What your audience remembers most.

“The audience remembers two things; the first thing it sees and the last thing it hears. So, first make a profound impression and second an ever-lasting impact.”

— Don E. Smith

Pop Quiz: How many chances do you get to make a first impression?

If you said more than one, go to the principal’s office.

In the art of speaking, you have two chances to make an impression; a first one and a lasting one. Many speakers I know work hard and long on their opening line. Crafting just the right combination of catchy phrase, teasing possibility, and creative nuance is no simple task. I applaud them for this effort. But sadly, for many of them, they are so concentrated on this one aspect they forget they are communicating volumes of information to their audience long before they even open their mouth.

It is clearly evident that your audience is most highly focused at two points in your presentation - when you are first introduced and, if you’ve managed to keep them focused throughout your presentation, at the end when you leave them with your parting thought.

You Cannot NOT Communicate

Communication is a constant process. Even when you think it’s over, it still goes on. And, in the instance I am referring to now, it starts before you may actually think it does. Because of this, it is important for you, as a speaker, to remember that your audience remembers the first thing it sees, which is you. Before you speak, you are the presentation.

The audience remembers and judges your credibility and authority on a variety of things. Among these is your personal presentation. Personal presentation attributes may include wardrobe, posture, facial expressions, eye contact, and confidence. If you take the stage with less than a sense of ownership it’s unlikely your audience will buy into what you are saying. No one trusts an unsettled peddler.

This does not mean that you should dress in formal attire for every presentation. Do so only when the occasion requires it. But it does mean, that whatever attire you choose, it should show a precise level of respect for your audience and the occasion. One rule of thumb is to dress at or one level above your audience. If they are wearing business casual, where a business suit with no tie. If they are wearing ties, you need to wear one too.

Don’t forget to do the rest of the stuff too. Because, as a speaker, you can’t control where your audience chooses to focus their attention, don’t give them a reason to stare at something else. So, shine your shoes, press your pants, and straighten your skirt. In other words, take a moment to look in the mirror and see what they will see. It’s hard enough these days to command an audiences’ full attention. The first impression you make can go a long way toward establishing the connection you will nurture throughout your presentation.

So bear in mind, the audience remembers the first thing it sees and the first thing it sees is you. Use this opportunity to make your profound first impression.

The Two Least Powerful Words in a Speaker’s Vocabulary

Building personal relationship is the primary function of communication. It is the primary function of any speaker as well. Sometimes when we speak it is easy to lose sight of this principle. Speakers often get so wrapped up in the essence of their pitch they forget about building the bond of trust central to all relationships.

I’ve seen it written lately that the two most powerful words in the English language are “Thank You”. I don't disagree. Nothing will help you build the bond of team work and cooperation more than acknowledging someone else’s contribution by saying, “Thanks”. When you’re speaking, saying “Thank You” is a patronizing and very insufficient way to establish the lasting bond. It offers your audience nothing and does very little to connect them to your content and purpose.

After all, in most speaking situations, it is unlikely that you will address the same people on the same topic with the same content more than once. In addition, there is very little of a participatory role for the audience to play in establishing a relationship with you other than being respectful, engaged and appreciative of your presentation. But, somehow, this does not stop a host of speakers from ending their presentation with the words, “Thank you.”

Since the evidence shows that an audience will remember the last thing it hears, doesn’t it make sense that the last thing ought to be of value to them. And that the thing of value, ought to relate directly to the topic, content and purpose of your speech.

So, how can you tell your audience how much you appreciate them and still leave them with a lasting impact?

The Last Thing You Want Your Audience to Hear

At the end of your speech, after you have reminded your audience of the purpose of your speech and all of the supporting points you covered in support of your purpose, this is the time you bring it to a close. This is the time to make your ever-lasting impact. So, say “Thank you” and then “Good Bye”.

Try something like this:

“I just want to take a moment here before my final thought to say “Thank you” for the time and attention you have given me during my presentation. It is truly appreciated.”

Take a moment to smile, make eye contact and nod your head in approval as you acknowledge your audience.

Then launch into your final comment. Make it a single, simple sentence that will button hole the importance of your presentation. And then, stop talking. Smile. Bow your head and look for the person who brought you to the stage.

You may get many or a few opportunities to speak. My advice is to make every one of them count to their fullest degree. Don’t give away the sweetness of the inspiration and expertise you bring to the stage by creating sour moments with a lackluster first impression and listless ending impact.

Making a profound first impression and an ever-lasting impact is totally within your control as a speaker.

Please feel free to share this post with a friend or colleague. As always, share your comments on this post or suggestions in the comments section below.

