Three Key Catalysts for Connecting Strongly With Your Audience
One massive misconception that those seeking authority with an audience suffer from is the need to appear infallible. Not only is this unrealistic, it’s unrelatable.
In 2009, two TED Talks were published on the influential conference’s website. Both were on the topic of leadership.
One was from social entrepreneur Fields Wicker-Miurin, in which she told three stories about three very different kinds of leaders. Her presentation was clear, compelling, and convincing.
The other presentation was by author and consultant Simon Sinek. His talk was about how leaders inspire action in others and was also clear, compelling, and convincing.
In short, both talks amounted to quality content. And yet, Wicker-Miurin’s presentation currently has 1,466,595 views, while Sinek’s has an astounding 64,094,353.
What made the difference?
Apparently, it’s the number of hand gestures. The more a speaker “talks with their hands,” the more they are viewed as warm, energetic, and charismatic.
Author and body-language trainer Vanessa Van Edwards performed an analysis on hundreds of TED Talks to determine why some became hugely popular and others not so much, even when the talks contain roughly the same “content” based on topic:
The more hand gestures, the more successful the talk. There was a direct correlation between the number of views on a TED talk and the number of hand gestures.
The bottom TED talks had an average of 124,000 views and used an average of 272 hand gestures during the 18-minute talk. The top TED talks had an average of 7,360,000 views and used an average of 465 hand gestures.
So, that’s an important tip if you’re doing video or giving presentations from the stage. But the broader point is that those who connect with an audience do so with attributes that transcend the “content” of their content.
The need to belong is a fundamental human need, and we experience it when we connect with another human being. Shared interests, values, and points of view kick-start connection, which is why the Leading Expert methodology focuses intently on understanding your ideal prospect and developing unique ways to solve common problems.
Connection is another way to spark the messenger effect, which, like existing status, can make a particular person more persuasive and important when demonstrating expertise with content. As Dr. Robert Cialdini puts it, “It seems there is a tendency to boost our evaluations of just about anything, or anyone, that we see ourselves in some way connected with.”1
Research repeatedly shows that the messenger effect influences who we listen to, what we believe, and, ultimately, who we become. In other words, it’s not the information you provide to your audience — it’s the connection you spark with them.
When you’re just starting out, your status story may not be as strong as the competition’s, but you can always craft content that connects on a more meaningful level. Here are three critical ingredients for creating a stronger connection with your audience.
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