For speaker tips to memorable presentations, take a listen to this Blog Talk Radio show from October 1 with McGraw-Hill. We share tips from our new book, OWN THE ROOM: Business Presentations that Persuade, Engage, and Get Results, as well as the basics of persuasive communication.

There is tremendous value in repeating back what someone has told you, in your own words. Use phrases like “Let me make sure I understand you” or “Are you saying that…” or “If I’m hearing you correctly….” You will not only gain clarification, but the speaker will feel heard.

Not feeling heard is the number one client complaint. Many deals are lost because the interviewer “sold” their services, as opposed to addressing real concerns. Paraphrase what the client has described as their challenge. Then go deeper with follow-up questions to elicit specifics. Once you have truly grasped the meaning of the client’s words, only then can you propose a customized solution. By folding in what you have heard, you can effectively meet their needs and gain their trust.

The Huffington Post has an interview David Booth did with the wonderful Mark Goulston, M.D., about President Obama’s speaking style. Go check it out.

Masterful speakers or performers can be undone by good technique if they, as author Lillian Hellman said “…let the stitching show.”

After eight years of listening to a President garble simple words and sentences, we now have an accomplished debater with a command of rhetoric and his vocal instrument. However, there is a delicate balance—because if the American public senses that Obama’s easy delivery denotes a lack of authenticity, his skills undermine the message.

Like a Broadway actor who performs the same show eight times a week, President Obama must keep stripping away the veneer that results from multiple speaking engagements. Like a trained actor, he needs to ask himself, “what do I want—right now; and why is this important to me?” Only then can he put himself back into the moment and bring spontaneity, immediacy and presence back to his speaking. This is how he will connect to a nation hungry for leadership.

As history has proven, it is never the most “elegant” speaker who wins hearts and minds. It is one who can speak unadorned, with passion and a clear point of view. The voice that connects with us is the voice that sounds like our own conscience. When we listen to Obama, we want to believe our better self is speaking to us, urging us to take the action that we know is right for ourselves and others.

President Obama, with all his rhetorical gifts, must do what’s counter intuitive. Rather than listing specific debate points, he needs to share what he believes in and why. For example, when rallying the country around health care reform, we recommend he deliver a simple theme that resonates with both sides of the aisle. This theme should reflect his ideology and conviction, e.g. “we can lead the world in providing medical care.” Only then will Obama exhibit a strength of spirit and resolve that will overtake the naysayers. Only then will we see a change in public opinion. And only then will he “own the debate”.