Here are 10 ideas on how you can develop more interesting stories for including in your public speaking or other oral communication occasions. These will help you whether speaking one on one, in meetings, ingroups or more formal events.

1. Listen to a speaker, such as a teacher, minister, social worker, politician, or any other speaker whose purpose is to persuade an audience for some purpose. As you listen, take notes on the illustrations the speaker uses. Were they interesting? The kind that really stimulated the audience mentally and/or emotionally? If so, why? If not, why not?
2. If the speaker you heard did not use illustrations find or recall at least one human interest illustration he could have used to support the theme of his speech. Tell this story either to a real or imagined audience and state the point it supports.
3. Listen to another speaker. Compare and contrast the illustrations this speaker used with those used by the other speaker. Always analyze why a story is weak or effective.
4. In a section of your speech notebook keep notations, or clippings of human interest illustrations on a theme of your choice.
5. Write in your own words a human interest illustration from history, biography, literature, a magazine, the news, or any other reading source.
6. Do the same from any oral source, such as other speakers, television, radio, and so on.
7. List the themes of a few stories which you think have been told so often they have become trite. Choose one of those themes and see if you can find a story which will not be trite to support it.
8. Tell the most interesting story you ever heard or read. Take only from two to five minutes for this   (depending upon the amount of time the instructor has for it.) Keep the story moving! Put in interesting details but don’t waste words. Try for a dramatic effect upon the audience.
9. Study a few daily newspapers. Select several human interest illustrations. For each illustration write the theme it would support best. Choose the most effective illustration you found and tell it to other peopl. After others have done likewise frankly discuss the merits or weaknesses of any illustration used.
10. Read a biography of some person you admire. Relate orally the incident from this biography which impressed you most vividly.

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 Here are some final ideas on puttting enthusiasm in your public speaking to be more effective.

Enthusiasm is never a halfway or lukewarm activity. It demands a person’s complete attention, his devotion, and his willingness to share his complete self with humanity. But the rewards are surely worth the effort. What advantage or satisfaction is there in half giving, holding back, or only half living? Surely the purpose of life is to live it completely, to share it freely, and to use it as effectively as the Creator intended.
So in daily conversations, when you speak in public, or in any human relationship, give yourself completely, and you will find that the enthusiasm you give to others will be reflected back to you many fold!

Here are 12 ideas to help develop your own enthusiasm and be more enthusiastic:

1. Make a three to five minute speech on a subject which is of great interest to you. Deliver this talk as enthusiastically as you can.
2. Give yourself an occasional “pep” talk on the advantages of being enthusiastic. This is a laboratory type talk. Talk out loud to yourself for about a minute. Be fully animated and highly enthusiastic as you talk.
3. List all  the negative forces which may be causing you to lack enthusiasm. How can you free yourself from these forces?
4. Make a  two  to three minute talk about “The Most  Enthusiastic Person I Know.”   (Yourself excluded,of course!)
5. Interview two or three highly enthusiastic people. Try to find out why they are so enthusiastic. Exchange knowledge and ideas in a class discussion about these people.
6. Cite  an  illustration of how  enthusiasm was misused.
7. Distinguish between fanaticism and enthusiasm.
8. Why do some people refuse to be enthusiastic?
9. During your next conversation see how attentive you can be.
Did you observe the effect on the person with whom you talked?

10. Sincerely act enthusiastically all day tomorrow. Report the results.
11. In a conversation with a child about a toy, or something else that interests him, see how enthusiastic you can be. Notice the effect on the child.
12. List all the personal qualities that contribute to enthusiastic speaking. How can you attain these qualities?

Enthusiasm on its own can be a powerful technique to possess. But combined with other public speaking skills it can help you to be more persuasive and effective public speaking. If you are looking for more ideas and hints on how to improve your public speaking effectiveness, check out out our free e-course by entering your details in the box to the right.

First off here are some things that enthusiasm is not.

Enthusiasm is not noise or high pressure speaking. An enthusiastic speaker may talk louder and faster than the average person, but there can be no set rate or manner. It is entirely a matter of spirit. When the spirit within the speaker is fully and sincerely alive minor points, such as “eye contact” and rate of speaking, seem to adjust themselves.
Neither is enthusiasm a jumpy, “nervous,” push-them-out-of-the-way manner of behaviour. Nor need an enthusiast yield to exaggeration as he may be inclined to do.
Enthusiasm, being a spiritual quality, does not depend upon physical size or strength for its existence. For instance, the Apostle Paul was probably one of the most enthusiastic people who ever lived. He was five feet, one inch tall, and weighed about one hundred and ten pounds. He had “a thorn in the flesh,” yet nothing could daunt his enthusiastic nature. Stoning, jail, shipwreck, hunger, nakedness, whippings — nothing could stifle his enthusiasm to communicate his message. He said to Timothy, “Never lose your sense of urgency in season or out of season.”
Ah enthusiast does constantly feel that the cause he repre¬sents is urgent. Willingly, earnestly, eagerly he works at it. Always he is alert to learn more about his subject because this encourages self-confidence which is so necessary for effective communication.
Some people seem to be conserving their enthusiasm, probably thinking that by using it they will become tired or exhausted. But just the opposite is true. Enthusiasm takes the drudgery out of work. It renews a speaker’s energy and actually rests him. Norman Vincent Peale discovered the stimulating effect of enthusiasm when he said to a statesman who had made seven consecutive speeches, “Aren’t you tired?” And the statesman replied, “No, because I believe absolutely in everything I said in those speeches. I am enthusiastic about my convictions.”
Enthusiasm takes the chloroform out of speaking and injects vibrant life. It not only keeps listeners awake, but it also enlivens them, inspires them to think and feel with the speaker. Sincere enthusiasm in a speech causes people to say, “I could listen to that kind of speaking all night!”
A speaker who is highly enthusiastic about his subject can feel that he is truly serving his listeners by sharing his life with them. He becomes what John G. Shedd, a former President of Marshall Field and Company, would have called a “geyser.”
“I’d rather be a geyser than a mud puddle!” he said, when comparing an enthusiastic person with an unenthusiastic one.

