Speak Like a Great Movie to Pique Their Curiosity
Consider these great movie scenes:
Indiana Jones outrunning a huge rolling boulder.
Titanic sinking to the ocean floor.
E.T. escaping evil government agents.
These scenes have one common thread… they create curiosity.
You probably assumed Indy would escape the boulder, but how?
You knew the Titanic would sink, but, who would survive?
If E.T. escaped, would he get home?
One reason these are great movies
They create tension, and build that curiosity.
Audiences want to be entertained more than ever. Like these movies, you can create ‘edge of their seats’ curiosity when you speak. This will leave audiences wanting more.
A common mistake by speakers is giving away the end of their stories too soon. This destroys suspense, and audience interest.
Discounting an Old Speaking Adage
A commonly held belief among speakers has been: ”Tell ‘em what you’re gonna tell ‘em; tell ‘em; then tell ’em what you just told ‘em.”
This is bad advice for storytelling. If the audience knows what’s coming, they may mentally check out of your presentation.
Imagine if, at the beginning of Titanic, 100 year-old Rose said, “That was quite an experience being on the Titanic. Jack was such a wonderful man. Oh, I wish he wouldn’t have died that night.”
What??
Jack dies?
Bummer.
So much for that movie.. what’s for dinner?
Having been told the outcome ahead of time, do you care to watch?
Perhaps.
Will you be emotionally involved?
No. You know how it ends.
Don’t do this to your audience. Build their curiosity by giving hints, or small details, but wait until the last possible moment to answer their curiosity.
It’s important to note that if you create these questions in the minds of your audience, you must eventually answer them. If people invest their emotions into your stories, relieve their tension before they walk away from your presentation. Otherwise, they will be unhappy.
Think of it this way: Imagine you’re watching the Super Bowl, or your favorite sporting event. It’s an exciting contest, all the way until the last few seconds. Without warning, all power to your house is lost – no TV, no radio, no internet.
What happened!?
Who won!?
Imagine the frustration you’d feel if you had to wait a long time for the answer.
Don’t do this to your audience.
Want to keep audience attention, and have them on the edge of their seat? Build the tension – create curiosity – and when the time is right, give them the answer. Do this, and you’ll create an experience they’ll remember long after they hear you speak.
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Michael’s mission is to help leaders, managers and sales professionals communicate with more confidence, impact, and influence. This passion is born from his own communication difficulties early in his career.
Fortunately, he discovered that public speaking is like riding a bike, swimming or driving a car - it’s a learnable skill. Once he discovered this ‘secret’ he became a voracious student of the craft. He took courses, studied some of the world’s best speakers and storytellers and continues to study presentation and business storytelling skills.
He is hired by companies and organizations, leaders, managers and sales professionals, and TEDx speakers to help them become more confident, impactful and influential communicators.
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