How to Get People To Listen to Your Ideas
Never be overlooked again. Communicate your message in a way that compels people to take action.
Have you ever had a great idea, but struggled to get someone in charge to seriously consider it? It’s frustrating, but don’t let that deter you from expressing your thoughts. You bring a unique perspective to the table and your ideas are worth sharing.
The world is in need of bold changemakers like you, people with the drive to turn big dreams into action.
This overlooked skill will make your messages stand out
To be one of those impactful changemakers and put an end to the struggle of people passing over your ideas, there is a vital skill you need to master. That skill is the ability to convince an audience that your idea is noteworthy.
People who can do this will almost always rise to the top of their field because effective communication is the path to getting things done and turning ideas into action. So whether you are looking to get a promotion or lift your own business off the ground, these three small steps are what you need to put into practice.
The good news is that convincing people your idea is worthwhile is a straightforward skill that anyone can master. In fact, the key component that will help you get your idea across is something you have likely been doing since you were a kid.
The skill at the center of effective communication is: storytelling. Yep, an effective communicator is not just good at summarizing points or making PowerPoint presentations. The best communicators will tell you the way they get their message across is by presenting their ideas in a cohesive, relevant, and compelling story.
In the words of Steve Jobs himself:
“The most powerful person in the world is the storyteller. The storyteller sets the vision, values, and agenda of an entire generation that is to come.” - Steve Jobs
3 Steps to Being an Effective Storyteller
Storytelling is a natural way for us to communicate, but here are the three steps you must take the next time you are communicating an important idea that you want to make sure is turned into action.
You may think that storytelling is just for fiction writers or ‘creatives’. This is not the case because telling stories is how things get done in business, sports, economics, journalism, and almost every field.
So here are the key steps to effectively tell a story and make your words stick the next time you have a big idea to communicate.
1. Know your audience
It is vital to know your audience because you want to communicate what is important to them. A common pitfall when communicating an important idea is expressing what is important to you as opposed to what your audience actually cares about.
So, the best way to get to know your audience is by asking questions. Here are some questions you can ask yourself about the audience:
- What is important to the audience?
- What motivates them?
- What is their experience level with the topic I am communicating?
- What are the biggest problems they are trying to solve?
You should have answers to these questions before you even start to plan how you will deliver your message. The intent of these questions is to get in the minds of your audience members and to try and put yourself in their shoes. This will help you tailor your message so that it is meaningful and sticks with them.
2. Deliver a cohesive story
Okay, so you have a good idea of the characteristics of your audience and what is important to them, now it is time to craft your story. There are three parts to a well-told story:
- Introduction: This is where you set the context for the story. Paint the picture and create a reason for the audience to continue listening.
- Climax: Now the story builds to a high point, and there is a problem that needs to be solved.
- Resolution: The problem is resolved and the listener is left with a clear understanding of how the resolution happened.
When you take the time to craft your story in a way that builds to a climax and then glides to a resolution, you will capture the audience’s attention without fail.
3. Make the story relevant to the audience
Alright, so you told a cohesive, well-structured story, that’s great! Now you are on to the final and most important step, making the story relevant to the audience.
Much thought and time should be dedicated to this part of the storytelling process. The listener needs to know why they should care about the story they just heard.
Making the story relevant means answering the audience’s question, ‘So what?’ You just told a moving and memorable story that made people take your idea to heart. Now your audience has to know what to do with that information or those feelings.
This is the point in your storytelling journey that you have been waiting for. You now get to explain to the audience the actions that need to be taken to spark a change and make an impact.
Rise Above the Noise
Your ideas are worth hearing, but it takes intentionality and the right methods to make sure they catch the attention of key decision-makers. In a world full of endless noise and an infinite number of messages, follow these small steps to ensure your messages stand out above the rest.
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