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Key or core messages create focus, control, and intensity in influencing your target audiences. How to create compelling key messages in speeches and presentations.
In speeches and presentations, it happens often. One exciting idea, then another, and another and another… Pretty soon, the audience is more or less confused. It’s important to remember that your audiences have short attention spans. We all do. Your messages need to cut through all the noise.
Many public speakers forget to choose carefully the big point, the core message — the heart, soul, and center — of their speech.
With a core message, your messages will stay on track and make sure you’re communicating the right thing to the right people.
Simplicity and response are qualities that measure the true value of any work of art.
Frank Lloyd Wright
This is also true for a good speech. Making a presentation simple requires more thinking than just talking around. You might be concerned that in your quest to make your presentation simple, you’ll dumb it down. Yes, simplicity is a complex undertaking. You cannot reach simplicity without understanding the complexity and subtleties of your topic.
Your job is to make the complex easily graspable to your audience by arriving at that simplicity. Therefore, you have to know your audience well enough to craft a presentation that clearly and effectively helps make their lives better in a way that matters to them. So you need to know what your audience desires and connect that with your expertise, as a starting place.
The core of your idea is the core of your presentation. Express that core in one simple and specific sentence, as the core message.
Step by step:
Do a thorough audience analysis so you’re intimately connected with what this audience needs and desires.
Look for the areas within those audience needs and desires that sync up with your rooftop message. How can you genuinely and significantly help your audience with your expertise?
Craft a core message as a promise. Have a core message that solves a problem your audience care about, and build your presentation around that promise.
Make sure that the core message focus on your audience instead of yourself.
Strive to make sure your key points and especially your core message truly sink in and avoid anything that doesn’t directly support those key messages.
A good core message…
Those who do not speak are not heard, and even those who speak up are not always successful. There are a few more steps that need to be mastered.
Do you want to convince with your message and also as a personality? Then I will help you to prepare your speeches and presentations. You determine the scope. At least, I recommend a test run with professional feedback for you and your message. Then you will know how you and your content are perceived, what you should do, and what you should leave out, where there is potential. Why do you want to get such helpful feedback so late after your real performance? Then it is too late for adjustments. Benefit from the advantage. My definition of luck: Preparation meets opportunity.
You can best estimate for yourself where the effort is worthwhile concerning the expected benefit. Here you will find the fees for my support (communication, psychology, language, structure, voice, body language, storytelling, rhetorical means, media such as PowerPoint and Co., etc.)
You are not in Berlin right now? Then choose meetings with me via telephone or video support. Whereby, there are quite good reasons for a trip to Berlin.
By the way, many people suffer from such intense stage fright in front of an audience, and therefore their performance lags behind their possibilities. Too bad, because with my help performance in a good condition is possible. Just in case...
How persuasive are you and your messages in speeches and presentations? How good are you at the 111+ most important presentation skills? I have been analyzing speeches since 1998. After evaluating 14,375 speeches and presentations, and numerous mistakes of my own, most of which I only discovered after a delay, I can tell you exactly what works with which audience. Let me give you the feedback that will help you get ahead. You will receive essential feedback and recommendations, as well as the impulses you need to persuade your audience in concrete situations.
Are you interested? If so, here is how to get helpful feedback with recommendations for improving your speeches and presentations.
Please post any questions that may be of interest to other readers in the comments. Looking for professional help?
If you are interested in coaching, training or consulting, if you have organizational questions, or if you want to make an appointment, you can reach me best via this contact form (you can choose if you want to enter your personal data) or via e-mail (mail@karstennoack.com). You can also reach me by phone at +49(0)30 864 213 68 or by cell phone at +49(0)1577 704 53 56 from Monday to Thursday from 9:00 to 18:00. Most of the time I am in sessions, so please leave a message with your phone number in Germany. Please remember to be very specific about the reason for your call. I will get back to you as soon as possible. The privacy policy can be found here.
