The Largest Crowd I’ve Ever Spoken To…
April 14th, 2008
I spoke on Saturday to a crowd of about 400 and although I’m very used to public speaking, I have to say that this is the largest group I have ever spoken in-front of. I’m never really nervous about it any more, but it still can get you if you think too much about it.
Speaking in-front of 400 people or 40,000 people for that matter is the exact same really as speaking in front of 10 - it’s all in your mind if there is any difference at all.
If you want to speak well in front of a crowd, here are 3 tips I highly advise…
1. Humor - If you’re not a fun or charismatic person, you’ve got a lot of work to do before you can get on stage (or just don’t get on stage). If you can’t get the crowd into your conversation and responding, they’re lost. I don’t care HOW technically amazing your talk is - people are people and you need to FIGHT for their attention.
2. As for Audience Feedback - I always ask questions where I say “Raise your hand if you agree?” - sometimes people don’t raise their hands, they think it’s a rhetorical question - well I stop and repeat myself until they do.
3. MOVE AROUND - I like to be on stage, left side, then right side - then sometimes come OFF the stage. The more you can force the audience to follow you around, the more they are tuned in.
If you stand still, talk in a plain boring monotone voice - kiss your presentation good bye. I don’t care if you’re presenting a way for humans to fly, you’re not going to have the crowd (ok, maybe then you would…)
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Tags: public speaking
April 15th, 2008 at 1:32 am
You say… “I’m never really nervous about it anymore”, does that mean at one point you were? If so, what helped you overcome?
April 15th, 2008 at 1:36 am
Hey Zach,
When I was in high school, I was a nervous wreck in-front of even 3 people.
What happened was I got into this program for college that REALLY focused on teaching us how to network (but it was in the medical research field - which I got out of eventually). They really forced us to get out of our comfort zones.
THEN, I was an independent contractor as a financial planner for a big broker, my marketing director REALLY forced me to speak in front of people. He would just shove me (completely unprepared) in-front of large groups…of all things to SELL them.
Anyways, let’s just say over time, I got over the fear and actually now REALLY enjoy it.
This past weekend I was “unofficially” voted the best speaker of the conference…
Mystery CEO
April 17th, 2008 at 1:35 am
Hmmm…. more clues as to just WHO you are.
April 17th, 2008 at 2:39 am
Large crowds are actually fun but I never got over my fear of talking to the camera (probably because I didn’t do it as often)… that camera lense is a far tougher opponent to tackle then a crowd in my opinion. The weird part is looking at yourself speak on national television afterwards.
Largest physical crowd I have ever spoken to was probably about 200, I found it rather fun after forcing myself to do it month after month to get over this fear. I was also a nervous wreck in high school, in class presentations where dreadful but once you get into the business world… you got NO CHOICE as public speaking represents one of the many skills required to become a success.
Jon
http://woodmarvels.com - Create Unique Memories
April 17th, 2008 at 4:25 am
Zach,
haha…it’ll still be pretty hard
Jon,
You know what you’re right - and the other thing about cameras, if you’re recording is if you mess up - you gotta start over.
THAT just thinking about THAT makes you mess up more…it can get very frustrating.
Not sure how movie stars do it - I’d go nuts (maybe that’s why most do!)
Mystery CEO
May 1st, 2008 at 1:58 pm
hahahaha great post and funny comments
I’ve played the drums for 5-6 years now and once i played for 10.000 people.
before i entered stage i though “they’ll either kill you or love you”.
Then i entered stage and it just clicked right a way i felt like i entered my own home after being away for years.
Was great!
I’m always nervous just before entering stage but when i’m on it people have to try drag me down from it lol!
Never feared the camera though, i guess it’s because i know nobody will see it before i get it perfected anyways so i just take it on as a challenge and go for it.
A thing i use to calm myself down is to tell myself “The people looking at me are there to see me, they want me to succeed because then they get the value they expect.”
Also i remember being in circus as a kid and some acrobat did a stunt but failed in doing it probably and fell down on his back.
He got up again and did the stunt. I remember everyone stood up and clapped at him. Not because of the stunt it self but because he got back up from failing and then did it.
(why do my comments always end up being long?)
Thats my 5 cent.
Take care,
Daniel.
May 2nd, 2008 at 1:44 am
Daniel,
Great point - you used to drum? I played the set myself
Was even in marching bad but that did not last very long!