Would You Rather Watch Paint Dry or Watch a Slug?
Why do some videos go viral on Youtube and others die an anonymous death? When you forward someone a video, have you ever thought about what made you want to send it? I bet it’s the story, or the emotional pullthat drew you in. You want your friends to see it so you can talk about how it made you feel, right?
Can you even describe what the person looked like in the last video you saw that got a million views? Probably not. But…can you describe how it made you feel when you were watching? I bet you can.
Think about that in relation to a presentation or proposal you made recently. Did you make the “buyer” feel anything, or did you just spill out your information and hit the road?
Engaging your audience or “buyer” is a technique, like any other skill you have learned. Once you practice and master the skill, it will come naturally to you.
I can think of 2 ways to engage almost everyone, regardless of the situation:
1) know as much about them in advance as you possibly can
2) think of a brief and politically correct story that they will relate to emotionally, and let that emotion out (humor, pathos, excitement, etc.) when you tell the story
Remember, it’s the connection that you make with your audience, not the product or spreadsheet or brochure that will engage them.
It’s you.
Why? Because open body positions actually change the chemistry in our bodies which makes us feel more powerful.
A recent client was Kara Gagnon, an eye physician for the VA Hospital in Connecticut, who quit her position there to begin BraveMinds, a charity that treats and supports veterans, and their caregivers, suffering from, and living with, traumatic brain injuries.