In the industry of corporate training and speaking, the ability to captivate an audience is both an art and a science. Seasoned speakers and trainers bring a plethora of innovative approaches, wisdom, and insights to the stage, transforming mundane sessions into captivating experiences.
ValiantCEO Magazine delves into the minds of these experts to uncover their secrets to engaging corporate audiences. From authenticity to humor, interactive exercises to thought-provoking questions, these professionals share their strategies that leave a lasting impact on their audiences. Join us as we explore the diverse methods employed by these speakers and trainers to create meaningful connections and foster active participation in corporate settings.
Teresa Moon, Director of Business Development and Marketing, Parabilis
It’s nothing revolutionary. Be authentic.
Authenticity is key, rare but powerful. Imposter Syndrome often lurks in public speaking, especially when tackling unfamiliar or intimidating topics. The ability to weave in personal anecdotes, vulnerability, and authenticity bridges the gap between speaker and audience, paving the way for emotional connection and smoother communication on even the most challenging subjects.
In my world of finance, the image is often stiff, and lacking relatability. Yet, sharing your humanity and humility builds trust and garners respect, making your voice heard.
Authenticity is not something taught; it’s innate. It’s distinct from charisma.
Mastering this authenticity is a gift. The more you share it, the more impactful it becomes, creating a rush of endorphins while solidifying your expertise.
Only fake it once you make it. Be yourself, everyone else is taken.
Crafting anecdotes is powerful; weaving tales, both good and bad, encapsulates the essence of your point. Sometimes, I draw from others’ encounters to evoke emotions.
Authenticity is paramount to me; I never distort the reality I portray. The more transparent and candid I am, the stronger the connection with my audience. I don’t strive to be the brightest in the room; rather, I seek to learn from every individual I meet. Succeeding means creating an environment where you feel at ease sharing a piece of yourself with me. Your shared experiences undeniably enrich my future interactions!
Incorporating humor is a delightful touch; laughter has a remarkable ability to connect people.
Robin Shear, TEDx and Professional Keynote Speaker, Joy To The World Coaching
As a TEDx and professional conference speaker who gets *excited* when audience evaluations say “I’ve never had that much fun learning,” I’d be happy to share a few of my favorite audience engagement secrets.
In my recent “How To Choose Joy When Life Sucks” talk at TEDxDetroit, I engaged the audience by:
- Shared practical tips for finding joy in tough times
- Connected deeply through a vulnerable, personal story
- Got the audience on their feet for a surprise cheer activity
- Ended talk with a standing ovation from the engaged audience
Audiences don’t like dull presentations. Engaging them is a way to show respect for their time and choice to attend.
Joel Silverstone, Founder- Speaker, Trainer, Coach, TFR: This Feels Right
With dwindling attention spans and the constant notifications from teams, slack, email, etc., getting your corporate audience engaged quickly and invested is pivotal to the success of the training or keynote session.
I have delivered training, presented, and keynoted for over 20 years to global audiences from Fortune 500 companies like Microsoft, TD Bank, CIBC, Marriott, and Pfizer to conferences and events.
The number 1 rule is ‘get people talking as soon as possible’.
Have them be invested in their session.
As time passes without audience interaction, they become more susceptible to distractions and may start to doubt the relevance of the presentation, creating their narratives.
My favorite engagement go-to is:
- Prompt participants to draw how they feel in various situations (e.g., difficult conversation, giving feedback, time management).
- Encourage sharing with a nearby person.
- Invite volunteers to share their drawings with the group.
For a corporate audience, this frees up the thinking and taps into creativity and emotions.
By sharing, deeper connections start the commonality of where ALL are doing something uncomfortable and vulnerable.
And I learn some deeper examples from the audience that I can associate with in the presentation.
Robert Levi Thompson, Owner/Motivational Speaker, WhatBobThinks
The best approach, in my opinion, is complete honesty.
It’s as simple as that. Often, I feel like I benefit more from it than the audience does. Giving back feels rewarding, especially when you see someone’s perspective change or receive gratitude for sharing valuable insights. It motivates me to do more and offer my services to organizations in need, even if it means staggering paid events to make it possible.
Petr Kanaev, Founder and CEO, The Reflection
With over 15 years in corporate training, I’ve found a technique that truly stands out: video analysis of business simulations. Participants act out scenarios, which we then review together.
This deepens engagement and helps turn theory into practical skills. I’ve even integrated this into an easy-to-use training platform for companies of all sizes, making skill development more accessible.
Mark Kolke, VP Commercial, Maxwell Capital Realty
The connection between the speaker and the audience is crucial for earning trust, even in settings where we’re not selling products. Sharing personal stories builds this connection, making the audience feel trusted with intimate details. However, every speech needs a clear message that adds value to the audience’s lives, rather than just serving the speaker’s interests.
For example, a speech I gave about alcoholism and depression resonated deeply with some audience members, sparking important conversations and potentially saving lives. While I didn’t win the competition I entered, the impact on those who connected with my message was far more significant. Today, I speak less frequently but still cherish opportunities to share meaningful stories that touch people’s lives.
