Ep. 306 7 STEPS TO UNFORGETTABLE - PART 3

Hey there, Mark Brown. How do you make it compelling from the start?

Opening strong.

Anyone can give a presentation. Few deliver unforgettable presentations. What's the difference? You're about to find out. Welcome to the unforgettable presentations podcasts with your hosts, world champion speakers and coaches, Mark Brown.

Mark Brown, your life tells a story and there's someone out there who needs to hear it.

And Darren Lacroix. And Darren Lacroix.

Stage time. Stage time. Stage time.

Ready for some powerful presentation, Ahas? Let's dive right in.

All right. Hey there, Mark Brown. Hey. Before we even get to openings, I want to talk about the introduction. Now, this isn't part of crafting the speech, but it just feels right to bring it up here. So often we hear people reading bios and oh my goodness, talk about boring an audience and setting a horrible expectation. Let's let go of that. Mark, you have a resource on your website, markbrownspeaks.com you have an article about how to write an intro.

Yeah, One of my free resources is entitled set yourself up for success with your introduction. And one of the cardinal rules is do not give your cv, your bio. They can get that in the program. Details is to set the audience up to hear what you have to say. And a well crafted introduction can be so effective, the audience begins to love you before you said your first word. What the audience expects is really important, so I recommend you write your own introduction with your coach to make sure the audience knows who you are, why you were there and how you can help them.

Yeah, it doesn't take long, but it does take understanding because the bio is the bio. It has its place, but often it should be flushed. Ah, see what I did there?

You're a punch of the day. Wow. Where did that come from?

Yeah, feisty. It's feisty day, but I'm a fan. If you've ever seen me speak of. I use a video intro. Always use a video. I always use a video intro because it allows us to more emotionally connect either personally with the audience or connecting the audience to the subject. So when you read, and I really encourage you to read Mark's article on his website about writing the introduction. So it's not part of the process of writing a speech, but important and critical and yeah, we've seen so many people have to overcome a bad intro. Well, it's our job. And the other challenge is we have somebody who has given the honor or sometimes mark of I'm at a conference and they have sponsors. The sponsor will get the honor of introducing you. But it's not their job. It's not what they do. And chances are they aren't even going to read it ahead of time if they do. Bonus. However, we need to set the stage and make it simple for them to set up our audience thinking. All right, so let's put that aside. Introductions. Check out mark's website. Mark brownspeaks.com look up his article. Google search his article on how to write an introduction. Consider a video introduction. Putting it together. Short, simple, 90 seconds or so, but emotionally connect your audience. All right, putting that aside, if you're following along the podcast, this is part three. We're walking you through a seven step process right out of our book, deliver unforgettable presentations. You want to know more, you can find it on Amazon. You can go to our website, deliverunforgettablepresentations.com and we covered already step one and two. So step one, podcast one was finding your content. Podcast two or part two is clarity and structure. This we're now going on to create your strong opening. Mark, your first thoughts?

Well, I have to go back to what you said earlier about the introduction. When we don't have a good introduction, it requires us to be even that much more careful about our opening because our opening should be strong. And I did make one particular note in the book, Darren. Most people say, well, we need a strong opening because the purpose is to get the audience's attention. That's kind of half right. Because more important than getting their attention is making a connection. Okay, yes, we want to get their attention, but we need to make a connection because it is our belief the more quickly you can establish why you are there and get to why you are there, the more readily your audience is going to receive from you. The hard part is having a connection, not only to you, but having a connection to your topic, your subject, because you want to immerse the audience into your message as soon as possible. Which means the opening has to be crafted carefully, intentionally and deliberately.

Well said, Mark. Well said. And I little foundational phrase, attention without connection is not perfection. I don't know. I was trying to.

It'll come to you. This is how we work people. We work on them, we parse them, and we sometimes do them live. We're doing our podcast. So there you go.

