A smooth script is a winning script.
When I’m working with hopeful leaders heading to center stage or center screen, I say imagine:
You’re steering the minivan.
Your viewers are seated in the back.
You’re driving along the keynote highway.
The overall goal is to ensure a smooth, jostle-free, interesting ride. A message that’s free from distractions and disruptions.
In crafting a next-level presentation, there are obstacles to navigate that can disrupt your messaging highway. These road hazards include:
POTHOLES
Gaps in information and coded language. If listeners can’t understand an industry term or acronym, they’ll be left, struggling to decode your words instead of absorbing your message.
SPEED BUMPS
These are jolting or shocking statements that can unsettle an audience. While it’s important to grab attention, controversy or abrupt changes in tone throw listeners off.
BILLBOARDS
Distracting content that doesn’t contribute to the core message will divert attention. These unnecessary tangents or side-comments can cause your audience to silently rabbit trail.
RUMBLE STRIPS
The friction of rumble strips represents familiar content that causes your listeners to mentally drift. If your message feels too repetitive or predictable, you risk losing engagement.
EXIT RAMPS
Frequent topic shifts can lead the audience away from the main point. Too many side points will make your speech feel unfocused and scattered.
A well-crafted presentation is like a well-maintained highway — smooth, clear, and free from distractions.
So, before stepping onto the stage, take the time to ensure your audience will both enjoy a memorable journey and arrive at your intended destination!
P.S. In case you missed them, some other editions of BETTER Speaking! touch on related topics here and here.
I am DEVIN D. MARKS. This newsletter shares what I’ve learned from deep dives into the world of TED Talks and idea spreading. Over the years, I’ve been privileged to serve 100s of niche experts, authors, and leaders — from million-view TEDsters to CEOs winning 9-figure funding rounds.
My public speaking and story training firm, CONNECT to COMPEL, helps leaders, just like you, maximize every message — for keynotes, employee all-hands, board presentations, and more. We can connect via 617.804.6020, or you can DM me here.
“If you would persuade, you must appeal to interest rather than intellect.” — Benjamin Franklyn
Matthew Dicks’ STORYWORTHY: Engage, Teach, Persuade, and Change Your Life through the Power of Storytelling is really a field guide for finding, shaping, and sharing the moments that matter. It is brimming with practical tools, memorable rules (like the “Homework for Life” method), and real-life examples that turn everyday experiences into compelling narratives. I cannot recommend it strongly enough!
In this video short, Carmine Gallo highlights 3 key communication skills that President Obama regularly used on stage:
Transcendence. Repetition. Gestures & Voice.
Want to learn to land and deliver a top-tier TED Talk?
The 2nd edition of my new workshop kicks off:
May 26+27 (Mon** Tue)
12-2 PM EST
It is a no-fee event, but participation is curated by an application process — to ensure a rich peer-learner gathering.
Click here to learn more. (Only 23 seats available.) Apply here.
** THAT is the Memorial Day Monday. So if it conflicts with your calendar... The fall-back dates are: 16+17 June. Just indicate your preference in the COMMENTS section of the application.
Three principles make The Maximized Messaging Method (m3) so very, very connecting and compelling. Whether you're working on a keynote or a commencement address; an all-hands preso or a pitch, you will want to be:
[✔] Fivefold-Focused (5 factors)
[✔] Story-Wrapped (4 factors)
[✔] Action-Igniting (5 factors)
To begin a conversation about bringing the m3 framework to your next presentation, hit REPLY to this email.
After all, isn’t it time to…
LET THE WORLD LIVE YOUR MESSAGE™
P.S. ARE YOU A HOPEFUL TED TALK 🔴 SPEAKER? Did you know the m3 Framework is the basis of my award-winning, TED Talk coaching method? Many, many million-view TEDsters have benefitted from my coaching — including Harvard's Dr. Robert Waldinger in his 49M view, TOP 10 TED Talk. Let’s connect and consider your steps to center stage.
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