The Owner of TED “Chris Anderson” shares his Top 3 words of advice for delivering a memorable and perfect TED speech to the millions.

Chris Anderson’s Advice

1. Take Them On A Journey

“We all know that humans are wired to listen to stories, and metaphors abound for the narrative structures that work best to engage people. When I think about compelling presentations, I think about taking an audience on a journey. The most engaging speakers do a superb job of very quickly introducing the topic, explaining why they care so deeply about it, and convincing the audience members that they should, too.”

2. Practice Makes Perfect

“Many of our best and most popular TED Talks have been memorized word for word … Most people go through what I call the ‘valley of awkwardness,’ where they haven’t quite memorized the talk. If they give the talk while stuck in that valley, the audience will sense it … Getting past this point is simple, fortunately. It’s just a matter of rehearsing enough times that the flow of words becomes second nature.”

3. Deliver Through The Eyes

“Perhaps the most important physical act onstage is making eye contact. Find five or six friendly-looking people in different parts of the audience and look them in the eye as you speak. Think of them as friends you haven’t seen in a year, whom you’re bringing up to date on your work.“

Chris Anderson suggests to watch this inspirational TED Talk by Richard Turere for a great example of a perfect delivery of speech.

Richard Turere – The Invention That Outsmarted Lions – TED Talk

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Article Originally Appeared In The Harvard Business Review