How can you adapt your speaking approach to different audience types?

80% of the work to successfully adapt your content to the audience is done before you ever arrive at the event. Prepare with sound research about the purpose and history of the event, the attendees and the main goals. Schedule a call with the organizer of the meeting and get a sense of what would make the presentation a success for them. No one wants to feel like it’s a template presentation. That’s not how you show your audience that you care about and value them. Pro tip - even after you prepare, arrive early!!! You never know what you may hear or see in the room that could be a game changer if you include or refer to it in your presentation. The audience will be blown away that you are not only knowledgeable and prepared, but relevant.

Having attended more than a few conference presentations, speakers who adapted their generic presentation to my profession, geography, experiences, etc. made a HUGE difference for me. Even if their slides didn’t change, having them incorporate comments specific to my interests kept my attention, increased how I connected to their material, and engrained their key points in my knowledge base.

Knowing your audience is key. What do they need? What would support them the most? What are they struggling with? What do they need to hear? When you really understand WHO you’re speaking to, you’ll know WHAT to share and HOW you want them to feel or experience your talk. They will feel cared for and engaged and you will be unforgettable.

Research. Yes everyone has mentioned a lot of public research, but even scheduling a few 1:1s with some leaders in that niche and the issues they are facing. Taking that extra time can greatly impact and help cater your speaking engagement to hit on the important parts of the industry. As a matter of fact, I encourage this even more than public research, because a lot of people are different online than in person. Really digging in and driving home the key points is so vital to making that engagement hit home for the people in attendance. And as we know, when you hit home, you get rebooked!

Flexibility also pertains to how you react during your speech when it doesn't go according to planned. Imagine having rehearsed in front of timed slides and then seeing them in the wrong order during your presentation. Happened to me. I wanted to cry but there was no time for self pity. So how I did I make it to the end? You breathe, take control of your nerves and own your comeback. You fight to keep it seamless, skillfully using transitions to tie what in your head are disjointed points. In your conclusion you stitch it together as if it was all purposework. The audience was none the wiser. The content never changed. It's your delivery that will bring it to life.

Adapting your speaking approach to different audience types involves understanding their background, interests, and level of expertise. For a general audience, keep it engaging and accessible, avoiding jargon. With experts, delve deeper into technical details. And for a formal setting, maintain professionalism and clarity in your communication. Flexibility is key! ?