Next week I’ll conculde this series on enthusiasm and provide a list of ideas to help  understand enthusiasm and using it in public speaking.

The habits of enthusiasm can be developed for use in being more persuasive when public speaking.

Here are some ways to develop them:
1. By closely observing human nature and trying to determine what makes people ‘”tick.”
2. Liking people, and showing an active interest in them at all times.
3. Being active with ideas and people to a point where one has no time for aloofness or indifference.
4. By having a positive, optimistic nature and attitude.
5. By being super-earnest in everything, but pleasant and happy at the same time.
6. By putting the whole heart, mind, body, and spirit into everything one does.
7. Getting the “I-can” attitude. Thoughts of quitting or indul¬gences in self-pity kill enthusiasm.
8. By not permitting any type of criticism to dampen the  spirits.
9. By thinking about your subject, and living it, until a burn¬ing, almost obsessional desire to communicate your ideas and feelings is acquired.
10. By being in love with every minute of life and living it completely.

Enthusiasm’s worst enemies are probably pessimism, negative criticism, fear and indifference. An enthusiastic speaker avoids these characteristics. Without hesitation or apologizing for being alive, he plunges right into his speech, so desirous of communicating an idea, nothing can stop him! Almost obsessed with an idea, his eyes gleam as he speaks, his voice and body reflect his spirit. He doesn’t think about how he stands,or where he puts his hands. He’s not worried about how he breathes, or if he breathes. Communicating is all important.
Not that knowing how to stand, or breathe, or how to use the body is worthless, but a person, while speaking, should not give those minor values conscious attention. His whole mind, heart, and soul should be flaming with the great idea he desires to communicate.
Then he’ll be somewhat like a woman who jumps up on a chair when a mouse appears. In her case safety is the big idea. Instantly it becomes an obsession with her. And she’s not concerned about how she got on that chair. She probably couldn’t tell if she was asked.
Similarly, an enthusiastic speaker is not concerned about how he communicates his ideas. His fervent desire is to have his ideas and feelings accepted. And when this is his main purpose he speaks far more persuasively than when he tries to make “fancy” speeches with graceful gestures and a lovely voice.

As with all thing in public speaking the enthusiasm needs to genuine to be effective.

Enthusiasm can be a powerful persuader in public speaking. Here is some information on enthusiasm.

Enthusiasm is not limited to the field of  life insurance or to any other service. Its existence depends upon the attitude a person has. A menial service may inspire it. For instance, Raymond Middleton of Detroit became highly enthusiastic about hauling garbage. At the age of fifty-nine he retired from driving a city garbage truck after thirty-one years service. With tears in his eyes he said, “It’s hard to give up something you love. And this job I really love. At first I hated it but the longer I worked at it the more I grew to love it.”
This is a case of enthusiasm being stimulated by a person’s attitude. Nobody can be enthusiastic about work, a speech, or anything else if he is ashamed of his service. But he becomes enthusiastic when he feels his service is really beneficial to people. And when he feels his service is the most important activity in the world he adds more voltage to his enthusiasm.
No one will be enthusiastic unless he wants to be. A company order that “Everyone must be enthusiastic at his work,” will not stimulate enthusiasm, for it depends upon the willingness of an individual.
A full-blooded American Indian, for instance, who was in a business and professional speaking course, could not be enthusiastic when he spoke because he had always been taught to shun enthusiasm. This Indian was not the kind who would shout war whoops as he swung a tomahawk. He talked more like a timid schoolboy on his first date. Finally he told the instructor that all his life he had been taught not to be enthusiastic. And he believed he should not. Naturally with such a mental attitude he could not speak dynamically.Other people, some well-educated, confuse enthusiasm with fanaticism. A fanatical speaker loses control of his emotions. His speaking becomes ridiculous or repulsive rather than persuasive for most listeners. But who would object to the type of enthusiasm that Coleman Cox described: “Inspired by reason, controlled by caution; sound in theory; practical in application; reflects confidence; spreads good cheer; raises morale; inspires association; arouses loyalty, and laughs at adversity.”
This is the type of enthusiasm a speaker needs.
People who are “naturally” enthusiastic are that way because of habits they have developed, perhaps unconsciously. But those habits can be developed consciously until they become natural qualities of a personality.

Have you ever tried to consciously develop enthusiasm? My next post will reveal someways that can be used to do this.

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In public speaking getting the audience to be part of the speech is a great way to keep them interested. 

Here is another way to cause people in an audience to feel they are a part of the program is to label or “tag” them frequently. That is, refer to them as, “My friends . . . ladies and gentlemen . . . fellow citizens . . . fellow Americans . . . neighbors . . . kind friends . . . ladies in the audience will agree . . . you gentlemen know . . . you housewives realize . . . students . . . young people . . . you farmers here tonight know . . . you businessmen see, and so on.
When a speaker sincerely, and favorably labels an audience he indicates a personal interest in the people. And this also causes listeners to feel the speaker is conversing with them direct¬y “off the cuff” rather than delivering a prepared oration designed to high pressure them into agreement.
Speakers with’ friendly informal receptive, and flexible at¬titudes toward audiences will be alert to inject intriguing bits of showmanship into their speeches. They will be more interested in getting a successful speaker-audience human relationship than in gathering persona? prestige or glory. But by getting this over¬all harmonious relationship a speaker receives the personal bene¬fits indirectly.
When a speaker uses showmanship effectively an audience feels, “That’s our boy!” and, “This is our experience rather than his monologue.”

