Confident Speaker: Build Your Public Speaking Confidence and Platform

Welcome to the Speaking Your Brand podcast. This is your host AI Carol. Have you ever looked out at your audience mid speech and thought, are they even still with me? We've all been there talking on a stage, making our points only to notice glazed eyes, distracted glances, or the worst someone pulling out their phone, ouch. But here's the truth.

Speaking isn't just about sharing information, it's about connection. If you want people to listen, you've got to get them leaning in, not tuning out. Let me share something with you. Early in my speaking days, I'd get on stage and just go straight into the content. I was efficient, knowledgeable, and thorough.

But after one event, a woman came up to me and said, You know, I appreciated what you shared, but I didn't feel like I got to know you. That stopped me in my tracks. From that moment on, I made a shift from content first to connection first. So if you want to keep your audience engaged during your speech, here are three key things you can do. First, interact early and often.

Ask your audience a question in the first thirty seconds, even if it's just a show of hands or a how many of you have ever kind of prompt, that simple participation dissolves the invisible wall between you and them and helps them feel seen. When people feel involved, they stay engaged. Second, tell stories, not just any stories, make them personal and relatable. Your audience may not share the exact same experience, but they will resonate with the emotion behind it. The underlying lesson, the fear you overcame, the insight you gained, that's where you make an emotional connection.

And that's what your audience will remember. Third, give them opportunities to think or reflect. Ask them to write something down, turn to the person next to them, or pause for a moment and consider a question. People stay more engaged when they're part of the thought process, not just the recipient of it. Remember, your job isn't just to inform, it's to transform, and transformation starts with engagement.

So the next time you prepare a speech, think less about what you wanna say and more about how you want your audience to feel and experience it with you. Because when you captivate the room, not just speak to it, your message lingers long after the mic drops. Want help creating talks that connect and convert? You can find ways to work with us at speakingyourbrand.com. Make sure to follow the podcast on Apple Podcasts or Spotify so you don't miss more insightful and actionable strategies like this.

This on demand episode was generated by AI using my voice clone, trained on Speaking Your Brand content.