I find myself asking how I relate to those who are not anything like me? Then I realize that really is not fair.
- They live in the same country I do
- They speak English
- They are all in high school (I was too- 20 years ago)
- They are teenagers (I was too- long ago)
Maybe we are not that different after all.
It is just perspective- the times are different yet many of their ‘struggles’ as teenagers are the same as mine were. They may not see it that way- I probably wouldn’t have when I was a teenager.
I spoke at a local career day to a group of senior high school students. Building rapport is just as important in that situation as it is for any other speech. Rapport is an often forgotten piece of public speaking.
Know your audience. Find ways in which you are similar. Use those similarities and common situations to help illustrate points. For instance, I was speaking to an English class and had been asked to address how important language and grammar are in my business life. The students don’t necessarily relate to my business life. In addition to that information, I shared a story about a college football player and the impact his language had on the audience perception of him. That they could relate too – they are off to college or technical school next year and very focused on the whole college experience.
It is easy to speak to your target market- it is the other groups that force you to stretch and push your boundaries. Step out of your comfort zone and build rapport with groups outside of your target market. Stretching those muscles will increase your ability to build rapport with any audience.
