https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J8NBoNWSfQI Transcript: Trump just gave another speech so, it's time to do this again. His latest speech in front of Congress got an unusual amount of positive media attention this time, so let's look at what he did right and what he could still improve on. The first thing that I think trump did right is that he stuck to his teleprompter … [Read more...]
What made Obama’s farewell speech good? (Detailed analysis)
Whether or not you're a fan of former President Obama, there are aspects of his speaking style and content that you can learn from. Especially considering that the content of Presidential speeches are almost always produced by professional speechwriters. They know what they're doing. I'm going to approach this post from an Obama supporter's angle—how a supporter would … [Read more...]
Book Gleaning: Learn from Pre-Suasion by Robert Cialdini
In 1984, Robert Cialdini published an extremely influential book on behavioral psychology called Influence: The Psychology of Persuasion. It was one of the first books to expose the persuasion tactics of salespeople to the general public. Since that time, plenty of new studies have been conducted, and we now know more about persuasion than we ever did. Robert just published … [Read more...]
Pretend you’re winning when you speak
On October 7, 1984, Ronald Reagan obliterated the main opposition to his presidency. Rumors had been circulating that he was too old for the job, and that he was getting Alzheimer's. During a debate with his opponent, Walter Mondale, he quipped "I will not make age an issue of this campaign. I am not going to exploit, for political purposes, my opponent's youth and … [Read more...]
Good phrase for public speaking: “You may be thinking”
When you need to speak to an audience that doesn't completely agree with your position to start with, it can be difficult to win them to your side. People tend to stick with their current beliefs. One of the most important tools for a public speaker is knowledge of possible audience objections to their message. If, for example, you are delivering a speech on animal abuse, … [Read more...]