19 June 2024

Become a Better Speaker: Steal My 6-Step Framework [15 min]

1Frameworks

5Insights

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Frameworks in this episode

Communication7 steps

The Six Foundations of an Engaging Speech

Structure any talk around six building blocks that keep an audience hooked start to finish

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Insights & moments

The myth-busts, hot takes, explainers, and tools worth keeping.

Explainer· 1

Explainer02:48

Why Relatability Beats Authority When You Open a Talk

Jasmine explains that the familiar phrase 'people do business with people they know, like and trust' misses a deeper truth: people know, like and trust people who are like them. A story told well lets the listener step into it as an observer, which is why relatability is the fastest route to an audience's trust.

The overlooked half of the maxim is that people trust people who are like them
A well-told story lets the listener place themselves in it as an observer
Relatability, not credentials, earns attention at the very start of a talk

“But what we don't always hear is that people like, know and trust people who are like them. That's why being relatable is so important.”
Jasmine Star · 02:48

#storytelling#trust#relatability#public speaking

Story· 2

Story01:54

The Politician Trick for Instantly Bonding With a Crowd

Jasmine describes how politicians open in a new city by casually name-dropping a famous local spot, like waiting in line for fried ravioli at Mama's on the Hill in St. Louis. The subtle reference triggers the audience's own memories and gains not just their attention but their trust.

Reference something the city or audience is specifically known for
The subtle mention triggers personal memories in listeners
This tactic wins trust, not just attention

“They said, oh, I'm going to subtly drop that. The line describing out the door at a very specific place that's famous in that city,…”
Jasmine Star · 01:54

#hooks#storytelling#audience engagement

Story11:16

When Simon Sinek's Mind Went Blank in Front of Every Gatekeeper

Jasmine recounts Simon Sinek presenting to a speaker's bureau, essentially every gatekeeper in professional paid speaking, when his mind went totally blank. Instead of faking it, he admitted his embarrassment; a woman in the front row reminded him what he'd said and he recovered. His honesty won over the whole room.

Speaker's bureaus handle about 90% of professional paid speaking events
Sinek admitted he'd lost his train of thought rather than faking it
His honest, human moment won the entire audience over
Fear of losing your train of thought keeps many people off the stage

“That showed his humanness. Like he literally won the entire audience over because he just spoke his truth.”
Jasmine Star · 12:42

#public speaking#vulnerability#stage fright#authenticity

Takeaway· 2

Takeaway07:15

How to Make a Bold Claim Believable: Stat, Expert, Interpretation

Selling a mindset idea she isn't credentialed in, Jasmine anchored it in evidence: a science stat that people think 60,000 thoughts a day, an expert claim from Dr. Joe Dispenza that we repeat 90% of the same thoughts, then her own interpretation. Stacking statistic, expert opinion and conclusion lets you assert something bold and still be believed.

Layer a hard statistic, an expert's finding, and then your own conclusion
Supporting content builds credibility for claims outside your expertise
Without routing a claim to evidence, the audience won't believe you

“in order for me to make a claim like that, I had to route it. These are things that you're called supporting content.”
Jasmine Star · 08:26

#credibility#persuasion#supporting content#mindset

Takeaway10:14

The Domino Effect: You Only Need One Brave Person to Engage

Audience engagement is a powerful tool, and it starts with just one brave person. Jasmine's approach is to focus on getting one or two people to respond early, which empowers others to follow suit like a domino. Asking 'how many of you have ever...' solicits connection and lets someone else testify.

Focus on getting just 1-2 people to engage at the start
Early participation dominoes into wider audience involvement
Questions like 'tell me I'm not alone' solicit connection and testimony

“what you just need is one person who's brave enough to engage at the beginning, and then it acts literally like a domino.”
Jasmine Star · 10:14

#audience engagement#social proof#facilitation