Neil Patel is co-founder of Crazy Egg, Hello Bar, and KISSmetrics. He helps companies like Amazon, NBC, GM, HP and Viacom grow their revenue through online marketing. We identified Neil as one of the best public speakers because he combines assertive and consultative communication styles to become a trusted advisor for his audiences.
by Stephanie Bickel
The best public speakers event we reviewed: Interview about his first job and creating content and selling strategies
Neil’s greatest public speaking skills:
Nice speaking pace and balances an assertive and calming voice: Neil speaks at a slow enough pace so that you can follow everything he says. He combines this approach with an assertive voice that conveys that he is confident and relaxed. Incorporating both styles increases trust with others. (:47, 1:30, 9:00, 14:05)
Warm facial expressions: He maintains soft facial features throughout the interview. If he is not smiling, he is “thinking a smile” to build a positive relationship with the interviewer. (:47, 1:38, 2:11, 18:20)
Direct, engaging eye contact: Whether Neil is speaking or listening, he maintains engaging eye contact with his listener. This approach shows he is interested in the questions asked and he also makes the interviewer feel important. (:00, 1:10, 2:11, 4:40, 7:15, 14:15)
Variety of Gestures: While he is very tempered throughout the interview, he “comes to life” when he uses gestures. Neil is skilled at using both micro and grand gestures to support his message. His energy level increases and he becomes more emphatic. (2:18, 2:40, 7:24, 14:05, 15:50)
Physical poise: Neil maintains a very still frame and remains physically poised as he is questioned. (:00, 5:00, 7:00, 9:55)
What Neil could do to improve his public speaking skills:
Develop a more engaging posture: Neil has a very relaxed posture. He slouches slightly and leans back in his chair. This is great to show a calm presence, but also may be perceived as someone who is not as interested or engaged as they could be. We recommend mixing it up throughout a conversation. Lean in and hold an upright posture at times to show that you are fully present in the discussion. (:00, 2:04, 9:55)
Minimize uptick: Neil tends to raise the pitch of his voice at the ends of words, phrases, or sentences. It happens frequently when he is listing information. An increase in pitch can convey uncertainty. When making declarative statements, end in a downward pitch to show conviction. (1:03, 1:33, 1:50, 7:25, 13:47)
Minimize filler words: Filler words will occasionally creep into Neil’s delivery - “so”, “um”, “like”, “you know”, “right”. At times, instead of just ending at the natural end of a sentence, he will add in fillers, e.g. “...but, yeah”. We recommending stopping and pausing instead of using non-words. (:50, 1:09, 1:33, 7:54)
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