Persuasion is the name of the game

As my friend and fellow speaker, Andrew Thorp says we are all in the persuasion business.

?In this week’s episode of Speaking About Speaking I spoke about how you can speak persuasively.

Persuasion takes sincerity, honesty, and respect. You need to communicate effectively and build rapport with your audience, whoever they are.

More than 2000 years ago Aristotle determined ethos, pathos and logos were the 3 pillars of persuasive speech. No, they are not the names of the other Musketeers, they are...

Ethos: Your ethics and moral beliefs. Underline your credibility and character.

Pathos: By sharing feelings of say compassion, sympathy etc. you create an emotional bond with your listeners.

Logos: This is your stats, facts and data. Use to form logical and rational argument but K.I.S.S (keep it simple, stupid!)

“Ethos, pathos and logos are modes of persuasion used to convince and appeal to an audience. You need these qualities for your audience to accept your messages.”

https://virtualspeech.com/blog/ethos-pathos-logos-public-spe ...

Here’s my take on how you positively persuade an audience (of 1 or many) that you are the person they should listen to.

Know your audience.

Whether business or personal you need to connect with your audience. Who are they and why should they listen to you? It's essential to understand their needs, desires and motivations so do your research and tailor your message and language to suit them.

Understand we all have a different map of the world, i.e., every person has a unique perspective on the world around them, so take the time to look at life through their eyes.

Build rapport

Firstly – be YOU. Show up authentically. An audience can tell if you are not being honest, and they’ll feel uncomfortable. Use positive and open body language, 93% of communication is non-verbal.

Be empathic and actively listen, i.e., listen to understand. Be curious and ask questions. People love to talk about themselves. By asking questions you make your audience feel special, validated.

Find a commonality or a shared experience. There’s a fabulous word – homophily - which means just that. Find something you have in common an experience you share, and you immediately have a connection. Your audience thinks “hey, they’re just like me.”

Tell a compelling story

We humans love a story. When you tell a story, perhaps a personal anecdote, you resonate with your audience on an emotional level.

If your story is relevant to THAT audience at THAT time you are seen as relatable, likeable, and trustworthy.

If you use metaphors, analogies, and rhetorical devises, such as repetition to describe your story and paint a vivid picture that sparks the imagination you will be memorable.

?Whenever we speak, we hope to influence, build trust, and create emotional bonds, whether for business, a relationship or as a parent so use everything you have in your speaking tool box to be positively persuasive and get the results you desire.

However, If you're completely lost when it comes to speaking to your audience let alone able to be persuasive then click the image to download my FREE guide to speaking with confidence:

SPEAK WITH CONFIDENCE: The Ultimate Guide

3 simple but effective steps to?raise your confidence and prepare you for talking to your audience. With easy to implement?exercises and clear techniques that will get you excited about speaking in public.??

Go?from fear to excitement and become the?comfortable and confident speaker?you always wanted to be!

?I finished working with this lovely lady last week.??

Martha Earley is the Creative Engagement Manager at the LighthousePoole.

?As part of her job Martha is regularly asked to speak to funders, stakeholders and members of the community about her work and the benefits and outcomes of it.

As someone who's worked in the arts for the majority of my career I know how transformative access to it can be and so was delighted to be asked to help shape a 20 minute presentation that could be adapted for the variety of audiences Martha speaks to.

We pulled out the stories and created a flow to the presentation?that I think will speak to the hearts of her audience and demonstrate the value of her important work.

Watch this space to see how she gets on.

Speak Like a Speaker Club

If you want to exercise your speaking muscles, for content or connection, join us on 11 July. We meet in the Malt House room at the Brewhouse & Kitchen in Southbourne. Doors open at 6.30 and we kick off at 7.

Always a fabulous and supportive group.

Details here.

?And so to the podcast...

For this previously live episode of Speaking about Speaking I spoke with?Michelle Haslam, ?a TikTok-preneur known as the TikTok Lady.

We discuss how she how she monetises her TikTok feed, copes with the inevitable Trolls and in the clip below she tells me?how she managed to be featured in the Irish Sun Newspaper for rubbing banana peel into her face! ??

You can watch the replay below or?listen here.

?Her mid-life TikTok ‘influencer’ status means that she is now invited to speak on stages about her experience. She tells me how with my help she is now comfortable and excited to get in front of an audience (also, how I got her sweeping my kitchen floor with her finger tips!!)

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Shelley Rostlund? came back on the podcast to tell me about her experience of working with me, creating her talk and delivering it to an audience of 200 people!?

This was the first time we'd spoken since the day of delivery so our de-brief was live and uncensored!

