Include Emotion in your speech
When you talk about facts, figures and statistics, then you talk to your people's mind. When you talk about feelings and emotions, then you talk to people's heart.
Emotion is such a powerful part of any speech. It connects people's minds with their hearts. This video of Nick Vujicic is a great illustration of how he incorporates emotion in his speech, and look what happens...
The best way to connect your audience with their emotions, is to tell a story. By painting heart felt moving pictures in your audience's minds with carefully crafted stories, you will bring them in contact with their feelings. Do not be afraid to share your feelings, because it makes you real and authentic.
Story telling is not the only way to connect your audience with their emotions. You can simply ask questions that will tickle your audience's heart strings. The following repetitive emotionally charged questions will stir up feelings when you want to talk about people wasting food or if you want to raise money for the homeless.
"Have you ever went to bed hungry? Have you ever asked people for food? Have you searched through dustbins for food? Have you?"
There are many emotions you can trigger in the audience just by your choice of words. Happiness, anger, sadness, excitement, anticipation, frustration, joy are just a few. Knowing your purpose for speaking to a group helps you to pick which emotions you want to tap. When your purpose is known, choosing words to get the desired emotional response is much easier.
Here's an example of a simple set of facts that a speaker might convey:
"There have been seventeen accidents in the past year at the sharp curve which is two kilometres south of Great Ocean Drive. Installation of guard rails, warning signs, and a flashing light will cost approximately $27,000. Even though we have not balanced the budget this year, I feel that we should appropriate money for this project. Thank you."
Here is a little different version that uses emotional appeal to get the same message across.
"On October 22nd of this year Jennifer Heller was found dead. The radio of her car was still playing when the paramedics got to her overturned vehicle. Jennifer's neck was broken. It was snapped when her car flipped over an embankment. No one here knows John Cochran because he did not live here, but he died in our neighbourhood. Most of you do know of the hairpin turn on Great Ocean Drive that has been the scene of seventeen accidents this year alone and has injured many friends as well as strangers. We need money to put up guardrails, signs, and a flashing light. I know money is tight, but I hope you see fit to find the funds to remedy this situation before the unknown Jennifer Heller becomes one of your loved ones."
Can you see the difference in these two appeals? The first was simply a set of facts. Facts are important, but they rarely stimulate people to action. The action comes when emotions get attached to believable facts. You can bet the second version of the above story would have the best chance of securing that $27,000. Emotion puts people in motion.
So, tell stories while speaking in public and ask the right questions to move the emotional state of your audience.