Connecting with your audience — whether for a keynote, pitch, or TED Talk — is an art that every speaker aims to master.
To help you achieve this, here are 6 essential tips from top TED Talk speakers that can significantly boost your relatability and connection.
These 6 proven relatability strategies will elevate your next presentation to new heights:
1. SHARE STICKY STORIES.
Personal anecdotes can create a strong emotional bond with your audience. Share your experiences in the form of STICKY Stories. Your challenges and triumphs make you more relatable and help others connect on a deeper level.
→ Watch Top TEDster Bryan Stevenson capture minds and hearts at the 17:08 minute mark in We need to talk about an injustice. Captivating. Visual. Sticky.
2. USE CONVERSATIONAL LANGUAGE.
Speak in a natural, conversational tone — as though you’re at Starbucks involved in an animated chat with a friend. Avoid jargon and complex language. This approach makes you more engaging and accessible.
→ Watch Top TEDster Angela Lee Duckworth share about her PhD-level research at the 01:53 minute mark in Grit: The power of passion and perseverance. Engaging. Fun. Conversational.
3. SHOW SOME VULNERABLITY.
Don’t be afraid to show your human side. But note the emphasis on “some” vulnerability — not squirmy TMI. Admitting mistakes or sharing awkward moments can make you more authentic. It helps others see you as a real person versus an unapproachable expert.
→ Watch Top TEDster Brené Brown share about her research and therapy at the 11:40 minute mark in The power of vulnerability. Candid. Humorous. Vunerable.
4. ENGAGE WITH HUMOR.
Light humor can break the ice and make you more likable. Self-deprecating jokes and observational humor about common experiences can put your audience at ease. It can create chuckle waves that bond you with your listeners.
→ Watch Top TEDster Tim Urban share about the "Panic Monster" and writing his TED Talk at the 07:52 minute mark in Inside the Mind of a Master Procrastinator. Witty. Perceptive. Humorous.
5. ASK PERSONAL QUESTIONS.
Pose rhetorical questions to the audience. This invites them to think and engage with your topic actively. Questions can also create a dialogue-like atmosphere and give your listeners a satisfying problem to solve.
→ Watch Top TEDster Rober Waldinger open his uber-viral** talk at the 00:12 minute mark in What makes a good life? Lessons from the longest study on happiness. Curious. Clarifying. Questioning.
6. DISTILL YOUR MESSAGE
Focus on one clear, powerful idea. Avoid overwhelming your audience with too much information. A concise and straightforward message is more memorable and impactful, helping the audience to better connect with and retain your key points.
→ Watch Top TEDster Amy Cuddy crisply and visually relate animal behavior to human power dynamics at the 03:54 minute mark in Your body language may shape who you are. Simple. Clear. Distilled.
Audience connection, in any presentation, is a must-do (learned) skill. Incorporating these strategies will help you instantly connect with your audience and be positioned to compel them to action!
** DISCLAIMER: Harvard’s Dr. Robert Waldinger is one of my million-view clients and an all-time Top 10 TED Talk speaker.
DEVIN D. MARKS is known as The TED Talk Whisperer. His firm, CONNECT to COMPEL, has served 100s of TED, TEDx, and TED-Style speakers. The result: 100s of millions of views. His team help niche experts, authors, and leaders just like you, spread BIG ideas.
Let the world LIVE your message!™
You can reach Devin at 617.804.6020, or DM him here.
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Short TEDster Insights
Here's a quick video that unpacks the spread-worthy norms of the TED Spread:
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End-of-Summer Training: The BIG IDEA Mill
Good ideas are a dime a dozen. Great ideas take work. A "great-er" idea is what we call a TED-worthy BIG IDEA.
The BIG IDEA Mill™ training helps you refine your "idea worth spreading" into a high-caliber compelling message.
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When you're ready to take center stage (or center screen), let me know. Whether you're working on a TED Talk or a commencement address; an all-hands preso or a keynote, you will want to be:
Those 3 priorities are what make the Marks Messaging Method so very, very connecting and compelling.
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