Ideas for including showmanship in your talks:

1. Plan an interesting bit of showmanship for your next talk.
2. Make a list of all the illustrations of showmanship you have
observed in public speaking.
3. Have you observed some attempted showmanship that failed?
Why did it fail? Or if you haven’t observed tfiis what might cause
attempted showmanship to be ineffective?
4. Describe an able “showman’s” manner.
5. How would an able speaker handle the following situations
if they occurred while he was speaking:
a.    The power fails so the lights all go out.
b.    Someone in the audience calls out, “Who told you you
could speak?”
c. A cat enters the room and walks up to the speaker.
d. A baby in the audience cries.
e. Two people in the front row are whispering constantly.
£.     You discover you have forgotten your notes when you
walk out to speak.
g.    The chairman does a very poor job introducing you.
h.    People are obviously tired physically when you come out to speak.

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Here are some advantages and techniques to getting your audience to work together in public speaking:

Anything an audience does in unison tends to encourage harmonious thinking, and thus contributes to a persuasive effect. Having done things together at the beginning of a speech listeners are more inclined to agree when a speaker asks for action. Also a spirit of good will and general agreement is fostered. Most people like to smile, to laugh, or to enjoy a listening experience. So touches of humor can be persuasive, although humor should not be emphasized in a persuasive speech. Many effective persuasive speeches contain no humor but much human interest. Good willed humor, when used in a spirit of congenial fellowship, however, has a wholesome effect. But “Smart Aleck” humor, or the type that gives a speaker a “Boy-am-I-witty!” manner, does not impress listeners favorably.
A speaker can add interest to his speech by having some popular local citizen participate in it. For instance, at a banquet a speaker was introduced to Mr. Roberts, a local jeweler. Roberts immediately told the speaker a joke. It wasn’t really humorous. The speaker didn’t even get the point. But he knew Roberts was the type of person’ who would be overjoyed to tell a joke to the audience.
So’ the speaker began his talk that evening by saying, “Now I understand some speakers try to be comedians, but I’m not going to try that this evening, because I know there is a local humorist here tonight — Mr. Roberts!”
This statement got a fair laugh. And the speaker continued, “He told us a joke before dinner which I’ll admit I didn’t get because I’m a little thick. He had to explain it to me. He doesn’t know I’m going to do this, but I want him to tell that joke again and see if you can figure it out.”
Roberts came through nicely. He was proud as punch to perform. The fact that his joke wasn’t very funny, didn’t matter. He got a big laugh and a big hand for his spirit, and the speaker was off to’ a congenial start.
After the speaker concluded, Mr. Roberts, beaming from ear to ear, went up to him, shook his hand as though they were old college chums, and pinned verbal bouquets all over him. Roberts chatted enthusiastically for several minutes — even told a couple more jokes!
When a local person takes some part in a speaker’s program indirectly the entire audience feels they have participated.

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Here are some techniques to get audience participation that I came across:

Audience participation can be an element of effective showmanship in public speaking. The old saying, “Everyone likes to get into the act,” is probably about ninety-nine per cent true.
When the speech material permits, a speaker can get his audience into the “act” by asking for a show of hands as an answer to some question. One speaker did this by saying, “Now I’m going to ask for a show of hands. How many of you had difficulty finding a parking spot on Main Street tonight?” As the speaker talked he encouraged action by reaching for the ceiling himself. He paused for the response. Then he continued speaking, “Several did, I see. And the rest probably brought their parking spaces with them.”
Another speaker who was scheduled to speak third on a program knew the people were tired sitting, so he started his speech by saying, “Let’s all stand for a seventh inning stretch, please.” While the people were standing he walked over to an old man in the front row, put his hand gently on the old man’s shoulder-and said, “You know, I took a big chance when I asked those people to stand, didn’t I? They could have all walked right out that side door!”
Such impromptu remarks usually make favorable impressions upon listeners because this type of speaking suggests that the speaker is not going to unload a canned speech, full of clever tricks, upon an audience. It also contributes to a relaxed atmosphere.
People are inclined to follow a speaker’s directions when he puts suitable bodily action into his request. For instance, when a speaker says, “Everybody stand, please,” he reaches out with both hands open, and makes a big upward sweeping movement as though he were actually lifting everyone up.
A speaker may add a humorous touch to this request by adding, “Now shake hands with your neighbor, and if she’s your wife, kiss her!” Usually somebody will, and people get a big kick out of seeing a man kiss his wife in public.
Or a speaker could say, “I’m going to give you half a minute break. And during that time see how many people you can shake hands with. Get ready now, go!” A variation of this activity is, “Everybody stand, please. Now turn around quickly and shake hands with the person behind you.” Everyone turns and, of course, there is no one to shake hands with. With a large audience this always gets a laugh.

These simple techniques can help to keep your audience interested and give them a chance to relax. Keeping your audience relaxed and interested is an important part of being persuasive. If you are wanting to know more about effective public speaking – try out our  free 7 day e-course delivered direct to your inbox by simply entering your details in the box to the right to get started straightaway.

A persuasive speaker usually needs positive emotion to persuade their audience.

