Five years ago I sent out 25 phrases to guide you to greatness in speaking. Today, you get 40.
I strongly suggest that you keep these phrases where you can see them, because internalizing them can dramatically and automatically drive you to greatness in speaking. If you’re very serious about speaking, discuss the list with other speakers. This reflection exercise can lead to lots of breakthroughs in your speaking.
Note: Most of the phrases are mine but I’ve included a few guests phrase-makers as well.
- “Let your long road lead to their shortcut.”
- “You can’t rush and resonate.”
- “Don’t add humor; uncover it.”
- “Speak to one but look to all.”
- “Tease them before you tell them.”
- “Stories must be true but they don’t have to be factual.” Michael Hauge
- “Speak like you talk, not like you write.”
- “Put the process, not the person, on a pedestal.”
- “When you lift yourself up, you let your audience down.”
- “Condense to connect.”
- “Come across as similar, not special.”
- “The phrase determines what stays.”
- “When you squeeze your information in, you squeeze your audience out.” Old speaker proverb
- “No phrase, no stage”
- “What’s loose is lost”
- “If you take us through the problem, then take us through the payoff.”
- “Conflict is the hook and dialogue is the heart”
- “Let your story become their story”
- “What you pick up in the Cure (the Cure scene), you hand them out the door”
- “Don’t tell; ask”
- “Sell the belief before the relief.”
- “The more specific and visible the goal, the stronger the story.” Michael Hauge
- “Don’t be the Guru of your own story.”
- “Don’t create a message without first creating a mess.”
- “What gets recorded gets rewarded.”
- “Too many speakers try to get across too much information in too little time.”
- “Never sell a product, always sell the result.”
- “Put the result before the resource (or request).”
- “Never close your speech with the Q & A.”
- “Show it before you say it.”
- “People buy into what they help create.”
- “Give a hint and let your audience fill in the rest.”
- “It’s the look before and after the line that makes the line.”
- “Don’t just establish conflict, escalate it.”
- “Reactions tell the story.” Darren LaCroix
- “The bigger the obstacles, the more emotional your story.” Michael Hauge
- “Don’t tell us, take us.” Mark Brown
- “Don’t speak for standing ovations, speak for standing invitations.”
- “Check the VAKS.”
- “People remember best what they hear first and last.”
Bonus phrase (from my son Ace): “When the chips are down…eat them!”
YOUR TURN:
I’d love to hear from you to see what are some of the phrases that guide you in speaking? Feel free to share some of your own phrases too!
Use vivid and descriptive words.
Thanks KC. Indeed!
Great phrases! I’ll keep these in mind for sure. I use another…”Hook with Humility”
Kwesi, thank you. I really like that one!
These are great! Thanks for sharing, Craig. I especially like “You can’t rush and resonate.” So true!
There’s such power in phrases like those, because they’re so “sticky” and shareable.
You’ve inspired me to put together a list of my own. So here’s a start:
“Simple is hard.”
“Wisdom’s like money: You can’t take it with you when you die.”
“You probably think your talk’s about your topic, right? Well you’re wrong! Your talk’s about your audience.” (after Carl Kwan)
“Don’t open your speech; open their minds!”
Thank you Craig! I love what you have listed here. The simple is hard is so true and the one about opening their minds is a great mindset for us to have when we walk onstage. Thanks again!
Never try to “tell someone else’s story” or experience.
It will not be percieved as authentic.
Therefore,
“IF YOU DON’T LIVE IT, DON’T GIVE IT.”
Thank you Eric. I experienced that myself when another speaker was telling my story pretty much word for word. Even though he told it in countries outside of mine (USA), people in his audience knew the story was mine and so he lost all credibility with them.
One of my foundational phrases is: “Learning is the key to Longevity.”
So if you haven’t updated your speech in a while, it may be time to give it a facelift.
Thanks Matt. I love the facelift idea. Life continues so our speeches should evolve.
“Time is a long time coming, but it’s gone in a flash!”
Regards to all
Bob Neaves
Thanks Bob. I like it!
“Paint a Picture.”
A speech creates a picture with its words. Like a picture, a great speech speaks volumes, evokes emotion and has the ability to create lasting memories. Craig, your information is always helpful. Thank you for sharing.
Thank you Jacqueline. These are very sound.
Okay – I’ll ask… what are VAKS?
Craig – thank you for sharing this thought-full and insight-full list.
Mary Lynn, VAKS stands for Visual, Auditory, Kinesthetic, and Smell. You want to include something your audience can see, hear, feel, and smell when you set your scenes. You don’t want to force any of them in, but even 3 out of 4 will do.
This is an awesome list of treasure.
Thank you Craig.
“Don’t bite before you buy”
Thanks Alex! I like that one.