| In today's time-starved,
relationship-diminished world, audiences:
- Crave attention and connection
with each other
- Want ready-to-use ideas
- AND still expect to be entertained.
These goals are often at odds when preparing a presentation that
will make people rave about one's program long afterwards. Consequently,
successful presenters need gut instincts-based insights into how
to grab and hold their audiences attention.
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Here are some:
1. Getting specific
sooner.
Since vivid, specific details prove the general conclusion, not the reverse (yet
most educated adults are talking longer to get to the point, and are
inclined to use generalities more than their literally-minded children who
are full of great word pictures)
2. Honor and
surprise some attendees by name.
Be a hero to your audience by citing audience members by name
as positive examples of the points you are making. How? Interview
the meeting planner, sharing your
main points and gathering examples she/he has heard or can discover that involve
diverse people in the audience.
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Then, just before speaking,
as that meeting planner to point out the two or three people you
are going to mention. That way, as you are making your point, you
can begin walking toward the person you want to praise, getting
closer and closer to him/her as you share your example so you can
be at that person's side, smiling, shaking hands, even asking the
audience to give that person some well-deserved recognition (applause,
please).
3. Avoid patterned clothing as it will cause
attendees to go on even more "mental vacations" than
they otherwise would.
4. Walk and talk. Your movements can evoke interest,
reinforce the emotions of your stories and punctuate a change of
pace or topic.
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Kare Anderson is the founder of the Say It Better
Center, located in Sausalito, CA. She can be reached via email at
kare@sayitbetter.com.
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