Bringing Positivity to Everything,
The Brain Tamer

Do you know how to think about success?

“Success consists of going from failure to failure without loss of enthusiasm.”
Winston Churchill

When you were a child, I bet you learned more about success than you remember as an adult. 

I know I did. I guess it’s kind of the reverse on the old saying, “If I only knew then what I know now.” Because (and follow me here) when we are small, each and every advance we make in learning a skill from walking to tying a shoe to speaking to hitting a ball or braiding one’s hair is filled with the rudimentary knowledge required for all of our future successes.

If I Only Know Now What I Knew Then

The picture of the ball and jacks accompanying this article is a metaphor for a way we should all think about our pursuit of success. I can still remember the first time I tried to play this “simple” game. Oh, the frustration! My tiny hands could either hold four jacks alone or the ball and two jacks. But, not four jacks and the ball. I would play for hours never getting past four. But I never gave up. And gradually, with enthusiastic persistence and application I made it to five and the ball, and then six and the ball. I can't recall if I ever managed to get all of the jacks and the ball, before I outgrew the game, but I know I never quit playing while it mattered.

And that is the biggest lesson about success we learn when we are young. When being successful at something really matters, “Never Quit!”

The Brotherhood of Success and Failure

As adults, we tend to approach tasks and goals in a finite space, usually allowing for one of two outcomes – Success or Failure. What a universe to live in! Who made up that rule?

Sure, this outcome relationship works great in a laboratory. But only if you can control all of the variables. Usually this requires vast amounts of time and money. And still it is no guarantee of Success. In fact, Failure is more often the result than Success. But that’s not a problem. That is a good thing.

Humans are organic beings. We live in a constant state of flux, adding one experience to the another gathered from countless endeavors. Some of our efforts result in modest achievements others bear unnoticeable results, while others may astonish the whole world. We don’t always learn from Success as much as we learn from Failure.

Failure is not the opposite of success. It is its brother.

I contend, that without Failure most Successes would not endure, amaze or inspire. We celebrate those who reach the pinnacle mostly because they rose over those who tried but did not succeed. Many of those who do succeed, do so because of what they have learned from others who tried but came up short. So, in a way, we can learn more from failing than we can from succeeding.

Knowledge is Power if Shared

I don’t think anyone would argue with me that knowledge is a good thing. Knowledge is the result of learning either through experience or by observation. Knowledge is an essential component in the pursuit of Success. Therefore, learning from one’s mistakes or failures is a way of acquiring knowledge. It is the way you can turn failure into success.

Unfortunately, some people turn their back on failed attempts not wishing to be associated with the aroma. When they do this, they miss out on a significant opportunity to assess their current knowledge and experience and learn from the event how to do it better. Knowledge from failure is power, but only if you share it with yourself.

Thinking Success

For the last several years, I have been moving clients and audiences away from the negative mindset associated with failure. I’m not saying you should pursue failure as a goal. Of course not. What I am saying is, failure is not the “Big Bad Wolf” we’ve been taught to fear. Failure is the learning spike that can boost your next attempt to the successful plateau of your desire.

To do this, I encourage you to stop thinking of Failure as a result. You can’t rest on Success, so stop being stymied by Failure. Confront your shortfalls. Examine what went wrong. Take the insights you discover and apply them toward changes in your strategy that will fuel your next attempt.

This process is what I call, “The Cycle of Success” that sits atop the Hierarchy of Success.

In this cycle, once you’ve observed the insights from your last attempt, you take action to achieve your intended result. After your attempt you react to the result of what you did. You reframe your action based on this knowledge and then you process it for your next attempt. Rinse and repeat.

Think of the first time you tried to make a paper airplane fly successfully. Lots of attempts and lots of changes until you got your desired result. You’ve been doing this since you were a kid.

Just like an enthusiastic child playing Jacks. With each attempt you’ll discover new ways of approaching your problem. On your journey to success you’ll gather great knowledge and experience. Much of this can and will be applied to other endeavors if fulfillment of your most precious dreams and desires.

Like Mr. Churchill said, Success is all about enthusiasm.

Please feel free to share this post with a friend or colleague. As always, share your comments on this post or suggestions in the comments section below.

Bringing Positivity to Everything,
The Brain Tamer

How to Be an Amazing Speaker and Always Know Your Place

“The human brain starts working the moment you are born and never stops until you stand up to speak in public.”
George Jessel

“It is so hard for me to learn the speech I’ve written. Even though I know my stuff, I still lose my place when speaking.”

