Your Speech Coach Says, "Lead With Their Need"

When you call potential clients, do you know their pain? The only way you can get someone to trust your solution for their pain is to motivate them with your words—about their needs. What happens to them if they don’t use your product or service? What are the consequences when people don’t use your solution? When someone says, “What do you do?” can you address their pain?

If the Chamber or your networking group asks you to speak for 5 or 10 minutes about your business, can you do it? Do you have the words? How do you attract customers or clients? That’s why a motivational speech is a vital part of your marketing.

When I speak, my opening lines address three kinds of pain. I say, “Does the thought of speaking in front of an audience for more than 30 seconds make you sweat and keep you up at night? Do you suspect you may be boring? Do you wish you could make people laugh?” I motivate people to use my service. And here’s my little keynote story about motivation.

Picture it – you are 8 years old in 3rd grade. The teacher is going on and on – – it’s really boring. You are falling asleep. One nervy kid in the back yells out without being called on, “Teacher, is this gonna be on the test?” And everyone in the room stops. We’re all really embarrassed about the question. We avoid direct eye contact with the teacher. But we all listen very carefully. If the teacher says, “No, this is not going to be on the test. This is just something interesting I want you all to remember.” What’s your reaction? You tune out; it’s not important. You breathe a sigh of relief, look out the window, go to sleep. But, if the teacher says, “Yes, this will be a vital part of the test,” what’s your response? You say, “Could you please repeat that?” “What was that again?” You write it down.

Ever since then, since you were 8 years old, you and everyone else is asking, “Is this on my test?” And people won’t listen to you unless it is on their test. Your job is to put your product or service “on their test.” Unless it alleviates their pain, forget it. Now, how do you know what their pain is? You must find out; you must do your research. Start by looking at your emails. What have they thanked you for? That’s what alleviated their pain.

When I coach people to speak about their business, I urge them to analyze the audience to find out what’s on their test. You have to be passionate about the needs, problems, and situations of the audience. You can’t try to be interesting. You’ll be boring. The only people who are interesting are the people who are interested. You are interested in putting it on their test. Next time you do a presentation, don’t ask, “What do I want to tell the people?” Instead ask yourself, “Where is their pain? How can I address it?” Next time you hear a speaker, see if they are telling you what they want to tell you or whether they have you in mind.

Every presentation you give needs to motivate your audience to do, think, or feel something about you as their solution. Otherwise, why are you even speaking? Please call me to help.