| |
| |
|
|
Public Speaking Information |
|
|
|
Speech Writing Tips: The 14 Speech Writing Secrets of President Bill Clinton
Speaking in public can be a powerful way to build a business. It can help raise the profile of your business, generate new leads and create greater profits. But speaking in public can be nerve wracking and seriously stressful for first timers. Writing a speech can be a major challenge, especially for technical writers. We can all learn from watching professional speakers. I have achieved a long held ambition to hear Bill Clinton - in Perth on Saturday February 23, 2002. It was a fantastic event! My motivation? Anyone who earns $300,000 for a 50 minute keynote presentation must be good. As a professional speaker, I wanted to see Clinton in action. I didn't want to only hear what he said, but how he said it. Here's my analysis of what I learnt from hearing Bill Clinton in person and noting how he was presented. You should be able to adapt at least some of these points to fit your own circumstances. 1. The marketing strategy In previous years a big advertising blitz brought audiences to see speakers such as former Soviet leader Gorbachov and others. Their marketing approach was very commercially focused with a massive advertising budget. The Clinton event had a more humanitarian angle with funds being raised for a good cause, namely sick kids through The Princess Margaret Hospital for Children Foundation. This was a better match with Clinton's core values of building community and having an empathy with the concerns of ordinary people. The marketing campaign relied heavily on positive media coverage to create awareness of the event. 2. A memorable entry Clinton's entry to the ballroom was brilliantly stage-managed. Everyone was asked to stand and then he walked into the room to his US Presidential election theme song 'Happy Days are here again'. The emotion in the room was electric and made the hairs on the back of my neck stand up! 3. Personal presentation His dress and presentation was absolutely immaculate. (Maybe the $500 haircuts help.) Many women at my table commented that Clinton was far better looking in the flesh than on TV. 4. The Power of Presence There was a buzz about being in the same room as President Clinton. His body language, smile and confident hand shake exuded charisma. His considerable charm reminded me of that high school science experiment when you tip iron filings onto a white sheet of paper covering a strong magnet. People were attracted to Clinton like metal filings to a powerful magnetic field. 5. Warm-up Alan Jones was MC and the warm-up included a short film taking a light hearted look at Clinton's last days in office. Scenes included Clinton washing the Presidential car, clipping the hedges and playing switchboard operator in the Oval Room. A great scene from a press conference showed Clinton waking a single sleeping journalist. 6. Introduction A well constructed introduction helped build empathy and highlighted that Clinton's life had not all been plain sailing. The fact that his father died when he was young, his mother was a nursing assistant and he was born in Hope, a town of 10,000 people, helped put his success and achievements in context. 7. Building on the sense of destiny A strong personal brand is built on stories. The story of Clinton meeting President Kennedy when on a youth leadership camp was used to great effect. Not only was it mentioned in the introduction but that famous photo of Clinton shaking JFK's hand was also used in the marketing materials. Other brand building shots included an intimate moment with Hilary, a shot of him playing the saxophone, a jogging photo, one with Chelsea and one featuring Clinton lined up with 3 past Presidents. They all helped to define Clinton the man. 8. Customising the message Clinton's speech in Perth was customised to include stories relevant to a Perth market, including his memories of Perth switching on its lights at night for a US space mission re-entry and comments on a former US President's career as a mining engineer in Kalgoorlie. 9. Using humour Clinton had some great lines about how he could have helped previous Presidents in dealing with the media in tricky situations. 10. Memorable one liners using opposites This can be very effective. When talking about possible solutions to the war against terrorism, Clinton said "most of the big things in life are simple". 11. Repetition Clinton used this proven speechwriting technique to great effect. 12. Using metaphors Clinton used the metaphor of the gap between the invention of the club and the shield to describe the present situation in the war against terrorism. He said "this gap needs to closed". Metaphors can give intangible concepts more impact with an audience. 13. Develop empathy with the audience Clinton told the story of how he was in Australia at Port Douglas on September 11th and how his daughter Chelsea was in downtown New York. He connected with every parent in the room when he talked about his feelings when he couldn't contact his daughter for three hours on that day. 14. A call to action The aim of the event was to raise money for a Children's hospital. Clinton's final words were "I want you to help". Simple, direct and powerful. I hope you have enjoyed this analysis. I certainly learnt a lot by seeing one of the world's great communicators in action. Whatever your personal views on Clinton are ... his personal warmth, ability to connect with an audience and presentation skills are outstanding. Thomas Murrell MBA CSP is an international business speaker, consultant and award-winning broadcaster. Media Motivators is his regular electronic magazine read by 7,000 professionals in 15 different countries. You can subscribe by visiting http://www.8mmedia.com. Thomas can be contacted directly at +6189388 6888 and is available to speak to your conference, seminar or event. Visit Tom's blog at http://www.8mmedia.blogspot.com.
