The Quick And Easy Way To Effective Speaking by Dale Carnegie

Author:Dale Carnegie [Carnegie, Dale]
Language: eng
Format: mobi
Publisher: Vermilion
Published: 2011-09-29T14:00:00+00:00

SECOND/ STATE YOUR POINT, WHAT YOU WANT THE AUDIENCE TO DO

The Example step of your talk to get action has consumed more than three-quarters of your time. Assume you are talking for two minutes. You have about twenty seconds in which to hammer home the desired action you wish the audience to take and the benefit they can expect as a result of doing what you ask. The need for detail is over. The time for forthright, direct assertion has come. It is the reverse of the newspaper technique. Instead of giving the headline first, you give the news story and then you headline it with your Point or appeal for action. This step is governed by three rules:

MAKE THE POINT BRIEF AND SPECIFIC

Be precise in telling the audience exactly what you want them to do. People will do only what they clearly understand. It is essential to ask yourself just exactly what it is you want the audience to do now that they have been disposed to action by your example. It is a good idea to write the point out as you would a telegram, trying to reduce the number of words and to make your language as clear and explicit as possible. Don’t say: “Help the patients in our local orphanage.” That’s too general. Say instead: “Sign up tonight to meet next Sunday to take twenty-five children on a picnic.” It is important to ask for an overt action, one that can be seen, rather than mental actions, which are too vague. For instance, “Think of your grandparents now and then,” is too general to be acted upon. Say instead: “Make a point of visiting your grandparents this weekend.” A statement such as, “Be patriotic,” should be converted into “Cast your vote next Tuesday.”

MAKE THE POINT EASY FOR LISTENERS TO DO

No matter what the issue is, controversial or otherwise, it is the speaker’s responsibility to word his point, the request for action, in such a way that it will be easy for his listeners to understand and to do. One of the best ways to do this is to be specific. If you want your listeners to improve their ability to remember names, don’t say: “Start now to improve your memory of names.” That is so general it is difficult to do. Say instead: “Repeat the name of the next stranger you meet five times within five minutes after you meet him.”

Speakers who give detailed action points are more apt to be successful in motivating their audiences than those who rest upon generalities. To say: “Sign the get well card in the back of the room” is far better than to urge your listeners to send a card or write a letter to a hospitalized fellow class member.

The question whether to state the point negatively or positively should be answered by looking at it from the listeners’ point of view. Not all negatively phrased points are ineffective. When they epitomize an avoidance attitude they are probably more convincing to listeners than a positively stated appeal.

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