Whether you're scripting out a video or writing a humble email, here are 2 common mistakes to avoid to make sure you captivate your audience.
(Don't worry-- we'll also provide a solution for each mistake. We wouldn't just leave you hanging like that).
Mistake #1:
You're only giving out information.
As an authority in your particular field, you might feel tempted to flex your expertise on your audience. After all, it's essential to demonstrate competency and build trust with them. However, you also have to balance that with the fact that too much information (especially if it's very technical or "insider" language) will quickly cause your audience to tune out.
We aren't saying that you should "dumb it down" too much. One best practice might be to imagine a particular individual from your audience that you know personally and craft your message with that person in mind. Ask yourself: Where might they get confused? Smooth out these rough edges to ensure your point is made clearly.
Try this: Prioritize showing over telling, but do both!
Remember, it's called "show and tell." Your audience may remember an interesting story you tell them about a snake you saw at the zoo-- but if you show up with the snake they'll not only remember your story, they'll tell their friends about it for months!
Here's a great example.
At about the 12:00 mark in the video below, TED Prize winner Jamie Oliver doesn’t just tell us a bunch of facts and statistics about sugar, he shows us the impact in a very practical way.
Take a look:
The takeaway? If you have a great product or service, don't just tell your audience about it. Show them how great your product or service is by leading them through a firsthand story of transformation: real-world lives your product or service has changed. And then don't forget to invite your audience into the story too.
Speaking of which...
Mistake #2:
You're sharing too much about your why instead of your customer's why.
We've all heard the famous "Why" wisdom of Simon Sinek (if you don’t know what we’re talking about, stop what you're doing and Google it right now. We'll be here when you come back). The real issue most of us struggle with, however, is we are talking too much about ourselves, and it is costing us.
Try this: Be the guide, not the hero.
While you are busy talking about yourself, how great you are, how valuable your product or service is-- even if it's all true!-- your audience has already moved on. You see, they aren't looking for a hero. They're looking for a guide.
(Full disclosure-- this isn't an original idea of ours. If you want to learn more about this concept, be sure to grab a copy of the book Building a Storybrand by Donald Miller. Seriously, it completely changed the way we do business-- and it can do the same for you).
The takeaway? Learn to become the “Obi-Wan Kenobi” for all the struggling “Luke Skywalkers” out there; Demonstrate that you are a trustworthy guide by learning about their pain points. You should know them intimately and be able to write a day in your audience’s diary:
• What are they struggling with right now?
• How can you help them?
• What will their life look like after they experience the transformation you are offering to them?
If you can answer these questions accurately and speak about them competently-- you'll really start crushing it.
Fiat Lux!
