Your audience wants to hear you say this in every speech

Some people are afraid of getting up and saying what the audience already knows.

As a speechwriter, I’ve often had clients come back and say ‘Oh we shouldn’t say that, because they’ll already know this, and we’ll look like idiots.’

It’s an understandable thought – nobody wants to be the person who says NOTHING new.

That person is often boring.

I get it.

But most people then go too far in the opposite direction.

They think the only way to be sure they’re saying something new is by saying everything new.

But here they’re throwing the baby out with the bathwater.

And they’re inadvertently ending up in the ‘boring’ column from a different direction.

Let me explain.

The reality is that if you give people 100% new information, they have nothing to test it against.

This means, in essence, it’s a wholly new experience – and our brains are naturally cautious about accepting appearances on something completely new.

So 100% new = not believable.

Similarly, 100% old = dull and uninteresting.

There’s really nothing new or astounding in this, because we already know in the world of business that people only buy if they know, like, and trust you.

It’s the same whether what they’re buying is a product, service… or an idea.

And, since every time you get up to speak you’re selling a message or an idea – it stands to reason that the desired outcome is for the audience to buy that message or idea.

But that only happens if they know, like, and trust you.

So they WANT to hear you say what they already know – because that tells them that they can trust you.

Yes, it’s a form of confirmation bias – but only sort of.

Because if the audience genuinely does know their stuff, then if what you said was completely new, it would be strange to say the least.

So they expect some confirmation of what THEY know, so they can trust you when you say what they don’t know.

What about the know and like bit?

Well, that’s where style and personality come in.

If you get up and read – it’s hard to like you.

If you get up and talk – now I feel like I’m starting to get to know you.

And, if you play your cards right – I’ll start to like you too.

And now you have the magic formula for ‘selling’ in speaking:

Let the audience get to know you.

Help them to like you.

And don’t be afraid of saying what they already know – it helps them trust you.

THEN – and only then – you can say something new, something specific to your message.

An interesting example of this is Peter Dutton’s speech recently to the Farmers’ Rally.

It’s not a long speech – and not perfect, by any means. But what it does really well is say things the audience already knows and agrees with – so that when he says his party is the solution to their problems, they’re ready to trust him. To believe him.

Doesn’t matter if you like him or his party – it’s worth a read for the know—like—trust factor.

Talk soon,

Alexander

P.S.

Need speechwriting, corporate training, or 1-1 coaching? Send me an email at [email protected]