3 ways to build audience trust – and zig when others zag

The world is crying out for people they can trust,

for promises to keep them safe
alive
happy
satisfied

but then we always have, haven’t we?

You, me, our audiences.

Any time we interact,

our first instinct is to keep safe – “Can I trust you?”

It’s automatic.

When it comes to a speaker and an audience, for the audience, it’s more likely

“Is this worth my time?”

Because we also live in a world of short attention spans, of commitments and busy ness.

And in other situations they may also be asking

“Is this worth my money?”

So speakers, you, me, all of us have to build that trust that we are, in fact, worth that time/money.

I have for you 3 ways we can build that trust –

and in ways that might not be the norm, or what you have seen done;

3 ways you can do it your way – with integrity and the power of being and feeling within your values.

1.  Credentials  +  Vulnerability

It is fairly standard practice to list your credentials as a speaker – degrees, courses, successes, achievements.

And with certain audiences and certain cultures that is necessary.

I am not impressed by degrees, courses, successes, achievements.

For me and my clients, I prefer to see the vulnerability, learn how you got there, woven into the credentials/authority process.

It shows you have nothing to hide, if you can share certain failures, faults and foibles from which you have achieved success.

It also allows your audience to see the possibility for themselves in your growth and achievements

with so much more deep resonance and power, than simply being impressed.

2.  Conviction + Vulnerability

Yes, vulnerability again, this time in a different context.

We live in a world that lauds conviction and confidence.   It makes someone so much easier to believe in, that they will keep us safe
alive
happy
satisfied,

especially in the face of fear (which oftentimes they then have to generate!)

However if, instead of trumped up (no that’s not a pun – the word trump had been around for a long time!) conviction and confidence

we can bring the strength to be vulnerable, we build a much higher level of trust, through that same resonance and power.

When we weave in our personal passion instead of hollow conviction, our success stories, and our personal belief in our ideas, instead of an armour of confidence, we create power without the need for fear, and without the need for fake conviction.

So many times I have been let down by people promising they can do something and then letting me and the team down when they cannot.

Bring me your passion.  Bring me the authentic stories for proof and I will work with you.

Allow me to see your mistakes and genuine commitment to fixing them, and I will work with you.

Our audiences are the same.  This is far more powerful and trustworthy (and relaxing!) than fake promises delivered with confidence and conviction.

3.  Care + Value

Speakers can put on an armour to give themselves confidence and strength – an armour of credentials, confidence, false energy.

Or they can meet the needs of an audience that wants to know that they care – about them, about each individual there.  We all want to know if there is anything in this presentation for me that will make it worth my time and/or my money.

So let’s do that, as speakers. Let them know that we do have something for them that will be of value, useful, that will meet their needs, that we care.

It may be that you don’t FEEL that you care.  You have to give this speech to build things for yourself –  money, esteem, followers. Sure you can say the words, but they really don’t come from genuine feelings.

If so, in rehearsals for your presentation, use the words that say you care, that this is a win-win for you and for them.  Add the gestures, the body language, the facial expressions and slowly the brain will start releasing dopamine, serotonin, and oxytocin, and you will feel good about helping, serving, creating a win for someone else.

And

an added extra –

in that feeling, then, is the drive to deliver value; an idea, a product or service that will help, serve, create a win – value that you can communicate to build trust.

It really is possible to stick to your own integrity and humility, even if it means you will zig when others zag!

And in the process you develop

trust in yourself

that you will have confidence, a valuable idea and a way to serve not only yourself but others as well.

Quite a bonus!!