Mastering the Art of Communication: How to Leave Your Audience Wanting More

When You Speak, What Do You Hope Happens?

I’ve been “public” speaking for over two decades. If we include talking to others, we’ve been public speakers most of our life.

In the marketplace, I hosted and conducted many client presentations (sales, updates, etc.). I began teaching middle schoolers in ministry and progressed to adults when I became a lead pastor. There’s nothing more humbling than speaking to a group of teens. Adults pretend to care even when they don’t. Teenagers just turn around and get on their phones.

Looking back on my many forms and places of communicating, I always had a goal. I didn’t always have a great process, but I always had an “end in mind.”

You do, too. Think about it for a moment. If you communicate on any level, what’s your goal? What do you hope happens during and, more importantly, after you speak?

Our Speaking Aim

In the marketplace, I wanted the client to purchase a product or service or to leave a presentation confident and excited about the progress we were making. I wanted people on the other side of me to feel valued and believe what they were getting was a great value from a person they valued.

I wanted something similar in ministry. I hoped people would hear the message and feel moved to apply it. Or consider using it in their lives.

On both sides, application was the goal. And that is still true for me today.

I wholeheartedly believe the point of every communication is application.

I teach this in my marketplace and ministry communication coaching sessions.

How can we best achieve this purpose? That’s a fundamental question we must all answer to achieve this goal.

Our Speaking Posture

I was recently reading the Book of Acts in the Bible. Whether you’re a marketplace leader or a non-Christian, hang out with me. What I read applies to us all.

Two rather important first-century guys in the movement of Christianity were speaking to a group of people about Jesus and their faith. After their sermon, the writer of Acts noted this:

“As Paul and Barnabas left the synagogue that day, the people begged them to speak about these things again the next week.”

‭‭Acts of the Apostles‬ ‭13‬:‭42‬ ‭NLT‬‬

This seemingly insignificant statement hit me between the eyes.

I grew up in a church family, and I’ve been attending church since I was born. I’ve heard a lot of sermons. I can’t say this unequivocally, but for the most part, I didn’t get the impression the pastors or speakers ever considered my “longing to come back again next week.” I certainly don’t remember “begging” to return next week.

It was as if they just assumed I’d come back next week. After all, our family were Christians, the church would be open for services, and that’s what people like us do. I mean, why wouldn’t we come back?

Perhaps pastors got away with this 30 and 40 years ago. This no longer works, though. I don’t think it’s ever worked well in the marketplace.

Our posture and process determine how our message is received and applied.

You already know this is true if you’re married (or dating). What you say is less important than how you say it.

How to Leave People Begging to Come Back For More

Every time I speak, I want people to leave begging for more. I want people to want to come back. I want people to want to hear more about the topic or idea.

I realize that’s quite a lofty target, but imagine for a moment if we could reach this goal.

In ministry…

I suspect enjoyment would rise. Application would increase. Participation would grow. And if bet attendance would be more consistent.

In the marketplace…

Marketplace communicators would experience a similar benefit. Your posture, tone, and presence dictate how you are perceived. You’re seeking to increase influence, and how you speak can increase your influence or decrease your relationship with customers, staff, and everyone in between.

Think about it. We all want to work with people we like and trust. We want to follow leaders worth following. We want to consider faith messages from people who seemingly care about us.

These are all posture conversations.

Here are 10 tips to help people beg to come back to listen to you more:

1. Connect Before You Communicate

Don’t just jump right into the “meat” of your message. People need to connect with you to connect with the content. I don’t mean you should take 5 minutes, but at least a few seconds. And “Good morning” or “I’m excited to be with you today” are terrible connections.

If you’re being introduced, skip the bio and give your introducer something you can use as a connection jumping-off point. For example, I just preached at a church in Indiana. It was my first time on the stage at this church, so I asked the lead pastor to say, “Gavin’s wife went to college in Evansville, Indiana, so during college, he drove up here every other weekend to visit. Last night at dinner, he was just grateful to fly this time!” This is silly, but it helped the crowd connect with me. And I could walk on stage and say, “Go Evansville Purple Aces!” People cheered, and off we went.

QUICK NOTE: If you’re a leader, you’re a communicator. Let me know if you or your team could use some communication coaching.

Take our free Communication Style Assessment to discover your natural communication wiring.

2. Create a Reason to Listen

Too many speakers assume people are interested because they are in the room. But just because you’re speaking doesn’t mean anyone is listening.

It’s the speaker’s job to create a reason to listen. Think of this as introducing tension or interest after your connection. Introduce a problem that must be solved or a mystery that needs to be resolved. Make sure you personalize this tension, too.