First impression is the last impression – this phrase may not be true in all spheres of life, but it definitely holds true while presenting at workplaces. Presentation skills, along with the ability to create a dynamic and engaging presentation, are amongst the most valued soft skills in an individual at corporates. While almost every position involves some level of presenting, individuals often fail to retain attention while presenting to a large audience.
If you are looking for ways to engage your audience, you have landed on the right article. Here, we will elaborately discuss not only the ways but also how they are infallible. While the internet is full of similar content, in order to actually practice the methods discussed, you need to understand them first.
Let us now have a look at the different ways to make your presentation stand out amongst your peers.
Understand Your Audience
While this may seem like a no-brainer, it is imperative to understand your audience. Only if you know them and the things they care about, you will be able to grasp their attention. Knowing their needs and addressing them is highly essential for any presenter.
For example, if you know you are dealing with tech enthusiasts, you can begin your presentation with recent development in the SaaS industry. That is sure to catch their attention. Whereas, if you begin by cracking a joke, the audience might immediately zone out.
Answer Their Whys
Simon Sinek, an American motivational speaker, often stresses the importance of knowing and addressing the why’s of any individual. While presenting, you should address the whys of your audience. Why are they present at that conference? Why should they be listening? Why should they be paying attention? Why should they engage?
These are just some questions you should keep in mind while preparing your content. These whys will also ensure that your content is on-point and in-line with their expectations.
Show Your Passion
Imagine Martin Luther King delivering his “I have a dream” speech without passion. Would that have caught anyone’s attention? Probably not. Let alone inspiring people to step up for their rights. Irrespective of the size of the crowd you will be addressing, passion is essential.
We live in a hyper-connected world, distractions are easily available. This makes your task as a presenter more difficult. Although practicing voice modulations and ensuring confidence will definitely help your cause.
Simplify Your Content
Go back to the class where your professor explained a complex theory giving relatable examples. Most of us understand the things when we find them relatable. While presenting, monologues tune out audiences in seconds.
It is important that you breakdown your complex set of facts and figures into insights that can be relatable. For example, if you are presenting about the application of upcoming technology, you should do so by making the application as relatable to your audience as possible.
Structure of Your Presentation
The importance of the structure cannot be emphasized enough. While presenting, you are essentially narrating a story and any story needs a good flow. Therefore, while preparing the content, the structure is essential.
For example, if you are pitching a product or service to potential clients, correlate it with their daily schedule. Address where your product fits in that schedule and how it tackles the problem the client might be facing currently.
It is strongly advised not to begin with features of your product or service as that would only baffle the audience making them susceptible to distractions.
Create a Dynamic Presentation
While the above points talk about the content and you as a presenter, an important aspect of any good presentation is the visuals. There are numerous templates available online. Like never before, you can now add music to your presentation through various slideshow maker with music available on the internet.
Although, it should be noted that the theme of your presentation, as well as the music, should blend with the overall theme of the meeting. Also, adding visual aids such as animation, graphs, and charts will enhance your presentation, making it memorable for the crowd.
Take Risks
If you have been contemplating whether or not you should use that fancier font or theme for your presentation? Do it! Go with your gut instinct. Audiences love to see presenters take risks as it enhances their growth by enriching their learning.
However, a word of caution would be to know one’s limit and that of their audience. Being smart while taking risk is very important.
Check Your Body Language
Public speaking is not everyone’s cup of tea. It is usually a daunting experience not just for youngsters but also for adults. However, a confident speaker always captures the attention of their audiences whereas a nervous speaker often mumbles and loses their audience right at the start.
A phrase that highly resonates with most speakers is “fake it, till you make it.” It allows you to be nervous while projecting a calm persona to your audience. So, next time you have to present, remember to fake it, until you make it.
Conclude
As mentioned above, always remember that a presentation is basically a story. As important it is to have a structure in a story, all the information leading on to the climax should be summarized and presented as a conclusion. It is also a good idea to end your presentation with a “call to action.”
For example, if you are introducing a new product or service to an audience, it would only be fair to end the presentation by inviting them to engage in the free trial of your service or with your sample products.
Woo Them With Your Invite
While it has been established that the first impression is highly important while presenting. You could always make a huge impact before hitting the podium by sending out personalized and engaging invitations to your audience.
There is a large variety of free invitation maker online. These online tools allow you to create dynamic video invites by selecting eye-catching templates, music, and lots more.
