Be a Sponge: Do You REALLY Give Your Audience What THEY Need?

OK, how serious are you about truly impacting your audience? We’ve heard about learning styles and the Myers Briggs tests. Still, have you considered who the people really are in your audience and, more importantly, what they really need from you? Let’s sit down with three of them and hear their actual truth. We are not talking about puffy feedback forms. We’re talking about their authentic truth. Lean in and listen to these quick 1-minute interviews and ask yourself what you’d change in your program to give them what they need.

First, meet John W.

At live events, John is skeptically sitting in the back of the room. In virtual sessions, his camera is off and has the game muted in the background. What would you change to be more compelling and draw him in? How could you make your stories shorter or more exciting and you-focused to keep him engaged?

Next, meet Amber M.

Amber is an expert like you and has a significant influence in this industry. That means that she can recommend you to other groups in your industry if she believes you bring value. She will be unimpressed with regurgitated content. She hopes you can bring her at least a fresh perspective on the current challenges facing her industry. Make no mistake! You help her, and it can mean referrals. What would you change to impact Amber?

Finally, meet Mary H.

Immediately you’ll love Mary, and she’ll brag on you and post all about how wonderful you are on social media. As she said, though, her enthusiasm is short-lived after your program. She will put your handout on a stack of others she has never acted on. Your ego will get a stroke when you see her posts and comments for sure, but she is a cheerleader and not a doer. Did you take note of what she also stated? She needs a clear call to action and a reason to take it. Do you have those in your program? I mean clear! I mean a logical and emotional reason she should follow through on yours. She hasn’t before. She needs your help. What makes you better and stronger? 

Most people in your audience are smiling and positive. We have to reach deeper behind that mask and help them. They come from varied backgrounds and carry with them different scars. Please don’t take the privilege and your audience’s attention for granted. They are only one boring moment away from checking out, especially when they are virtual. Will you give them what they really need?

What do you take from this?

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