That Is Correct!
There are no boring subjects, only boring speakers. Your content or topic doesn’t matter—when presented well, it can become interesting, educational, and emotionally engaging.
Some believe that public speaking is just about knowing your subject. Having something to say is not enough to make your message come alive.
After all, knowing the words to a song— doesn’t mean you can sing it. To truly engage an audience, you need to deliver your content in a way that captures attention.
Turning “Boring” into Brilliant
After delivering my keynote at a construction industry conference, I led a breakout session and coached willing participants on their presentations.
I said, “There are no boring subjects, only boring speakers.” A gentleman in the third row raised his hand and said, “Ms. Fripp, my subject’s boring.”
I was up for the challenge and asked, “What’s your subject?”
He replied, “I teach OSHA rules and regulations for six hours.”
I’ll admit, that’s a tough one. I invited him to the front of the room and asked, “Tell me one rule.”
He responded, “You have to wear your safety goggles.”
My next question, “Please tell me about a time when someone didn’t wear their safety goggles? Let’s imagine the story from his wife’s point of view.”
This is how I suggested he could start his presentation:
A Story Makes Your Message Come Alive
“Imagine you’re a 22-year-old wife and mother of two. One morning, you kiss your 24-year-old husband goodbye as he heads to his construction job on the corner of 39th and Main, next to the Kroger store. He’s drilling through concrete to install a new pipe. Just then, a chunk of concrete flies out and hits him in the eye—because he wasn’t wearing his safety goggles. He ends up in the hospital and a few days later, you bring him home. You nurse him back to health, but now he has only one good eye. How do you feel when he returns to that same job, at that same site, knowing he might not wear his goggles again?”
With that, he had his audience’s attention. Then, he could transition smoothly into the core of his presentation:
“Welcome to OSHA. For the next 5 ½ hours, we’ll cover 136 rules and regulations. You know them. You’ve heard them. Today, let us reinforce why it’s crucial to stay vigilant and ensure that your crews follow these guidelines daily.”
The audience gasped and went wild!
“Patricia, you saved the day! I was summoned as a keynote speaker for our corporate annual sales conference on short notice. My task was to relate technical details to a non-technical audience.
Lucky for me, I found FrippVT a week in advance. I worked tirelessly, devouring the FrippVT content most evenings until 2 a.m., to perform at the highest level possible.
Can you imagine my excitement when I walked off stage and heard, “You stole the show,” “Are you a professional speaker?” and “The audience was hanging onto your every word.”
I cannot thank you enough for creating FrippVT. Having your wisdom, advice, and guidance 24/7 throughout my preparation for this speaking engagement gave me the knowledge and skills to be a success. Consider me your biggest fan.”
Scott Lelii, Head of Digital & IT, Volvo Construction Equipment – Sales Regions North & Latin America
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Deliver Unforgettable Presentations written with Darren LaCroix and Mark Brown. Shep Hyken, Hall of Fame Speaker and best-selling author, is practising some Fripp opening lines.
