[Quick Tip] Want more Engagement? Stop being so obvious - 331
The Speaking Club: Mastering the Art of Public SpeakingShow Notes
Most speakers start their talks by explaining what they're going to say. Unfortunately, that's exactly why audiences stop listening. In this quick tip episode of The Speaking Club, Sarah Archer shares why the obvious opening weakens your talk and how creating curiosity from the first sentence can dramatically increase audience engagement. You'll learn why unanswered questions create attention, how to avoid the most common opening mistake, and how a small shift in your first line can make audiences lean in rather than switch off. If you want stronger engagement, better audience connection, and a more compelling start to your talks — this episode is for you. What you'll discover: • Why explaining your topic at the start can weaken your talk • The difference between hype and genuine curiosity • What actually makes an audience lean forward and listen • Why unanswered questions are more powerful than explanations • How to challenge what your audience thinks they already know • Why highlighting the cost of staying the same can capture attention • The power of dropping your audience straight into a moment • Why restraint is often the secret ingredient in a strong opening Enjoy! If you'd like to watch the video of the episode, you can do that on my YouTube Channel here>> Speaking Resources: Strategic Storytelling Training: https://training.saraharcher.co.uk/storytelling-tsc Grab Your From Blank Page to Stage Guide and Nail the Topic for a Client Winning Talk: https://saraharcher.co.uk/newguide-tsc Want to get better at finding and sharing your stories then check out our FREE Five Day Snackable Story Challenge: https://www.saraharcher.co.uk/challenge To share your thoughts: · leave a comment below. · Share this show on X, Facebook or LinkedIn. To help the show out: · Leave an honest review at https://www.ratethispodcast.com/tsc Your ratings and reviews really help get the word out and I read each one. *(please note if you use my link I get a small commission, but this does not affect your payment)
More from The Speaking Club: Mastering the Art of Public Speaking
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Many speakers worry that rehearsing or choreographing a talk will make them sound robotic. The opposite is true. In this episode, Sarah explains why great speakers think like performers, sharing four practical principles to help you choreography your talk so that it comes alive for the audience. You'll also discover how to identify the moments in your talk that deserve choreography and the six performance levers that can dramatically increase your impact.
Let's be honest... Most of us think moderating a panel is just introducing the speakers, asking a few questions and making sure nobody waffles on for too long. Turns out... it's a little more complicated than that. Xenia Wickett has moderated conversations with some of the most influential people in the world, CEOs and senior policymakers including people like Elon Musk and Volodymyr Zelenskyy. Xenia has spent her career working at the highest levels of international affairs, advising governments and businesses, and moderating conversations. In this episode she shares what she's learned about guiding discussions, managing disagreement, reading an audience and asking the kinds of questions that unlock genuinely interesting conversations. Whether you ever plan to chair a panel or not, you'll come away with ideas that will make you a better speaker, interviewer and communicator. What you'll discover: • How Xenia found herself moderating some of the world's biggest conversations • Why moderation is far more than asking questions and keeping time • What interviewing CEOs and world leaders taught her about communication • How to challenge influential people without becoming confrontational • The subtle signs a conversation is losing the audience • How to keep discussions productive when opinions collide • The mistake many speakers make that frustrates moderators • Why listening is often a communicator's greatest superpower • Practical advice if you'd like to moderate panels yourself • The communication habits every speaker can borrow from great moderators Enjoy! If you'd like to watch the video of the episode, you can do that on our YouTube Channel shortly. Guest Information: Website: www.wickettadvisory.com Xenia's Blog: https://www.wickettadvisory.com/blog LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/xenia-wickett-2686b0 Books & Resources*: Winnie the Pooh by A.A.Milne TEDx | 5 Tips for Asking Better Questions, Xenia Wickett: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3IuyCJUJgDk You can find Xenia's interview with Elon Musk here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mWCfqBb0YTE Blog: How to Moderate Powerful Conversations: https://www.wickettadvisory.com/post/how-to-moderate-powerful-conversations [Quick Tip] Talk Flow Tips: Create Seamless Transitions Like a Pro, Episode 326 Speaking Resources: Grab Your From Blank Page to Stage Guide and Nail the Topic for a Client Winning Talk: https://saraharcher.co.uk/newguide-tsc Want to get better at finding and sharing your stories then check out our FREE Five Day Snackable Story Challenge: https://www.saraharcher.co.uk/challenge To share your thoughts: · leave a comment below. · Share this show on Facebook or LinkedIn. To help the show out: · Leave an honest review at https://www.ratethispodcast.com/tsc. Your ratings and reviews really help get the word out and I read each one. *(please note if you use my link I get a small commission, but this does not affect your payment)
Many speakers think that the sexiest part of their story for the audience is the before and after. They're wrong. The most valuable bit is often missed entirely or not given the space it deserves in your talk. In this episode, I'm covering what that missing part is, what leaving it out is costing you and why you might feel resistance to including it in your signature story. If you've ever felt your story isn't quite landing with your audience, or not getting you the results you want when you speak this episode might explain why ... and completely change the way you tell it. What you'll discover: • The storytelling mistake Sarah spotted happening judging this year's Speaker Awards • What The Odyssey can teach you about telling a memorable signature story • Why audiences care less about your success than you might think • The missing piece of your story that undermines trust • Why sharing your failures can make you more credible, not less • The reason audiences often admire your transformation but don't believe they can achieve it themselves • How expert blindness can sabotage your story • The simple questions that help you uncover the lessons hidden inside your story • How to include the struggle, even if you've only got a short speaking slot • Why the decisions you made matter more than the destination you reached • What caterpillars, butterflies and chicken recipes have to do with great storytelling Enjoy! If you'd like to watch the video of the episode, you can do that here>> Speaking Resources: Grab Your From Blank Page to Stage Guide and Nail the Topic for a Client Winning Talk: https://saraharcher.co.uk/newguide-tsc Episode 194, Storytelling. The Long and Short of It: https://thespeakingclub.com/episodes/tsc/194 Want to get better at finding and sharing your stories then check out our FREE Five Day Snackable Story Challenge: https://www.saraharcher.co.uk/challenge To share your thoughts: · leave a comment below. · Share this show on Facebook or LinkedIn. To help the show out: · Leave an honest review at https://www.ratethispodcast.com/tsc Your ratings and reviews really help get the word out and I read each one. *(please note if you use my link I get a small commission, but this does not affect your payment)