Just read Chip & Dan Heath’s book “Made to Stick” – about how to make an idea compelling. If you ever give speeches, go through this checklist, asking is your speech:
SIMPLE – with a compact, core idea, explained in clear language. “If I communicate nothing else in this speech, it would be ___ ”
UNEXPECTED – peppered with intriguing questions & mysterious stories – to get everyone interested in knowing the answer.
CONCRETE – with real examples, not just abstract concepts.
CREDIBLE – to make the audience believe you, back up what you say with compelling stats and authoritative examples.
EMOTIONAL – to make the audience care. They’ll be more likely to remember and act.
STORY BASED – brings together the above.
For example, rather than an abstract speech about how your company needs to have “Extraordinary customer service”, tell a real-life (concrete) story about a staff member going the extra mile; include emotion; point that staff member out in the audience (unexpected, concrete); give a statistic (credible) backing up your point.
Speeches don’t last long and are often forgettable. But they can become extremely powerful. I give 50 speeches a year, and I still believe that a speech can always be made better. This book will certainly help me.