We like to work with those who we trust.

Would you agree?

So, let me check with you, my friend…

When was the last time you took action just because someone gave you some well-researched facts or information?

My guess, is….

You must have evaluated if you could trust them before taking action?

Didn’t you? Of course, you did!

Likewise…

When it comes to public speaking,

Your audience must trust you because without trust they won’t take action

And therefore you will make no impact at all….ever…and that would be awful…

Heck, we don’t want that, do we?

But how do you get them to trust you as a speaker?

Because ‘trust’ is something so intangible.

And HOW DO YOU build that connection?!?

You ready for my 100% Foolproof Strategy™ that will help you build trust like these people have?

But wait…

Let me first share with you something that happened last month…

Because it almost broke my heart! 🙁

At my local library, I was speaking to a bunch of young professionals about public speaking…

When one man stood up and said….

“How do you build trust and connection when it is fake stories that sell and why even bother doing it?”

Now, why did I find it heart-breaking??

Because the idea that fake stories sell, is not true…

It is based on the ‘fear’ that some humans operate from….

There is massive value in sharing your real story because your story will always be unique and it will always qualify on the Foolproof Strategy that I referred to before…

Because it will be…‘Authentic’!

I can’t tell you how many public speakers have no idea whatsoever that their audience knows whether they are being authentic or not.

The truth about ‘being authentic’ is that…

People can sense it.

Just how you and I know when someone is spouting their hogwash at us.

So, going back to connection…

What else can you do to build the connection with your audience?

I say, Disarm them!”

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Parul, give me a jolly break here! Seriously!?! We are talking about real people here, not bombs!

*****

Hahaha…that’s true…thankfully, we are dealing with people….otherwise I would be running in the opposite direction instead of writing this blog post.

Crazy human race we are…we play safe…we keep our guard up, we evaluate and judge others and then we open up……(creeeeek)….cautiously!

As speakers, we’ve got to get past all this perimeter of ‘I am watching you’. Without this, no one gets in!

Almost like how vampires need to be invited in by the host.

(I could be wrong though! ???? My information is based on Hollywood movies only…and seriously I plan on keeping it that way! LOL)

Just get on with the ‘connection’, will you? You seem to ask anxiously! Tell me NOW!?!

Well, well…here are some proven practical ideas for you…

Eye contact: Look into their eyes right from the moment you step on the stage, people. Eyes means eyes, people…not the top of their heads! 

Smile: Again sounds like a no-brainer…but amidst stage fright, nerves and trying to get their message across in the best possible way, several speakers forget it.

When you smile, you put your audience at ease…it also shows that you are comfortable doing what you are doing and earns you credibility.

Humour them: Yes, the respectful humour with the intention to make people laugh…not the ‘below the belt’ kind of humour.

We’ll talk more about humour in one of the future posts. Off-colour, personal remarks in the name of humour? Don’t even think about it! That, my friend, is the red danger zone!

Remember the last blog I published where I introduced the topic of trust?

From it, you already know about ‘vulnerability‘ and ‘lowering your guard down‘ as great ‘connection’ tools.

There are two more awesome tools, and I will share them with you in my future blogs.

A quick recap here, mi amigos:

– Be authentic

– Maintain eye contact, right from the start (yes, even if you feel dead scared on the stage)

– Smile

– Use healthy humour

– Use vulnerability (one of my favourite points – one that separates ‘good’ speakers from ‘great’ speakers)

– Lower your guard and let them let you in (Savage vampire laugh!)

– And few more: but you will need to wait for my further posts to learn about them.

That’s a handful of strategies!

Implementing them can give amazing results; I invite you to see it for yourself here.

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Still not sure on how to build trust and connection with your audience and could do with a mentor to help you one on one?