Transparency is important. That is why you will find answers to frequently asked questions already here, for example about me (profile), the services, the fees and getting to know me. If you like what you see, I look forward to working with you.
Remarks:
In the address bar of your browser, the URL should begin with "https://www.karstennoack.com/...". This indicates a secure connection (SSL). Whether you enter your real name is up to you.
This article is a short excerpt from the more comprehensive course materials my clients receive in a group or individual training or coaching.
Published: March 9, 2010
Author: Karsten Noack
Revision: August 20th, 2023
Translation: ./.
German version:
K:
H:
T: RR
#1890
This guide provides step-by-step instructions on how to craft a compelling personal vision. There are a few essential steps if you want to design a powerful vision. And how about a vision board?
When there is no vision, the people perish.
King Solomon
The older we get, the faster time seems to pass. Before we know it, the ambitions, hopes, and dreams of our youth become absorbed and forgotten in the background of life. Forgotten dreams … until one day we reflect and wonder if we should have done things differently. Questions pop up like: Did I choose the right path? Is it too late to be what I wanted to be?
Creating a vision for your life might seem like a frivolous, fantastical waste of time, but it’s not: creating a compelling vision of the life you want is one of the most effective strategies for achieving the life of your dreams. Perhaps the best way to look at the concept of a life vision is a compass to help guide you to take the best actions and make the right choices that help propel you toward your best life.
I want to encourage you that, no matter how old you are or what you’ve been through, follow your destiny and purpose that will satisfy you. What is life without fulfillment?
So what is your vision?
If you don’t have a vision, it’s time for you to get one!
A vision doesn’t have to be complicated. It can be just about anything.
Don’t expect a clear and well-defined vision overnight – envisioning your life and determining the course you will follow requires time and reflection. You need to cultivate vision and perspective, and you also need to apply logic and planning for the practical application of your vision. The best vision blossoms from your dreams, hopes, and aspirations. If it is right for you, it will resonate with your values and ideals and will generate energy and enthusiasm to help strengthen your commitment to exploring the possibilities of your life.
A vision is like any journey – you need to begin with the end in mind. When you’ve created your vision, imagine what it will feel like when you achieve it. What does that result mean to you and others? Describe the scenario in detail. Allow yourself to dream and imagine, and create a vivid picture, a scenario. If you can’t visualize a picture, focus on how your best life would feel.
Many people have trouble seeing the potential of their dreams; they give up on them because they don’t see how they will ever come true. Yes, there is a difference between a dream, a vision, and goals. To make your vision comes true, you have to do something. Otherwise, they are only dreams.
Vision goes hand in hand with committed action. Visions are always based on giving and creating, not on getting and having. The journey toward our plans, goals, and visions is just as important as the destination itself. The journey is what builds our patience, faith, endurance, and self-discipline – our personality.
Sometimes we can’t see the wood for the trees, but you are equipped with gifts and talents to achieve our visions. The dreams that you have are there for a reason: to be realized as a part of fulfilling your life purpose.
As your journey begins, make decisions that are in alignment with your vision. This may not always be easy, you may become abundantly aware of how things are in contrast to the vision you’ve created.
Choose and improve your strategy, wisely. Vision and strategy are both important. But there is a priority to them. Vision always comes first. Always! If you have a clear vision, you will eventually attract the right strategy. If you don’t have a clear vision, no strategy will save you.
Goals quantify and define the steps you must take. They are the signposts that let you know you are moving in the right direction. I recommend using a special format for your goals; the SMART-Format for well-formed goals. It helps you ensure that the goal you are setting is Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Relevant, and Time-Bound.
Describe the present situation and compare it with the desired future goal.
Make sure that your goal works for you in all areas of your life.
A vision board is typically a poster board on which you paste or collage images that you’ve torn out from various magazines.
A vision board intends to program your subconscious mind. When you surround yourself with images of who you want to become, what you want to gain, where and how you want to live, or where you want to go on vacation, your subconscious mind wants to match those images and those desires.