This comment is a very common issue I encounter in my speech coaching practice. It is one that many speakers struggle to eliminate, many without a lot of success. If you find yourself in a similar situation, I understand your frustration and would like to offer you the following three pieces of advice to help you become an amazing speaker and always know your place:

1. Don’t Write that Speech

2. Write for the eye, speak for the ear

3. Don’t Memorize, Familiarize

Don’t Write That Speech

Recently I received the manuscript of a 40-minute speech that was written in full prose. It was 9 pages long, single spaced, and over 4500 words long. The speaker had talked to me about having difficulty being able to learn, remember and execute all of the content. Part of the anxiety existed around not wanting to miss “some really great lines’ that were written.

Here’s my Tip #1. Don’t write your speech!

I never write a speech. Occasionally, in the context of my notes, I may write a complete sentence. But, shortly after working on the speech, I have reduced the sentence to a key word or two.

So, what do you do if you can’t write a speech? Create it in an outline.

An outline is a highly valuable tool for a speaker. Using an outline makes you focus on the gist of your content. An effective outline has two parts: format and content.

Most speeches follow a basic outline style with a small element added to achieve a desired effect. Other speeches have specific outlines designed to address the occasion of the speech. The key in any outline is to follow the prescribed format, concentrating your content on the key words and phrases you’ll need to know to deliver your speech. Following and practicing a speech based on an outline will also help you to remember the order and substance of your content.

When you write out a speech in its entirety, you may have a tendency to write it in essay style. This creates two problems for you as a speaker. First, you will fall in love with the lovely words and phrases you’ve written. Second, you will try to remember the essay. Remember, your goal is to be an amazing speaker, not an amazing reader.

Both of these problems lead me to Tip #2.

Write for the Eye, Speak for the Ear

You’re no doubt aware that some people learn better by reading and some by hearing. How do you learn best?

When we speak, we are tasked with making everybody learn best by hearing. That’s not as easy as it sounds. Here’s why.

When we write, we write for the eyes. When a person reads it is a solitary experience. The reader sets the pace, pausing where and when it is necessary in order to maximize understanding of the written material. If the reader doesn’t get it, they can stop. Reread it. Look up a word or term they don’t understand. With the written word, the reader is in total control.

In speaking, the circumstance is very different. During a speech the audience is a collective noun. One entity with many ears and disparate brains all experiencing speaker driven and delivered content with the intent of increasing their understanding of new concept or process.

The speaker’s solution for this challenge is to adhere to a practice of repetition that has proven itself effective in all settings. I like to call this repetition method, “The 3 T’s”. It exists as a basic communications tenet of advertising, commercials, and really effective communicators. The 3 T’s, designed to increase the effectiveness of what you say to your audience, are as follows:

1. Tell the them you are going to tell them

2. Tell them

3. Tell them you’ve told them

Most beginning speakers react negatively to this formula. They feel, “all of this repetition just insults my audiences’ intelligence.” In truth, nothing insults an audience more than a speaker who just barrels on about something without taking the time to adequately prepare the audience to receive their content. This is what The 3 T’s looks like in a basic speech outline.

Click here to download The 3 T's

Don’t Memorize, Familiarize

Earlier in this piece I wrote about the difficulty many speakers encounter when they write out their speech and then try to memorize it. All of that added anxiety, and for what?

When you create a speech your speaking goal is to effectively convey a central message and key supporting points to your audience. How you say it is important, but not critical.

Working within an outline will help you to hone in on that central point and be able to say it in a variety of ways. By doing this, you will become spontaneous and fluent in the expression of what you want your audience to take away from your speech. The outline will help you to develop and familiarize yourself with that main point as well as the supporting points you plan to cover. And, because the outline provides a graphic/textual order to the flow of your speech, it will help you to remember the order of the material you plan to cover as well.

“Familiarity does not breed contempt, it breeds content.”
Don E. Smith

It's all about planned spontaneity. About being able to sound more conversational and less like a computer, rotely spewing out memorized data without feeling or connection to your audience.

Memorization brings an unnecessary level of anxiety into play. I believe it is the #2 cause of speaker anxiety. In most situations, a speaker will only deliver their content one or two times. I would much rather listen to a well-organized, practiced, and connected speaker who is comfortable referring to their notes, than someone who tried to memorize their content but ends up apologizing over and over again for missing or forgetting sections of their speech. By the way, most audiences would too!

It’s a safe bet that if you follow the three pieces of advice that I have shared in this blog, 1) Don’t Write that Speech, 2) Write for the eye, speak for the ear, and 3) Don’t Memorize, Familiarize you Will Be an Amazing Speaker and Always Know Your Place.

Please feel free to share this post with a friend or colleague. As always, share your comments on this post or suggestions in the comments section below.