Yeah. And look. So we in the book, we break it down and we give you methods for opening or what do we say? Options for opening techniques. And then there's also words. So the very first words that you choose now, in this podcast, we're not going to have time to go over everything. Hey, if you'd like to have us hold your hand and walk you through the process of overhauling your unforgettable keynote, or if you just getting started and you or want to create a brand new one for a new subject, then by all means join us for our event unforgettable presentations coming up in the fall. Just go to stagetownworkshops.com use the discount code podpod25 and get in on that early bird special that is virtual only. So let's go into like Mark, how do I even start? How do I even know how to create the opening?

Well, we're saying we want to get their attention. The first idea is you want to get to the point quickly and there are ways that you can do that. People think I should open. Well, good morning. I'm glad to be here. It's been a great day. We're glad to be here. No, no, no. You don't want to begin with pleasantries that really have no impact. But there are ways to get the audience immediately LinkedIn to you. If your opening connects you, the audience and the subject. One option is addressing a conference theme or an event theme in your opening and you've done the research to do that. That's one of many ways. I know, Darren, you've been traveling quite a bit and you also have worked on opening to suit the environment, the physical location, what's happening around them. When the audience sees that, you use an opening that connects you to them, their company, the city you're in, the environment, what's happening. They know right away you're invested in them, they connect with you and they're leaning in to hear what you have to say. So I say if you can't, you know, just connect to the conference team.

One option for you that's definitely an option. And in the book I was just looking, Mark, 24 options we give people. I like the idea of one of them just to give you a taste is a little known fact. A little known fact is a simple yet now obviously it needs to connect to your premise and figuring out your premise for sure. And we want you to get clear on what your premise is before you write your opening. So just that's previously we talked about that. However, let's get an interesting opening. So a little known fact and Mark, I may not quote this exactly, but I know one of the ones that we talk about when we're doing the workshop is with Quora and it Says that it takes six days to build a Rolls Royce and it takes like six hours to build a Toyota. Hmm. Well, now again, that's not the exact statistic and I should have looked it up. I didn't. However, it's like, well, what does that have to do with presentations leaning in? Now, are you building a Toyota like everyone else, or are you building the Rolls Royce? And like, the process is different. And that's what we talk about is the unforgettable presentations process, literally the seven steps to putting it together. You miss one of those steps and you're missing impact. And if you to get paid, dollars follow impact.

I love that.

Dollars follow impact. Mark, I remember my pastor got my attention. Our friend Vince, who's been on the podcast as well, he talked about, he opened one of his sermons with God talks about money more than any other subject in the Bible. Right.

I didn't.

Now, obviously it's a sermon, so it's for a Christian audience, but even most Christians may not know that. Interesting fact. I remember Patricia uses the example of 360. She was speaking to a group of Seventh Day, Seventh Day Adventist pastors. Pastors. And she started off, now she's not, you know, she's a believer, but she's not a pastor. And they're thinking, who is she to tell us about how to make a sermon stick? And so she sets it up by saying 365 times in the Bible it says, this too shall pass. It does not say that your message will stay on the hearts and the minds of your parishioners. And so. Okay, I'm listening. We're looking for that. Ed Tate. Okay, I'm listening. So there are many things to explore. I'm just looking at a couple of our other options. And I love Mark. Just tie into the theme.

But.

But not just saying the theme. Big difference. Tie into the theme.

