8 Touches Every Speaker Should Master

The other day, I had a conversation with someone about the number of touches it takes to get someone to say “yes” to working with us. I knew I’d written an article about that at some point and went to find it. Sure enough, in a December 2017 article, I wrote about how the number of “touches” it takes had gone up to between 8-10. 

If you’re wondering why there’s a laughing face next to that statistic, it’s because six years later, it takes an average of 8 touches just to get an initial meeting! Worse yet, getting to a definitive yes or no can take between 20 – 30 touches! Yikes! That’s a lot of touches… unless… you’re a public speaker. If you are, you can take care of at least 8 touches when you speak, which is why it was so easy for me to come up with this list of 8 touches you can help your audience check off with your signature presentation.

Some might seem a little personal, but let’s be honest, these are the kinds of questions we ask ourselves when we’re sitting in someone’s audience. So don’t hate them! Embrace them… even the ones that might make you cringe. It’s answering these questions that helps people decide if they’re going to reach out to you after your talk.

1. Do I like how this speaker presents themselves? There’s no right or wrong here. Just own how you’ve decided to present yourself. That way, you know the people who reach out to you already like your style.
2. Do I believe this person is the expert they say they are? Make sure your creds are accurately shared pre-event, on LinkedIn, your website, and in your intro. After that, make sure your expertise is on display via what you share with your audience while you’re speaking.
3. Am I interested in what this speaker is talking about? If someone hears you and isn’t interested in moving forward, your talk has done the hard work of helping someone dis-qualify themselves as a good match for what you have to offer. This is a good thing.
4. Does this speaker care? Sometimes, speakers think their passion for what they do shines through when it doesn’t. This is where your personal story comes in. It matters to them. Share it genuinely and sincerely and with a natural level of emotion, and your audience will absolutely know you care.
5. Am I learning, hearing, thinking, or feeling something different as a result of spending time in this expert’s audience? If you can’t answer this question for someone sitting in your audience… it’s time for a signature talk review!
6. Is this person giving me enough information to decide if I want to know more? When you can address the questions and concerns your audience is walking in with, they’ll feel like you’re reading their mind. When you confidently share what’s new and possible for them, they’ll have new questions and be more likely to reach out to you for answers.
7. Does what this person is offering sound worth my time, energy, and possibly money? Make sure that whatever you offer at the end of your talk is the next logical step for someone to take with you. That way they’ll already be thinking it’s worth their time, energy, and money!
8. Am I inspired enough to say, “Yes. I want to learn more about you and what you have to offer!” This is probably the touch we care the most about. And who can blame us! If people are reaching out, we’re closer to working with them. If they aren’t, it can be hard to figure out why. Well… if that’s the case… let’s chat. This is my expertise and I’d be happy to help you figure it out.

I hope you’ll take these “new year” reminders of how many touches you have access to as a public speaker and use them to your advantage.