“Stroking the fur the right way,” without being deceitful, is usually a more persuasive method than irritating listeners or throwing monkey wrenches into the machinery. A few speakers have successfully irritated audiences to action or persuaded with invective. But this method requires delicate handling. And, per¬aps wisely, it is not commonly used. Such an approach may backfire even when used by an expert. Most listeners like a challenge and they will endure some gentle pushing, but antagonizing remarks are usually resented.
A persuasive speaker needs strong emotional force in his speaking, although he should never let his feelings run wild or cause him to make untactful statements.
Sometimes emotional speaking which is intended to be persuasive may stimulate the opposite effect. For instance, shortly after America declared war on Germany the first time, a Hoosier politician who was running for a county office, declared in a
burst of patriotism, “If I had a drop of German blood in my veins I’d have it cut out!”
This statement was made in a community of American citizens where about three-fourths of the people were of German descent. They didn’t sympathize with Germany but they could not help having “German blood” in their veins. Even the speaker’s wife was of direct German descent!
Actually this speaker injured his listeners’ self-respect. His tactless remark was passed around, and hundreds of people who did not hear the speech, did learn one thing the speaker had said. Some people concluded that his lack of tact cost him the election. His statement was indeed tactless. He could have expressed patriotism in a way that would not have insulted those good American citizens who disliked German despotism as much as he.
Why hurt people? Words which create an “area of good feeling” are far more persuasive. Expressing sincere appreciation and praise is usually a persuasive influence. Flattery, however, is like a counterfeit coin, more often refused than accepted. And it is always unethical.
A characteristic of able showmanship is a speaker’s ability to adjust his thinking and action to last minute, or unexpected changes.
For example out on the street a loud fire siren started just as a speaker had been introduced. The speaker stood quietly until he could be heard. Then he said, “I didn’t expect to start a fire so quickly!”
Upon another occasion a chair collapsed suddenly causing a big man to fall sprawling into an aisle. The audience laughed. And they laughed again when the speaker said, “Well, I see I’m slaying them in the aisles.” But then the listeners, having had a good laugh, listened attentively to the speaker again as he continued talking seriously.

Using humor and positive emotion is an effective way to persuade people in any form of spoken communication whether it is one to one or to groups of any size. Unfortunately, today not everyone is that successful at this spoken communication especially when speaking to a group or audience of any size. If this is you and you would like to be a better speaker to groups of any size, check out our free 7 day e-course by entering your details in the box to the right and have it sent direct to your inbox and get started straightway.

In my previous post I gave an example of a speech of Lincoln’s showing off his skills as master at persuasion in public speaking.

This approach is truly a masterpiece of persuasion. It appeals to the listeners’ better nature, makes them justly proud of their heritage and fairness. They are called “friends, fellow citizens, brave and gallant people” by the speaker. He identifies himself-as one of them —”just a humble, honest person trying to get along.” Being approached by such sincere, effective persuasion how could they refuse the speaker a fair listening?
Through disappointing and “bitter experiences” Lincoln learned that honest tact is far more persuasive than bluntness or high-pressure methods. Suppose he had used the following approach in the situation referred to above:
I understand that some of you ignorant people here tonight have threatened violent harm to me. Don’t you know who I am? Evidently you are so illiterate you don’t know the law will sup¬port me in my demand for free speech here tonight. And anyone who tries to stop me will be thrown into jail for disturbing the peace. I’m going to speak whether you like it or not, and you’re going to listen!
You can imagine the negative response such remarks would get. Always it is much better to persuade as Lincoln did rather than try to force ideas upon people. “A man convinced against his will is of the same opinion still.” (Samuel Butler) Listen again to the master persuader:
. . . We don’t like to be made fun or laughed at, belittled. We aspire to a decent sense of dignity and self-respect.
Therefore, never say to listeners, “Since you don’t know about this subject I want to discuss it,” or “How many of you stopped to realize that . . . ? or “Please quit being prejudiced,, and listen to reason.” Such tactless remarks hurt the listeners’ self-respect and pride. They hurt the speaker’s chance of success. The tactful speaker reverses this. He uses self-respect and pride. Says he: “You remember so-and-so,” or “I’m sure you would rather listen. to pleasant facts than to pleasant fancy.”
An able persuader is not a yes-man or a namby-pamby individual. He is a positive, active personality who supports firmly, yet tactfully, the ideas and ideals which he feels are right and honest.
“Telling people off” may afford some speakers a bit of mor¬bid satisfaction, and occasionally this method may bulldoze listeners into submission, but it is not persuasive. Genuine persuasion is a process whereby listeners are led, willingly, often eagerly, to comply with a speaker’s suggestions.

Hows your approach to persuading people when you speak to them one on one or in a group, in a meeting or public speaking?

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Being able to develop self-confidence doesn’t usually happen at once.

An able showman, having complete self-confidence and not depending upon a canned speech, has the ability to ad-lib when unusual circumstances occur.
For instance, when a college professor was introduced as a speaker for an audience of business executives he didn’t get any applause. In fact, his audience just sat and looked as though they were angry for having to be present.
Of course the speaker expected some applause, but when he didn’t get any he completely changed the beginning of his speech. Instead of starting immediately with an illustration, as he had planned, he applauded himself as he said, while grinning widely, “Why shouldn’t I applaud me? The good Lord knows if any¬one needs encouragement I do!”
Then, entirely unplanned, he continued with this illustration:
College professors can be dull. I know! — because two of us were on a speaking program recently. One’s bad enough, but think of two!
Well, he spoke first, and I went to sleep.
Then I spoke and he went to sleep.
Now I don’t blame him for going to sleep, of course, but why did that buzzard have to snore?
A fat man in the second row grinned. Other listeners loosened up a bit. And soon they willingly listened to a speaker they thought would not be worth hearing. The speaker had used showmanship to get interest. What would have been the effect if he had showed himself displeased with his audience, if he had reprimanded the listeners for their lack of courtesy or enthusiasm?
A tactful, persuasive speaker recognizes adverse conditions instantly and adjusts harmoniously to them.
Abraham Lincoln, for example, became highly successful in winning the goodwill of unfriendly audiences. Notice his speak¬ing approach to some people in Southern Illinois who had seriously threatened to “nail his hide on a barn door” if he tried speaking to them against slavery:
Fellow citizens of Southern Illinois, fellow citizens of the State of Kentucky, fellow citizens of Missouri — I am told there are some of you here present who would like to make trouble for me. I don’t understand, why they should. I am a plain, common man, like the rest of you; and why should I not have as good a right to speak my sentiments as the rest of you? Why, good friends, I am one of you. I am not an interloper here. I was born in Kentucky, and raised in Illinois, just like the most of you, and worked my way along by hard scratching. I know the people of Kentucky, and I know the people of Southern Illinois, and I think I know the Missourians. I am one of them, and therefore ought to know them; and they ought to know me better, and if they did know me better, they would know that I am not disposed to make , them trouble. Then, why should they, or any of them, want _ to make trouble for me? Don’t do any such foolish thing, fellow citizens. Let us be friends, and treat each other like friends. I am one of the humblest and most peaceful men in the world —would wrong no man, would interfere with no man’s rights. And all I ask is that, having something to say, you give me a decent hearing. And, being Illinoisans, Kentuckians, and Missourians — brave and gallant people — I feel sure that you will do that. And now let us reason together, like the honest fellows we are.