I tell you, that's. I mentioned earlier, if you know what the conference is about and you can connect your thoughts, your ideas, your opening statement to their particular theme, that also gives them a reason to lean in. And if the audience is leaning in quickly, you want them with you on your side quickly. And a strong opening like tying into the theme will be very helpful. Which is why I recommend particularly for those, if you're a conference presenter or associations and corporations, find out what their event theme. Now, you and I and Aaron have served Toastmasters globally for many, many years, and there almost always is a conference theme. And when you can tie into the conference theme, that's when they really Appreciate you. I've told this story before being in the Middle east several years ago when I was one of two guest speakers from North America. At the end of the conference, I was. I was opener, he was closer. And at the end of the event, the organizer took me to dinner and said how much he thanked. He thanked me profusely for my presentation. And he kind of pulled me and says, mark, I got to tell you something. You know the other speaker, we know who they are. We could tell, though, they came with their back pocket, prepared speech and just kind of plug and play to our conference. But you. You customize your speech around our conference theme and use that so effectively. We could tell you put the work in to serve us. We really want to thank you for doing that. Now, it wasn't my. I didn't intend to kind of show anybody else up, but my thought was, I got the theme. I can work with this theme. So I build my opening, crafted a customized presentation around that theme, and that's what served them well. So you know what your theme is, and you can connect your opening the theme. I say, go for it. Please, by all means, go for it. And one more technique, Darren, I find is what we may call a startling statement or a very interesting statement. Kind of hard to believe. What do you mean by that? And I know recently one of my openings has been in some ways startling or it's a. It's a powerful statement. But when the audience hears that, they go, wait, what? And you know my line, Darren? I say, stop giving speeches. I talk to speakers. Nsa. I say, stop giving speeches. What? Yeah, I say, stop giving speeches. Start delivering experiences. And it was like I was in India a month ago, and one gentleman said he had his pen poised to write everything I said. And when I said, stop giving speeches, he froze. I said, what? It got their attention. That's one particular way you can really get the audience to lean in right away. As long as that opening statement is relevant. People say, well, I like telling. Giving humor. I tell a joke. A joke is good if the humor is relevant. So whatever startles them, whatever. The opening line, if it's a humorous line, a comedic line, something funny, it should not be just a joke for the sake of breaking tension and relaxing the audience. If it is relevant. We clearly say in our book relevant Humor. And Darren, as a humorist, you've seen so many people try to use humor in the wrong way to open. And what quick advice would you offer regarding opening with relevant humor?

Well, what I would say is, you know, Mark, Your statement starts off as contrarian, what's that advice that's out there? And you're saying, wait, what? When they hear yours? So again, it grabs their attention. One of the mistakes that we see is the old adage, always start with a joke. And honestly, my opinion is if you're starting with a joke that's, as you say, irrelevant or not relevant to your subject or your premise. Now you run the risk of people going, what? Yeah, you lose them and you lose them and most importantly, you lose credibility. Along that same line is to use overused quotes as your opening.

Yeah, little known.

Use little known, little known quotes or quotes that are from your mentor or your mom or your dad or your tennis coach. You know that that thing that grabs us, that sets up our premise. So the point that we say is your opening is designed to set up your premise, which is why in previous parts we talk about the premise. You got to get clear on the premise. Because if you're going to craft an unforgettable speech, it has to be crafted to work with and deliver the premise. So that's why if your opening doesn't set up the premise, it's not in line and it's going to be forgettable. And also in the book we offer opening words, opening options of the actual first words. Your opening is not a place to wing it. It's not a place to be. Let's, let's say we want to be careful with our words. Every word either adds or distracts. And my opinion in the opening, multiply that effect, be concise. And also in your opening, have that pause, let them absorb what you said. So, Mark, when you deliver your opening, stop giving speeches. I know there's a hesitation before because you got to get them all to go, wait, what? And almost lean in. And then even after, start delivering experiences. Now we've got to like, oh, okay. And so it's got to make them think. So we always say most important part of a presentation is the thought process in the listener's mind. So you've got to allow them to think. And the opening is so important because it sets the trajectory of their listening. I'll say that again, it sets the trajectory of their listening. This is so important, which is why I have the video intro to set up the opening. So my opening is bam. And Mark, I was just nsa, Southern California, and in the middle of my presentation, I was talking about being the favorite and the president elect stood up and go, hey, hey, wait a second. I just gotta tell everyone that working with Darren he was the most responsive. He was the most attentive, the most organized. And she just went on and on. I was like, okay, didn't plan that. And I don't say that to brag. I say that because I just took the advice Mark and I both got from Patricia Fripp, which is always be their favorite. So before I even got there, they were impressed. Well, if you're on the team and they know you're on the team, look, there's a whole event happening from the catering to the meeting room to the AV people. There's a whole army of people. Even in a small meeting, you and I need to be the favorite to work with. So I didn't see that coming. But it just goes to show that even if she didn't say mattered. And your opening matters, Mark, Definitely.

