Holding an Audience in the Palm of Your Hand
Most of us who deliver presentations on a regular basis are familiar with the theory of how to give captivating talks. Be dynamic, articulate, engaging. Relate to the audience, use examples and interactivity. The buzz words are as old as the hills. Putting such advice into practice however, is another matter altogether when you’re standing on the stage.
There are a number of more fundamental points to remember when it comes to presenting, which are easier to employ and can make the difference between an audience which is fully engaged and one which is watching the clock.
At Fifth Dimension we have many years’ experience in delivering presentations and workshops. We engage your audience, create enthusiasm and help motivate people to change some of their thinking and behaviours.
Here we reveal some of the tactics we employ to help hold our audience in the palm of our hand:
Stories tend to prompt an emotional response from the listener and are therefore a great way in which to engage an audience
Tell a Story
Humans are innately wired for stories. We are told stories as children and then read novels as adults. Stories tend to prompt an emotional response from the listener and are therefore a great way in which to engage an audience for lengthy time periods. Most stories will involve case studies which serve as examples to which a presenter can refer in order to inject life into their subject and make it more compelling.
Build a rapport
Developing a relationship with your audience is key to keeping them interested. The prospect of establishing a relationship with a bunch of strangers may seem challenging at first but it is achievable. Although the relationship won’t be the kind you’re used to enjoying with friends and family, appealing to a range of gestures, tones of voice, and humour, in addition to using plenty of eye contact, will ensure that you set up a sense of trust and mutual respect that will make the presentation more personal for each member of the audience and therefore more engaging.
Develop your emotional intelligence
The concept of emotional intelligence, or ‘EQ’, is becoming increasingly recognised as a useful resource when it comes to empathising with your audience. The term refers to an ability to be intuitive and perceptive; those with high emotional intelligence are good at putting themselves in the position of others and as a result, tend to be high achievers. Their ability to predict others’ behaviour and understand their motivations gives them an advantage when it comes to working with people. The good news is that, although most of us are unable to increase our IQ, EQ can most certainly be learned, and its inclusion into your presentation toolkit will make a difference on many fronts.
Variety is key
Ensuring that your talk is full of variety is also very important. However, what many presenters often forget is that this is true as much for the delivery as the subject matter itself. Introduce changes to your tone of voice and the mood of delivery, to reveal the range of speaker types within you. The passionate speaker radiates energy and infectious enthusiasm for example, an effect which tends to rub off on their audience. The analytical speaker on the other hand, gains credibility by relaying information in a clear, concise manner – perfect for demonstrating expertise but be wary of indulging this mode for too long as it can become boring for listeners. In addition to appealing to the auditory senses, incorporating visual aids into your talk such as props, eye-catching images (however you also have to be aware of ‘death by PowerPoint’ as people can overuse it) or magic, will also help to further engage and stimulate the audience. The point is to be able to incorporate all the different types of presenting skills and props into your presentation and use them flexibly, so that the audience are constantly entertained!
Drop us a line to find out more about our engaging presentations and how we can help engage your audience.