A bridge to your audience
(Oh, is that it?... Um, do we clap now?... …) “Errr… Thank you. Any questions?”
Does that sound familiar? That feeling of being left hanging in mid-air when someone’s finished making a presentation?
I was writing about this in the latest edition of my newsletter, “Own Your Voice”.
In my work as a public speaking coach I get to hear a lively mix of business presentations and personal stories. And one of the techniques I share the most is what I call building a bridge to your audience.
It’s a way of making people care about your words. Especially at the crucial close of your presentation.
You want to help them not just remember your message, but to feel part of it, be inspired by it, act on it.
Building that bridge means connecting what you’ve said with something meaningful and relevant to your audience.
Otherwise, we might as well be talking to ourselves.
Your bridge could be a clear call to action. “Donate to our cause now and help save the hedgerows of Britain.”
Or a bridge that inspires, based on a personal story. If you overcame a challenge through sheer perseverance – like going from couch to running your first marathon in one year (which is not something I’m ever likely to do)… how can you spread the learning? How can you invite your audience to rise to a challenge they might be facing, based on your experience?
Or the bridge of, dare I say, suspense – leave your audience with a question to ponder as they leave the room.
In your next presentation, how will you build a bridge to your audience?
Hmmm…
When I was writing my newsletter, I came across this lovely definition in the Merriam-Webster online dictionary. A bridge is:
“A time, place, or means of connection or transition”.
I’ll admit, there was a time at the start of my public speaking career when I wished there was a solid wall between myself and my audience.
Yikes!
Now, thankfully, I know that each time we communicate,
we do have the time, space and opportunity to build that bridge and connect,
not through a monologue, but a conversation.
Person to person.
With warmth, presence and clarity.
By offering our audience a means of transition… to a new destination.
Photo by <a href="https://unsplash.com/@missle?utm_source=unsplash&utm_medium=referral&utm_content=creditCopyText">Sen Lee</a> on <a href="https://unsplash.com/s/photos/suspension-bridge?utm_source=unsplash&utm_medium=referral&utm_content=creditCopyText">Unsplash</a>