Speak Powerfully with these Power Words and Phrases

“Courage is what it takes to stand up and speak; courage is also what it takes to sit down and listen.” – Winston Churchill

You have all heard the phrase, “The pen is mightier than the sword.” Men and women throughout history have changed the lives of millions of people by the words they use. So, what are the 5 most powerful words and phrases in public speaking? Read on from The 5 Most Effective Words and Phrases in Public Speaking.

The Word “Imagine”

This is the most powerful and influential word in the English language. Each person has a unique definition of “success” that he/she imagines and hopes someday to achieve. It personalizes the desires and dreams of each person that hears it. The word “imagine” derives its power from the fact that it’s an open, non-restrictive command that invites the audience to imagine whatever they want.

And as they imagine in the context you have suggested, their own imagination (sense experience) starts doing the most important work – to convince themselves and, therefore, justify why they should buy what you are offering or agree with your point of view.

John F. Kennedy once asked us to imagine landing a man on the moon and a decade later that imagining became a reality. By asking us to imagine, he was asking us to think of the possibilities and to convince ourselves that it’s a possible and worthy endeavor to pursue. And we did. This is persuasion at its finest.

The Word “Breakthrough”

The word “breakthrough” expresses and describes the most radical, significant innovation people have been waiting for and dreaming of. It suggests a complete game-changing event – something they have never seen or experienced before that is offering meaning to their lives on several levels.

The late Steve Jobs, one of the most innovative leaders of our time, took full advantage of this powerful word during the launch of the iPhone in 2007. “We are just at the beginning stages of what will be truly remarkable breakthrough,” he said. “The iPhone is a breakthrough in mobile technology.”

The Phrase “You Have the Right To”

The concept of “rights” is enshrined in the minds of all people that live in a democratic and open society. When you deploy the phrase “you have the right to,” you immediately grab people’s complete attention and raise their expectations of what they demand of themselves.

It is like you are giving them the license to demand more from themselves, to desire to have more of what they want out of life and to become more than what they are. The phrase is effective and influential because it is intrinsic in our nature to become more. People will listen with greater interest when what you said reaffirms with their own core beliefs.

Using this phrase “you have the right to” adds intensity to your message. When you communicate and relate your product, service or idea into a “right,” you go beyond selling it for its reasonable and beneficial factors; you are telling people it’s an essential part of who they are and what they deserve.

The Phrase “Life-Changing Impact”

When you use the phrase “life changing impact” you are implying that there will be a permanent and personalized benefit to the individual. It is imperative that when you use this phrase you immediately demonstrate the extraordinary value of your service, product or idea and contextualize it as a personal benefit that will enhance a person’s quality of life.

In a La Francophonie Conference on Education, Michaelle Jean, The Secretary General of La Francophonie and former Governor General of Canada, said, “Education can have a life-changing impact on students.”

The Phrase “A Forensic Approach”

This phrase has been popularized by the hit TV series CSI. It is used to demonstrate the seriousness and strategic importance of your proposed approach. The power of this phrase is that it indicates a more detailed, precise and clinical process of doing things that guarantees reliable, dependable and predictable outcomes.

So, the five power words and phrases are:

“Imagine”

“Breakthrough”

“You have the right to”

“Life-changing impact”

“A forensic approach”

Use these power words and greatly connect with your audience!

“Practice, practice, PRACTICE in speaking before an audience will tend to remove all fear of audiences, just as practice in swimming will lead to confidence and facility in the water. You must learn to speak by speaking.” – Dale Carnegie