaders and Sales Professionals | Speaker's Advocate
1 年To sign up for complimentary 52 Storytelling Insights, click here: https://speakingcpr.com/52-storytelling-tips/