Effective public speakers can pull the audience into their message, keeping them engaged from beginning to end. They deliver valuable insights and information the audience can walk away with and apply in their own professional and personal lives. But what is it about these speakers that captivate us, particularly in the iGaming space where complex elements must be understood for the talk to be effective? Is it that they speak beyond words, communicating their message with their body, tone of voice, and an air of confidence? Or is it that they’re so well-versed in the subject that we can’t help but appreciate their expertise and passion?
When it comes to effective speaking, myriad elements like these come together to make a great public speaker. Read on as we identify the essential elements of an effective speaker in the iGaming industry.
Subject Matter Expertise
From regulatory frameworks, licensing protocols, and responsible gaming measures to industry marketing trends, tech innovations, and cybersecurity strategies, the iGaming industry has many complex components. Someone speaking on the subject not only needs to have in-depth knowledge of them but also remain updated on them. They also need to be aware of the various factors influencing these components to have a full understanding of the subject.
Each of these is vital for iGaming operators and regulators in making informed decisions for their business, policies, and players. These elements are essential for any speaker aiming to provide comprehensive industry insights to be aware of.
It’s also helpful for speakers to know about related industries like psychology, which influences how players interact with the industry, and fintech innovations, including decentralized systems like cryptocurrencies and blockchain, which are increasingly integrating with software in customer-facing services, including gambling.
Strong Communication Capabilities
From crafting an impactful iGaming speech to delivering it, effective communication is essential. Communication is necessary in shaping a compelling narrative, which is key to capturing and holding an audience’s attention. It helps the audience become emotionally invested in the speech and sets it up to have a clear beginning, middle, and end that they can easily follow.
In order to effectively communicate, a speaker needs to understand the audience they’ll be speaking to. This will help them craft a compelling speech that resonates with the audience and delivers insights and information relevant to them. By understanding the audience, speakers can address concerns before they arise, delivering a speech that feels perfectly tailored and connects deeply with listeners.
Strong communicators are also able to deliver complex topics, like shifting regulations across jurisdictions or understanding blockchains and their impact on the iGaming industry. Essentially, strong speakers can convey these complex ideas in a clear, concise, and compelling way. The ability to do this builds trust with an audience and instills confidence in the speaker’s knowledge, making the audience more receptive to what the speaker has to say.
Engaging Presentation Style
Being able to write an effective speech is essential, but it is only one part of delivering a great talk. Another important component is a speaker’s presentation style. They need to be engaging, confident, and authentic. To deliver this, they don’t get in front of an audience and simply imitate the speaking styles of other great speakers; they may borrow elements, but they’re uniquely themselves. This might come through by adding their humor and wit to a talk or by embracing their calm, soft-spoken style that encourages the audience to lean in to better hear and connect with them.
Beyond how they connect on a personal level with an audience, they also consider their speaking pace and body language. A great speaker uses more than just their voice—they incorporate inflection and physicality to enhance their delivery.
Shaping Opinions, Not Just Sharing Facts
Often, when people are listening to a speech, they’re not just looking for information. They’re also looking for inspiration, insight, and opinions from experts. This means that a speaker has to be more than someone who just reiterates information about the iGaming industry—they must provide actionable insights beyond mere facts. An effective speaker will share insights into the industry’s latest trends and advances, referencing real-world examples like the top-rated options for real money gambling, to help the audience build a framework to understand the concepts and opinions the speaker is sharing. The speaker is not just listing the top platforms or impressive stats; they are building real-world context to reinforce their insights.
Being Well Prepared and Practiced
There’s a reason the saying “practice makes perfect” remains commonplace and has been used for centuries—it has proven tried and true. When it comes to delivering a speech, being well-practiced is the difference between success and embarrassment. A compelling speaker feels comfortable with their speech, knowing it inside and out before stepping up to the podium.
But a good speaker doesn’t just rehearse and know what they’re going to say. They’re also going to be prepared for audience questions and be capable of answering them with confidence and clarity. This might mean that if their talk is about online gambling platforms’ adoption of emerging digital wallets, they’ve also reviewed information relating to this, like the use of the latest cryptocurrencies in the industry.
Being Adaptable
Last but not least, a speaker must be adaptable. They can read the room and adjust their style to suit the people and atmosphere. While they’re speaking, a curveball might come their way—like a technical issue or an excited audience member interjecting with their thoughts. As much as we prepare and plan, public speaking comes with surprises, and adaptability keeps speakers on track. Plus, it’s an opportunity to create a lasting impression with your audience.
Final Thoughts
The next time you attend a seminar or symposium or watch a TED Talk video where you feel connected, inspired, and informed by the speaker, take a second to review their speaking technique. More than likely, you’ll find they demonstrate these qualities. You may even discover another quality that isn’t covered here that you can learn from and apply to your next speech, meeting, or networking event—because the qualities of a great speaker carry through any time we need to connect with people, whether large groups or individuals.
