What are some strategies to build rapport before and after your motivational speech?

1 Research your audience

Before you deliver your speech, you need to know who you are speaking to. What are their needs, goals, challenges, and interests? How can you tailor your message to resonate with them and address their pain points? You can research your audience by conducting surveys, interviews, or focus groups, or by browsing their social media profiles, websites, or blogs. You can also ask the event organizer or host for some background information on the attendees. The more you know about your audience, the more you can customize your speech and make it relevant and valuable for them.

2 Interact with your audience

Another way to build rapport before and after your speech is to interact with your audience. You can do this by arriving early and mingling with the attendees, introducing yourself, and asking them questions. You can also use social media to create some buzz around your speech, share some teasers or insights, and invite feedback or questions. During your speech, you can engage your audience by asking them to participate, share their opinions, or give examples. You can also use humor, stories, or anecdotes to make your speech more lively and relatable. After your speech, you can thank your audience, invite them to connect with you, and offer them some resources or follow-up actions.

4 Provide value and feedback

One of the main goals of your speech is to provide value to your audience. You want to offer them something that they can use, learn, or apply in their lives or work. You can provide value by sharing your expertise, insights, or experiences, by giving them practical tips, tools, or strategies, or by inspiring them to take action or change their mindset. You can also provide value by giving feedback to your audience, by acknowledging their contributions, answering their questions, or addressing their concerns. You can also ask for feedback from your audience, by soliciting their opinions, suggestions, or testimonials, or by conducting surveys or evaluations.

5 Follow up with your audience

The rapport you build with your audience does not end when your speech is over. You can continue to nurture the relationship and keep the conversation going by following up with your audience. You can do this by sending them a thank-you note, a summary of your speech, or a link to your slides or recording. You can also share some additional resources, such as articles, books, podcasts, or videos, that are related to your speech topic or your audience's interests. You can also invite your audience to join your email list, your social media channels, or your online community, where you can provide more value and engagement.

7 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?