Understanding your audience is an important part of succeeding as a public speaker. If you want to learn more about being a successful public speaker, try out our free e-course delivered direct to your inbox by typing your name and email into the box to the right and get sent direct to you.

When you speak in public is being very well-spoken or more down to earth more effective?

School teachers found fault with Dizzy Dean’s baseball broadcasts because he said, “Me and Paul,” or, “He slud in at third!” But ol’ Diz is a highly effective sports announcer. Not because he makes, grammatical errors, however, but because he is informal and enthusiastic.
One of the disk jockeys at- WSM, Tennessee, is called Mr. Country Music. His style ot speaking is unusually informal.
“Well, now, how are all my pedal-pushin’ (truck driving) buddies tonight?” he’ll say. “I jist got a letter here from a feller way down in Georgie. Him and his little sugar-burger (what?) are listenin’ to us tonight. And we got a long-handled call from Montana. Way out yonder! Well, I’m sendin’ you my little red garters (regards). Hey, how about hearin’ from some of you fellers down there in Alabama? If I don’t hear pretty soon I’m comin’ down there and slap you across the face with a wet squirrel! I’m comin’ down there anyway pretty soon. I shore like them cat-head bis¬cuits and I want to sop gravy with you.”
Along with Mr. Country Music’s chatter are plenty of big hearty Santa Claus laughs. He has a tremendous following, not because his speaking is ragged, but because he. is a warm, friendly, informal, come-shake-my-hand personality.
Franklin D. Roosevelt, with highly cultured language, got the same effect. He didn’t make straight A’s in college, but he was well-educated, brilliant. And he was a master in the art of understanding. In that subject he would have made A plus. FDR knew the great masses of people like the “common touch.” He didn’t call his radio addresses White House lectures. They were fireside chats and, when he talked, listeners felt as if a friendly uncle were really chatting with them in their own homes.
When President Roosevelt said, “The only thing we have to fear is fear itself,” he didn’t voice a new idea. Plato expressed the same thought many years ago. Others have echoed it through the years, but Roosevelt made it especially persuasive by clothing it with human qualities such as warmth, optimism, and confidence. “From the very first his self-assurance was convincing, nearly blinding with the great white light of promise it shed over the vast surrounding gloom,” said H. V. Kaltenborn.
Many dyed-in-the-wool Republicans surely didn’t vote for Franklin D. Roosevelt because he was a Democrat or because he was well-educated and used proper grammar. He was unusually persuasive rather because of excellent personal characteristics such as1 warmth, understanding, informality, friendliness, and optimism.
Some years later these personal qualities became evident in a Republican president. The simple statement, “I like Ike,” and the persona] qualities that made it true — those three little -words.—-”were far more persuasive than a book about. Eisenhower’s” education or military career would have been.
Certainly- education, and the ability to think, can contribute definitely to persuasion. But a person may have the’ combined wisdom of Socrates, Plato, and Aristotle, and not be a persuasive speaker unless he also has personal qualities that inspire listeners to say, “I’m with you!”
Lack of warmth and human understanding kept Woodrow Wilson from being persuasive. No one would doubt his brilliancy. His logic was compelling, his arguments flawless, but he lacked that human touch which is so necessary for active per¬suasion.
One can never guess accurately what might have happened in history of course, but Woodrow Wilson’s League of Nations, after World War I, might have become a reality if his human qualities had been as excellent as his brilliant mind. Persuading depends upon both feeling and thinking. And an effective speaker stimulates both. If it is ever a question of one or the other, a persuasive speaker knows people are far more likely to act because of feeling rather than thought. A combination of the two processes, however, is always highly desirable.

Effective public speaking takes some more application in using feelings and thinking to persuade an audience. But the rewards are worth it. If you want to be a more effective speaker and see the benefits for your career and/or business check out our free e-course on confident speaking by typing you details into the area to the right.