Organize a big stack of different magazines, poster board, and glue.
Let yourself have fun looking through magazines and pulling out pictures or words or headlines that you like.
Examine the images and begin to lay your favorites on the board. Put away any images that no longer feel right. While you lay the pictures on the board, you’ll get a sense of how the board should be laid out. Find your way, how to organize your vision board.
Glue the images onto the board.
Choose a place for your vision board where you will see it often.
Please post any questions that may be of interest to other readers in the comments. Looking for professional help?
If you are interested in coaching, training or consulting, if you have organizational questions, or if you want to make an appointment, you can reach me best via this contact form (you can choose if you want to enter your personal data) or via e-mail (mail@karstennoack.com). You can also reach me by phone at +49(0)30 864 213 68 or by cell phone at +49(0)1577 704 53 56 from Monday to Thursday from 9:00 to 18:00. Most of the time I am in sessions, so please leave a message with your phone number in Germany. Please remember to be very specific about the reason for your call. I will get back to you as soon as possible. The privacy policy can be found here.
Transparency is important. That is why you will find answers to frequently asked questions already here, for example about me (profile), the services, the fees and getting to know me. If you like what you see, I look forward to working with you.
Remarks:
In the address bar of your browser, the URL should begin with "https://www.karstennoack.com/...". This indicates a secure connection (SSL). Whether you enter your real name is up to you.
This article is a short excerpt from the more comprehensive course materials my clients receive in a group or individual training or coaching.
Published: March 7, 2002
Author: Karsten Noack
Revision: August 20th, 2023
Translation: ./.
German version:
K:
H:
T: RR
#143
Learn how to solve speech writing problems in all phases of the speech writing process. How to write a speech – step by step.
Each presentation is also a self-presentation.
Karsten Noack
In case you want your speeches to do more than just present information, you will find here some tips. Yes, successful speeches are written to inform, but also to motivate, inspire and engage your audience. When crafting your next speech, follow these essential steps to maximize your impact.
Be sure you know what that your objective is and how you can meet the expectations of your audience. What are the takeaways you want from your speech? What’s the objective you can realistically hope to achieve?
With the objectives in mind, you know where you’re headed and write your speech with a purpose.
Do your homework. Everything you know in advance will help you to create a powerful speech. Some questions you must answer before you even touch the keyboard:
Writing a speech involves meeting the expectations of your audience, whether it is to inform, motivate, entertain, or even challenge. Do it in the right tone.
I recommend using Mind Mapping to get an overview and to collect the potential elements.
What do you want the people to think, feel, or do after your speech?
In case you could only deliver one sentence to your audience, what would it be? Condense your speech into one sentence. This is your core message.
Collect as many arguments as you can find. Make sure you know the relevant pros and cons. What are the key arguments that support your main message?
In case you think back on a terrible speech. What caused you to lose interest? Chances are, the speaker veered off a logical path. You need to choose a clear path and a destination. Your audience wants to know where you’re going and why. Therefore, set the expectation near your opening on what you’ll be covering.
There are plenty of commonsense structures to choose from. The problem and solution are one. Opportunity and leverage are another. The pros and cons are a third. How about the classical structure: Introduction – Body – Conclusion? Use the KaNo-structure or simply list your points in numerical order.
With that preparation, it will be easy to start writing the first draft.
By the way: Sometimes I don’t write the first draft on a keyboard. Speaking, recording, and transcribing can lead to a more natural style.
Each way to review the speech offers another insight. I see different things when the speech is printed on paper in comparison to when I work on it on a computer screen.
When I review the content out loud, I realize what may work and what doesn’t. This way I get a sense of which words are powerful, and which are fluff and should be removed or replaced.
While you write and revise, focus on structuring and simplifying. Remove anything extraneous, contradictory, or confusing. If something doesn’t help you get your core message across, drop it.
Use transitional phrases to signal intent.