Bringing Positivity to Everything,
The Brain Tamer

What are the Three Reasons You Need to Speak?

“Think like a wise man but communicate in the language of the people.”
William Butler Yeats

Whether you speak for a living or as part of your job, understanding the fundamental reason for speaking can be very powerful. So powerful in fact, that it cannot only compel change, it can propel it.

Over the last six years I have had the privilege of coaching courageous survivors of sexual violence in the art of speaking in the Survivors Speak program of Jane Doe No More. Recently, I was recognized by this incredible organization for the contributions I have made to this program. But, as I sat in the audience listening to the words of appreciation from some of “my” speakers, I realized how small my contribution was compared to the impact this chorus of voices has had through the speeches they give and the character they exhibit.

Each of these people resonate incredibly with their audiences because they exemplify the fundamentals behind The Reasons You Need to Speak.

Why Do We Speak?

Speaking is as much an act of compulsion as its counterpart Silence. Both are an irresistible urge to behave in a certain way.

When I coach clients in both speaking and success strategies, I always help them draw distinctions between a Want and a Need. A Want is something you’d like to have. A Need is something you cannot do without.

Speaking, I believe, is an absolute Need. I can’t imagine a day going by without saying something.

In speaking, the object is to draw a distinction between meaningful content and idyll chatter. Speaking is organized thought audibly expressed. Talking or conversation, is a give and take. It is loosely organized around being socially adept at reading cues and allowing for the give and take that makes talking with others so rewarding.

The time allotted a speaker is the significant differentiator between speaking and a conversation. The art of speaking is the ability to make it appear to be a conversation while you do all of the talking. I put it this way to my clients, “A speech is a conversation you have with an audience except it is your turn to do all of the talking.”

Lots of people today, particularly as a result of social media, have more opportunities to say something to a broader audience than in the history of humanity. The consequence of this is a lot of stuff is being said, by a lot of people, all of the time. Some of it is very good and equally, some of it not so good. The critical nature of this current trend is to draw a distinction between two categories of speaker; “those who speak because they can” and “those who speak because they should.”

Those Who Speak Because They Can

In the “those who speak because they can” category I place a lot of executives, politicians, educators, authority figures, and internet hyper-marketers. Once in a while you might hear a speaker who really “nails it.” Unfortunately, the majority don’t. They meander, stumble, and bombard you with an onslaught of “ums” and “ahs”. Worst of all, they struggle to get to their point and often leave you scratching your head asking, “What was that all about?” Sometimes I wonder if they even care about their audiences.

I wish I had the time to work with every one of them. My insights could go a long way toward helping them lead and inspire the audiences they address.

Those Who Speak Because They Should

In the “those who speak because they should” category I place deep thinkers, subject experts, innovators, dreamers, activists, motivators and transformers. Once again, to my chagrin, you might hear a speaker who really “nails it.” Unfortunately, the majority don’t. They also tend to meander, stumble, and bombard you with an onslaught of “ums” and “ahs”. Any of these speakers who struggle to get to their point, leaving you scratching your head asking, “What was that all about?” have done a disservice to you, their central cause, and the collective conversation that relies so heavily on their content. And again, I wonder if they even care about their audiences.

If I could interest them in a session or two, I know I could increase their effectiveness.

The Three Reasons You Need to Speak

When I reflect on the speakers I have trained in the Survivors Speak program, they all represent the best of the “those who speak because they should” category. They do this because they have lived the silence of an unspeakable act and survived to regain the power that is rightfully theirs through the act of speaking.

Each of these awesome people have learned to craft a speech encompassing their story while inspiring their audiences, through their courage and dignity, to speak up and add their voices to the #Voice2Change.

Each of these speakers have met The Three Reason You Need Speak.

1. I speak because I believe have something to say.

2. I speak because I believe I have something to say that needs to be heard.

3. I speak because I believe that I have something to say that needs to heard by someone other than me.

Your Speaking Challenge

The next time you get to speak either for a living, as part of your job, as a civic authority or as a volunteer please keep these three reasons in mind. Think about the opportunity you’re getting to share your thoughts, passion, and vision with a group of people.

If you really have something to say, know what it is. Take the time to organize it and make it palatable to your audience.

If you believe what you have to say needs to be heard, take the time to practice it. Put your best voice forward. Make the lasting impression you desire. Leave your listeners with a message to remember.

I you believe the thing you have to say needs to be heard by others, get to know who they are. What are their needs. How will your speech satisfy their “What’s In It For Me?” desire.

Above all, don’t speak because you can.

