Speaking to Large vs Small Audiences

Connect to people, not numbers. 

Opportunity is everywhere.

As someone who has spoken on stages to audiences of all sizes, I can tell you that some of my favorite speaking presentations have been on the smaller scale. 

There is power in the small room. 

Just a few weeks ago at a conference, I had the pleasure of presenting to a group of women in a small, intimate setting and it was both interactive and engaging.

Although I led the conversation with talking points, everyone was able to offer their own personal voice, tell stories, share resources. We ended up running over our allotted time since everyone was so engaged in sharing, learning and growing together. We were simply a group of women leaders, spanning all different ages and roles, in conversation. 

That isn't quite as possible on a large stage. Don’t get me wrong, I love a room full of hundreds of guests, the energy is electric, but don’t pass up the chance to chat with 20 or 50 either.

People do business with people they know, like and trust and what better way to get to know someone than a small room.  

What I learned from this particular session, which happened to be about women and negotiation, is that the younger generation of women is much more comfortable discussing money than older generations. 

Society is changing and that was a welcome shift, as I’ve been talking about women and money for decades. We need to own our value and our worth and speak up! 

Women across all ages are empowering one another more and more. I see it at every event I attend. The camaraderie is fantastic. The days of competition and comparison are not popular anymore. We are learning that strength comes from support. 

Back to speaking, does your audience GET you? Are they the RIGHT people to sit in those seats? Will you provide them with VALUE? Do you have the ANSWERS to their questions? Can you help them GROW? Are you the SOLUTION?

If those answers are a resounding yes, then does it really matter how many people are in the room? 

No! Quality over quantity…

Every. Single. Day.