What do you do if your audience is skeptical?

When I was beginning my college experience, I was nominated to lead a networking session. It was early on in my public speaking career, and I was extremely skeptical of myself. I wasn't sure I was qualified or ready for the task at hand. To get past this, I had to take a moment to be real with myself. I knew I was chosen for a reason but couldn't seem to trust myself. I've found that to build real trust, authenticity and humility is the best course of action. I was real with myself, owning that I was inexperienced; but I held on dearly to my intentions. I wanted to help build a community! Knowing this, I started to trust I would do the best job I could... and I did! Skepticism is natural, trust isn't. Be natural! Be real! Trust will come!

Here are some tips to win over those doubtful listeners: Acknowledge Their Skepticism: Don't ignore the elephant in the room. Briefly acknowledge the skepticism and validate their concerns. Build Credibility and Trust: Establish Yourself as an Expert: Showcase your expertise in the topic. Use Data and Evidence: Back up your arguments with credible data. Logical Reasoning and Clear Communication: Present a Cohesive Argument: Structure your presentation with a clear logical flow. Avoid Jargon: Use plain language that everyone in the audience can understand. Focus on Benefits and Value: Highlight the "Why": Don't just present information, explain why it matters to your audience.

When facing a sceptical audience, building trust through credibility, empathy, and evidence is crucial. Start by acknowledging their concerns directly, showing you understand their perspective. Use clear, accessible language and avoid jargon to keep your message straightforward. Back up your points with solid evidence, such as data, case studies, or expert testimonials, to reinforce your credibility. Engage the audience by asking questions and encouraging dialogue, making the conversation a two-way street. Finally, be patient and maintain a respectful tone, as trust is built over time. This approach demonstrates your commitment to transparency and understanding, gradually breaking down scepticism.

As per my experience, trust is the foundation of any successful relationship, including one with my audience. To overcome scepticism, I build trust by being transparent, authentic, and consistent in my messaging. Share behind-the-scenes glimpses, customer testimonials, and success stories to showcase my credibility and reliability.

I love audiences who are like "what is this guy about to do." I enjoy building rapport. The quickest way to do so is by being yourself, adding to dopamine and being authentic in your delivery. Audiences want to feel something, it is your job to guide the talk, to deliver information that enhances their thinking. When we build powerful stories we pull the audience in and they will go where ever we want to take them. Take your time, make eye contact. So many times we rush through moments as speakers. Allow moments to sit. I thoroughly enjoy pregnant pauses and moments on silence on stage. Don't be afraid to let things sit. Building trust is a must. Turn those that doubt into those that couldn't image an event without...you.

Connecting emotionally is not just adding more stories. It is about listening to your audience and making them feel heard. You cannot address their scepticism if you do not hear where they are coming from. Your audience will love you if you take the time to understand their perspective.

Build credibility by presenting data and evidence that back up your claims. When faced with skepticism, solid facts and statistics can strengthen your argument and demonstrate your expertise. Make sure your data is from reliable sources and is presented clearly and concisely. By supporting your points with concrete evidence, you help your audience see the validity of your message, gradually overcoming their doubts and gaining their trust.

Telling the story about your journey and how you, as a speaker, connected with this topic and how your transformation happened, creates emotional connection. It's good to adapt the talk to the audience, their location, their experiences, their desires, their dreams.

Emotions play a decisive role in decision-making, and connecting with my audience emotionally can help break down scepticism. I will share personal anecdotes, stories, and experiences that resonate with my audience's values and beliefs. I will show empathy, understanding, and compassion to create a genuine connection that goes beyond surface-level interactions.

If your audience is skeptical, acknowledge their concerns, establish credibility, provide evidence to support your claims, and use engaging storytelling to make your message more relatable and convincing. Additionally, encourage open dialogue to address any doubts or questions they may have.

"35 thousand! It's the number of decisions you make every day... do you remember the ones you made yesterday"? 35 thousand is a huge number that brings logic to the presentation, it also connects at so many different levels because it's something that applies to all of us - humans - who make a lot of decisions every day. I use this during my talks about infobesity - how to cope with the overload of information.