Make sure you have the attention of your audience when you present your message. Capitalize on the goodwill and momentum you’ll enjoy in your earliest moments in front of your audience.
Ways to open with your speech or presentation:
Planing the opening is an important part of speech writing.
If a picture is worth a thousand words, then a metaphor is worth a thousand pictures. Therefore, use storytelling, metaphors, surprise to make a lasting impression on your audience.
The attention of your audience will naturally wane after a few minutes. They have a lot of other things to do many user issues to think about. The longer you speak, the more competitive with other priorities. So make your points and sit down.
It happens way too often; public speaker begins their speech with a compelling opening. They cruise confidently into the body. Then they run out of gas as they come to the close of their speech. Your ending is what the audience will ultimately talk about when they head out the door. Make a strong call to action.
Write your speech in a way that sounds authentic. Most people tend to write in another style than they do when speaking to someone else personally. A good speaker needs to be honest, to speak with conviction, to be real. Therefore, use your language.
Are you frustrated because your speeches lack the quality you are looking for?
Are you tired of rewriting speeches at the last minute?
Do you want to improve the way you deliver speeches?
How much do mediocre speeches and presentations costing you?
Bad speeches are costing you. People aren’t hearing you and because of that, you’re missing out. You’re missing out on new customers, on that promotion you’ve been waiting for, and on opportunities to educate and motivate.
What would it mean to you and your organization if you could improve the quality of your speeches and reduce the amount of time it took to produce them. What would that mean in terms of saved time, stress and money? And what would it mean to deliver speeches that resonate better with audiences? Speeches that make audiences stand up and take action?
Are you interested? I solve speech writing problems for individuals and high-level organizations at all points of the speech writing process.
Many of my clients request great speeches written on high-profile occasions. Others value my help to transform their current speech or presentation to the next step. Most of my clients also benefit from my specific speech delivery coaching and training. My clients told me that working with me not only helped them improve the quality of their speeches but reduced immensely the time it takes to produce a speech. This saves you time, money and stress. Your speeches will also resonate better with audiences, boost your career and support your brand.
To find out more about how I can help you, click here.
Please post any questions that may be of interest to other readers in the comments. Looking for professional help?
If you are interested in coaching, training or consulting, if you have organizational questions, or if you want to make an appointment, you can reach me best via this contact form (you can choose if you want to enter your personal data) or via e-mail (mail@karstennoack.com). You can also reach me by phone at +49(0)30 864 213 68 or by cell phone at +49(0)1577 704 53 56 from Monday to Thursday from 9:00 to 18:00. Most of the time I am in sessions, so please leave a message with your phone number in Germany. Please remember to be very specific about the reason for your call. I will get back to you as soon as possible. The privacy policy can be found here.
Transparency is important. That is why you will find answers to frequently asked questions already here, for example about me (profile), the services, the fees and getting to know me. If you like what you see, I look forward to working with you.
Remarks:
In the address bar of your browser, the URL should begin with "https://www.karstennoack.com/...". This indicates a secure connection (SSL). Whether you enter your real name is up to you.
This article is a short excerpt from the more comprehensive course materials my clients receive in a group or individual training or coaching.
Published: March 7, 2007
Author: Karsten Noack
Revision: August 14, 2019
Translation: ./.
German version:
K:X
H:
T: RR
#1890
Enrich the mind of your audience by offering additional perspectives.
Those things themselves did not change; what changed was his idea of himself.
Carlos Castaneda
Does your speech offer some new insights to the audience? Do you invite them to explore another point of view? Or do you try to force them to accept your point of view? That may lead to even more resistance. A large part of whether persuasion is effective is based on the general rapport between you and your audience. If you don’t know them well, it’s imperative to start building this rapport immediately. First, you have to find common ground as soon as possible. Therefore, you have to start listening instead of leading. If you can identify ways to connect with your listeners, you can make your speech interesting and useful.
