Talk Like Ted by Carmine Gallo - BOOK REVIEW

​Rating: 5 / 5
 
In many way this book is similar to Yes!byCialdini and Goldstein in that it’s based on empirical analysis but in my opinion it’s better written or told, given I listened to the audiobook.
 
Ted Talks have been loved by billions the world over so the secrets behind the success of the best presentations is inherently interesting. Nine secrets were revealed:

1. Passion: if you’re truly passionate about your topic you’re more likely to present it well.
2. Stories: stories are more engaging to the human brain. They capture attention and aid memory. Telling a story is a great start for a captivating talk.
3. Practice: that old adage practice makes perfect is not just a saying. It’s been proven time and time and again in every field that when you practice, you perform better.
4. Teach: humans inherently love learning new things. If you can give your audience a fresh perspective, they’re more likely to enjoy your presentation. Turn a common stereotype or current view on its head and you’ll have all ears perked up.
5. Shock: at some point in your presentation provide something that will shock and awe. Anything that elicits a strong emotional response (joy, fear, shock or surprise) makes a presentation more memorable and more likeable.
6. Humour: getting your audience to laugh makes you much more likeable. You can get people to laugh in many ways without actually telling a joke, e.g. being self deprecating in most cultures is a great way to make people laugh and bond with you.
7. Time: apparently 18 minutes is the perfect amount of time to relay something serious without losing people’s attention. Interestingly some scientists looked at great speeches from the past by the likes of Martin Luther King and found that they more or less adhered to this sort of time-frame.
8. Images: if you do use slides, make sure they are rich in images. Include VERY little text. I think this definitely works well if you are presenting live as your body language does most of the talking but webinars and teleseminars probably benefit from extra text. Talk Like Ted only covered live talks and speeches so I have no evidence for this view.
9. Be you: there’s no substitute for authenticity, just be yourself, your real self. Don’t try to present like Tony Robbins if you’re not naturally like that, present like you.

 
Another book that is so worth a read;get it on amazon.com or amazon.co.uk.

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