Last time I discussed hoe not use cold hard facts in public speaking. Now here are some examples on how to use facts to convince

Recently a student speaker in a business and professional speaking course said, “If all the insects above the earth, on the earth, beneath the earth, and in the waters of the earth were collected and stacked on top of one another they would make a heap three feet high over all the world!”
That’s a lot of bugs.
This speaker’s words created a more concrete picture than if he had said, “There are trillions of insects in the world.” But his statement was difficult for some of the listeners to believe. When they asked the source of his quotation he said, “It is generally known to scientists.” But his statement would have been more convincing if he could have named some definite authority .for it. Statements, to be facts, must have reliable sources. Other¬wise they are merely opinions.
Use facts. But don’t put many of them back to back. Rather, sprinkle them in with illustrations and quotations.
Try always to package facts in ways that will make them easy for audiences to grasp. Paint them red or put handles on them. For instance, instead of saying, “I’ve walked a long ways on golf courses,” a speaker said, “On golf courses I’ve walked the dis¬tance from Maine to California ten times.” And instead of say¬ing, “The death rate in China is high,” another speaker declared, “Every time you breathe a Chinaman dies.”
Round numbers like 1000 or even units such as two dozen are easier to grasp than 998 or 26. So when a speech situation does not demand absolute exactness a speaker should use round numbers or even units.
An interesting speaker will figure ways to turn numbers into things. For example, a bushel basket full of silver dollars is easier to see than a certain number of dollars. Anyone can see a yard¬stick easier than he can picture three feet. The distance from home plate to first base is more vivid than ninety feet. A couple of stone throws explains more than a quarter of a mile.
Clarify! Clarity is so necessary in any part of an effective speech. It is especially essential, when using facts.
Use clear, concrete, authentic, interesting facts to help convince listeners.

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Here is a quick post on using poems in public speaking and why use facts, and a problem with them when you are trying to persuade your audience.

A poem is another type of quotation which may be helpful when used rarely and in small doses by a speaker. Only down-to-earth poetry should be used. Listeners simply haven’t the time or patience to interpret a poetic puzzle.
Using four to eight lines of poetry at one time is sufficient. Longer poems may be accepted near the end of a speech. But even there brevity is appreciated. Over-using poetry in a speech becomes a flowery, tiresome practice. Once or twice within any speech is usually enough.
No speech should be made top-heavy with either prose or poetic quotations. The choice and arrangement of speech material should reflect a speaker’s originality. The speech is his. And using too many quotations may cause an audience to wonder, “Who is making this speech anyway?” Furthermore, what people say is usually not as interesting or convincing as what they  do.
Let the core and much of the. web in your speech be illustrations. Highly effective speakers have been great story tellers. Jesus, for example, told stories to illustrate his points. He pictured poverty by telling of a boy who ate with pigs, forgiveness by showing a father with open arms, and a merry banquet with servings of •choice beef. His talks were full of stories, parables, human interest pictures of life.
Lincoln was famous as a story teller. And there are at least twenty illustrations in Russel H. Conwell’s speech, Acres of Diamonds, for which people paid about seven million dollars to hear over a period of years. Numerous speakers who have been unusually successful have filled their speeches with interesting stories.
Do likewise.
Also a persuasive speech, especially at the conviction step, should be studded with facts.
Facts add “weight” to a talk. Listeners can deny illustrations, argue with opinions, but facts speak an exact language that defies contradiction. “Just give us the facts!” Detectives, lawyers, judges cry for them. Facts convince.
The difficulty is, facts may be dull. An average mind cannot receive many of them in raw form without screaming for rest. But usually, when facts are dull, they do not touch listeners’ feelings or create vivid mental pictures. “Cold” is a term used to describe uninteresting facts, or those verbal ghosts which are so hard to see and understand For instance can you picture mentally $798,436,975,459? Or a million times that many insects?

In my next post I’ll talk about how to make fact more interesting and engaging in public speaking. Being confident and more effective in public speaking is something we all can aspire to. If you are looking for more help, check out our free 7 day e-course on public speaking by typing your email address and name in the box to the right.

So what makes a good quotation to use in public speaking to build credibility and convey your message?

Answering the following questions may help a speaker choose suitable quotations:
1.    Will most of the people in my audience know by reputation the person I quote?
2.    Will they accept him as an expert or an authority on my subject?
3.    Is the quotation I plan to use closely related to my subject? Does it really support my point?
4.    Is the quotation reasonably short? Does it make good sense? Easy to understand?
5.    Is this quotation too well-known; has it been used so often -it has become  trite?   (Examples:   “Birds of a feather flock together — Honesty is the best policy,” etc.)
6.    Are these the most effective quotations I can find? With a little more effort could I find better ones?
Usually the most useful quotations are statements made by authorities on a subject. At the best, a quotation is merely an opinion, and to be most effective it should be expert opinion.
Willie Jones, the “juke-box kid,” may know as much about dancing as Arthur Murray. But a quotation from Murray on that subject would probably be more impressive than one from Willie.
A local pastor, William Smith, may know as much about dy¬namic preaching as Billy Graham. But a quotation from Graham would probably be more effective.
When a speaker does quote an unknown or little-known per¬son he should tell the audience briefly why this person’s state¬ments should be accepted. For example: Jim Evans, who, by actual count, caught five times more fish last year than anyone else in town, says . . . Or, Lowell Abbott, who has just completed his fortieth year as a banker, says . . .
A quotation may have the wisdom of a sage or the beauty of a symphony, yet if it is not accepted by the audience it has no value for that group. Prejudice, immaturity, or closed minds may cause an audience to reject authoritative statements. Many peo¬ple are especially touchy, even unreasonable, when listening to speeches about politics, religion, or social customs. “If he said that I wouldn’t believe it, even if it is true!” springs from a closed mind. But a wise speaker will understand his audiences, and will quote from authorities who will cause his listeners to nod yes instead of no.
Quotations should be reasonably short and to the point. Long ones tire an audience. Besides short statements are more easily remembered.

Quotations are a powerful way to persuade your audience when used effectively. If you are want to be a more effective speaker at work or in public enter your details in the box to the right and receive our free e-course over 7 days to help you achieve that goal.