Kimberly Best, Owner, Best Conflict Solutions, LLC
I speak and train on understanding conflict, sharing insights I’ve refined over the years. My daughter once advised me, “Don’t speak to show how much you know, speak to give them what they need.” This means tailoring each presentation to meet the audience’s needs precisely. I avoid cluttered slides, opting for relevant, engaging graphics with key messages.
Preparedness and confidence in my content are crucial. I use humor and relatable stories to maintain interest, alongside considerations like pace, tone, and audience participation. However, authenticity reigns supreme – being genuine fosters a strong connection with the audience, allowing them to see the real you, your superpower.
Franz Merz, CEO and Founder, Cherry Picks Reviews
While we communicate, it is essential to demonstrate that we care about the team’s concerns and not leave anything out, so I collect participants’ opinions and answer their queries to keep them engaged.
Actively listening and responding to their opinions and feedback is key to demonstrating that we value their opinion; it revives the audience’s attention, sparks an interest that may have faded, and gets everyone involved. Also, it is crucial to establish two-way communication with our team members because it increases effectiveness and helps resolve conflicts.
John Warner, Founder, Innoventure
I have a unique approach to engaging corporate audiences professionally. The Intelligent Tsunami, a major transformation driven by AI, impacts everyone, causing anxiety and fear. My focus is on fostering accountable creativity amid transformative change.
Using stories from my career, I illustrate universal leadership principles, tailoring each presentation to resonate deeply with the audience’s challenges and aspirations.
Leaders often struggle to maintain innovation amid daily demands. To address this, I offer follow-up workshops, starting with defining organizational essentials to make innovation projects more sustainable.
Testimonials, like Marcy Thompson’s from Sonoco, highlight the impact of my presentations on motivating employees to challenge the status quo and co-create innovative solutions.
Jeremy Ross, Long-time PR professional and Public Speaking Coach, The Speaking Guild
As a public speaking coach, I love interactive exercises and role-playing scenarios. For example, one of my media training exercises allows brave audience members to answer questions from the media like a politician. It’s an exercise that teaches a skill, reveals how people often communicate with each other, and provides a bit of entertainment.
Whatever exercise or approach someone uses to get the audience engaged, if they want willing participants they’re going to need to establish a safe and supportive environment. So I’ve found it’s critical to make my first volunteers a “compliment sandwich.” That means that regardless of how they do in an exercise, even if there’s a need for correction in some way, I start by mentioning something they did well, offer a helpful suggestion, and conclude with a compliment. This tells others that it’s not an overly critical environment and it’s safe to play along.
I often use comedy to warm people up. But I also like using ice-breaking techniques. My favorite is to separate people who know each other, encouraging them to meet someone new.
You can feel relief in the room when you break up the formality. It takes a minute, but I find that the audience becomes more receptive and engaged. Laughter helps build rapport with their new neighbor and that always breaks down barriers. To me, it’s a major part of creating a memorable experience.
We’re all addicted to our phones, so I find live surveys or polls are powerful ways to engage the audience. I ask them to vote using their phones and then display the results on-screen during the presentation. This creates an interactive and dynamic experience that keeps everyone involved and attentive.
I use an app called Mentimeter. By leveraging technology, I get valuable information that allows me to tailor the presentation in real-time. And when you display the results on-screen, it tends to take the audience out of their seat and make them part of the experience.
Maria Chamberlain, President, Acuity Total Solutions
I enjoy engaging the audience with thought-provoking questions. Even if they can’t answer right away, it often leads to meaningful conversations afterward. It prompts attendees to think about their own experiences and biases, enhancing the learning experience.
Encouraging self-reflection creates an unspoken connection, allowing me to resonate with the audience beyond the presentation. Rhetorical questions often stay with the audience long after the speech, as demonstrated by the personal experiences shared with me afterward.
James Evans, Director & Lead Public Speaking Coach, Vensa Coaching
Get the audience to speak as soon as you can. Start chatting to them as they walk into the room. This will make them more receptive to what you’re saying and more likely to participate in the session.
Use a ‘hands up if’ question. I often start by asking ‘hands up if you’ve ever been nervous before a presentation?‘ and a sea of hands goes up. Then I start a discussion about this. It’s a great way to get them invested and engaged.
I often punctuate training sessions with quick-fire ‘fastest finger first’ quizzes. Tools like Mentimeter and Slido are great for running these. Delegates take part using their phones and compete against their colleagues. When there’s pride or a prize at stake, they can’t help but engage!
Barbara J Mayfield, MS, RDN, LD, FAND, Founder and President at Nutrition Communicator, LLC
When speaking with a corporate audience, engagement is key because you want to take advantage of the collective expertise in the room. The audience will learn from one another as much as from you, and, you will learn from them.
Even before the presentation, implement a way to collect their input whether it be in one-on-one conversations or by sending out a brief survey. Ask good questions and share the results in your presentation. Audiences love to hear what they collectively know, think, and do. Small and large group activities throughout the presentation or training keep the engagement lively and the learning optimal. Some of my personal favorites include “yes, and” improv activities that encourage adding to and supporting the ideas of others rather than trashing them. Others include think-pair-share, flip-chart summaries, and gallery walks. Include quality time for Q&A. Engagement increases attention, understanding, enjoyment, and application of learning. Maximize it.