And you said, I want to double down on one point you made. You said, be concise. I want to expand that. Be concise and precise. Be concise and precise. Darren, you and I learned very early on in our speaking careers we've been advised, if nothing else, have your opening and you're closing down cold. If nothing else, we don't want to say memorize, but fully internalize your opening. Know exactly what you're going to say in that opening because you know why it's there. So when you are concise, tight, and precise, not winging your opening, you are setting yourself up to make sure your audience is leaning in and they are with you. And, Darren, you said opening words are so important. I've got to go to one, One idea that you have epitomized for the longest while. And here's the idea for you that I don't hear too often when you compliment the audience or offer the audience an immediate challenge that really makes it about them. Darren, you're lying. You have an awesome responsibility. Opening line you've built before, right? You have an awesome responsibility. You now immediately you are telling your audience that you acknowledge who they are, the value they bring, and how important their work is by saying to me, if I'm in the audience, I hear, mark, you have an awesome responsibility.

Really?

I do. I want to hear what you want to tell me how I can be, how I can fulfill that responsibility? Well, and if you compliment the audience as well, you can also bring them in. I remember doing a program for a large franchise here, a global franchise, and it was for their line team in the local, let's say the local franchise offices where they were doing food service. And my three opening three words were, you are impressive. I mean, that you are impressive. I know right now some of you are watching this program, this video recording from the kitchen at your location where your team is working. And I mean, I built an opening around knowing who the attendees were and where they were. So some may be at home right now because you're off shift. Others could be in a corporate meeting with a team. But you are all very impressive because you are here and here's what you've done. So I began by complimenting the audience, letting them know their value. You offered a challenge to the audience. These are about two simple techniques. And sometimes Darren mentioned opening words. We can use opening words to transport the audience to a different time and place. And I've seen you also do that too. You know, you talk about being in this room, It's a world championship. And you open with a scene where the words imagine are. It's 1977, you're just beginning high school. But we use words that bring the audience to a different time and place. But the purpose of those words is to fit into a story that supports the premise. And you can't take too long to connect all of that together. I know this sounds like much, but your opening words also support the idea of being concise and being precise. When you decide how you wish to open, you need to craft your speech clearly. Darren says every word matters. Use words that are precisely clear, were designed or tailored or customized to serve the purpose of being concise, being precise. Whether it's an opening bit of humor, an opening story, an opening anecdote, an opening challenge, an opening little known fact or statement, or an opening quotation that they aren't familiar with. Forrest Gumpit. Say what your mama always said. I'm sorry, I couldn't resist that one. It was right there. Karen.

Mark, I was a little concerned when you said we were talking about being concise and you said you wanted to expand on that.

Well, hey, you know, that's okay.

Hey, Mark, a couple of quick ideas you mentioned. Imagine. Imagine and then paint the audience into a picture that they want to be in. You know, so not just the word imagine, but imagine is the first word. Couple other ideas we have right out of the book. Deliver unforgettable presentations. I wish you could have been there. Yes, I wish you could have been there. Another idea. I'll never forget the first time or I'll never forget the last time. Be careful with that. One obviously needs to be followed by something appropriate.

The context.

It was the scariest moment of my life.

Yes.

Another idea is Mary had a problem. And by the way, we're also not making sure that you're not saying, oh, good morning, what an honor to be here. Those platitudes, if you feel the need to say them, that's fine, but they go after your opening. Oh, what wonderful weather it is here today. Okay, stop. Don't open. Open strong. Set up your premise. Know your open and you're closed. Like word for word, it's in your body. In the middle you have a little more grace. But in your open and closed. Know your opening, know your close and next week we'll talk about the close and how it should tie back back to the opening. Mark Brown, final thoughts?

Yeah. The one thing you said earlier about knowing your opening, the power of internalizing the opening, what that does is it gives you great confidence. It assures you that you will connect with the audience and the audience will see that you know what you are talking about. When you internalize your opening, have it down cold with the intention of connecting not only to the audience, but to your subject. And you're on your way to building an unforgettable presentation. Openings are great, but next time we'll talk about how can you write a closing that you'll never forget?

All right, see you next week.

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