MORE RESOURCES:
Google News |
|
|
|
RELATED ARTICLES
The Ps and Qs of Public Speaking Avoid the painWhich would you prefer - root canal dental surgery without an anaesthetic or a bit of public speaking? According to the people who research these things, most of us would prefer the former.Public speaking is still one of our greatest fears and it turns grown men and women into nervous wrecks. Now Appearing: 9 Tips for a Well-Attended Event When I made the decision to do free workshops and book signings for my latest book, Make a Real Living as a Freelance Writer, I thought it would be easy to draw an audience. I had, after all, done all the right things to prepare for this big event: I had a successful e-zine, AbsoluteWrite. Public Speaking for Scaredy Cats Business communications researchers have studied the phenomenon of stage fright experienced by would-be public speakers. Let me summarize most of the findings in very down-to-earth terms: Most people would rather die than stand up before an audience and deliver a speech. Getting Results from Your Writing & Speaking When we communicate, we usually want something to happen. We want results. Timing - Why You Should Never Go Overtime with Your Presentation or Speech In a conference setting, nothing annoys audiences more than talks that go overtime. It shows a lack of consideration for the audience, and to be frank, there is absolutely no excuse for it if the speaker has prepared well. The Ten Ps of Dealing with Questions Presenters and those making speeches will frequently be faced with having to answer questions. Sometimes these will be simple questions asked at the end of your talk and lasting only a minute or two. Choosing a Hot Keyword: Advice for Aspiring Public Speakers When choosing keywords, you'll want to stay away from using general terms like "speaker," for example. This will only leave you competing with stereo speakers for a top ten spot in a search engine like Google. How to be a Great Speaker Did you know that great speakers are often nervous with butterflies in their stomach before giving a presentation? And there are many actors/actresses who can not speak to live audiences without cue cards. My 13 years as a professional speakers bureau owner allowed me to hear several thousand speakers give their presentations. Five Tips for Overcoming Public Speaking Nerves Your mouth is dry, heart palpitating, and knees knocking. You go into panic, facing a dreaded public speaking assignment. How to Use Public Speaking to Attract Clients When Robert Middleton moved his marketing consulting practice, Action Plan Marketing, to Palo Alto, California several years ago, he started his business from scratch. He had left his well-established client base several miles away and now had to find strategies to generate new clients. 20 Tips to Becoming a Professional Speaker: How to be a Rising Star Entering the speaking industry can be both daunting and exciting. It is an excellent environment where you can make a real difference in the lives of your audience. Ethics in Speaking: A Practical Point of View Often managers have to deliver presentations with unpleasant content. The vice president has to announce that there is a hiring freeze or a downsizing. Top 7 Tips for Speakers Public Speaking is the number one way to advance your business career.Do you get nervous when speaking to a group? Do you feel butterflies in your stomach? The following tips will help you get your butterflies to fly in formation. What Makes A Great Presenter? Every day millions of people around the world make a presentation. Yet most of us who have been to meetings know that very few of those people are truly great. Opening Your Speech Imagine yourself at mission control; 10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1 - Speak!When the space shuttle blasts off - those first few seconds of lift are critical. It comprises a small portion of the total journey, yet if someone errors - they crash and burn. Will Speak for Food - Using Free Speeches to Attract Customers If you want to get in front of prospective customers, and be viewed as an expert in your industry, become a speaker. Being at the front of the room gives you credibility. 12 Ways to be a Confident Public Speaker Speak from your heart. If you believe in what you say, than others need to hear it. Getting on the Speakers List How do you get your name on a speakers list?Speaking experience is usually required before you will be placed on the speakers list. Groups often want to know where you have spoken and will want to have a referral from a couple of the groups you already spoke to. Getting Yourself Known What are the 5 best ways of getting known in the speaking industry?Getting known in the speaking industry does not happen overnight. You need to work at it bit by bit. 15 Ways To Keep Your Speaking Inspiring and Creative When stressed or blocked it is wise to make a change so that we don't stay in that place. Yet, many times we forget some of the simple things that we can do for ourselves, quickly and easily to bring our inspiration back and increase our creativity.
|
| home | site map |
| © 2006 |