A good public speaker offers additional insights for several important reasons:
Additional insights can help clarify complex topics, making them more accessible to the audience. They can provide context or examples that bridge the gap between abstract concepts and the audience’s prior knowledge or experiences.
Offering new perspectives or deeper insights can capture and hold the audience’s attention. It turns a monologue into a dynamic exchange of ideas, even if the interaction is mostly one-sided. Engaged audiences are more likely to remember and reflect on the information presented.
By sharing additional insights, a speaker demonstrates a deep understanding of the subject. This not only builds credibility but also reassures the audience that the speaker is knowledgeable and trustworthy.
Presenting insights beyond the surface encourages the audience to think critically about the subject. It invites them to engage with the material on a deeper level, fostering a more meaningful connection with the content.
In an information-rich world, audiences appreciate receiving content that goes beyond the basics. Additional insights offer extra value, making the time spent listening to the speaker feel more worthwhile.
Unique insights or novel perspectives are more memorable. By offering these, a speaker helps ensure that their message sticks with the audience long after the presentation is over.
Insightful commentary can inspire listeners to take action. Whether it’s changing a belief, modifying behavior, or encouraging further exploration of a topic, additional insights can be the catalyst for change.
In essence, additional insights enrich the audience’s experience, making any speech or presentation not just a moment of learning but an opportunity for growth and commitment.
A good strategy for communicating more effectively is to help your audience listen more effectively. To make your message more attractive, you have to be able to understand it from your listeners’ perspective.
Your audience prefers another solution as you do? Present the alternatives to your favorite solution. Invite the audience to explore them together with you. First talk about the pros and then about the cons of that solution. This way they will see you as an expert because you are. Finally, explore your solution with them while using all relevant senses. When they see and feel your arguments themselves, and they will make the arguments their own. When your suggestion is worth, you have a high chance that they will support it. And their decision last!
Those who do not speak are not heard, and even those who speak up are not always successful. There are a few more steps that need to be mastered.
Do you want to convince with your message and also as a personality? Then I will help you to prepare your speeches and presentations. You determine the scope. At least, I recommend a test run with professional feedback for you and your message. Then you will know how you and your content are perceived, what you should do, and what you should leave out, where there is potential. Why do you want to get such helpful feedback so late after your real performance? Then it is too late for adjustments. Benefit from the advantage. My definition of luck: Preparation meets opportunity.
You can best estimate for yourself where the effort is worthwhile concerning the expected benefit. Here you will find the fees for my support (communication, psychology, language, structure, voice, body language, storytelling, rhetorical means, media such as PowerPoint and Co., etc.)
You are not in Berlin right now? Then choose meetings with me via telephone or video support. Whereby, there are quite good reasons for a trip to Berlin.
By the way, many people suffer from such intense stage fright in front of an audience, and therefore their performance lags behind their possibilities. Too bad, because with my help performance in a good condition is possible. Just in case...
How persuasive are you and your messages in speeches and presentations? How good are you at the 111+ most important presentation skills? I have been analyzing speeches since 1998. After evaluating 14,375 speeches and presentations, and numerous mistakes of my own, most of which I only discovered after a delay, I can tell you exactly what works with which audience. Let me give you the feedback that will help you get ahead. You will receive essential feedback and recommendations, as well as the impulses you need to persuade your audience in concrete situations.
Are you interested? If so, here is how to get helpful feedback with recommendations for improving your speeches and presentations.
Please post any questions that may interest other readers in the comments. Are you looking for professional support?
If you are interested in coaching, training, or consulting, for organizational questions and to make an appointment, you can reach me best by e-mail (mail@karstennoack.com). You can reach me by telephone at +49(0)30 864 213 68 and mobile phone at +49(0)1577 704 53 56 from Monday to Thursday from 9:00 to 18:00. Most of the time I am in sessions, so please leave a message with your phone number in Germany, then. Please remember to be very specific about the reason for your call. I will call you back as soon as possible. The privacy policy can be found here.
