How to Engage an Audience

How to Engage an Audience

by Patricia Fripp, CSP, CPAE

Executive speech coach and award-winning speaker Patricia Fripp was recently asked, "What is the best sway to engage an audience?" This is the advice she gave the attendee at her San Francisco Speaking school:

"The best way to engage an audience is to be prepared, personable, polished, practical, and profound.

Prepared:

Know who you are speaking to: why are they there; what part of the agenda; what is the purpose of the meeting and expected outcomes of your contribution?

Is there a theme for the meeting?

What is the state of their industry?

What is the organization proud of?

What are their challenges?

What is a typical day in the life of the audience members?

Ahead of time, can you interview a few people who will be in the audience and find 'sound bite' quotes?

Personable:

Before the event be responsive, easy to deal with, and meet all organizer's deadlines.
During the event don't demand, change the equipment requested, or act like a celebrity.
Before you speak meet, shake hands, chat with attendees, and be visible and involved for at least part of the meeting. You will be perceived as more interesting if you are interested. You engage your audience when it is obvious you have attempted to include THEM into the message.

Polished:

Giving a presentation is not about being perfect as much as personable. However, you are expected to know your content and have practiced your presentation. Even if you use an outline, do not be so tied to your notes you have to read it. This kills all eye connection with the audience if you are looking down too much.
Practical: Be sure your information is interesting and has a logical application to the audience. Is it delivered at the right level of abstraction for the audience? No brilliant sounding ideas that are not specific enough to be useful?

Profound:

Simple universal concepts are not necessarily simplistic. Your observations and recommendations based on your experience and wisdom can make them profound."

Patricia Fripp is an award-winning keynote speaker, executive speech coach, and in-demand sales presentation skills trainer. www.fripp.com, pfripp@fripp.com, (415) 753-6556 Check out her DVDs, CDs, and books on public speaking, presentation skills, and how to be successful as a professional speaker: http://www.fripp.com/publicspeakingresources/

We offer this article on a nonexclusive basis. You may reprint or repost this material as long as Patricia Fripp's name and contact information is included.

Physical Preparation: Warm Up and Relax Your Body and Face - by Patricia Fripp, CSP, CPAE

1. Stand on one leg and shake the other. (Hold into a chair if you need to.) When you put your foot back on the ground, it's going to feel lighter than the other one. Now, switch legs and shake. You want your energy to go through the floor and out of your head. This sounds quite cosmic; it isn't. It's a practical technique used by actors.

2. Shake your hands...fast. Hold them above your head, bending at the wrist and elbow and then bring your hands back down. This will make your hand movements more natural. Pretend to 'conduct' for a few moments.

3. Warm up your face muscles by chewing in a highly exaggerated way.

4. Do shoulder and neck rolls.

5. Warm up your eyes by looking at an imaginary clock. Look at 12, now move them to 3, then down to 6, up to 9 then 12. After doing this 3 times, reverse the direction 3 times.

All of these exercises serve to warm up and relax you. Those exaggerated movements make it easier for your movements to flow more naturally. Now you can concentrate on your message and connecting to the audience. With large audiences when your talk is IMAGed, (image magnification) the audience will be looking at you more as they do at the movies. These simple techniques used by actors will help you book more natural and professional, and feel more relaxed.

Patricia Fripp, CSP, CPAE is a San Francisco-based executive speech coach, sales trainer, and award-winning professional speaker. She is the author of Get What You Want!, Make It, So You Don't Have to Fake It!, and Past-President of the National Speakers Association. She can be reached at: PFripp@Fripp.com, 1-800 634-3035, http://www.fripp.com


We offer this article on a nonexclusive basis. You may reprint or repost this material as long as Patricia Fripp's name and contact information is included. PFripp@Fripp.com, 1-800 634-3035, http://www.fripp.com