"What's the Secret of Convincing a Group?"

What’s The Secret of Speaking to a Group & Convincing Them?
My teenager Michael, asked me to help him improve his Talk for Class President.
• 1. “Mike, there are two-things that rivets our attention other than Ben Franklins ($100) falling from the sky.” • 2. “In my circles $10 bills would do it, Pop.” • 3. “The sound of our own name, and the words, “You-Your-Yours”, meaning ourselves, right?” • 4. “Sure, we are in love with ourselves, and I get interested in anything that will make my life easier & better.” • 5. “Scientists say there are only two-drives for humans. Not for wealth, money, & success, or girls throwing themselves at your feet. Guess, and if you come close your win a Prize.” • 6. You always say a “Prize”, and when I guess right, you say the prize is living in your house rent-free or my 3-meals a day.” • 7. “You guess even one of the two human motivations you get ten bucks outside of your allowance. Fair?” • 8. “Pay up Pop. “Pleasure & Pain”, or as my bio teacher says, “Reward and Punishment”. Want more for free? Pleasure is associated with Reward, and Pain with Punishment.” • 9. “You got brains you never ever used. Here’s the $10er.
Remember, nobody likes a smart ass. That means if you want to Influence-persuade-convince one-person or a group, tell a story, not dry, boring facts.” • 10. “You think I don’t listen, but I remember, “Words just tell, while stories paint visual pictures and S-e-l-l.” • 11. “Sounds corny and like a cliché, but more people get rich remembering Homo sapiens hate school and advertising.
Stories amuse & entertain while school is mostly dry & boring, and advertising reminds us of a lack-of-money.” • 12. “You got that right. My teachers are out to get me or at least make me feel stupid. And kids don’t read phony ads. But learning can be fun.”
• 13. “Let divide a Talk into two-parts: Content (facts & statistics) and Delivery whether you put people to sleep by your voice, lack of facial expressions, & body-language.” • 14. “Explain Quickly and in plain English, Delivery.” • 15. “Teachers use fancy language you need Webster’s to get. Could you remember: voice-inflection means pitch & tone coming out of your mouth? Mike. Listen, it’s easy/ • Vary your Tone every 90-seconds. Raise your voice for a Question, and Lower it when giving them a Fact or statistic. Next, speak Louder for important points,
and Lower on ending an idea or point you want to make.” • 16. “That’s easy. When I’m excited (enthusiastic) let my voice rise & show it. When I want to show my idea is worth remembering, drop my voice.” • 17. “Get this Mike, “Pitch is going from neutral to either a Higher or Lower note in-a-vowel. Example: when you say:
“No! Yes! OK! or “Yes, really!” – raise your Pitch. It emphasizes your Intention. Wait.”
• “Now an example for Lowering your pitch: when you say: “Not! Do! Be!” Why? The lower pitch is a sign of your personal-power, self-confidence, finality & purpose.” • 18. “I know you’re talking about Inflection in my voice.” • 19. “One-more inflection called Double. Rising & falling or Falling & Rising pitch. Example: “OK, Amazing, or “Do” it.” Why? Changing pitch & tone in these words indicates Self-Assurance, Certainty, & Finality by the speaker. • 20. “I got it. My level, even sounding voice is a monotone. It’s boring and puts people to sleep. What else?” • 21. “For another $10er, take this sentence: “I didn’t say she lost all the money,” Now say it aloud, and on each repetition emphasize a different word in the sentence. • Example: “I didn’t say SHE lost all the money.” (Maybe her mother is to blame.) See how your Emphasis changes the meaning of the sentence. • Example: “I” didn’t say she lost all the money.” Could my Uncle Albert have been the one to say it?” • Example: “I didn’t say she lost all the Money.” Maybe she lost the whole CAR where the money was stashed. Get it? • When you put your inflection on a different word, it can entirely change the meaning of the sentence.” • 22. “What I’m getting Pop is that when I Lower my voice, people pay more Attention to my “content”. So “delivery” changes my content for the better, right Pop.” • 23. “On the “dinero”, Mike.” The experts call changes in your inflection (pitch & tone) Pattern-Interrupt. It subconsciously forces people to concentrate on you.” • That’s enough for one day. See ya,

P.S. Can You remember & repeat to yourself, these Five words. “Learning is always about Doing.” Say it mentally or aloud, four-times, so it sinks in.
“Learning-is-always-about-Doing.”
Why? To remind yourself, “Learning is NOT talking about
Doing. NOT asking Questions about Doing. And NOT
Trying to Do! “Learning is always about Doing!
Experiencing is Doing. Talking aint.”
Copyright © 2013, Bernard Wechsler