Transparency is important. Therefore you will find answers to frequently asked questions already here, for example about me (profile), the services, the fees, and getting to know me. If this suits you, I look forward to working with you.
This article is a short excerpt from the more comprehensive course materials my clients receive in a group or individual training or coaching.
Published: June 21, 2001
Author: Karsten Noack
Revision: August 20th, 2023
Translation: ./.
German version:
K:
H:
T: RR
#186
Presentation skills training is offered in many formats. What is better, presentation training in the group or rather in private lessons? Here are suggestions for your decision on the format of training or coaching.
You are unique and therefore our cooperation should be, too. The success factors for communication and public speaking – in terms of speech, appearance, and presentation – may be largely the same. But, you are one-of-a-kind. Your personality, experience, context, and purposes of speaking are unique. Group training follows a given structure, imparts the knowledge and skills relevant to most participants. Why should you devote to topics that have no or only a small advantage for you? One of my mentors told me: make the difference that makes the most interesting difference!
That’s why none of the training and coaching I do is the same. I always design them to suit the participants.
What could be more intense than working directly with the coach or coach? Individual training and coaching allow you to work on exactly what is relevant for you. In the way that suits you best.
Discretion is for some people quite an issue that wants to be considered. Especially, people in responsible positions and with a high degree of public awareness prefer discretion. In a private setting, it is much easier to open up and to deal with feedback.
The further you have evolved, the more specific are your questions, your topics, your goals. Proven course plans give you indications of what might be of interest to you. But in the individual training and coaching, we concentrate on what has the desired benefit for you. You decide!
With your strengths, you have come to where you are today. It is therefore important to promote your strengths as well as to awaken your potential.
To convincingly present yourself and your message works only if it suits you and your audience. In individual training, we make sure that your communication and presentation style fits you and your target groups.
You get full attention. Everything is focusing on you and your goals. Does that sound good?
You are much more flexible in terms of content and time in individual training. Duration and time intervals are determined based on your resources and recommendations. This leaves enough time to turn the insights into knowledge and skills. You decide how long it will take for you to do this.
Individual training and coaching can help you unlock your true potential. Knowledge without execution does not get you across the finish line. One of the greatest challenges for many public speakers is the difference between having the knowledge accessible and learning, absorbing, applying and implementing that learning in a way that works for each unique individual. That is where coaching with me comes in.
I offer group training because many people want to learn in a group. A common reason is to get feedback from other attendees. From the coach’s point of view, however, the feedback from course participants is often not so helpful and even requires additional effort to correct it. Constructive feedback in 1:1 sessions is much more helpful.
Do you want to talk with me about your goals and concerns? Then just give me a call or send me a message.
Please post any questions that may be of interest to other readers in the comments. Looking for professional help?
If you are interested in coaching, training or consulting, if you have organizational questions, or if you want to make an appointment, you can reach me best via this contact form (you can choose if you want to enter your personal data) or via e-mail (mail@karstennoack.com). You can also reach me by phone at +49(0)30 864 213 68 or by cell phone at +49(0)1577 704 53 56 from Monday to Thursday from 9:00 to 18:00. Most of the time I am in sessions, so please leave a message with your phone number in Germany. Please remember to be very specific about the reason for your call. I will get back to you as soon as possible. The privacy policy can be found here.
Transparency is important. That is why you will find answers to frequently asked questions already here, for example about me (profile), the services, the fees and getting to know me. If you like what you see, I look forward to working with you.
Remarks:
In the address bar of your browser, the URL should begin with "https://www.karstennoack.com/...". This indicates a secure connection (SSL). Whether you enter your real name is up to you.
This article is a short excerpt from the more comprehensive course materials my clients receive in a group or individual training or coaching.
Published: June 21, 2001
Author: Karsten Noack
Revision: August 20th, 2023
Translation: ./.
German version: https://www.karstennoack.de/praesentationstraining-in-der-gruppe-oder-lieber-doch-ein-einzeltraining/
K:
H:
T: RR
#878