How to know what your audience wants from you.

"The success of your presentation will be judged
not by the knowledge you send but by what the listener receives.”
Lilly Walters

The single biggest sin any speaker can commit is to forget about their audience.

That’s why the quote accompanying this blog from Lily Walters, executive director of Walters International Speakers Bureau and author of Speak & Grow Rich, offers aspiring speaker her cautionary advice.

• Stay audience-centric.

• Don’t get lost in your moment on stage by thinking the event is all about you.

• Every speaking opportunity begins and ends with giving the audience what they expect.

“How is it possible to know what my audience expects from me, without being able to ask everyone in my audience?”

For so many speakers, the answer to this question is a major concern.

Is it possible to know what every member of your audience is expecting from you before your speak?

Absolutely!

The Audience’s Expectation Hierarchy

Several years ago, I developed The Audience’s Expectation Hierarchy (you can download a copy from the link below) to assist my clients in learning how they should develop audience-centric content for their speeches. Every audience, regardless of demographic composition, has specific expectations. The most expedient a speaker is in fulfilling these expectations the higher the level of integration an audience will have with the speaker’s content and objective. The Audience’s Expectation Hierarchy offers a very comprehensive, easy to follow strategy for making the fastest and most complete connection with your audience.

WIIFM – The world’s most popular station

The base level of The Audience’s Expectation Hierarchy addresses the most primal need of an audience; their “skin in the game” value.

Imagine how confident you would be if you know, even before you speak, what every audience member is thinking. Well you can. It’s simple. “What’s in it for me!?”

It’s not that audience members are ego-centric, but they do want their needs satisfied. So, from a listener’s perspective they need to know what they might gain from listening to you in return for their time and attention investment. I call it “getting a bang for their butt”. Many speakers think the more you hold out the drama of your main point, the more the audience will stay engaged. You can do this to a point, but whatever you do it had better impart some indication of the promise to come. Otherwise, you’ll lose them.

So, answer the WIIFM question by telling them what they will have to gain as an audience member. You might say something like this, “Before we finish here today, you will have a strategy for living your life with more purpose, persistence and fulfilling promise than when you came in the room.” This will let them know “what’s in it for them” if they make the commitment to stay with you.

Follow the Blueprint

Each succeeding level of the hierarchy fulfills another need the audience has thereby increasing their engagement with your content and you as a speaker.

• Level 1: What is this all about?
  Here’s your chance to set the stage for the point you want to make by clearly stating it. “Today I am going to share with you a fundamental strategy for increasing your success potential through intention.”

• Level 2: Why should I listen to you?
  Here’s the right time to establish your credentials and authority on your content. No matter who you are, you need to make them feel you are worthy of their attention and energy.

• Level 3: How will this affect my life or livelihood?
  In speaking circles we call this proximity and impact. If it doesn’t affect them, there will be no urgency behind their engaging with you or your content.

• Level 4: Is this information the most current; quoted and cited accurately?
  It is your responsibility as a thought leader and speaker to make sure your content is well researched, quoted and cited accurately and absolutely up to date. To misinform is to mistreat your audience. Nothing will destroy your credibility faster.

• Level 5: Is there an action I can take now?
  So many speakers get their audiences all worked up and rearing to go, but then just leave them hanging there with no actionable steps to take. Communication is all about information exchanged to create changes of knowledge, mindset and behavior. Telling them what they can do with your content to improve their lives will endear them to you.

• Level 6: What result can I expect?
  It’s OK to establish an expectation for your audience based on the content you have provided and the recommended actions you have offered. Helping them see real possibilities at the end of their journey is a big part of getting them to take the first step.

Becoming an audience-centric speaker requires a lot of discipline and intention. Remember Lily Walters advice and follow the steps I’ve laid out in The Audience Expectation Hierarchy. If you do you will be an engaging speaker every time while enjoying the thrill of Speaking Success will bring.

Now that you know what your audience wants from you please share this blog with a friend or colleague. As always, your comments and suggestions are delightfully welcome in the comments section below.

Bringing Positivity to Everything,
The Brain Tamer

The Most Amazing Thing You Can Do With A Smile

“A smile is a curve that sets everything straight.” - Phyllis Diller

In sailing, it is important to “Hit the Deck Running.” In speaking, it is important to “Take the Stage Shining!” This means that from the moment you are introduced you must channel away all distractions and concentrate your total focus on your message, its delivery and your audience.

The first task you have as a speaker is making your audience feel welcome. Make them feel you are happy to be there. You can achieve this by sharing your S.M.I..L.E.

A smile is the most powerful tool you have as a speaker. It is your indication to the audience that what you will share with them will make a difference. It shows that you will willingly give them a slice of you.

What is in a S.M.I.L.E.?

As a speaker, I love mnemonics.

A mnemonic is an easy way to help people remember something by connecting it to an easily remembered word or saying. As a child, you may have used the word “HOMES” to remember the names of the great lakes (HOMES = Huron, Ontario, Michigan, Erie and Superior). Or this saying, “Super Man Helps Every One” to remember the great lakes according to size.

Here’s a mnemonic to help you remember the power of your smile.

Your S.M.I.L.E. is a… Spectacular Mental Image Loaded with Energy.

A Smile Costs You Nothing and Buys You Everything

Imagine you have a renewable energy source. No matter how much of it you use, your reserve will never run dry. That would be awesome if it could power a car or light you home.

Well, guess what? You do! And, you can use this energy source to power your next speech or presentation.

I call this unlimited energy source… smile power.

Buy the good graces of nature, we are all equipped with an inexhaustible supply of smiles. When you give one away, you very often get one back. Your smile power multiplies and increases the energy of every recipient. That includes every person in your audience too.

You don’t have to be giddy doing it. I said SMILE not laugh.

I once heard a speaker talk about her son who she had lost to a disease. She spoke about how she and her husband were so inspired by his life, they created playgrounds for kids with special medical needs. While she was speaking, there was not a dry eye on the house. But she had a smile on her face. A smile of grace, knowing that she was touching the lives of so many people on behalf of her son.

Practice Makes Connection

A smile should come naturally. But I have had clients tell me, “I don’t like my smile” or “Smiling makes me uncomfortable.” Like any skill we do with purpose, a smile needs to be practiced.

So where do you begin?

At home. In the mirror.

Here’s a smiling exercise I share with my clients.

1. When you wake up in the morning and stumble into the bathroom, take a moment to stare into your eyes, make contact and hold it until you begin to smile at yourself.

2. When you get home from work, head straight to the nearest mirror and take the 2 -3 minutes to repeat your morning exercise.

3. The last thing you do before you go to bed, take a moment to once again stare into your eyes, make contact and hold it until you begin to smile at yourself.

Giving yourself the gift of your own smile is better than a mint on your pillow. It is also a powerful way to program your brain for a positive, relaxing sleep.

Try it. A smile costs you nothing…and will return giant dividends for the energy you invest.

Whether this post brings a smile to your face or not, please comment below. I’m here to serve you, my reader, and your input is most appreciated.

Bringing Positivity to Everything,
The Brain Tamer