Many times you will see a speaker go into a list of statistics in order to prove his or her point. Statistics are certainly desirable in speaking, but only if you use them in an effective way. Simply listing statistics is not enough. You must interpret them so your audience knows exactly what they mean to them. For example, I have often used the following statistic when driving home a point about life-long learning: "Each year you will spend between 500 and 1000 hours in an automobile." This statistic might be interesting but it certainly is not compelling. That is because it has not been driven home. This is how you can drive a point home by showing your audience exactly how that statistic affects them and what they can do about it. Do not just drop off the statistic, but drive it home. One of the best ways to drive home statistics is by using them inside of your stories. For example, I tell a story about a homeless woman who began teaching me the power of using my imagination to create my future.
If I had stopped at the fact that the average American reads one book per year, then I would have simply dropped off the statistic instead of driving it home. I drove it home by letting my audience know how it affects them and how they can use it to their advantage. In other words, they can get light years ahead of any competition by reading 3 books on a single topic. After this statistic, I continue my story about the homeless woman and how the 3 books on imagination lead to me winning the 1999 World Championship of Public Speaking. Because I cited the statistic within the story, my audience was able to see first-hand how using the statistic to my advantage really paid off. Therefore, they were sold on the benefits and primed to take action (i.e. read 3 books). The problem with simply listing statistics is that they are relatively impersonal and unemotional.
Of course we think, "Oh that is terrible" when we hear about millions of people with AIDS or thousands upon thousands of people living in poverty. However, those statistics will not bring us to tears like the story of one person will. A story will outdo statistics every time. Please remember that your audience makes decisions based on emotion backed up by logic. The story is the emotion while the statistic is the logic. Stating that 1000 people were mugged this year will not touch us like the one story about little Jenny being mugged will. Little Jenny will outdo big statistics every time. Use statistics to back up and give depth to Little Jenny's story. Whether you cite statistics or a sentence from someone's work, please attribute them. In How to use the verb began , there is an advanced way to have your audience members leave your speech thinking, "Wow, I really got more out of that than what I expected?" What you can do is not only mention the source where you got your statistic or your statement, but point them directly to it. This gives them the opportunity to further their research it if they want. Content was generated with the help of Essay Writersversion.
It is better because it builds credibility for you. Your audience knows you read it firsthand. Plus, it gives your audience a page to turn to in that book and a reason to purchase it. Remember, if they leave your speech and purchase a book you referred, then you are still touching their lives long after you left the speaking platform. That is the kind of impact you want as a speaker. Point them directly to the source. Finally, you can also use statistics to get your audience involved and to strengthen the kinesthetic connection you have with them. That was very powerful to us newbie speakers because nobody wanted to be in that bottom half of quitters that would be absent next year. When I have my own tough speeches today, I still think back to what that speaker said. As a result, I keep thinking, "I will keep coming back no matter what." His long-lasting effect is what you want as a speaker and proper use of statistics will help you make it.