How to Build Rapport with Your Audience

Establish rapport with your audience, and they become your partners in a dialog, allies in your presentation. They'll want you to succeed. They'll overlook your nervousness and lack of polish. They'll laugh at jokes they've heard before. And they'll give you the benefit of the doubt even if they lose the thread of your logic.

1. Talk to people before your presentation begins.
   Introduce yourself as people gather. Ask them about themselves, what they do, and why they are there. Smile.
   
   
2. Have your audience's best interests at heart.
   Treat your presentation as an opportunity to serve your audience, not to impress or "sell" them.
   
   
3. Establish eye contact.
   Look people in the eye one at a time. Hold each person's gaze for 5 to 10 seconds, and then look someone else in the eye. We distrust people who won't look us in the eye. (A word of caution: some cultures consider direct eye contact intrusive and rude, so be careful.)
   
   
4. Speak simply and with conviction.
   Don't give a speech; have a conversation with your audience. Say "I," "we," and "you," when appropriate.
   
   
5. Approach your presentation from your audience's perspective — not your perspective.
   Address their concerns. Speak to their interests, values, and aspirations. Avoid words they don't understand. Cite evidence they find credible. (If you have to use words or acronyms they may not understand, explain them immediately.)
   
   
6. Dress appropriately.
   Dress a little more formally than your audience. Doing so establishes your credibility and authority. But there are times when you may need to modify this rule in order follow the second rule: dress appropriately for your profession. If you're a lawyer speaking to high school seniors, you don't have to dress down. Look the part. Wear your business attire. On the other hand, if you're a construction worker making a team presentation to the CEO and CFO of a hospital as part of a bid process, no one will expect you to out dress them. Whatever you wear, make sure it's neat and clean.
   
   
7. Avoid using humor or language that might offend them.
   Once you offend an audience, you'll rarely regain their trust. Toastmasters International™ suggests avoiding language or topics best left in the "bathroom, barroom, or bedroom." Generally, you can't go wrong if you use humor that lets people laugh at you and your foibles. Also avoid stereotypes of all sorts.
   
   
8. Tell stories to engage their imaginations.
   Most audiences — highly technical audiences are an exception — relate to a personal story.
   

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Also see "How to Connect with your Audience" and "What to Do When Things Go Wrong."

For information about how Chris Witt can help you become a more powerful speaker, contact us.