What Are the 3Cs of Speaking, and How Can You Leverage Them for Success? 

Here are the minute marks that cover highlights in this episode: 

Background and Development of the 3Cs

(2:28) The 3Cs were first developed and promoted by FameLab. A competition that pits leading scientists against each other in three-minute presentations that have to wow judges and audience members with their scientific insights. 

Think TED talks, but on a tight schedule and only covering scientific research. 

The 3Cs represent the judging criteria of the speeches and stand for: Content, Clarity, and Charisma. 

While this specific competition will probably have little meaning or influence on your individual speaking journey, the 3Cs can be very helpful in improving and honing your speaking skills. 

So let’s take a closer look at each of the 3Cs and see how you can leverage them in your speeches.

How the 3Cs Can be Leveraged Into Successful Speeches 

(3:28) While their origin may hold little relevance for you personally (unless you happen to be in the science field of course!), the 3Cs can be very helpful when it comes to improving your speaking skills. 

Here’s how each of the 3Cs can be used to perfect your speeches.

#1: Content

(3:53) You could be the best speaker in the world, but if your content isn’t up to scratch, your audience won’t be interested. It’s as simple as that. 

I’ve said this so many times that I feel like a broken record, but your content HAS to be tailored to your audience. Yes, you will have niched yourself down to serve a very specific cohort of people, but there’s always room to cater specifically to the audience in the room in front of you. 

Maybe you’re a speaker in the real estate market that talks specifically about flipping derelict, foreclosed houses in the Midwest. Well, if that’s the case, talks given in Detroit and Chicago will be pretty different. So are talks delivered at a local realtors’ networking event compared to an American Bankers Association conference. 

So you’ve got to ensure your content is relevant to your audience and interesting enough to keep them engaged. 

#2: Clarity

(4:59) I’ve already spoken at length about the importance of clarity in speaking, and it’s something that you should always keep in mind when writing and practicing your presentations. 

Relevant content won’t help if you deliver your talk with language that overwhelms your audience or if it’s challenging to follow. You should NEVER leave your audience guessing about the meaning or purpose of your words. Use simple and direct language that’s easy to understand and avoid complex speech or presentation structures.  

As I like to say to members of the Charli Jane Speakers Club, the key to clarity is the famous quote: 

“Tell ’em what you’re going to tell ’em; then tell ’em; then tell ’em what you just told ’em.”

In other words, be clear and concise in your delivery and keep your audience informed about where they are in your presentation.

#3: Charisma

(5:51) There’s no question that, to succeed in this game, you need to possess a certain degree of charisma. 

Let me be clear, not everyone’s “charisma” is the same. Some can dazzle audiences with their knowledge, whereas others are more able to create an emotional engagement through personal stories that leave their audiences hanging on every word. 

The point is, when you deliver your speech in a charismatic way, it makes your audience far more likely to both listen and remember what you said. It creates connections on a personal level and makes it easier for them to engage and resonate with your message. 

Some people are brilliant at writing speeches and delivering an organized and clean presentation, but if you don’t quite have that “charisma” on stage, you will need to find a way to draw it out of yourself to be successful. 

Being as stiff as a board on stage will make it much harder for you to connect with your audience and achieve your goals.

Incorporate the 3Cs into Your Speaking Routine for Success

(7:06) If you’ve ever been curious about the 3Cs after searching online for tips on how to speak better, now you know where they came from, what they stand for, and how they can help you achieve engagement and, ultimately, success when giving speeches.

Of course, these are just three terms that offer useful guidance when it comes to speaking. There’s a LOT more to becoming a successful speaker. That said, they are a great starting point if you want to learn more about improving your on-stage performance.

If you’re on the hunt for more tips and tricks, be sure to check out our other training episodes, like this one covering how to better connect with your audience. 

We also have a thriving community over on Facebook. Our private group, Grow Your Speaking Biz is full of great insights and advice from our 2,000+ members and is an excellent place to seek advice and connect with other speakers and entrepreneurs.

We look forward to seeing you in there!