Your audience loves it when you do this

Lying, relaxing floating on a blissful cloud with an “Oooh” and an “Ahhhhhhh.” Versus, lying with every muscle taught waiting for the moment when there’s pain followed by a series of sharp intakes of breath.

There’s a street in Amsterdam which has a gorgeous, nurturing massage place next door to a waxing shop.

I’m not making this up.

I’m wondering how that works.

Is there reinforced sound proofing between the two? Is the mellow, babbling brook meets solo flute music cranked up to rock concert volumes as the masseur works on tense shoulders? Does the waxing place tape everyone’s mouth shut before the wax is wheeched off?

Thinking about the feelings of your audience is important, whether it’s in the world of wellbeing, the beauty business or public speaking.

Picture the scene.

You’re about to deliver a presentation.

You’d researched your topic, you’ve shaped the structure, you’ve killer slides, you’ve tweaked and edited it, added slides, taken slides away, changed the font 7 times and eventually found the perfect one, run the colour combination by a few people who know about good design to get their feedback and checked that the clicky thing you use to move through the slides has batteries that work.

And you’ve rehearsed: In front of a trusted colleague, your 14 year old cat who never puts up with any nonsense and your lovely partner whom you know would beam at you whether your talk was ready for the TED Global stage or just up to scratch for your toddler’s group where the main focus of attention is always on how good the biscuits are that week.

But have you considered how you want your audience to FEEL?

Most people don’t. And they’re leaving a lot on the table.

🚀 What emotions do you want to inspire?
🚀 And in what order?
🚀 How do you plan on getting people’s attention?
🚀 How do you plan on KEEPING their attention?

And as you deliver your last few words, where are the audience’s emotions now? What will they be feeling as they walk away to the coffee break?

How you make people feel is important.

People remember how you made them feel.

What steps can you take to work towards that in your next presentation?