How to Be a Crowd Pleaser

Being a crowd pleaser goes a bit beyond the basics of public speaking. It also encompasses the psychology of public performance. Clowns, magicians, jugglers and others learn the psychological art of pleasing crowds as they practice their professions. A few guidelines help those in the pubic eye to hone their skills and be effective in front of an audience.

Instructions

Difficulty: Challenging

1. Know your audience. The methods of a skilled entertainer vary according to demographics in general, and age in particular. Avoid the mood-killer of talking down to a crowd. Even if the audience includes children, it's easy to overdo the kiddie talk.
2. Be savvy about audience participation. Skilled performers know how to use this engaging device to their benefit. Some, however, go too far and lose the public sympathy. Learning the comfort levels of those in the audience is crucial to an effective performance.
3. Be positive and friendly. Too many performers rely on flawed concepts of "attractive sarcasm" or misguided cultivation of "edginess" that in reality is turning the crowd off.
4. Work on contingency planning. It's easy to wow a crowd when everything is going your way, but what about when somebody throws a monkey wrench into your act? One of the most important aspects of good performance is knowing what to do when something backfires, from bad props to untimely distractions.
5. Get rapport. That sounds easy, but in reality, it's a combination of some of the above steps, and a guiding goal for a performer or public speaker. To be a crowd pleaser, you must be able to relate to your audience, and when you've earned their respect and admiration, they'll let you know.