A Friendly Face

When you stand up in front of that audience, you’re going to be really nervous.

Poor speakers pay little or no attention to their audience as people. Big mistake.

If you can see your audience as a group of individuals, you’ll be much more likely to connect with those individuals.

Start looking around your audience. See that big guy with his arms folded and an ‘impress me’ look on his face? Best not to look at him too much. How about that lady with the big smile, looking encouragingly towards you? OK, that’s your mother, she doesn’t count. But that other lady with a similar smile is someone you don’t know. But from now on she’s your ‘friend’. Every time that you need any encouragement, look in her direction. Make good eye contact. Establish a form of communication between you.

And now you’ve found one ‘friend’, you’ll begin to see others in the audience. Pick out ‘friends’ all round the room. If you see an ‘impress me’ person and get discouraged, switch your view back to one of your ‘friends’.

Once you are aware that there are people in your audience who want you to succeed, you’ll be much more likely to succeed.