I’m a sucker for stage magic! The flash and flair, the smoke and mirrors, the snow-white Bengal tigers.
So recently, while I was flicking through my local library, I stumbled across a copy of Strong Magic by Darwin Ortiz. I knew I had to pick it up.
Now, Ortiz is one of great magicians and the book one of the great tomes of modern magic.
One big insight that clicked with me was the importance of clarity in your performance. After all, if the crowd miss the fact that you just cut your lovely assistant in half, you’ve blown your big finale.
This rings true for public speakers as well. Your message is not going to hit home if you’ve got confusing slides, a defective microphone, and food served up right as you reach the peak of your story.
Here’s eight invaluable tips to make your message clear like magic!
1. Use fewer props
Magicians often work with a minimal number of props to avoid overwhelming their audience. You can’t keep track of the red ball under the tin cup if there’s ten red balls and ten tin cups.
Similarly, when public speaking, keep your visual aids and props to a minimum. Overloading your presentation with visual elements can distract your audience from your message.
Likewise, keep those PowerPoint slides simple. Focus on a few key words (or better yet, a picture) that directly supports your content.
2. Use a memory hook
Magicians employ memory hooks, or mnemonic devices, to remember complex routines.
But they do also the same for the audience. It’s easier to remember the only red card in a black deck of cards, than a single red card in standard deck.
As a public speaker, you can adopt this technique to help your audience remember key points.
Create memorable phrases or anecdotes related to your message. Use acronyms or simple patterns to make it easier for your listeners to recall and understand your content.
The phrase K.I.S.S. (for Keep It Simple, Stupid) is much easier to remember than D.T.I.A.S.A.W.A.P. (for Do Things In As Simple A Way As Possible).
3. Visually clarify the props
Magicians use clear, distinct props to ensure the audience are clear on what they are seeing. That’s why you see giant swords, swinging axes, and electric bandsaws to saw assistants in half.
When you are public speaking, visuals should be unambiguous and directly related to your message.
Avoid clutter and make sure your visuals support your spoken words. A beautiful looking slide is no good if no one knows why it’s there. A great image is not a great image if it holds no value.
4. Visually clarify the layout
Magicians meticulously arrange their props to guide the audience’s attention.
Card tricks look better on on a sparkling gambling table than among the plates and cutlery of a dining room setting.
In public speaking, consider the layout of your presentation space. You should be front and centre to make sure you can be scene and use clear body language and gestures to guide their focus.
Make effective use of the podium, or better still, avoid the podium all together. You don’t want to get lost behind the mic.
5. Make the hidden visible
When magicians make the hidden visible, they keep key objects and actions in view of the audience. This transparency is essential to maintain clarity in the illusion.
Its why you’ll often see them roll up their sleeves, so you know there’s no trickery up there.
As a speaker, you should take a page from their playbook. Don’t keep important stuff hidden.
Share your thoughts and ideas in a clear and straightforward way. Avoid using fancy words or complicated jargon that might leave your audience scratching their heads.
Make your message crystal clear and easy to understand.
6. Eliminate time lags
Magicians maintain a steady and engaging pace to keep their audience’s attention. If you wait too long between the set-up and pay-off, the trick loses its impact.
Public speakers should also avoid time lags that can lead to disengagement.
Practice your delivery to maintain a consistent rhythm, and avoid long pauses that may leave your audience disinterested or confused.
If you’re audience has to wait for lengthy explanations, or long stories before you deliver your point, it’s a recipe for confusion.
The longer you linger on information that isn’t important, the more likely they are to start scratching their heads, wondering what’s actually going on.
7. Eliminate interruptions
Magicians aim to eliminate disruptions during their acts. Public speakers should do the same.
You need to make sure that if you are setting up a story or joke, that you deliver the goods shortly after.
Stopping to thank sponsors in the middle of a story is a sure-fire way to have your audience lose track of what you’re trying to say.
Make sure your presentation runs smoothly without technical glitches, interruptions, or distractions.
Make sure that any multimedia elements, such as audio or video, are seamlessly integrated into your speech. If you can avoid them all together, that’s also a great option.
8. Procedural directness
Magicians follow clear procedures to achieve their tricks. A magic trick is a logical sequence for the magician (if not always for the audience). Magicians who get lost leave audiences lost.
In public speaking, present your ideas with a logical and straightforward structure. Begin with a clear introduction, followed by well-organised points, and conclude with a concise summary.
This procedural directness helps your audience follow your speech with ease. And while you can play with the format, if your audience isn’t getting it, it’s worth getting back to basics.
Final thoughts
Public speakers can benefit from borrow these clarifying techniques from the world of magic.
You can take all those same techniques: fewer props, employing memory hooks, visually clarifying props and layout, making the hidden visible, eliminating time lags and interruptions, and being direct.
And with a little practical, you’ll make you message magically appear. Just leave the Bengal tigers at home!
