Public Speaking 101: Know Your Audience
In order to overcome speech anxiety, take the spotlight off yourself and put it on the audience.
The more you know your audience, the easier it is to focus on what matters.
However, this advice can be destructive without nuance.
Placing to much importance on the audience may turn you into a puppet rather than a speaker with a personality.
Public speaking is a dance of the 2 parties:
- Audience and the speaker.
Allow us to enter the world of public speaking and break down the ‘know your audience’ mantra.
How much of this phrase should we take literally?
The Root of Speech Anxiety
Public speaking fear is known as ‘glossophobia.’
Nope, I’m not making that up. That’s the real name for it!
Humans generally don’t like public speaking.
Often, they will go out of their way to avoid it.
‘Why though? It’s just a 10-minute speech. It can’t be that bad.’
Ah, I see what you’re doing.
You’re evaluating humans from a logical lens first.
In reality, humans are emotional creatures first and logical creatures second.
It all stems from the eyes.
Back in the day, when our ancient ancestors had a bunch of eyes staring at them…
It meant they did something they shouldn’t have done.
A group of eyes staring at them meant they were about to get ostracized from the tribe.
Our hardware still perceives a bundle of eyes looking at us as a threat.
Time to upgrade the software.
Times have changed.
Nowadays, a ton of eyes looking at us is a sign of respect.
Especially on the public speaking stage.
Knowing the Audience
Imagine giving a speech on medicine to a bunch of engineers.
Imagine bashing business to a group of entrepreneurs.
And imagine talking about men’s rights to radical feminists.
This begs the question:
- What is your intent?
If you’re trying to spark emotions in the audience, then sparking ANY kind of emotion may be seen as a win.
However, I’m going to assume we are maintaining decorum.
The main emotions we are sparking in the audience are not from polarizing them on purpose.
But rather, we lead with value and sprinkle our personality along the way, which generates organic emotions in the audience.
Leading with value happens when we have a rough understanding of what the audience needs.
Maybe the entrepreneurs we are speaking to are newbies who have no clue what to do next.
You’ve been asked to speak for a reason.
What was that reason?
Simply knowing the audience members are:
- Entrepreneurs.
- More specifically, newbie entrepreneurs.
Automatically gives data points to build a strong speech around.
The more data, the better.
But if those 2 points are all you have, then that’s all that’s needed.
Understanding the Desires of the Audience
When understanding the human mind, think simplicity.
A. They are in a certain spot.
B. They want to be in another spot.
The purpose of the speech is to equip them with knowledge to take them from:
- A-> B
With me so far?
‘Of course. You’re talking common sense.’
So, make your speech common sense!
These newbie entrepreneurs are where? Participate with me.
‘Um…they are confused.’
Why are they confused?
‘Because they lack clarity.’
Why do they clack clarity?
‘Because they lack experience. So, everything looks important at this stage.’
Where do you think they want to be?
‘They want to be successful.’
How can they be successful?
‘Get practical experience in your industry, then assess what the core drivers of the business are.’
Cool.
Make your speech about that.
Notice something.
When we are asking and answering these questions…
We put ourselves secondary to the idea.
You can even say that we put ourselves 3rd in the hierarchy:
- Idea
- Audience
- Speaker
This automatically melts away speech anxiety.
Speech anxiety happens when the prioritization is:
- Speaker
- Audience
- Idea
Lead with the idea.
‘Always?’
Always, bro.
Sprinkling In The Personality
Pass the Google test.
‘What does that mean?’
Are you delivering the content in a way that’s mildly more charming than a Google search?
If not, then you are getting beat by an algorithm!
‘Do I act fake?’
Nah. Be yourself. Just amp it up a bit.
If you are normally a serious person, then be deadpan.
If you are normally an informal talker, don’t start talking overly formal out of nowhere.
And if you like telling jokes, then tell jokes.
Delivering the information to the audience with your personality allows for the talk to flow out of you.
Consider yourself a vessel for the idea.
This mindset flip allows you to feel loose.
Another mindset flip is to envision the amazement on the audience members faces after you’re done speaking.
Getting the Right Information About your Audience
You have everything you need to know. Talk to you another time.
‘Wait! You never told me exactly how to get the information about my audience.’
This requires creativity.
Most events have a host.
The host will be the go-to person to get a general understanding.
Some hosts are highly detailed.
While others are general in their understanding.
Even a general idea of the audience drastically helps us out.
A general idea forms a theme for the talk.
A theme is all a great storyteller needs to get the ball rolling.
‘What if the host doesn’t know anything?’
Then speak from the heart.
‘Ah…come on man. For real, what do I do then?’
There was a reason you were asked to give the talk.
You must know more about the field than you are giving yourself credit for.
Speak from the heart.
There is an angle in the field you know that is blind to you at the moment.
Quit being so humble!
Uncover the blind spots by listening to your body and through introspection.
Soon, the answer will seem clear.
Know your audience.
But always keep the idea the king.
For more practical advice on how to dominate your speech, be sure to check out the Speaking Wizard book.
This book will teach you how to:
- Manage speech anxiety.
- Know your audience.
- Create your speech.
- Practice your speech.
- Deliver with the utmost confidence.
And much more!
GET HERE
– ArmaniTalks 