Whenever you speak, let it be because you should. Your audience will appreciate it and you will experience the reciprocal benefit that comes from making that bountiful connection speaking affords.

Please feel free to share this post 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

Do you know how to unlock the unlimited power of IF?

“Align yourself and your thoughts with the possibilities, and with your potential.
Don't be the one who holds you back.”
Akiroq Brost

Have you ever noticed that when you want something big to happen, it is often the little things that stand in the way? There is even an old proverb for small details, “For want of a nail.”

Sometimes the smallest thing that stands between you and getting what you need is the tiny, two-lettered word, “if”.

Have you ever found yourself saying, “If only I had this, I could get that.”? We ask ourselves the “if” question all the time, without fully comprehending the answer to our dilemma lies within the question itself.

“If only I could close more sales, I could earn my quarterly bonus.”

“If only I could control my appetite, I could lose wait before my cruise vacation.”

“If only I could put more effort into my presentations, I would be a better speaker.”

There’s a lot of unlimited power in “if”, but it is just half of the equation. The answer lies in gaining the missing ingredient. Do you know how to unlock it?

What is IF?

When I see a word I ask myself, what is meant by that word and can I find a deeper meaning. I have done this very thing with the tiny word “if”.

The dictionary defines “if” as a condition or supposition that or in the event, something will happen. “If you like I'll put in a word for you.” It also means despite the possibility that something will happen; no matter whether or not. “If it takes me seven years, I shall do it> In either event just saying “if” is cause to believe something will happen.

This all sounds pretty “iffy” to me. Why should such a small word have so much power over our desires and achievements?

So, I looked for a deeper meaning within the word “if” and I found it.

The human mind, and maybe its spirit too, has a tendency to impose limiting language on itself as a built-in defense mechanism against disappointment. Part of this mechanism is fueled by a perceived fear of self-exposure. Most people will not judge you as harshly as you judge yourself. Overcoming this limiting behavior is a matter of Trust. The more you have in yourself, the more willing you’ll be to explore all sorts of possibilities.

The energy we use to build this Trust comes from within us. I call it IF and it stands for Intentional Faith.

What is Your Success Role?

Whether you know it or not, you are a role player. Having a role means you can influence the eventual outcome of any situation. The premise, “Success does not happen by accident,” is a key indicator your intentional actions play a big part in achievement. An intention is a something, mental or physical, of a person's design. Intentions do not grow on trees, cannot be found at a big box store, or up in your attic with your old baseball glove or Lincoln Logs. Intentions are a product of your desire. As such, they can be highly focused, goal-driven strategic components of a success strategy. Your goal as a role player is to control the intensity and frequency of your intentions. “When you have a role, you’re in control.”

Faith, the belief in the unknown, has the ability to magnify the action behind an intention. Record breakers do this all the time. They see a challenge, believe they can achieve it. They apply intention to their training. They intensify and magnify their confidence in a positive outcome. Finally, they put it all together, drawing on the combined energy of Intentional Faith, and conquer their objective.

Cause and Effect

Once you acknowledge you have a role in the outcome you can clearly see the cause and effect relationship in every “if” statement.

For instance:

“If only I could close more sales, I could earn my quarterly bonus.”

Closing more sales will earn quarterly bonus

“If only I could control my appetite, I could lose weight before my cruise vacation.”

Controlling your appetite will help you lose weight.

“If only I could put more effort into my presentations, I would be a better speaker.”

Putting more effort into your presentation will make you a better speaker.

It’s not rocket science, but it is neuroscience. The body achieves what the mind believes. And, you are the cause of it all.

You Living at Cause

Intentional Faith is “You Living at Cause”. It works like this:

• FAITH builds TRUST

• TRUST creates INTEGRITY

• INTEGRITY breeds CONFIDENCE

• CONFIDENCE produces COMPETENCE

• COMPETENCE fuels DESIRE

• DESIRE ignites IMAGINATION

• IMAGINATION develops INTENTION

• INTENTION compels SUCCESS

No one ever succeeds by accident!

IF you have a role, you are in control.

Click here to download an Intentional Faith PDF poster

You now know “How to Unlock the Unlimited Power of “IF”. IF – Intentional Faith has so much positive energy. When every action you plan has the full Faith and power of your Intention you will increase your opportunities for success. Speakers know this when they prepare their speeches. World class athletes experience this through the regimen of their practices. Performer live this with every rehearsal of their repertoire.

Don’t wait for success to happen to you by accident. If you do, you’ll never be in control of the outcome. And, “if” will always remain an unanswerable question.

Please feel free to share this post 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

“Success happens when an intention meets or exceeds a reasonable expectation.” Don E. Smith

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