Decades ago, I worked with an incredibly articulate executive who was always cool and composed when he presented. He had a tendency, however, to click his heels periodically while talking. 

So, rather than connecting with him and his message, I often found myself not listening to what he was saying, and instead, wondering how is it that he had developed this peculiar habit. Did he used to be in the military? Or is he just particularly proud of his fancy dress shoes? 

I never found out the answer, and I wish to this day I had respectfully given him some feedback. I’m certain he wasn’t aware that his habit was unintentionally eroding his impact and connection with his audience.

Presenting in a way that moves hearts and minds—without distractions—may seem pretty simple on the surface, but it’s quite complex. It takes a lot of practice, feedback, coaching, and a willingness to keep at it.

One of the many ways you can achieve that magical human connection is through your delivery style.

In a recent PowerSpeaking Live! discussion, panelists Yolanda Tate, speaker, tech professional, and wellness consultant; and Bill Treasurer, leadership consultant, writer, and speaker, joined me to explore the importance of delivery style, and how to develop one that is compelling and authentic. 

Here are some top insights and tips from our conversation, plus advice based on our decades of experience in teaching people how to make an impact when speaking. 

If you’d like to hear our full, in-depth discussion, links to the video and podcast are included at the end of this blog.

Don't have time to read the whole guide right now? 

Let us help you succeed with our guide on delivery style: Be Compelling, Be Real: Delivery Styles That Connect. Save the PDF version to your desktop and read when it's convenient for you.

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Delivery Prep: The Magic of Knowing Your Audience

To show up with your best, relaxed, authentic self, you need to know who is in your audience. How can you connect with them if you don’t know their relation to your content or why they should care? Are they techies in the same specialty as you, or are they from a cross-section of the organization? How is what you’re proposing relevant to them? What would they most want to know to be inspired to action?

Bill told a great story about the impact of not taking the time to know his audience. He was asked to give a talk on his specialty topic, courage, to a “singles” group. He of course thought about young people’s dilemmas in dating. So, he thought, “I’ve got this. I don’t need to prepare.” On the day of his talk, Bill watched as a group of senior citizens walked in, some with canes and walkers. Uh, oh.

At PowerSpeaking, we can’t say enough about the importance of analyzing your audience beforehand. As a matter of fact, we’ve developed a tool that will help you do just that:

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Next, let’s look at the aspect of a delivery style that Yolanda, Bill, and I agree is the most important . . .

Authenticity:  The Best First Step in an Engaging Delivery Style

There’s a myth we love to bust about delivery style, which is, that you have to be an out-there extrovert or natural entertainer to engage an audience. Wrong. Extroverts, introverts, and everyone in between can learn to capture and hold an audience’s attention.

Yolanda put it well:  “If you are bold and vibrant, let your personality shine. If you’re not, if you’re more reserved, there’s nothing wrong with that. You deliver the way that’s best for you to be able to connect with your audience.”

One way to find and cultivate your authentic delivery style is to think about and build your personal “brand.” It’s a deep, valuable exercise that will help you play off of your strengths when delivering a presentation or talk—and so much more.

You can read our blog on the topic here or download the PDF directly:

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Eye Contact:  Where Connection Starts

Think about all of those times you sat through a presentation in which the presenter never looked away from their slides. How did that make you feel, and did it take away from what they were saying?

No matter your personality type or delivery style, making genuine, inclusive eye contact with your audience is crucial. There is no quicker way to show people you care about your content and how it relates to them than frequent, authentic eye contact.

Conversational, Inclusive Language: It’s About Them, Not You

Since communication and delivery style are about connection (or should be), use language your audience understands and to which they can relate. Overly formal or corporate-speak language is distancing. Highly technical references might be unfamiliar to some in your audience. Slang and idioms specific to a region or culture are often meaningless or even offensive to people outside your circle.

So again, analyze your audience ahead of time and use language that will “speak” to everyone.

Next, let’s look at how the way you speak and move can elevate your message and inspire your audience.

The Power in Your Voice and Body: Vocal Variety and Gestures

When we’re telling a story or talking about something we’re passionate about, we’re all naturals at varying our tone of voice and using gestures to communicate excitement and illustrate a point. All we need to do is tap into that natural ability when we’re presenting or giving a speech.

To create vocal variety, modulate your voice between fast and slow, high and low, and use inflection to emphasize meaning. For example, notice what a difference inflection can make to the meaning of a sentence:

 “The CUSTOMER will benefit most.”
“The customer WILL benefit most.”
“The customer will BENEFIT most.”
“The customer will benefit MOST.”

Of course, movement and gestures are also important to maintain audience attention and accentuate your content. Contrast a presenter who is stiff and unmoving with one who moves around the room or stage. Or, one who draws a picture in the air to help you “see” the object they’re describing. These things make a big difference in how engaged you feel as an audience member.

So, find ways to vary your voice and use gestures that are natural to you. Your audience will appreciate it.

Storytelling: You Had Me at “Once upon a time … “

The truth is, even in a business setting, stories are more compelling and memorable than facts, figures, and data alone. In a PowerSpeaking Live! panel discussion about storytelling, Facilitator and Coach Isabel Walker gave a great explanation of why this is so . . .

So, consider opening your talk or presentation with a powerful, relevant story, and/or use an appropriate anecdote to explain a complex concept later on. You can gain valuable insights and practical tips for effective storytelling in our blog here or download the PDF directly . . .

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Final Thoughts . . .

I hope you’ve found these insights and practical tips valuable. Remember, your authentic, effective delivery style is one of the fastest routes to connecting with your audience, elevating your content and key messages, establishing your credibility, and being memorable.

To watch my full panel discussion on this topic (plus more past Live! events), click here, or listen to the podcast here.