Creating Magic Moments and WOWing Your Audience with Ronny Leber.

Welcome to Public Speaking with Peter George. Do you want to be calm, confident, and credible every time you speak in public? Then stay tuned as Peter and his guests discuss public speaking tips, techniques, and tactics that help you increase your impact, influence, and income. Here's your host, the author of The Captivating Public Speaker, Peter George.

Do you want to wow your audiences? Would doing so help you stand apart from other speakers? My guest Ronny Leber tells you how to create what he calls magic moments so you can wow your audiences. Ronny is a world-renowned keynote speaker, TV host, stadium host, and legacy coach who has entertained millions of people worldwide at sporting events, corporate events, and seminars. Here's my conversation with Ronny Leber.

How Ronny Found His Calling

Peter: How did you get into public speaking?

Ronny: My first inspiration was in high school in 1996. I was in an Election 96 class that took us to see Al Gore and Bill Clinton. I saw Al Gore working the audience and thought — that is something I would love to be able to do. Years later, after studying economics and sports at two universities, I asked myself what I was passionate about. The answer was events that bring the whole world together — the World Cup, the Olympics. Moments where you are so consumed that you forget everything else. That passion led me to host youth soccer events, then to become the stadium announcer for a professional hockey team in Vienna. That's when I saw this could be a career.

The Three Most Important Things in Public Speaking

Peter: What do you perceive as the most important things when speaking in public?

Ronny: Three things. First, know your outcome before you step on any stage. Why are you there? Second, know your audience. Who are they? Why are they there — because they want to be, or because they have to? The more you know about them, the more you can touch them emotionally and take them on a journey. Third, decide what feeling you want to leave them with. Not just your call to action, but the emotional residue — the feeling that stays after they leave the room.

I'll give you an example from sales. I knocked on 3,000 doors for a telecommunications company and wrote 1,500 contracts with a churn rate you could count on two hands. My outcome wasn't to educate people on every detail of the contract. It was to leave them with a feeling. When I walked out, I wanted them thinking: I might not understand everything he said, but I trust him. Trust is critical. You don't earn it by standing on a stage and announcing that you deserve it — you build it through relationship.

Common Mistakes Inexperienced Speakers Make

Peter: What are the common mistakes you see inexperienced speakers make?

Ronny: Making it about themselves instead of the audience — we already talked about that. But just as important: not truly knowing your audience. I made this mistake myself. I was hired to speak to executive assistants. I couldn't put myself in their shoes. I didn't know what it felt like to be an assistant. And if you can't feel your audience, you can't pick them up where they are — and that's your main job. If you don't hook them in the opening, you've lost them. And many of them you'll never get back. They're already on their phones wondering what they're doing there.

What Is a Magic Moment?

Peter: You talk about magic moments. What's a magic moment and how can a speaker create one?

Ronny: Let me turn that around — what's a magic moment to you?

Peter: To me, it's when the audience and I are truly engaged, when I know I'm making a difference. I can see it in their faces and their body language. That's when I know my desire to serve them is coming to fruition.

Ronny: Beautiful. At the end of our lives, we won't remember everything. But certain moments — certain magic moments — will have had such emotional meaning that we'll carry them forever. They can be enormous, like watching Mickey Mantle bat as a kid with your father. Or small, like the thing that makes you fall asleep with a grin.

And here's what's powerful: we can create them. Think about a marriage proposal. The person proposing asks themselves: Who am I doing this for? What does she like? Should we be alone or with others? What about the music? What's the perfect setting? They plan every detail, visualize the moment, and then let it happen. That intentionality — thinking through the experience you want to create, for someone you care about — is exactly the formula for a magic moment on stage.

Preparing Like a Pro Athlete

Peter: How do you prepare for an important gig?

Ronny: I think about preparation in three stages, like a sports team. Stage one is pre-season: the ongoing development of yourself as a performer. Storytelling, articulation, vocal melody, acting classes, comedy workshops, even dancing. Everything that makes you better on stage — that's your long-term foundation. Stage two is game prep: when you know you have a specific gig, you research your audience, clarify your outcome, determine what feeling you want to leave them with, and understand where you fit in the lineup.

Then I start with the end. I know my closing first — what is the call to action? What feeling do I want them walking out with? Then I work backward. From the close, I design the opening. Then I map two or three points that get me from start to finish, each built around a story. Stage three is game day: the mental warm-up. Visualizing success. Connecting to the audience even before you walk out. Feeling them from backstage and getting yourself into the state you want them to be in. You have to get there first. Then go out and rock and roll.

Getting on Television as a Speaker

Peter: You've been a TV host. What advice do you have for speakers who want to get on a show?

Ronny: Make it about the audience watching, not about you. Bring value — not just tips, but something engaging and slightly provocative that makes people say, I need to hear where this is going. Use vivid examples and storytelling. And start building your media contacts before you need them. Dig your well before you're thirsty. Compile a database of journalists, TV producers, and show hosts. Even without a current topic, get your name out there. When a relevant story breaks, you need to be fast — email or call immediately and offer a statement. You already have the contact. And remember: anticipate. You know Christmas comes in December. You know the Super Bowl is coming. If those events connect to your topic, prepare ahead and offer something newsworthy before the moment arrives.

Peter: Ronny, this has been great. Where can listeners connect with you?

Ronny: Come to ronnyleber.com. You'll find blog posts on structure, body language, voice, and more. And connect with me on LinkedIn, Instagram, or Facebook — Ronny Leber.

Thank you for listening to this episode of Public Speaking with Peter George. Are you ready to be calm, confident, and credible every time you speak in public? Then visit petergeorgepublicspeaking.com and let's make it happen. I'll see you next time.