Abraham Lincoln had a view on persuasion that is very pertinent to public speaking

Any speaker who hopes to achieve his purpose in speaking must present a cause or plan which his audience considers sensible and helpful to their interests. Abraham Lincoln said no amount of persuasion could get a man to sit in church with his wife’s hat on his head. People will not accept and act upon ideas which will make them appear foolish.
So logical material, containing plenty of good “horse sense,” should be used to convince people. The mind of a listener must be won before he will give much desired action.
In addition to illustrations, two other valuable types of supporting material can be tried when appealing persuasively to listeners’ minds. These two forms of evidence are quotations and facts.
A quotation is the exact words someone has written or said. In a speech, Conquer Your Fear, a student speaker quoted Ralph Waldo Emerson, “Do the thing you fear and the death of fear is certain.”
On nearly every subject one or more important people have contributed opinions. Many of these opinions have been re¬corded in dictionaries of quotations. One dictionary, selected at random, contains two hundred seventy quotations about love. Shakespeare, Lamb, Milton, Irving, Victor Hugo, Longfellow, Walt Whitman, Oliver Wendell Holmes, and many others have left ideas about this subject.
Of course many subjects receive less attention-,.but some such as education and religion, get more. Quotations are frequently found in books or magazine articles on various subjects. One copy of a readers’ guide, which covered a period of six years, listed the titles of about twenty-five thousand articles on airplanes and closely related subjects, two hundred ninety-five on family life, two hundred twenty-four on accidents, seventy-six on love, sixty-three about attitudes, forty-five on faith, forty-two on mice, thirty-three on cheese, twenty-four on monkeys, and twenty-six on Marilyn Monroe.
The most effective quotations to use in a speech are those made by recognized authorities. For instance, Socrates, Plato, Aristotle (and others) on philosophy. Einstein on science. Emily Post on etiquette, the Mayo brothers on surgery, Caruso on singing, Emerson and Shakespeare on almost anything.
These people, and many others, have earned reputations in their fields. They are well-known as experts. And their words are convincing. They help people believe. People are inclined to think, if such a wise man as Einstein, Emerson, or Plato said it, it must be true!
There are certain things to consider when looking to use quotation in public speaking – check out my next post to find out what they are. In the meantime if you are wanting to become a better presenter at work or public speaker check out our free 7 day e-course on speaking with confidence to any size audience by entering your email into the box to the right.

Here is a brief introduction into how to make your public speaking more persuasive.

Yesterday a new bride gave her husband a burnt offering — the first cake she had ever baked!
Baking a cake is a skill. So is making a speech. Of course the taste of a cake will be determined largely by the materials that are mixed into it. And the effectiveness of a speech will depend greatly upon the materials a speaker puts into it.
All material used in a persuasive speech should stimulate one or more of the following natural elements of persuasion:
1.    ATTENTION
2.    INTEREST
3.    CONVICTION
4.    DESIRE
5.    ACTION
At the beginning of a speech, a human interest story, thought-provoking question, startling statement, a bit of humor, suspense, a novel or unusual visual aid is used to get immediate attention.
Of course constant or continued attention is necessary before a state of interest can prevail. And interest is more surely stimulated as soon as an audience realizes the speech they are hearing has special value for them.
Naturally, no sensible audience wants to hear a speech which will be a waste of their time. So, soon after grasping an audience’s attention, a wise speaker frankly tells his listeners how the speech will help them or why they will be interested in it.
One speaker (whose theme was “develop more determination”) did this by beginning with a strong human interest story, then saying, “At some time or another everyone here tonight has said to himself, ‘I wish I’d had the courage to say no to that plan, or had the determination to stand up for what I knew was right.’ So tonight we’ll see how people much like ourselves developed more of this excellent personality trait called determination. Perhaps the principles they used will help us.”
This type of statement is also an interesting way to show the purpose of a talk. Some speakers, however, err by starting their talks with a dull outline of what they intend to accomplish with the speech. Such statements should always be brief and come af¬ter a human interest beginning. A speaker should make the purpose of his address clear, but very little time is required for that. His big job is to go ahead and do what he says he will.

How determined are you to become a more persuasive public speaker or more confident in your public speaking. If you want to build on your desire to be a better public speaking, enter your details into the box on the right and receive our free 7 day e-course becoming a more confident and effective public speaker.

One aspect of being audience centered in public speaking is speaking in a way that they can relate to them. Here is the follow on to my previous post on audience speaking

In the previous post our speaker talked in a strong, informal, friendly manner. The boys mentally termed him a “regular fellow.” He won their confidence and goodwill. They listened voluntarily even when he talked about the “straight and narrow.”
A short time later this speaker agreed to speak at a rest home for the aged. Did he begin his talk to these old people by dis­playing Tommie Thomas’ bearded mug and exclaiming, “How would you like to meet him in an alley at midnight?”
No. He talked about the old horse and buggy days, which he could remember as a boy, and which he knew every person in his audience could remember very well. He talked about the time they were bright as new century dimes, when the longest way was the sweetest way home, kerosene lamps, crackling fire­sides, and the home folks. He saw twinkles come to weak eyes and smiles to faded lips because his speaking was touching chords of basic interests in their experiences.
Most old people like to dream of the pleasant past. This speaker knew that so he dreamed with them for a while. His purpose, however, was not to encourage idle dreaming but to help even his aged audience see a bright future. This he did as he continued speaking. But he built attention into strong interest
by starting with material that was naturally interesting for his audience.
A careful speaker studies his audiences and selects material which will stimulate their natural or special interests.
What topics would appeal to an audience of high school freshmen? If a speaker has been a freshman he can recall his own interests or from observation and imagination determine the interest of such a group. Of course everyone in that group may not be vitally interested in how to be popular or in high school basketball. But most of them probably will be. And all a speaker can do is to slant his material so it will appeal to the greatest possible numbers.
Stories in which people can identify themselves, perhaps put themselves in the hero’s shoes, have universal appeal. People are constantly interested in themselves, the things they want or have, or the things they wish they could have but secretly fear they shall never get. They like a challenge, a struggle, a fight of some kind, even though it may be no more than a man trying to climb a mountain.
People like to hear about things and other people near them, about tangible articles they see every day and understand. Wealth, property, health, security, and love (of various types) has wide interest appeal. Studying the parables of Jesus indicates that the world’s most persuasive speaker talked about conditions and things near the people and in terms they could clearly under­stand. Abraham Lincoln would have preferred telling a story about a pig rather than one about a rare crustacean. More re­cently, Winston Churchill talked a “tears, sweat, and blood” language.
A truly persuasive speaker talks the language of common people; he understands their needs and wants. Being sincerely and deeply interested in them he causes them to feel that working together they can achieve the desired ends. This type of speaker encourages favorable results not only because he understands human nature, but also because he works in harmony with it.

