Audiences are strange animals. With no prior planning or verbal communication, they decide, in an instant, how to respond to what’s going on in front of them. Rarely, there are outliers who laugh when no one else does, or fail to rise for a standing ovation, but for the most part, an audience acts as one.
Sometimes, an audience for a talk or presentation doesn’t applaud when it’s over. That can be an unsettling experience for a speaker, leaving them wondering how their message resonated, or if they connected at all.
First, just understand that their reaction may have little or nothing to do with you. The weather, current events, and the time of day can all affect how an audience responds.
Second, however, you can take a look at the signals you’re sending. Audiences are watching you carefully to pick up on all the messages you’re communicating, and it could be that you’re not signaling “My talk is over! It’s time to to clap!”
Signals your audience might be looking for include:
—a slightly slower vocal cadence toward the end of your talk
—a short and impactful summary of the main theme of your talk
—a phrase like, “in closing”
—vocally “landing” your last sentence, punctuating it so that your voice goes down at the end.
When we don’t observe some or all of these signals, we’re making it tough for the audience to know what they should do. Give them no room to wonder, and everybody will be happier!
