Tell Me More …

What makes a speech unforgettable?

It is rarely the perfect structure, the clever joke, or even the polished delivery. The speakers who truly move audiences do something deeper: They create curiosity.

As a global speaker and leadership communication coach, I have noticed this pattern everywhere, from TEDx stages and corporate keynotes to Toastmasters club meetings. The most impactful speakers make the audience lean in and silently think, Tell me more.

Over time, I realized that “tell me more” is more than a phrase. It is a speaking formula. A mindset. A storytelling tool that transforms speeches from informative to memorable.

Many speakers fall into the trap of explaining what happened, but not why it mattered. Yet audiences connect more to meaning, emotion, tension, and transformation.

This realization hit me when my slides failed during a presentation. Rather than focusing on the technical issues and my frustration, I leaned into storytelling. I became more present with the audience, more conversational, and more real.

After the presentation, people approached me, saying, “Tell me more.” That’s when I realized how powerful curiosity truly is.

Since then, I have interviewed professionals from around the world on my podcast, Tell Me More, exploring the techniques that make stories impactful and unforgettable.

When preparing a speech, don’t just recount the event. Revisit the experience. Slow down and explore what you felt, feared, hoped for, or discovered. Audiences cannot become intrigued if the speaker is disconnected from the story.

Strong speakers recognize the exact moment curiosity is sparked and they pause, anticipating the questions forming in the audience’s mind:

• What were you feeling?
• Why does this matter?
• How did this moment transform you?

Pausing gives emotions time to land. It allows listeners to reflect, react, and connect, especially when the speaker uses concrete details in their descriptions.

Consider the difference between saying: “I was nervous before my presentation.” And saying: “I stood backstage gripping my notes—[pause]—realizing my hands would not stop shaking.”

The second example places the audience inside the experience, and the pause makes it emotionally engaging. But don’t stop there. This is where “tell me more” truly begins, and you can invite listeners into the deeper emotional layer, creating a connection audiences can remember:

“In that moment, I realized I was not afraid of failing. [Pause] I was afraid of being seen.”

Vulnerability pulls people closer because it feels human and unfinished. And leaving space for emotion gives audiences time to become emotionally invested.

The next step is reflection, not a lecture, or advice wrapped in motivational language. Allow the audience to discover themselves inside your story.

“The room went quiet after I spoke. Not because I had the perfect words—[pause]—but because I finally stopped trying to prove anything. [Pause] I could feel myself there, fully, without hiding. [Pause] And in that moment, something shifted.”

In that space, the audience is not being convinced, they are being invited. And something in them begins to fill in the pauses on their own.

Effective speaking is not about saying more. It is about revealing the right depth at the right moment.

When speakers become curious about their own stories, audiences become curious too. And that curiosity transforms speeches into experiences people remember long after the applause ends.

Sometimes, all it takes are three simple words: Tell me more.

Share this article