The Resonant Speaker as storyteller needs to make an authentic emotional connection with an audience. Make them feel, connect with a memory, and love something about themselves.
Let’s take a cue from big brand stories. A brand is shorthand for an experience it creates and how it makes people feel…special. How it promises to make their lives better. How it echoes in their memories and conjures up images of gratification.
Coca Cola consistently ranks in the top 10 “Happiest” consumer brands. Take their Open Happiness campaign, followed by five summers of Share a Coke (#shareacoke ) where consumers were encouraged to find bottles with names that hold personal meaning and share them with friends in person and via social media. It was one of the most successful marketing campaigns in the company’s history.
We love the memory of how a brand made us feel, even a long time ago. There probably is no one alive who can’t hold a bottle of Coke and not have a happy memory. For me, it wasn’t the beverage but the miniature Disney characters that came with a purchase that I remember fondly. Coke has been part of our social fabric and emotional memory for so long that we don’t question its authenticity.
Public speakers, take note. You can win over and motivate people with your words and presence. But your success depends heavily on making the right emotional connection. It’s as important in life as it is in business.
For more on The Resonant Speaker training programs, visit www.rosemaryravinal.com
