How to Crush-It and Meet the Ever-Changing Expectations of Your Audience
Aug 24, 2020
Micro-weddings, elopements, short attention spans, venue restrictions... there are many reasons why expectations for a ceremony have recently changed in dramatic ways. The length of the list expectations has grown, while the time to achieve them has shrunk. The way we communicate in general has been disrupted in the last 6-24 months due to social media trends, the rise of virtual chatting, and our dependence on video to transfer information. Even during the most important moment in someone's life, we still have to fight for the attention of the audience.
The modern meaning of the word "public speaker" dates back to 1430, and while many traditional orator practices are tried-and-true for professional talkers, the audience looks nothing like it did just 6 years ago, let alone 600.
Demanding an audience's attention and keeping them in the moment (and off their phones) during a ceremony takes thoughtful preparation, the right pace, and lots of practice!
You're Such a Character!
According to Forbes, you have 10 solid minutes of your audience's attention. The good news is that lasting beyond that time is possible. One advantage Celebrants have is that we are talking about people who are loved by the audience. Forbes recommends introducing characters to help get your point across-- it's why storytelling has become so popular in marketing a business too. Ceremonies HAVE characters, whether it's a couple in love, a newborn child, or celebrating a family member who has died. Focusing on the characters right in front of you from the start will buy you extra time with the audience.
Make Micro-Minutes Last!
We mentioned the growing number of micro-weddings, a trend on the rise that has been ignited further by rescheduled ceremonies and safety measurements due to the pandemic. For this reason, your public speaking skills better be polished because you need to make the most of the moment with less.
First, you want to give your clients the quality of a full ceremony without adding to the quantity of their exposure in group settings. Make it snappy and keep everyone healthy! A couple or family may already feel like their wedding day, child's birth, or death of a loved one has been rocked by unfathomable or tragic circumstances. Not to mention, official safety restrictions outside of their control. To them, the day may look like a stripped down version of the full celebration they were hoping for.
The impact of your presentation is one of the few things that can turn their micro-feelings back into their BIG moment! We LOVE officiating micro-weddings, but if that wasn't a couple's first choice, then they may feel slighted leading up to the big day. If you are stumbling over your words, speaking too fast, or reading your script like a robot, the feelings, unfortunately, stay.
The modern meaning of the word "public speaker" dates back to 1430, and while many traditional orator practices are tried-and-true for professional talkers, the audience looks nothing like it did just 6 years ago, let alone 600.
Demanding an audience's attention and keeping them in the moment (and off their phones) during a ceremony takes thoughtful preparation, the right pace, and lots of practice!
You're Such a Character!
According to Forbes, you have 10 solid minutes of your audience's attention. The good news is that lasting beyond that time is possible. One advantage Celebrants have is that we are talking about people who are loved by the audience. Forbes recommends introducing characters to help get your point across-- it's why storytelling has become so popular in marketing a business too. Ceremonies HAVE characters, whether it's a couple in love, a newborn child, or celebrating a family member who has died. Focusing on the characters right in front of you from the start will buy you extra time with the audience.
Make Micro-Minutes Last!
We mentioned the growing number of micro-weddings, a trend on the rise that has been ignited further by rescheduled ceremonies and safety measurements due to the pandemic. For this reason, your public speaking skills better be polished because you need to make the most of the moment with less.
First, you want to give your clients the quality of a full ceremony without adding to the quantity of their exposure in group settings. Make it snappy and keep everyone healthy! A couple or family may already feel like their wedding day, child's birth, or death of a loved one has been rocked by unfathomable or tragic circumstances. Not to mention, official safety restrictions outside of their control. To them, the day may look like a stripped down version of the full celebration they were hoping for.
The impact of your presentation is one of the few things that can turn their micro-feelings back into their BIG moment! We LOVE officiating micro-weddings, but if that wasn't a couple's first choice, then they may feel slighted leading up to the big day. If you are stumbling over your words, speaking too fast, or reading your script like a robot, the feelings, unfortunately, stay.
Arrive prepared, speak clearly in an authentic voice, lead the celebration at a pace that welcomes everyone onboard, and we have no doubt your presentation will make a huge impact!
If it feels 1430 was the date of your last public speaking training, we can help! Enrollment is open now for our Public Speaking & Presentation course beginning in September 2020. Visit our Learning Library to view this course and learn about all opportunities to learn with Celebrant Academy's expert instructors!
