Stating Your Message Immediately

By Carla ávila & Copie Harris

Now you’ve learned about the importance of posture and natural gestures, pausing and where to look.  So far we’ve been sharing mostly non-verbal skills with you. Today, let’s address one of the most important verbal skills: what IS a message, and when should you deliver it?  

What is a message?  Is it the same as a statement of intent?  What IS a statement of intent, anyway?

Many people confuse a message with evidence or with a statement of intent.  Here’s how to decide what your message is: if your audience were to leave your presentation remembering only one thing, what would you want them to remember?  That’s your message.  

Tip #1: Use verbal signposts

Choose a verbal signpost to introduce your message.  A verbal signpost is a word or a phrase that adds direction and clarity to your talk.  Examples include: “What I’d like you to remember today is ___________,” or quite simply, “Here’s my message to you today.”  A verbal signpost that precedes a message is almost always stated in the present tense.  

A statement of intent, on the other hand, is usually stated in the future tense, such as, “What I will discuss today is ___________.”   Statements of intent help to manage expectations, they set the stage, and they often go hand-in-hand with your message. A statement of intent is great and usually it should precede your message.  

Tip #2: State your message in the first minute of your talk.

Your message, and delivering it in the first minute of your talk, is a necessity if you’re going to be the most effective speaker you can be.  Why? Because audiences often lack the patience to wait until the end of your talk to hear what it is they should take away from it. And, unfortunately, many speakers never actually state their message!  We’ve had many clients come to us and say, “I was at a conference yesterday, and I don’t know what any of the speakers’ messages were!” You don’t want to be THAT speaker.  

And remember: use simple language as you state your message.  Avoid acronyms or industry-specific terminology so that you can be certain that everyone understands.  

But wait, what is evidence?  When should you give evidence? 

Evidence is the proof of your thesis/message.  

Many speakers present their evidence first, and then expect the audience to reach the same conclusion that they’ve reached. But your audience may reach a different conclusion altogether!  And this approach risks losing your audience’s attention and engagement. Instead, stating your intent and message right up front, then following through with evidence while emphasizing your message throughout, allows your audience to know what to expect and to follow your thoughts.  

There are eight classic forms of evidence: examples, analogies, statistics, facts, expert opinion, exhibits, personal experience and demonstrations.  Evidence makes your talk come alive, but you should always offer your evidence after you’ve stated your thesis.  

Tip #3: Evidence always follows your message and what evidence you choose should depend upon your audience

When you’re in presenting mode, always state your thesis/message within the first minute of your talk, and then choose what evidence to use based on your understanding of your audience.  For instance, if you’re speaking to mathematicians, cite statistics as much as you can. If you’re speaking to people in the entertainment industry, use personal experience. Examples work for most people, as do analogies.  And the old adage, “Tell them what you’re going to tell them, tell them, and then tell them what you told them” is still valid.  

Telling a story

Recently, many of our clients have been saying that they feel the most captivated by a speaker when he or she is a storyteller.  We agree with this! Delivering your presentation as a story can be very compelling. And stating your message immediately and telling a story aren’t mutually exclusive; in fact, the two approaches work well together.

Summary: Use a verbal signpost and state your message within the first minute of your talk.  Then tell your story using simple language and gesturing. Make your story come alive with evidence such as examples and analogies. 

What better way to create that Magicticity?

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