Are You Facing Challenges Connecting with Your Audience?

Effective communication goes beyond words—it’s about leaving a lasting impression. These five practical pointers will help ensure your message resonates and stays with your audience.

1. Be Decisive, Not Divisive

Speak with firmness when necessary, but avoid communicating in a way that divides. This is a subtle yet important distinction practiced by effective communicators. It’s perfectly fine to have strong opinions, but it’s not essential to be divisive.

2. Conviction Breeds Confidence

When your speech reflects your true beliefs, confidence naturally follows. The opposite is also true. Think back to times when you felt confident after a presentation or speech—you’ll likely find that you spoke from conviction.

3. Talk to Them, Don’t Tell Them

When presenting or speaking, engage your audience by talking to them, not at them. Speaking creates a two-way interaction and shows you are genuinely interested in your audience. In contrast, telling implies one-way communication, more about delivering information than fostering connection.

4. Identify Your Audience’s Unique Information Processing Style

People process information differently. Some are analytical and prefer data, while others are practical and want you to “cut to the chase”—telling them exactly what to do and why. Still, others are detail-oriented and need full context.

Analytical Thought processors say:

“Can you show me the data behind this?”

“I’d like to see the numbers before making a decision.”

“What’s the evidence supporting this approach?”

Practical Thought processors say:

“What do I need to do next?”

“Just tell me the bottom line.”

“Let’s get straight to the point—what’s the action plan?”

Detailed Oriented thought processors say:

“Can you walk me through the entire process?”

“I need to understand the background before moving forward.”

“Can we go over the details to make sure nothing is missed?”

As a communicator, it’s crucial to understand and adapt to these styles to avoid miscommunication.

5. The 7/70 Rule

Effective communication adheres to what I call the 7/70 rule: if a 7-year-old and a 70-year-old can both understand your message, you’ve communicated effectively. The key is to make your message clear, memorable, and meaningful, which often means keeping it simple.

Mastering these simple yet powerful principles will help you communicate with clarity, conviction, and confidence every time.