|
Favorits •
Web Domain Directory •
ODP •
Annuaire FR •
Directorio ES •
Directory EN •
Diretório PT •
IT Katalog •
Czech Katalog •
Polski Katalog •
Maps •
Satellite Photos •
View Card
|
||
![]() |
Public Speaking |
|
|
| ||
|
|
The Top Four Ways To Get Audience Involvement In A Presentation
In the thousands of speeches I've heard very few presenters truly engage and involve the audience. Remember, even the most disciplined and attentive of audiences will switch off after 20 minutes. It never ceases to amaze me how many highly intelligent people, who are experts in their field, end up being poor presenters. They usually have a pattern to their speech. A nervous start with an apology, followed by hiding behind the podium, then a new world record for the number of PowerPoint slides or overheads they can get through in the allocated time and then a mad rush in the last five minutes as they realise they are only half way through their speech! Sound familiar? Maybe you've been in this situation many times before as a member of the audience? Or worse still, been a presenter with this approach? So how can you involve the audience in new and innovative ways? Here are my Top Four Ways to Get Audience Involvement in a Presentation. 1. ASK A QUESTION. It is so painfully obvious yet many presentations fail to incorporate this tried and true technique. You can even use this if you are the MC for an event. A simple question can be a great icebreaker. When planning a speech, work out when and what to ask members of your audience to truly engage and involve them. A good technique is to get the audience to interact with yourself or others by checking their understanding or interpretation of what they've heard so far. 2. PROVIDE AN OPPORTUNITY TO TELL THEIR STORY. Ask audience members to tell their own stories that highlight the point you are trying to make. This not only customises your message, but makes it more relevant to the audience. Case studies work especially well in this format. This involves the audience personally with the presentation and has each member reflecting on the speech. 3. HAVE FUN. Audiences love fun and entertainment. Break your presentation up with some fun and games where people are encouraged to loosen up and play. I find that my audience interaction technique of involving the audience in some simple and not too challenging hammer throw warm up exercises works well even for the most cynical and shy of audiences. The best response I ever had was a series of keynote presentations in the Philippines on branding where audience members had to get in teams and write, script, produce and then perform on stage a 30-second TV commercial for their latest product. It always amazes me how creative people can be when given permission to compete, have fun and play. 4. PLAN THE NEXT STEP. One of the most successful ways to engage an audience is to get them to apply new concepts or ideas to their own situation. You can do this by getting them to set some goals or set a simple action plan based on the information you present in your speech. There are no rules except whatever you do must reinforce the 'essence' of the main message in your speech. This way you can cater for all the kinaesthetic, visual and auditory needs of your audience. Thomas Murrell MBA CSP is an international business speaker, consultant and award-winning broadcaster. Media Motivators is his regular electronic magazine read by 7,000 professionals in 15 different countries. You can subscribe by visiting http://www.8mmedia.com Thomas can be contacted directly at +6189388 6888 and is available to speak to your conference, seminar or event. Visit Tom's blog at http://www.8mmedia.blogspot.com
MORE RESOURCES: |
RELATED ARTICLES
Speech Training - Building Your Voice, Tips from a Professional Having a clear and confident voice is an essential business skill to be an effective leader, manager and communicator.Whether you are presenting in front of a group, performing in the media or speaking on the phone a good voice can be a great asset. Now Appearing: 9 Tips for a Well-Attended Event When I made the decision to do free workshops and book signings for my latest book, Make a Real Living as a Freelance Writer, I thought it would be easy to draw an audience. I had, after all, done all the right things to prepare for this big event: I had a successful e-zine, AbsoluteWrite. How to Get Paid to Speak Now that you have all the contacts you can possibly use, when can you expect to get paid for speaking or other business engagements?You have done your job and spoken to many non-profits and Chambers, your name is getting well known and you have even been paid to do a couple of speeches at places of business. Now it is time to look further down the road. For Speaking Ease, Forgive Your Younger Self I love the Disney movie The Kid with Bruce Willis. In it he plays a stressed-out, high-power image consultant. Time Management I'm late, I'm late, for a very important date. No time to say "hello", "goodbye", I'm late, I'm late, I'm late!Have you ever felt like the White Rabbit in Alice in Wonderland? Rushing from one thing to the next with no time to rest or relax? If so, perhaps what you need is some time management. Dont Judge an Audience by its Stare Don't Prejudge A Situation: In the areas of emotions and feelings, it is important to avoid the natural human tendency to take situations at their face value no matter how practiced one is in making presentations.You May Be Surprised: Our emotions cause us to prejudge an audience, often in direct contradiction to the facts. Overcoming Your Fears of Public Speaking You're waiting your turn to make a speech, when suddenly you realize that your stomach is doing strange things and your mind is rapidly going blank. How do you handle this critical time period?In all of my speaking classes, students ask me how to handle public speaking nervousness, fears, jitters, anxieties - and the physical symptoms these feelings produce. Speak With a Relaxed Body and Mind Fear of public speaking is No.1. Public Speaking Tips: Lessons From Former US President Ronald Reagan If you want public speaking tips, what are the ten insights you can learn from former US President Ronald Reagan who was known as 'The Great Communicator'.The news of the death of former US President Ronald Reagan at 93 in June 2004, has again focussed the world's attention on both his achievements and great communication skills. Speak in Public! Who Me? The first time I had to speak in front of a group was in Air Force boot camp. I had always been very shy, naive, and backward. Public Speaking Tips: The More You Know, The More It Will Flow - Tips For Knowing Your Audience The more you know about your audience, the better your presentation will go.For example, if I've got a large diverse group, I'll ask the organisers to give me the names of five people who will be in the audience who represent a cross section across the organisation. 10 Worst Tips To Give A Speaker 1. Learn the speech by heart or read it from a script. Speak Up or Sit Down Last night the phone rang; my wife said, "I hope it's for you". When I answered, the caller asked, "Ray, would you speak to the Lions Club next month?" First my gut said, "No"; however, my head said, "Do it". Ten Speech Tips for Writing Powerful and Persuasive Presentation Have you ever had to give a speech?Do you remember that feeling? A knot in the stomach, sweaty palms and a panic attack!Not a very pleasant experience. And yet, I'm sure your speech was a success because 90 per cent of a typical audience want the speaker to succeed. A Perfect Meeting: AKA When You Dont Want to Strangle the Speaker Have you ever worked for weeks or even months, often far beyond normal office hours on a special meeting event only to have it turn into THE PERFECT STORM. Well, maybe your entire crew didn't perish at sea, but there were those clearly identifiable moments when it looked as if the ship was about to capsize. Speech Presenting - Seven Ways to Tailor Your Speech to the Audience Every speech has an audience and every audience is different. Tailoring your next speech to its audience is as important as the content in the speech. Lessons in Love for the Shy at Heart One of the biggest regrets of my life is that I was cursed with the shyness gene. Shyness is an often misunderstood condition that can leave the afflicted alone and miserable. Knowing Your Boundaries While delivering a speech, it is clear that we will be judged and perceived in a certain way based on our ideas, words, and body language. Taking a risk and really thinking out of the box can be quite rewarding and at the same time, it can be a disaster. Top 7 Tips for Speakers Public Speaking is the number one way to advance your business career.Do you get nervous when speaking to a group? Do you feel butterflies in your stomach? The following tips will help you get your butterflies to fly in formation. You Too Can Be A Public Speaker Have you ever watched a speaker and said, "Wow, I wish I could speak like that"? or "That person was just so wonderful. I could never do that. |