Before each presentation skills training or public speaking coaching session we lead at Mindful Presenter, we ask every client one deceptively simple question:
“What do you want your audience to feel?”
The most common responses are predictable: informed, engaged, interested, but at Mindful Presenter, we believe that’s far from enough.
No presenter, regardless of topic, message or intent, wants their audience to feel anything less than informed, interested and engaged. The absence of any one of those elements leaves people uncomfortable, frustrated and wondering why they gave you their time at all, but high-impact presenting demands something deeper.
Connection is the key
Whatever your role, whatever your message, your audience wants to feel connected to you, to your ideas, and to the experience you’re creating for them. They don’t just want data; they want dialogue. They want a conversation they can relate to emotionally as well as intellectually.
Audiences want more than information; they want connection. They want to trust you, believe in your message and feel something real as they listen. Connection is what gives your audience permission to feel something: excitement, inspiration, support, empowerment, motivation, even concern or determination. Whatever emotion you want to evoke, connection is the bridge that makes it possible, and it doesn’t happen by accident; it happens by intention. It begins with being absolutely clear about the feeling you want to create. Before you craft a single slide or rehearse a single sentence, decide exactly what you want your audience to feel and why. Once you have that clarity, your next responsibility is simple but essential:
You must feel it first
If you want your audience to feel excited or inspired, but you don’t feel it yourself, you can be absolutely certain they won’t either. Emotion is contagious, but only when it’s genuine.
10 powerful ways to connect with your audience
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Don’t assume anything
The more you know your audience, the easier it is to connect with them. Don’t fall into the trap of assuming you know who they are, how they think or what they need. Ask them. Whether you’re presenting to your boss, a client or your team, reach out in advance and ask what they would genuinely like you to include.
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Make it personal
If your content isn’t relevant, it isn’t connecting. Everything you say and show must matter to your audience in some way. If it doesn’t serve them, it’s noise, and noise causes disconnection.
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Be a maverick
Too many business presentations look and sound the same: bullet points, monotone delivery, information dumps. A maverick challenges the status quo. Be independent. Be innovative and dare to be different.
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Smile — and help them smile too
A smile wins allies, calms dissenters, and signals that you’re pleased to be there. It instantly changes your emotional state and can be as contagious as a yawn. Many great speakers use humour deliberately: it relaxes the room and reassures the audience that they’re in capable hands.
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Stretch their minds
Nobody enjoys being lectured, but everyone values being engaged. Ask questions, even thought-provoking ones. Encourage imagination. Use examples to illustrate points. Share information they don’t already know, haven’t considered, or couldn’t easily find on Google.
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Share personal insights
Show your audience that you have your own thoughts, values and opinions. Don’t hide behind generic statements or market commentary. Let them know where you stand and how you arrived there.
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Be them
Connection needs perspective. Spend time imagining yourself as your audience, what they care about, what they want to know and what would genuinely help them. This isn’t guesswork; you’ve already asked them. Now you’re simply exploring their world more deeply.
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Let them in
Be willing to be a little vulnerable. Let them see the real you. Lose the corporate spokesperson from time to time. Authenticity is magnetic.
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Tell them stories
Data overwhelms. Stories connect. Short, relevant, compelling stories are the most powerful way to help your audience understand, remember and feel your message.
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Hold a gaze
Eye contact has been written about for millennia because it is the foundation of human connection. It reduces resistance, builds trust and deepens belief. If you want to connect emotionally as well as intellectually, look at your audience, really look at them.
The people we listen to, remember and act upon are the ones we feel connected to.
‘Connecting is everything’
If you need a little help connecting with your audience:
– Book yourself onto a powerful public speaking course.
– Invest in some really good one to one public speaking coaching.
– Get yourself some excellent presentation training
Image courtesy of Canva.com
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