Determine Audience’s Core Heartfelt Need – Persuasive Speaking

When you craft your message, recognize there are different age groups in your audience.  Each age group (e.g. 20-30 year olds, 30-40 year olds) has a different set of strongly felt needs and expectations.  As a speaker you need to be aware of each age group’s core expectations. 

Some age groups would rather be informed, some provoked, still others are looking for training.  How do you merge all these different expectations into one message?

Find the commonality(s) of each age group before you talk.  For instance, I was asked to speak to a group 75 small business owners and professionals sponsored by the local Chamber of Commerce.  My topic – “Why You Need a Business Coach?” 

It was a diverse group of males and females ranging from age 25 to 70.  What can I say that intersects the heart of each individual no matter age or gender?   I asked them to locate paper and pen and write down a one or two word answer to this question:  “What in your life, personally or professionally is not working right now …….is it about Family? Customers?  Employees?  Marketing?  Delegating?  Time Management?”  I then said (after a pause), “Focus on that thought.  Now look to me – you see what you have in front of you? – I can help!”

Everyone’s heartfelt issue has been brought to their consciousness, regardless of age or circumstance.  Now you have everyone’s attention.

Find the common need.  Everyone has something lacking in their life.  I next challenged the audience that now is the time to address that need.  They can continue to dance around the issue but evidently they must address it.  I can empower that person with a plan to overcome the matter and therefore change their life.  To work through that need (depending on their age), some will need to be educated, some empowered, some provoked, some encouraged, some informed. 

Even though each individual came to the meeting with different expectations, when they leave they now know they have a resource to help them overcome the primary challenge hindering their life.

If you make the beginning of your message about them, (and not about you) the audience will stay with you to the end.

How do you persuade people to do business with you?  Determine the group’s core need and speak to it with confidence.  You can empower them to overcome it, grow it, nurture it, change it (you get the picture) etc.  First, people need to buy INTO you before they buy FROM you.  When you show the audience that you understand their heartfelt need (and have the tools to help them), they will flock to you. 

What are you going to say at your next talk, that a week from today each audience member will remember your key point(s)?

Bottom Line:  Find the Heartfelt Issue in the Group that is Relevant to Almost Everyone