The Best Advice I Ever Got as a Speaker
Jul 22, 2024I'll never forget my first time speaking in front of a crowd of over 2,000 people (who happens to be a network of qualified investors + potential clients).
My heart was racing, and I was worried about how to connect with so many people at once.
See, I was never someone who was born to speak in a large crowd or audience.
Then, I remembered the best advice I ever got as a speaker: "How do you speak in front of 2,000 people? You don't. You speak to 1 person 2,000 times."
This simple yet profound advice changed everything for me. Instead of feeling overwhelmed by the sheer number of faces, I focused on making individual connections, one person at a time.
Here’s how I nailed that speaking gig:
๐ Visualize a Single Person: Before stepping on stage, I took a moment to imagine speaking to just one person in the audience. This mental trick helped calm my nerves and made my delivery more intimate and genuine.
๐ Make Eye Contact: During the speech, I made a conscious effort to make eye contact with different people throughout the room. This created a sense of personal connection, making each attendee feel like I was speaking directly to them.
๐ Use Personal Stories: I incorporated relatable stories and examples into my presentation. By sharing personal anecdotes, I made the content more engaging and easier for the audience to connect with on an individual level.
๐ Ask Rhetorical Questions: Throughout my talk, I asked rhetorical questions to invite the audience to think and feel involved. This technique turned the speech into a conversation rather than a lecture, making it more interactive and engaging.
๐ Pause and Reflect: I used pauses strategically to give myself a moment to breathe and to let the audience absorb what I was saying. This also allowed me to gauge their reactions and adjust my approach as needed.
๐ Imagine a Dialogue: Instead of delivering a monologue, I imagined having a series of short dialogues with different people in the audience. This mindset shift made the experience less daunting and more interactive.
By breaking down the massive crowd into individual connections, I was able to deliver a more impactful and memorable presentation. Most of those have become investors, clients, and part of my network.
The information contained herein is for general guidance on matters of interest only. This information contained herein is not intended to provide you with any advice on financial planning, investment, insurance, legal, accounting, tax or similar matters and should not be relied upon for such purposes. Marcin Drozdz, M1 Real Capital Inc are not financial, legal or tax advisers. You should assess whether you require such advisers and additional information and, where appropriate, seek independent professional advice. You understand this to be an expression of opinions and not professional advice. You are solely responsible for any actions you take with the content and hold Marcin Drozdz and M1 Real Capital Inc or any of it's affiliates harmless in any event or claim.