Speaking Success International

Senators Obama and McCain are both using more sophisticated speaking techniques to influence the public in their campaigns than Clinton used. It is one of the leading factors that kept her from reaching and influencing more people.

Obama and Mc Cain are using speaking techniques designed to reach three different types of listeners in their audiences. Clinton spoke in a way that only addresses one type and, because of that, she left two-thirds of her audience members out. There are three different types of listeners, and each type listens and retains information completely different from the other two. An Adult listener is either a:

*Kinesthetic Listener- Obama and McCain address these listeners using pitch variety, slower tempo and personal, vulnerable content.
*Auditory Listener- Obama and McCain address these with metaphor and story, use medium fast tempos and varied pitches
*Visual Listener- Clinton, Obama and McCain address these with more formality with facts and figures, in a faster tempo, use a flat pitch, and construct short to the point sentences.

Each of the three types of listeners has a strong preference for a specific pace, tempo, pitch and content designed for what they listen for and the way they listen best in order to become fully engaged.

To be a successful speaker today, one must design and deliver all talks to meet the three ways people listen or you leave people out as Clinton did.

Of the three candidates, Obama is using the technique that is best to reach and influence everyone in his audiences. Mc Cain is second and Clinton was a distant third. She is still using mainly one mode of speaking and delivery and is leaving many people out of her field of influence as a result.

In 90 minutes Clinton could have learned the most powerful speaking technique today and would have addressed two-thirds more of the public.