Speaking to a large audience is intimidating – speaking to an audience of 550 on stage that is set up like a TED talk can be downright terrifying. 

When I was asked by my day job to undertake this presentation for foodservice operators, I knew from talking to the organizers it was going to be a big deal. Nothing prepared me for arriving in Vegas for my rehearsal time and seeing that stage. I felt like I needed to be presentation version of Bono and that made me NERVOUS!

Delivering a presentation to a big audience is very different than speaking at your local Toastmasters club or even to an audience of 100 people. Here are my surprising revelations from the big stage:

Realization #1: Butterflies were flying out of formation

I'm a seasoned speaker. I've probably given nearly 10,000 presentations in my life. I still get nervous, but my butterflies are easily tamed.  Not that day! I stepped on stage, thought I felt pretty good and realized that I was completely out of breath when I began to speak. My adrenaline was pumping, and I couldn't control my breath. Good thing I really KNEW my introduction. I was able to pause a beat longer and catch up to my breath. The shortness of breath didn't last more than a couple of minutes, but I was glad I knew how to get it under control.

Realization #2: You can't see beyond the second row

Big stage, bright light and the sudden epiphany that you can't see beyond the first two rows of the audience. This is what a rock star must feel like on stage. Scott Berkun warned me about this in his book Confessions of a Pubic Speaker (non-affilate link). It's hard to know if the audience is with you or not, but I still kept looking around the room like I could see even the last row. I was also extra enthusiastic and passionate to draw the audience into my message.

Realization #3: Don't look at the video screen

This talk was like a TED talk. The tech guys cut from my PowerPoint to a close up of me. I made the mistake early on of referencing to something on my slide but instead turned around to a larger than life image of myself! Yikes! From that point on, I kept my eyes forward looking out to the audience that I couldn't see!

Realization #4: Build relationships with the event organizers to build relationships with the audience

The event organizers want you to succeed. They want you to address the audience members needs and help solve their problems. Take their guidance and advice. They are your most valuable resource to a successful presentation.

Realization #5: Minimize the PowerPoint

PowerPoint gets in the way of building relationships with the audience especially a large audience. Use PowerPoint sparingly. Stick to a maximum of 10 words on a slide. Use custom animation to bring each bullet point in. PowerPoint should enhance a presentation not act as a subsitute for the speaker.

Realization #6: Stories are better than bar charts

“No bar charts,” the organizers chided me, “our audiences prefer stories to charts.”  In a big room, bar charts are difficult to read. Pulling out numbers and telling a story around them is a more effective way to use numbers in a presentation.Public speaking coach, Lisa Braithwaite explains why audiences don't like your bar charts. Bottom line: stories are always more compelling than bar charts.

Realization #7: Steve Martin makes any presentation memorable

Be creative! Use video or memorable images to make the presentation more engaging. I was lucky with this presentation. One of my points was on the rise of alone eating in America. Steve Martin in The Lonely Guy was able to illustrate why people don't like dining alone. This movie clip could tell the story better than I ever could.

After it was all over, the planner came up to me that she enjoyed it and could NEVER speak to that many people!

What are your thoughts about speaking to a large crowd? Share them in the comments below or sign up to stay up-to-date on latest news from Relationally Speaking!