As I mentioned in yesterday’s post, I have been listening to “Reagan In His Own Voice.” The clarity that he brings on so many points is inspiring. I have been trying to take notes on what he does that makes it so engaging, yet so simple. Here’s a quick list I have so far.
He explains complex points in an easy to understand way
This is the driving force I believe behind the success in these radio addresses. He didn’t use big words, he didn’t make his positions complex. He spoke in the language of everyday people. He took complicated issues and talked them through so that they seemed like the most basic problems ever. He understood who his audience was.
He spoke his mind
Ronald Regan had several positions that made him a radical in various areas. In the addresses I have heard, he doesn’t back away from the controversial subjects. He tackles them head on and states what he believes and often provides solutions to problems. He didn’t seem to care about people thinking he was radical. Perhaps because he also showcased how much he cared about the people. Radical or not, people couldn’t help but see Reagan’s true heart for the people of America
He was consistent
This goes without saying, but he did this radio show for over 5 years. Every episode was almost exactly the same in length. He made over 1,000 broadcast’s in the 5 years. He understood the importance of a consistent voice. I believe this radio address was the biggest reason he won the presidential election several years later. He was already in peoples cars and homes and had built up “friends,” everywhere.
They were short
3-5 minutes was Reagan’s slot for his radio show. I compare this in some ways to Vine. So much packed into a short amount of time. Once again a testament to Ronald Reagan’s superior communications skills.
He had sources for his facts/quoted others
People thought that Reagan was loose with many of the facts that he stated on his radio addresses. However, after much research looking into sources and others, a team discovered that Reagan was almost always 100% right in the facts that he quoted. He always had a source for the things he said so even if it was wrong, it meant it was wrong from the source, not from Reagan. Regan made great use of other’s writings.
Routine every episode
Similar to consistency, it’s interesting how Ronald Reagan lays the show out exactly the same every time. He always has a little intro. Kind of like some clickbait. And he always ends with “I’m Ronald Reagan, thanks for listening.”
He didn’t pretend to know everything and if he didn’t know something, he said it.
He’s not afraid to say that he doesn’t understand everything. I think some people would see this as a sign of weakness. Especially for someone interested in the presidency. Shouldn’t they know about everything? But this brought out the human side of him. He was humble in what he didn’t know and he was serious about what he did know.
Always finishes strong
Every single one of the addresses (at least that I’ve heard) end with something punchy. Something to grab the attention of listeners. Whether a challenge, a question, or just a statement. Conclusions are what you leave people with, and I believe Reagan became one of the best there ever has been at closing well.
I aspire to be the kind of communicator Reagan was. I will never have the soothing voice that he had, but perhaps through understanding his mindset and techniques, I can start to close the gap.
Communication won Reagan the presidency in 1980. With good communication, anything can happen.
I’ll once again leave with one of the many quotes I love from Regan’s addresses.
“There is no limit to what a man can do or where he can go if he doesn’t mind who gets the credit” ~ Ronald Reagan
I love how you have summarized Regan’s talks. I have listened to them several times and am always amazed with his words.
Great job!