While emotions are important, logic also plays a crucial role in persuading a sceptical audience. I present data, facts, and evidence to support my claims and arguments. I use logical reasoning and clear explanations to address any doubts or concerns that my audience may have. I can build credibility and trust with my audience by providing a rational basis for my message.

Be wary of logic. If the audience's scepticism makes them emotional, logic will be like trying to extinguish a fire by adding more fuel. So, read the room and strike a good balance between logic and emotion. Emotion needs time to be diffused.

Logic is the the third element of a successful (and persuasive) speech. According Aristotle we have to use Ethos, Pathos and Logos to convey an effective message. What are they? Ethos is when you use authority, people tend to trust in authorities. This is your ability to influence and show credibility Pathos are emotions. Trigger the right emotion and your target audience WILL choose you and your solution. Here you talk to the primitive brain, the actual decision making guy. We are feeling machines that think, not the other way around. Finally use Logos, give logical arguments to justify choices, help the Neocortex of your audience to make the final decision or get to the conclusion.

Engagement is critical to fostering community and trust with my audience. I must respond to comments, messages, and feedback in a timely and personalized manner. I must also encourage open dialogue, ask for input, and actively listen to my audience's concerns and opinions. By engaging directly with my audience, I can show that I value their input and am committed to building a meaningful relationship with them.

Engaging with your audience is fruitful but how do you do it,if they are skeptical?? The answer lies in the 1st line , that is ENGAGE - ask them interactive questions,make them get involved into what you are trying to convey,help them understand it,use interesting dialogues or funny punchlines or Some Examples which fits in right .

Positive reinforcement is a powerful tool for overcoming scepticism and building a loyal following. I celebrate small wins, milestones, and achievements with my audience and show appreciation for their support, feedback, and engagement. By reinforcing positive behaviours and interactions, I can create a supportive and encouraging environment that encourages trust and loyalty among my audience.

How you position your topic can guide the way people see it. For example, to short-circuit an audience’s suspicion of new ideas, use language that highlights the positive aspects of your subject, such as the potential benefits and successes. "Think of logic as water to emotion’s fire — it’s imperative that you bring logic into your response to defuse the objection." Matt Abrahams

I believe in a case like this you have to get vulnerable. Find a sensitive part of you that you have traditionally hid from people and protected. Then choose to “get undressed emotionally” about that. Make sure however that it adds to the point you are trying to make. It has to be heading towards the finale you want to end up at.

Hit all the expected objections head-on, at the beginning section of your talk. Don't try to hide any common objections, audiences are smart, they'll see right through you, and lose all your credibility. Remember that your goal may not be to win them completely over, but to think to themselves that there might be an alternative to how they are thinking.

When addressing a sceptical audience, maintain professionalism and confidence, especially with challenging questions. This approach preserves credibility and encourages constructive dialogue. Avoid personal or negative reactions to prevent undermining your arguments. Treat challenging questions as chances to elaborate and clarify. Always respond with evidence and reasoned arguments, expressing gratitude for engagement and respecting different views. Your aim is to persuade through argument strength and conduct integrity. Composure and thoughtful responses strengthen your stance and promote mutual respect and understanding.

Ask quality questions to get to the heart of their skepticism. Yes, this might be a pivot in what you planned, but it’s worth it. Once you find out these answers, you can turn it into a dialogue. The goal is to always add value. Not only will you add value because you understand your audience better but you’ll also be memorable because you created a different experience from what they were expecting.

People decide to like you or not in 90 seconds. During this time we perform an automatic process of separating people in 4 different categories: friend, foe, love partner or indifferent. And non verbal communication play a huge role on trust building. There is no over preparation. Sometimes you don't know you'll approach a skeptical audience. So rehearse, record yourself, be strategic.Pay attention on how you are perceived. Dress with purpose. Confident people takes the room. Avoid quick and repetitive movements, pay attention on volume, speed and tone of voice Good stories, genuine smiles, look in the eyes and vulnerability at the right level can conquer skeptical audiences. State your authority, but also let the audience perceive it

A sceptical audience is great news for you as a speaker. This could lead to A LOT of questions and audience participation. I do not see it as a negative but as a positive. If you always have easy audiences, it will make you soft and lazy over time. This audience is here to make you grow like you have never done before, and if you are a thought leader, they are here to test that thinking you are marketing so openly.