?I'll use Shelley's experience as a CASE STUDY to demonstrate how I work and how it can help get people comfortable, confident and excited about speaking to their audience.

Here's an excerpt in Shelley's own words...

"I was so full of anxiety and nerves that it was impossible to?like?doing it. I couldn’t concentrate until it was my time to be on stage, and then my heart rate was so high and my breathing was so fast that I sped through the talk and got off stage and then I was just hit with this what I call “blank trauma” afterwards. I could not remember being on stage, and had no idea what I had said once I was up there. Then I would beat myself up that I’d messed it up and didn’t not deliver value for the event organiser. This was for a client’s business, so I had the relationship in place, and I wasn’t really at risk of that. But, I just felt like I’d let myself down and my client. Although he was fine!

Now, I realise that I can fall back on my preparation back bone. This is something I do a lot in my own life and in work, and I thought I was doing it when preparing for the other talks I did. However – you have taught me a much more succinct and directive method to preparing for talking on stage, that was illuminating and very helpful."

Shelley's testimonial?

"Her decades of theatrical experience and training actors herself are like gold dust when you work with her. She is calm, knowledgeable and a genius in pulling you out of your head and transforming you into the speaker you want to be.

Think of it as a journey with Jackie. Together you reach your destination which is to ultimately shine the way you want to, whether that be on stage, on the mic or even in front of a camera.”

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Subscribe for the full Speaking About Speaking?experience

The?Power to speak YouTube channel ?has reached over 100 subscribers! ??

The next goal is 250...can you help?

I aim to get to 1000 subscribers by the end of the year!! ????

I currently have 158!! ??

Only 842, to go!!

It doesn't cost anything; you won't get bombarded with stuff and I'll get more eyes on my videos as the algorithm will recognise me as a cool content creator and send more people my way.?

?If like Shelley, you want to get your story straight or just performance ready here's a cheeky offer for you...

UNITS of Jackie

?The TASTER.

Does this sound familiar?

I feel physically ill when I think about speaking in front of people. I get so nervous it stops me interacting at events, even online. I need to learn the basic skills to get me past this. I’m losing business because of it!

Using the?Speak Like a Speaker Club? 'Lucky Dip' questions you'll talk for a minute. I'll give you feedback and answer any of your speaking issues or anxiety questions.

Plus, I'll give you advice on which unit or combination of units will suit you best.

A 30-minutes, online and?FREE

UNIT 1. Tell me a story

Is this you?

I’m desperate to define and articulate my BRAND story. I’ve been asked to speak at an industry event and I’m not sure how my ‘story’ relates to the theme.

We'll brainstorm your story - why you do what you do - and work to uncover the experiences that are relevant to your audience and strengthen your brand. The process will clarify your message so you can communicate your personal brand confidently.?

UNIT 2. The Flow

I have the stories that define my brand but how do I transition from one to the next. I want to create maximum impact on the audience. How do I begin so that I draw them in immediately and how do I end so that they will remember me?

You have the stories, the points you need to impress and the outcomes you want for the audience but how do you bring it all together? We'll create the flow of your presentation for maximum impact. This is all about the audience journey - beginning, middle and end.

?UNIT 3. Performance Ready.

My presentation is sound, but I feel self-conscious and uncomfortable in front of an audience. I get so nervous; I won’t remember anything. What if I fidget and lose my breath?

You have the presentation sorted now how about YOU? How do you sound? How do you look? We'll work on your breathing, vocal variety and presence.?I'll share tips and techniques on how to control the nerves and how to prepare your talk so you won't forget it!

So, what does a UNIT include?

Initial 20-minute call to discuss and personalise your sessions so we hit the ground running.

2 x 90 minute 1:2:1 session, online or in person (geography and expenses permitting).

Actions and accountability.

Access to me (via email, in office hours) and my resources in between meetings.

And cost...

1 Unit = ￡480

2 Units = ￡900

All 3 Units = ￡1320 + BONUS (included free when you buy all 3 units.) Perfect your elevator pitch. Networking special. Usually, ￡225

DM me or?book a call? and we can to see?what might suit you

Thank you to?Anna Lundberg ?for inviting me on to her fabulous podcast. We had a great conversation. Anna heard me talk at the Failed Nights event at the?FOUNDRY ?in Poole last month and something of my 'failed' story resonated so she asked me on the show. We obviously discuss the 'failures' as well as successes in my very varied career but I particularly loved discussing what success means to us both and how it's defines what we do now.

Thanks for being here. ????

I'd love to hear from you with feedback, comments or how we could work together.

And if you know of someone that would benefit from receiving my newsletter hot off the press at least 7 days before this one then please send them this link:?https://powertospeak.co.uk/newsletter/

Jackie ??