preparation

Recent events prompted millions of people to work from home, a trend that’s likely to continue indefinitely. We have adapted to conducting business from our homes, rather than our offices. During that time, some standards have relaxed a bit.

As we isolate toward a healthier tomorrow, we’ll be participating in meetings and classes from home. Our setting comes complete with the sounds that accompany the spaces where we live. To minimize disruption from kids, dogs, trains, emergency vehicles, delivery drivers, appliances, lawnmowers, and other household sounds, be sure to enable your “mute” button until you’re ready to speak. Your colleagues will be grateful.

Some of my favorite speeches include humor. David Sedaris somehow combines just the right words, tone, and facial expression that have made me laugh until tears roll down my cheeks.

When used properly, humor allows us to connect with one another. It lightens the mood when the topic is serious. It helps us remember key points.

As a speaker, you can use humor in a number of ways: cartoons, anecdotes, personal stories, quotes, or jokes. Some of the best speakers tell stories or jokes that make audiences laugh out loud – but be careful. If you’re not accustomed to using humor, your intentions could backfire.

If possible, test your material on an individual or group that represents your audience, and see if your remarks got the desired result. Did your test audience laugh or cringe? Use that feedback to decide how to proceed.

Speaker introductions do more than tell your audience who you are. Speaker introductions highlight your relevance and credibility, and they set expectations for what your audience may expect to learn or experience.

Effective speaker introductions should be no longer than 100 words and should highlight the most important reasons that you’re the best speaker for that particular occasion, subject, and audience.

Having someone read a list of degrees and publications definitely underscores your status as a subject matter expert, but what’s even more important to audiences is what you’ve done and what you plan to share with them. If you’re speaking about entrepreneurial habits, it’s important to note that you’ve started six successful companies. If you’re discussing techniques for outdoor survival to a group of outdoor enthusiasts, definitely include your outdoor achievements in your narrative speaker bio. You get the idea.

Your audience doesn’t have to know everything about you. They just need to know that you’re qualified, capable, relevant, and excited to share.

Many people would agree that Michelle Obama is an excellent speaker. Time and again, Michelle relates stories of her childhood, her college years, her marriage, and her relationship with her daughters. The former First Lady openly shares her experiences of stepping into the public spotlight and the pressures (and joys) that accompany her status.

Michelle follows the best practices of public presentation: planning, speaking at an appropriate pace for the audience/occasion, storytelling, pauses, and so on. Yet, perhaps what impacts her audiences most is her ability to make a connection with others.

How can you make a connection with audiences of any size? Whether you’re addressing a group virtually or in person, take some time to think about the audience. What matters to the people in that crowd? What do they think and dream about? What do they care about? What values do they share?

When you craft your remarks around your audience and use anecdotes to share information in a relatable way, you build the connection that makes people remember your speech long after it has ended.