Have you ever delivered a speech or presentation that failed to really connect with your audience?

Maybe you saw people drifting off. Or checking their phones. Or stealing longing glances at the coffee machine.

Maybe the content of your speech was interesting and important. But if you don’t make an effort to engage and connect with your audience, there’s a high chance your presentation will fall flat.

This is where my very special guest, public speaking and presentation coach and speaker Sally Koering Zimney comes in!

Sally is passionate about helping people create speeches and presentations that ‘move’ and inspire others. Her mission is to break down the ‘fourth wall’ that exists between a speaker and their audience in order to help them connect and effectively get their message across. She says:

“I think that’s what the audience yearns for [in a speech]. To feel a part of it. And to not feel a distance but to feel like they know the person up there.”

If you have a speech or presentation coming up and are struggling to write it, make sure you download a copy of my Speech and Presentation Writing Template. This easy-to-follow Word doc takes you through the step-by-step process I go through to write all my presentations. I promise you, it will save you buckets of time and make writing an engaging presentation SO much easier! Click here to download it.

Notes from the episode:

• How to have ‘small wins’ when you’re practicing a speech to help build your confidence
• The ‘fourth wall’ – it’s a theatre term. You have 3 walls around you, and a pretend wall between you and the audience.
• We talk about how to break down this ‘fourth wall’ so you can a connection with the audience.
• You’ll also discover what Sally does to connect with her audience – you may be surprised with some of her random techniques!
• Learn how to tell a really simple story to engage others, even if you’re presenting boring data.
• What is an ‘origin story’, and how can you use this in your speech?
• Think about the ‘baggage’ people are bringing into the room when you’re speaking. How can you make the experience easier for them?
• Tips for having fun – “If it’s not fun, it’s torture for everybody!”

Links we mention:

• Hans Rosling’s TED talks – data presented in an exciting way! (see video below)
• StoryCorps stories – the single largest collection of human voices every recorded.
• StoryCorps founder Dave Isay’s TED talk
• Barack Obama’s touching eulogy at the Charlston Shooting funeral for Reverend Pinckney

Get in touch with Sally:

• Listen to ‘This Moved Me‘ – Sally’s podcast
• Say hi on Twitter
• Connect on facebook