Connecting is not so difficult

There's a lot of talk about connecting with your audience if you are to succeed in influencing them. Not least from me! Are you wondering what it's all about? It's very simple. People won't listen to you if they think you're not listening to them. If you don't look your audience in the eyes properly and you prepare material that isn't relevant for them and your slides are your own manuscript and you run over time etc etc, how do you think they'll feel ?

So here are just a few things that will help you to make a connection.

• Speak with enthusiasm, passion and conviction 
• Know what you are talking about and deliver it as if it is vitally important
• Everything needs a context and relevance (for the listener), not least in order to be memorable
• Use open gestures, step forwards towards the audience, be as relaxed and genuine as you can
• Really look at people as if you are having a personal conversation with them and don't just scan over the audience with your eyes 
• Use metaphors and examples, stories and your own experience to make the subject more personal and real
• Minimise PowerPoint, use a whiteboard instead

Three things you should never forget about your audience

1. they are human beings
2. they are human beings just like you
3. they are not audio-visual recording machines