Do you want to be able to speak with confidence in public speaking. If so, please check out our free 7 part e-course which you can receive straight to your inbox by simply entering your details in the box to the right.

Where do you put your best content in your speech?

Another important principle in arranging speech material is to use the most interesting items near the conclusion of a speech. Like a thrilling story or captivating play a speech should become more interesting as it proceeds. All material should be highly interesting, but it should build to a strong climax to keep audiences deeply interested. This principle of holding interest applies to any type of audience.
In addition to arranging material in a style suited to a special occasion or to a certain type audience, the choice of the material itself is very important.
For instance, when a college professor was invited to address a group of teenage boys he was told, “They’ve heard so many dull, ‘pink tea’ speeches they’re disgusted with speakers. You’ll have a difficult time holding their attention. And don’t be sur¬prised if they try to steal your socks!”
This youth group was associated with a church. They were sons of active business and professional people, neglected perhaps, but not delinquent. Probably they would willingly listen to a speech slanted to their natural interests.
What speech material would interest these young men? Illus¬trations about stock markets or how to retire gracefully at sixty-five? No. They are not ready for that yet. Fairy tales or stories about flying kites? No. “Kid stuff” does not appeal to teenagers..
How about action, drama, suspense? Yes, these qualities would appeal to almost any group, excluding possibly an extremely reserved or aged audience. They would appeal especially to teen-
agers who .usually have so much excess energy they scarcely know what to do with it.
So the professor began his speech with a story about Tommie Thomas who had committed nearly every crime in the books except murder. He had a picture o£ Tommie in prison garb and a three-day beard. Displaying the picture he exclaimed, “How’d you like to meet him in an alley at midnight?” Whereupon, one of the most brazen boys in the audience said, “Oh, ain’t he cute?”
“Cute, my eye?” retorted the speaker. “Why, he …”
Then followed a vivid account of some of the crimes Tommie had committed.- The words were colorful, action was fast. There was suspense, tragedy. The boys listened intently because the material they were hearing was naturally interesting for them.
The speaker’s purpose was not to glorify crime but to gain respect for law and order. There was another side to Tommie Thomas’ story wherein he found that crime isn’t the most satisfying occupation. But that came later. And it was not told in a direct “preaching” manner, but in a fascinating, dramatic style.

There is more to come. But what do you think is the best place for you best content? Do you think this would help your speaking skills? If you are struggling with confident public speaking and nerves get the better of you try our free e-course that you can enrol in by entering your details in the box to the right.

I am not sure this was the best topic for a speech but I think it demonstrates how to use language that is best for your audience. See my previous post to compare.

Butch’s point was “Don’t, let a girl put anything over on you.” Because of its human interest, romantic angle, and surprise ending, this illustration was well received by the students. Later, how¬ever, he put the story in a talking picture frame. Told it as people would expect Butch to talk and the way college students would really like to hear it. He dramatized it, and spoke as though the event were happening. at that very moment right before the audience’s eyes. He also gave the talk a title:
THE FLUFF OFF
Last week I was sprawled on my bunk in the dorm when the ‘phone rang.
I hopped up and answered.
Sweet momma! Who could she be?
Sue? Yeah, man.  (A doll in anyone’s arms).
“Would I what, Sue . . . Take you to a party?”
“Well – er – well,  er – YES!”
Dig that, man! Queenie askin’ me — a li’l ol’ freshman to strong-arm her to the party, with all the upper-class wolves glarin’ green-eyed.
I scraped the grouch-bag and dug up fifteen dollars for an orchid.
Queenie must have the best!
An hour later at the party, Queenie said, “Do you know why I asked you to bring me to this party, Butch?”
“No. I wondered.”
“I’m going with two fellows. And as I don’t want to hurt either of their feelings I asked you to bring me tonight.”
“Oh, I see. Back home, in Massachusetts, they’d call me the ‘fall-guy.’”
“Oh, no, Butch. Don’t feel that way about it … Butch . . .”
“Yes?”
“This orchid’s nice. But it is rather small.”
(Small!   Fifteen bucks!  Small?)—This  to   myself of course,
. . . And so on into the evening.

Finally I took her home.
We stood at the door.
There was no good-night kiss. Just a frown from me, as I looked at my watch and exclaimed, “Oh, it’s after twelve o’clock! And I promised my wife I’d be home before midnight!”
Within reason a speaker speaks the language of his audience. As a person wears clothes suitable for the occasion, a style of speaking should also be in harmony with circumstances and in keeping with the audience’s tastes. Naturally if Butch were speaking to a group of teachers about the kind of textbooks students like he would adjust his manner to suit the subject and audience, yet he could still be natural and interesting.

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