Connect With Your Audience

May 2, 2007 · Comments

Robert Levitan Robert Levitan of Pando did a GREAT job of connecting with us in the On Hollywood audience. He walked the stage. He spoke to people. He gave us a great pitch about why Pando was great, and why we needed it. Justin Chapweske from Swarmcast is doing a great job, too. He’s really connecting with us, talking about our passion, and giving us the problems that his product will fix.

We Are Out Here

Some of the OTHER people gave some iffy presentations. I won’t name names. That’s rude. It’s not the point. But let me say this: do NOT talk as if we’re watching a six minute YouTube clip. I’m out here. I’m watching you. I’m just as real out here as you are up there. So talk like that. Talk like you’re addressing humans, humans who are interested in what you’re saying, and who might have something to learn.

Stop with Formulaic Pitching

At least three people acted like they’d read the same book on how to pitch their app. However they did it, Robert Levitan, Justin Chapweske, and some of the other people, TALKED. They brought information to me, educated me, and yet talked as if I was who they were pitching.

Here’s the trick: you think you’re telling me about your company. You think you’re telling me about your product. You’re not.

Tell me about me. Tell me about me USING your product or service or whatever. I don’t give a SHIT where you’re from. It’s all about me, baby. Sure, it might be neat to know you’ve got great big fat customers, but not really. Because you want ME as your next customer. You want my millions (if I were an investor). You want my business.

Connect. Connect. Connect.

There is no PHRASE in your presentation that will blow me away. YOU will blow me away. Think. Work hard at this. Look into ways that you will talk as if you already know me.

And please, give up on scarcity. Yes, you only have six minutes. But not for your WHOLE, ENTIRE, LIFE. Get me so interested in you that I’ll hunt you down, buy you lunch, beg you to tell me more. Don’t STUFF your presentation down into my head.

Go gently, racecar driver. Go gently.

Who Does it Right? What Bugs You? What’s YOUR Feedback?

I want your take. I really want you to take a moment and belt it out: where have you seen excellent connection between people and the audience? Where’s your example of a super good presentation (Yes, I know about Steve Jobs)? Let’s blow this open.

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  • As Jay commented earlier public speaking can be very terrifying to those who seldom give presentations. However, to those that speak on a regular basis there must be a change from product pitching and connecting with me.

    Connecting for me is being available before and after your presentation. The presenter also has to come into my world and this can be achieved with genuine interest in me more than just his product. The bottom line is if there's genuine interest in my world if the product is applicable then I may BUY into your world.

    In other words, authentic, engaging, honest, concern, interest, me has to speak louder than pitch, sale, close, client.

    Just a few thoughts on the fly!
  • Ze.
  • See, I signed up for google/reader so I get all your posts right away now.

    You should go school to school and preach to teachers what you just posted. Most of the professors I had just wanted to talk about them. U Mass Lowell Sucked!
  • You hit this one out of Fenway Chris. greatest speaker I ever heard was Zig Ziglar. What I learned from him and what you have reflected in this post is-your job is to educate the person why they need your product/service and treat them with respect and convey that through your words and actions.
  • You hot this one out of Fenway Chris. greatest speaker I ever heard was Zig Ziglar. What I learned from him and what you have reflected in this post is-your job is to educate the person why they need your product/service and treat them with respect and convey that through your words and actions.
  • I think Chris has it right- presentations should be about talking with your audience, not at them. This is what podcasting does well. It is a conversation, not a lecture.
    Great speakers can use formulas, but the best link stories together like beads on a chain to form a beautiful necklace-
    Malcolm Gladwell, Steven Levitt, Marcus Buckingham all manage to do this with thier books, in audio presentations and the like. Seth Godin is similar (Currently on tour with his new book-The Dip, don't miss it- I'm going in Philly on the 16th!)
  • jon
    you, chris. You are my freshest example of a great presentation. Watched the audience. Looked for interest level. Started with humor that made the audience feel good about themselves (not a joke that ridiculed anyone). Acknowledged the company, and then didn't focus on that. Lots of velcro for community. The audience didn't feel like an audience, they felt like friends.

    And I love Jay's thoughts about the audience. When I taught, I got better at interacting when the class decided to care. This was with adult learners in particular.

    So if audiences, esp at podcamps and conferences started with the "let us help you help us learn" attitude, amazing things could happen.
  • I think it's important to remember that public speaking is an TERRIFYING experience for many people. Those of us who are good at it can take it a bit for granted. I think a lot of folks who deliver the "YouTube video-like" presentations probably do it as a defensive move.

    I wonder if there's a way to turn it around, to make the AUDIENCE think about bringing out the best in people on the stage. You know how some people are just "easy to talk to"? I wonder if there's a way a crowd could instill that in a speaker?
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