Did you watch any of the Democrat’s National Convention in Chicago? Aside from the flag-waving frenzy and the line-up of celebrities, it was a masterclass in public speaking.
And why wouldn’t it be? All the presenters benefited from teams of Hollywood scriptwriters and speech coaches.
While it’s unlikely that sort of hoopla would resonate with down-to-earth Aussie voters, there’s still a lot we can learn from the presenting techniques used by these accomplished speakers.
Because whether you’re pitching for industry collaboration, interviewing for a promotion, appealing for funding or just trying to get your idea across at a staff meeting – understanding and using the art of storytelling is your secret weapon.
Presidential nominee Kamala Harris used classic storytelling techniques in her speech at the DNC 2024 in Chicago. (image credit: The Guardian)
Here's how the DNC presenters kept their audiences engaged:
Show Don’t Tell – in plain English
Kamala Harris could have said: “My mother used brains and hard work to escape poverty and prejudice, and so did I.” Instead, she painted word pictures which helped her audience visualise the scene.
E.g. “My mother was 19 when she crossed the world alone, traveling from India to California with an unshakable dream to be the scientist who would cure breast cancer.”
This shows us her mother was gutsy and smart, which is far more powerful than just saying it.
Here’s another anecdote that demonstrates the forces that shaped her:
At the park, my mother would say, “Stay close.” But my father would say, as he smiled, “Run, Kamala, run. Don’t be afraid. Don’t let anything stop you.” From my earliest years, he taught me to be fearless.”
Inciting Incident
There’s a turning point in any good story – whether it’s a Hollywood blockbuster, a page-turning novel or a watershed moment in your own narrative. When Kamala’s high school friend confided in her that her stepfather was abusing her. This became a pivotal moment in Kamala’s choice of career.
“This is one of the reasons I became a prosecutor: to protect people like Wanda, because I believe everyone has a right to safety, to dignity and to justice.”
Theme
A theme is a central thread that pulls together otherwise disparate anecdotes in a story. In Kamala’s speech, her theme was how she always represented ‘the people’ as a lawyer, and now in politics.
In Michelle Obama’s speech 'hope' was the theme. She opened with:
“Something wonderfully magical is in the air, isn’t it? ….. It’s the contagious power of hope.”
She went on to say: “Hope is making a comeback.”
Using a classic story structure – where the main character’s desires are thwarted by the enemy – Michelle outlined how voting Republican could snuff out that hope, before bringing it home with a Hollywood ending of good triumphing evil (by voting Democrat) and finished with, “we have the power to marry our hope with our action.”
Barack and Michelle Obama used themes and repetition to hammer home their messages. (Image credit: The Guardian)
Barack Obama’s speech was a rally to ‘heal division’, illustrated by examples of the decency and kindness shared by both his white mother and black mother-in-law. The subtext, of course, was a plea to unify republicans and democrats under the American flag.
Analogies
This is where Vice Presidential candidate and former school sports coach Tim Walz excelled. The end of his speech sounded deliberately like a pep talk to his little league players.
“We get in the trenches and do the blocking and tackling. One inch at a time, one yard at a time, one phone call at a time, one door knock at a time, one $5 donation at a time.”
Analogies work particularly well when you need to explain technical concepts to a lay audience. Cut the jargon and use everyday examples everyone can relate to. But, don’t be too cute. It can come back to mock you.
Repetition
All the presenters repeated key words and phrases such as hope, freedom, dignity, justice and democracy. Repetition acts like a mantra. It’s a device to underpin your message and hook into your audience’s memories.
Call-to-action
Ideally, your closing statement urges your audience to act by a particular date. Otherwise, your talk, presentation, media interview or pitch may be a lost opportunity. At the DNC, the call-to-action was 'vote for us on November 5.’
Examples of non-political CTAs:
“Donate to our charity and save lives; invest in this research and make history; change policy to improve health; promote me to lead this team to success."
In my next blog, I’ll discuss proven winning formulas for delivery skills in public speaking.
Feature in my upcoming book
I’d love to hear your presenting stories. What techniques have you used to master media interviews and nail your presentation or pitch? What's your recipe for success when stepping up to the microphone?
Or perhaps you've had a presentation or media interview go wrong and you'd like to get it off your chest?
In my new book (working title: Speak Up), to be published by New South Publishing, I’m looking for examples of experts stepping up and speaking out at work, in the media, on a podcast, panel or presentation. Your good and bad experiences are all welcome. You can, of course, remain anonymous.
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Ever wondered how to pitch your article or story idea to a magazine or online editor? I'll be asking exactly that when I host 'MEET THE EDITORS - how to nail the pitch' panel at the upcoming Content Byte Summit on September 14 in Sydney. You can also tune in online.
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