2023 - Visiting Lecture - The important of public speaking for businessmen - Part 4

Have you ever met someone who clearly gave the same presentation he gave before to another audience? There are a few telltale signs: a general array of benefits, little anticipation of objections, a lack of details to suit your specific situation. Chances are you weren't listening somewhere because you didn't feel connected to what he was telling you. He's not talking to you at all - he's just talking to someone who is generalizing.


Connecting with your audience is an important part of persuading your audience. Even if one person is standing in front and talking for 20 minutes straight, there are ways to make this type of communication feel like a conversation, not a lecture. To do this, you need to show your audience that you value them, their time, their needs, and their challenges. You need to show that you know your audience.


If you don't spend time thinking about your audience and gathering some intelligence about their needs and challenges, you're less likely to get the results you want. It might be difficult, no, maybe you should schedule some follow-up meetings. Either way, you now have to spend time finding new directions or perfecting your argument, which means you'll have to do the research you put off in the first place. It just costs twice as much time for you and your audience.


What's more, if you don't know your audience yet, you're more likely to make mistakes — such as failing to anticipate major objections — that will embarrass you and hurt your credibility. And you've also wasted your audience's time -- another blow to your credibility.


So how do you know your audience? The most important thing is to take the time to research your audience beforehand. You probably already know a lot of this information, but reflecting on it in a regular way will help solidify your understanding and incorporate it into your presentation.


Then, respond to include new information that comes up during your meeting or phone call. This is much easier to do when you have spent time thinking about your audience and can quickly respond to updates or changing circumstances.


Knowing your audience and demonstrating that knowledge is one of the most effective ways to connect and persuade them. Taking the time and care to consider their situation, analyze their needs and address their specific concerns not only shows that you are thoughtful, thorough and prepared, but also that you respect their time, process and context. Respect given is almost always respect earned, and honored speakers are more often than not successful people.


The material above was delivered by a presenter from Mexico in an international webinar held by STEKOM University in collaboration with the University of Mexico. The title of the presentation is "The Importance of public speaking in intercultural contexts". The name of the presenter is Estela Salome Solis Gutierres, PhD. He works at the Faculty of Human Science, Universidad Autonoma de Baja California.


This international webinar activity is part of the implementation of STEKOM University's commitment to increase various international activities. This was done in order to realize the vision to become an international-class university. Various international activities carried out by STEKOM University continue from year to year. There are international activities that are sustainable and there are also some international activities that are not sustainable. All types of international activities are accommodated and regulated by the International department of STEKOM University.