How to Put Your Audience at Ease

00:00 What's the best way to put your audience at ease if you're giving a speech or presentation? Now, you may be feeling a little nervous for your presentation, but also remember some of your audience members are feeling, if not nervous, at least a little uncomfortable because they're thinking, Oh, this could be really boring, or, wow, maybe this person is so intimidating.

00:22 What if they call on me? You don't want either one of those responses.

00:26 So for starters, make sure you have great, interesting content.

00:29 If they find you interesting throughout, they're going to be relaxed.

00:33 Also, try to get to the room early and actually have real conversations with people.

00:39 Show them that you care about them, their concerns.

00:42 You're not just the celebrity who hops off the helicopter to bestow your wisdom. Get there early, ideally an hour early, and have real conversations with people.

00:53 Ideally, you can weave some of these conversations into your actual presentation. That way, people feel like they were a part of it.

01:01 You're not just giving something can something off the shelf.

01:05 You're tailoring your speech to them, their needs, and you're listening to them that will make them feel much more comfortable.

01:13 The other thing is you get to realize you don't want your audience too comfortable because what happens if people are really comfortable? You don't want your audience falling asleep.

01:25 This can be a problem if there's theater style seating and people are two, three, five, ten, 20 rows back, and they don't feel like you can really see them.

01:36 So the more you can walk around the room, get close to them.

01:40 If it's a big room, try to have a wireless microphone, so you don't have to stay up on stage behind a lectern.

01:48 Because at some point, if people feel like you can't see them, then they feel like they can do anything.

01:54 And next thing you know, even if you're giving a good presentation, and you've lost them, so you want your audience comfortable but not too comfortable.

02:05 They need to see that you can see them, that you care about them, and that you're trying to help them do that.

02:12 And their temperament will be exactly as you want it.

02:16 Not uncomfortable, but not asleep.