When you think of a truly amazing speaker, who comes to mind?
The President? Your company CEO? Tony Robins? Maybe it’s not a speaker, maybe it’s an actor or musician. After all, a theatrical performance or song can be just as inspiring or thought-provoking as any keynote speech.
Regardless of the mode of delivery, you sense the inherent conviction; it is genuine, raw, and honest. The power of the message is electrifying, and that power is passion.
When someone communicates their messages with genuine passion, their authenticity is almost palpable. Think back to a presentation that really moved you. It made you think differently, even feel differently, about yourself and world. It inspired you to consider things you had never before thought about, and you felt compelled to act on those thoughts and feelings. Passion is a huge motivational tool!
Own Your Passion
Consider two salespeople: One who believes wholeheartedly in the product he sells, and one who sells it just to make a living. Salesman A has spent a lot of time researching his product to understand it inside and out. More importantly, he’s investigated his competitor’s similar product and knows why it pales in comparison. Salesman A uses the product he sells himself because he believes in it and in his company. Perhaps the product has had a profound impact on his life, such as simplifying his day-to-day life or providing noticeable results to his health. He recommends it to his family and friends and loves talking to others about his work.
Salesman B, however, doesn’t use the product he sells. He has no idea how it’s manufactured, where it’s manufactured, or how it compares to his competitor’s product. For Salesman B, he “just sells the stuff.” When people ask him about his work, he rattles off his professional title with Company X and changes the subject.
If these two salespeople approached you to buy their product, which would you expect to deliver a better sales pitch?
Share Your Passion!
There’s nothing wrong with sharing your passion publicly, though it seems many people are reluctant to do so. The truth is, your passion about a subject is what makes you a better speaker about it. That’s because having a passion for something means you want to immerse yourself in it; you are constantly learning more and more about it and—like every human being—you want to share that knowledge with the world. You want others to know just how amazing your discoveries are. And the more passionate you are, the more enthusiastic you are as well. Hey, guess what? Enthusiasm is contagious! You’ll come to find people who aren’t necessarily interested in the subject you’re passionate about will be engaged by you simply because your passion draws them in. It’s magnetic!
Unleash Your Passion!
As you are preparing your next presentation, spend some time focusing on what it is you truly love about the topic. Come up with an engaging story that will really hit home to your audience how you really feel about it. Let your passion shine through. Their energy and enthusiasm will follow.
My boss always tells me that if I am going to speak about anything, I need to put myself into is completely. I need to become what I am speaking about. This way, my passion is shown with my voice and my expressions. These are very good tips. I will be coming back for more. I am sharing this post on my Facebook page. I have a few friends who, like me, need to improve their public communication!
The best public speakers are the ones who aren’t afraid to get right into it. I’d much rather watch an entertaining presentation. I probably listen and remember more.
I listened to a presentation recently by a man who overcame drug and alcohol addiction. The conviction in his presentation was nothing short of remarkable. I could tell how passionate he was about his own experiences and using them to help others to a life of sobriety.
People are hesitant to share their passion because it might make them look vulnerable, but I think the opposite is true. When you’re not afraid to be passionate, people respond favorably.