Matthew Sanjari, Founder and Business Coach, PRIME Consulting
As a serial entrepreneur and public speaker for well over 15 years – I have seen how powerful it is to connect and engage with your audience!
I’ve found that connecting with my audience immediately in the first few seconds is imperative! Whether that’s a reference to something local, or something topical that the specific audience would connect to, I find that putting in that extra research to understand and use a local / specific reference to the audience puts everyone at ease and gets people engaged for what’s next! That could be a specific reference to a long-standing sports team’s historic troubles in the town or an industry-related joke that people in the crowd would be all too familiar with. This sets the tone and creates a rapport with my audience so that they can fully immerse themselves in the rest of the talk.
Derrick Kinney, Money & Business Expert, Good Money Framework
While waiting backstage at a recent event, a speaker was nervously pacing while practicing their key points. They were totally focused on getting their delivery just right. But when they took the stage, they had a problem. The speaker was talking to the audience instead of being with the audience.
I’ve discovered there are 2 things audience members are thinking about when a speaker takes the stage:
- Does this person understand me?
- And what can this person really teach me?
Whether you’re speaking to an exclusive room of 50 or a convention center packed with 15,000, every audience member has unique fears, concerns, and dreams. And it’s your job to connect with each of them.
Over the many years that I’ve been invited to speak to audiences of various sizes in all sorts of settings, from board rooms to convention halls and everything in between, I’ve discovered three steps that can help every corporate speaker better connect with their audience.
Step 1: Have an inclusive introduction. Everyone has come into that room at a different point in their career, having achieved different levels of success and with unique concerns and dreams. By speaking to each person’s individuality, you establish an early foundation of trust.
Step 2: Lead with a problem. Speaking about a concern that impacts each audience member and what the stakes are if the problem isn’t solved is a powerful connection point.
Step 3: Don’t see blank faces as disinterested faces. Often after speaking, the people who are the most expressionless come up to me and rave about my message. Some people just don’t realize how they hold their faces. I try to connect with every face in the audience, if even for just a few seconds at a time if I’m standing in front of a large audience. Sometimes the audience sitting area is made dark intentionally by the meeting planning team; in that case try to image each of the darkened faces intently following your every word as you move across the room in thirds, imagining you are making eye contact with people.
If we’re being honest, all speakers enjoy cashing the honorarium checks. But the greatest definition of success as a corporate speaker is whether each audience member received so much actionable value that they would gladly pay part of your speaking fee themselves. If the answer is yes, you’ve earned your money.
Steve Lentini, Certified Executive Coach, Author, and Public Speaker at Positive Intelligence
I speak with employees of the company I do a keynote for. Typically six weeks or so before and I get to hear from officers, sales people, managers and frontline employees about challenges they face daily. I recommend this because you uncover a theme for your address that is meaningful and can be applied to help the company. I once did a keynote that addressed how to complain effectively to someone who can do something about the problem. This company had an increase in ideas from the workforce that increased productivity and profit. Instead of complaining and gossiping among themselves they learned to bring their complaints (with a suggestion) to their leaders.
The second thing I recommend is story telling. Stories of a company’s challenge and how they overcame it that support your event are a very effective way to engage your audience.
The third thing I do is I always arrive early to meet people. I ask them questions to get to know them better and many ask me questions for the same reason. I make sure to mention those people and what we shared as well as make eye contact with them and others as they typically look around to see the folks that I mention. I do make sure to get their permission to share their story or their opinions.
Jordan Hirsch, CEO, Founder, FishTree
So, some methods to captivate a corporate audience:
- Open with whatever is most important to your audience. If they care about upcoming layoffs, acknowledge that. If everyone’s waiting for you to get to “what will this cost,” open with the cost. You can always come back to a topic, but if your audience really cares about one specific thing, they won’t be listening to you until they hear that thing, so you might as well address it up top and then they can relax and actually engage with your content.
- Get people participating! Even a simple show of hands begins to make your audience feel like they are actually involved, not just passively listening to you. If you’re going to ask your audience a question, really listen to the answers! And be prepared to adjust based on what you hear. I like to go further than this and often invite my audience to do a little writing on their own in response to a prompt, then share their answers, either with their neighbor or with me. Even a small piece of audience interaction near the top can go a long way toward people sticking with you and giving you their attention the whole time.
- Skip the slides, or just use a couple of words or a picture on each one. More often than not, I like to use my slides to inject humor throughout my talks – but not with a lot of words! An image or a short phrase is going to support what you’re saying so much better than putting your entire speakers’ notes on the slide (which so many presenters do).
- Be ready to improvise. My improved training and background help me respond in the moment to the unexpected, which is part of every presentation. No matter what happens in the room, be ready to acknowledge it and speak to it and (bonus points) tie it back to your topic. Audiences go absolutely crazy for that and they think they’ve just seen a magic trick when all you’re really doing is being the first person to acknowledge the surprising thing and then doing a little bit of “yes, and”-ing.
