Can Observing Ted Talks Help You Be a Better Marketer?
You may not have put these two together, but observing TED Talks can teach us a lot about good marketing communication. Here are some initial observations gleaned from Ted Talks-The Official TED Guide to Public Speaking by Chris Anderson, Head of TED.
As outlined at the start of the book, communication results when you are able to “build an idea”. The mission, according to Anderson, is “ take something of importance to you and rebuild it in the audience’s head.”
Sounds a lot like what we try to do in marketing, but how do we do it more successfully like they do in a TED Talk? To accomplish this, we would be wise to keep these three “TED Talks” inspired principles in mind when the audience is potential clients and customers:
Keep It Short and Sweet – Eighteen minutes is the length of the typical TED Talk. Many professional speakers believe “shorter” is actually harder to write than “longer”. When brevity is mandated, only the most cogent information can be included. That is often the case in today’s marketing for slightly different reasons. This audience does’t have a moment to waste. If you don’t get to the point quickly, you will lose them and your communication opportunity.
Include a Throughline – The best talks have a throughline: “the connecting theme tying together each narrative element.” Ideally, the speaker doesn’t try to do too much. Instead, the best throughlines take our audience on a journey from where they started to understanding your concept, only including the information that will further this goal. So with marketing, don’t just give an exhaustive laundry list of product solutions or benefits. For impact, pick a main theme to hold the supporting communication together and share other points another day.
Explain with Creativity – Explanation is one of five core tools that TED speakers use to connect information to their throughline. Studies show it is particularly effective when a speaker uses metaphors, analogies and examples to help build the idea in another’s mind. Many times in marketing, we are also trying to explain why our product or service is the best, the most innovative, the least expensive etc. Comparing what they don’t understand to something they do, or giving specific examples, can help immensely if we seek an “aha” moment for our audience.
You may not ever give a TED Talk, but by watching them you can learn a lot to help with marketing. Try these three tips in your next presentation, blog, or on your website to enhance your communication. Pick up this book to learn even more applicable tips.
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