How do you establish early affinity with any audience? If you’re pitching a new idea, asking for funding or presenting in front of hundreds of people how do you get them onside in the very first seconds?
A challenge I was presented last week was to present to Mobotix who manufacture high-grade video security systems – the speech needed to be inspiring and appeal to 200 of their key business partners and staff.
I speak at over 50 events every year, and people often ask me if I use the same presentation each time. The short answer is no.
While there are elements of each talk that are the same for structural reasons (or always get the audience laughing), every audience is different, so is every talk.
I always add something into the speech that has happened that week to remain relevant, and always try to reference something said if there have been presenters before me.
In Athens last week I was quite proud of how I worked in my affinity with the audience, and got them on-side very early – watch the 45 second clip below to see what I did.
Are you treating every audience with the same respect that you wish to be treated as participant?
Thanks to the team at Mobotix for having me and to Scarlett Entertainment for booking me – it was a great gig and a great audience.