Ever wish you could walk on stage and instantly connect with your audience, whether it’s a room of five people or a stadium of 50,000?

In this episode, Diane Diaz and I are trying something new: a reaction video to a famous speech. And who better to kick things off than Taylor Swift’s 2022 NYU Commencement Address?

You might think being a global superstar makes Taylor impossible to relate to. But what she does in this speech is exactly what you can do in your own presentations to make your audience lean in, laugh, and feel like you’re speaking directly to them.

We break down three powerful speaking tips for relatability that you can start using right away:

• Self-deprecating humor to lower the pedestal and create connection.
• Knowing your audience: their stage in life, challenges, and what they want next.
• Bridging personal stories to universal themes so your message resonates far beyond the details of your own experience. 

Whether you’re delivering a keynote, leading a workshop, or speaking on a panel, these strategies will help you connect, engage, and inspire, no guitar required (unless you have one, then bring it!).

Links:

Show notes at https://www.speakingyourbrand.com/438/ 

Watch our video conversation: https://youtu.be/-Mm2_urTF40

Taylor Swift Commencement Address at NYU in 2022: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OBG50aoUwlI

Taylor on Travis Kelce’s New Heights podcast in August 2025: https://youtu.be/M2lX9XESvDE?si=r_GL2a_iNf2F_iuJ 

Discover your Speaker Archetype by taking our free quiz at https://www.speakingyourbrand.com/quiz/

Enroll in our Thought Leader Academy: https://www.speakingyourbrand.com/academy/ 

Connect on LinkedIn:

• Carol Cox = https://www.linkedin.com/in/carolcox
• Diane Diaz = https://www.linkedin.com/in/dianediaz/ 

Related Podcast Episodes:

• Episode 426: Every Talk Needs Humor: Here are 5 Ways to Make Your Audience Laugh
• Episode 398: Storytelling for Leaders: Crafting Narratives that Inspire and Persuade