How can you deliver a brand message that resonates with your audience through public speaking?

The better you get, the easier it is to speak to a broad audience. But you'll capture their hearts more effectively if you know exactly who you're speaking to. What makes them get up in the morning? Why are they listening to you? And MOST IMPORTANTLY: what value are you offering so that they leave the event with one sentence on their minds that sticks for a long time?

Knowing your audience and how to speak to them is essential as it will give you awareness to tailor your message and the delivery of it in most appropriate way. It will allow you to emphasize what they wish to hear and avoid those things that may jeopardise dis-engagement.

I think public speaking is not an easy way to communicate or convey your message as many public speakers don't have the necessary communication skills required in public speaking. My opinion is that one should not use public speaking to convey your message unless you've a good public speaker to do it for you. If public speaking is your choice, it's not going to be easy. First, you need to do research about the subject matter and your audience. Many public speakers take it for granted and do a lousy job in delivering their message effectively. Don't take it for granted, it's not a popularity contest. It's not about you. A good speech is both science and art mixed together to make a compelling story. The speaker must be an experienced human.

To have a purposeful presentation, the work begins well beforehand. Prepare your material well enough so that you can convey your message well so you do not need to rely too much on a script or prompt. When it comes to the presentation time, state why you are there. This can be simple, speak only to that core purpose based on some simple key points from your preparation. If your audience wants to know more, they will ask you for that further level of detail. Less is more, as long as you have answered what you are speaking to.

Think back to your childhood. What do you remember? Or more importantly: which story/book do you remember vividly? Who read it for you? How did it make you feel? That's the image you want to paint for others when you tell a story. You want them to be right there with you. As if you've invited them into a page of your book and they get to peek into your world. Storytelling has so much power because of its emotional charge. Not only are you making a point or describing an experience, but you also leave a footprint that people rarely forget.

Your audience will remember the story you tell, how you tell it and how it related to them - especially if you can make it connect with your company's mission, values or core work. Aim to deliver in at least a three act structure: What was the situation; How did you face that situation; How was the situation resolved. The more relatable your story (that may mirror their own experience or knowledge they connect with) the better it will be received.

In today's world, people have VERY short attention spans. And as with most platforms, people SKIM through texts, news and posts. You don't have the luxury of people reading every word you write. Instead: EXPECT to get a little bit of their attention, and write/edit accordingly. Here's the truth: the best-performing ad copy is written for a 5th grader. Think about that next before you post.

People remember story and how it relates to their own experience. If your delivery is filled with jargon or terms they don't understand or are familiar with, it can weaken the impact of your message.

Prepare your material, practice your material, then have it nearby only if you need it. Whenever I have prepared and ready to present, I take a step forward and that is when I am ready to apply my preparation.

The most impactful tips I’ve learned around public speaking have come from the basic principles of successful stand-up comedy — speakers need to read, react and engage with their audience. After years of remote working, my internet in sitting & listening to a monologue is 0% so why should we expect anything different from an audience? Since the pandemic, data & trends support that humans are craving interaction and connection. Whether its’s a show of hands, commenting on crowd reactions, asking thought-provoking questions, or making time for and actual Q&A throughout the talk — the best way to resonate with your audience is to avoid canned presentations and provide them with what feels like a unique custom experience where they feel seen.