I’m a Hall of Fame Speaker and I coach some of the greatest public speakers of our era.
You know what separates good speakers from great speakers?
(Hint: It’s not innate talent or natural charism.)
It’s a set of techniques that, when mastered, can transform your presence on stage, captivate your audience, and solidify your reputation as the sought-after expert in your field.
Today you’ll learn four of these insider techniques to achieve success as a public speaker.
I know they work because they’re the same techniques that elevated my speaking career and led me to some of the world’s biggest stages.
1. Capture the Opening Moment
Many speakers walk on stage and start babbling pleasantries.
“Thank you for having me!”
“I’m so excited to be here!”
“Today is going to be amazing!”
Don’t do that.
The first moment you step on stage is golden.
It’s the one time you have the undivided attention of every single person in the room.
Capitalize on this moment to spark curiosity or evoke emotion right from the start.
Whether it’s a startling statistic, a profound quote, or diving straight into a story, the first words out of your mouth must be memorable.
Pleasantries can wait.
Captivating your audience cannot.
2. Use the Stage as a Timeline
One of the most powerful lessons I learned in the World Championship of Public Speaking is to treat the stage as a timeline.
Your movement should be intentional.
When discussing the past, move and gesture to stage right (the audience’s left).
When talking about the future or inspiring change, move and gesture to stage left (audience’s right).
This will structure your narrative and create an engaging visual journey for your audience.
3. Hologram the Stage
Every story you tell should have a designated space on stage.
Think of it as setting up a virtual scene for each part of your narrative.
This technique helps anchor emotions and lessons to specific areas, making your stories more impactful.
For example, when I share about being raised by a single mom who sold Mary Kay Cosmetics, I pick a specific spot on stage to tell that story.
Doing so creates a map of memories and emotions that guide your audience through your presentation.
You’re literally taking them along for the ride.
4. Extended Eye Contact
If extended eye contact feels awkward at first, good! It means you’re doing it right.
Rather than scanning the audience while you’re on stage, focus on one person at a time.
This creates a powerful sense of connection because each person feels like you’re speaking directly to them.
As you advance in your speaking career and start presenting on larger stages with cameras, shift your gaze to the camera.
Why?
Because most of your audience will be watching you on a screen, so looking directly into the camera makes everyone feel seen.
(We call it “making love to the camera” and if you do it right, your audience will love you for it.)
Good Speakers Versus Great Speakers
You don’t have to be the world’s most extroverted, most beautiful, or most comical person to have a smashing speaking career.
Instead, you need to practice these insider techniques until you can execute them flawlessly in front of a crowd.
They’re the same techniques I used to reach new heights in my speaking career and they’re the ones I use to coach top speakers across the globe.
By mastering these techniques, you’ll be on your way to captivating any audience, anywhere, anytime.
And if you’re itching to get booked on more and bigger stages this year, I invite you to schedule a free strategy call with our team at Brand Builders Group.
Together we’ll figure out the best path forward to help you reach more people and ultimately, reach your personal brand goals.
