5 ways to connect with your audience during a speech.
BY KIMATI ELITRUDAH
Know what your audience wants, season your talk with humor, play the contrarian, and offer a tangible takeaway.
If you have ever delivered a speech and failed to connect with your audience members, I have good news. You don't have to be the world's most captivating speaker to deliver a dynamic, entertaining speech.
Let me put a finer point on it: If you don't grab your audience's attention, you will lose their interest in a heartbeat, and your speech will just be a giant waste of time.
In that spirit, here are seven excellent ways to connect with your audience during a speech:
1. Talk about what your audience wants you to talk about.
This may seem basic, but how do you know you're even talking about the things your audience wants you to talk about?
Most people who give a speech pick the topic and write the speech completely independently, without any input from the potential audience. Rather than doing that, flip that process around. Find out what your audience wants to hear, then talk about that.
Do some basic audience research by contacting people who will be in the audience and interviewing them about a few of the questions they want answered. It's much better to find these things out in advance rather than afterward.
2. Refer to audience members by name.
Have you ever noticed how politicians tend to start speeches by mentioning a few of the dignitaries in the audience by name? There's a reason why they do that.
People love to receive recognition, especially in front of peers or colleagues.
So, the next time you speak, don't be afraid to name-drop—that is, to drop names of people who are in the audience while you're speaking.
Better yet, use stories or examples involving people who you know will be in your audience to illustrate your points. At a minimum, you know at least one person will be paying attention.
3. Have a sense of humor.
You ever wonder why so many speeches start with a joke? It sends a signal to the audience that they can relax.
Unfortunately, audiences have been conditioned by bad speakers to expect to be bored. It's all too easy for audience members' minds to wander.
Let me put a finer point on it: If you don't grab your audience's attention, you will lose their interest in a heartbeat, and your speech will just be a giant waste of time.
In that spirit, here are seven excellent ways to connect with your audience during a speech:
1. Talk about what your audience wants you to talk about.
This may seem basic, but how do you know you're even talking about the things your audience wants you to talk about?
Most people who give a speech pick the topic and write the speech completely independently, without any input from the potential audience. Rather than doing that, flip that process around. Find out what your audience wants to hear, then talk about that.
Do some basic audience research by contacting people who will be in the audience and interviewing them about a few of the questions they want answered. It's much better to find these things out in advance rather than afterward.
2. Refer to audience members by name.
Have you ever noticed how politicians tend to start speeches by mentioning a few of the dignitaries in the audience by name? There's a reason why they do that.
People love to receive recognition, especially in front of peers or colleagues.
So, the next time you speak, don't be afraid to name-drop—that is, to drop names of people who are in the audience while you're speaking.
Better yet, use stories or examples involving people who you know will be in your audience to illustrate your points. At a minimum, you know at least one person will be paying attention.
3. Have a sense of humor.
You ever wonder why so many speeches start with a joke? It sends a signal to the audience that they can relax.
Unfortunately, audiences have been conditioned by bad speakers to expect to be bored. It's all too easy for audience members' minds to wander.
4. Do the opposite of everyone else.
I can still remember one of the most powerful speeches I ever heard in person as if it were yesterday.
The year was 2003. I was at the California State Democratic Party's annual convention, where potential presidential candidates were addressing the crowd. Then-Sens. John Kerry and Hillary Clinton and a host of others delivered slightly different versions of the same speech, giving the audience of party stalwarts what it wanted to hear on various political issues.
Then a little-known governor named Howard Dean came up to the podium.
Dean immediately ripped into the other speakers, using a refrain of, "What I want to know … is why" the other speakers were not talking about issues like health care and the war in Iraq.
The audience erupted, devouring the red meat and Dean's willingness to take a stand.
So, what's the lesson for you? If everyone else is giving PowerPoint presentations, don't do it. If everyone else is entering from stage left, enter from the back of the room. If everyone else is being polite, ruffle a few feathers.
Doing the unexpected will make it more likely your audience will sit up and pay attention.
5. Open your heart.
If you really want to make a connection with your audience, get personal.
Tell a revealing story. Share a side of you few ever see. Allow it all to hang out, warts and all.
People will respect your honesty and candor, especially if you show you are not perfect.
Sure, it's won't be easy to be truly open and vulnerable. Few things in life are easy, but the payoff will be worth it.
If you really want to make a connection with your audience, get personal.
Tell a revealing story. Share a side of you few ever see. Allow it all to hang out, warts and all.
People will respect your honesty and candor, especially if you show you are not perfect.
Sure, it's won't be easy to be truly open and vulnerable. Few things in life are easy, but the payoff will be worth it.
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