Most, if not all of you, would have been an audience member once before. As you are sitting in and getting ready for a long presentation, you realise that paying attention as an audience member is already a huge challenge. Imagine instead that you are the presenter or speaker – your challenge is not just to grab the audience attention but to also hold on to it, anchor it and in a sense – capture the audience attention. Here are 3 simple tips I want to share from what I learnt from my classes. Show
First, the introduction is key – your audience will start to assess within the first few minutes, whether it is worth it to pay attention to you. You don’t need an overly-dramatic or theatrical introduction – I believe that meaningful engagement with the audience in your introduction creates a strong entrance. For example, you can play around with the audience attention and subvert it at the start – “many of you find insects disgusting, but do you know that most of us would have consumed an insect at least once”. You can start with an obvious premise and reverse that. Second, one of the common traits of engaging speakers I have observed are those that continuously encourages the audience members to ruminate, introspect and think about the points being delivered. One strong tool for this is using rhetorical questions – questions that are not intended to obtain information but to elicit a response. For example, for an inspirational speech – “My teacher called out my name – it was my turn to perform for the musical. I stood at the side and refused to step out. Have you [pause] ever been in that situation before?” Add pauses for emphasis and to allow the audience time to digest the question. Finally, it never hurts to start and pepper your speech with stories. Some examples of effective stories are – personal stories (which show sincerity in your delivery), or even stories that show your passion (talking about your experience, achievements). Remember not to save on the details for your stories! These tips aside – always remember to keep things simple, so that your audience finds it easy to follow your speech. Has it ever happened to you that despite a genius idea, well-researched content, and superb graphics, your audience lost their attention and diverted their mind just after a few minutes of the start of your presentation? Well, in such a scenario, the possible reason that we can figure out for your flopped presentation is – the lack of an engaging hook in the initial part of your speech! Undoubtedly, every minute of your presentation is crucial. But did you know that the first 30 seconds and the first 25 words of your presentation matter a lot? Wondering why? Because the audience takes just 30 seconds to determine your credibility, trustworthiness, and authenticity and make a critical decision whether to invest time to listen to the rest of your presentation. In this blog post, we have provided a few tips to make the first 30 seconds of your slideshow compelling. 1. Tell the Purpose of Your Presentation with ClarityChange the inertia of your audience by telling them the purpose of your presentation with boldness and in-depth insight. The objective of your talk must be specific, clear, and have an emotional hook to resonate with the audience. Reflect your passion and enthusiasm while explaining what you intend to cover and what viewers can expect from your presentation. This will help the audience develop interest and build anticipation from the start. 2. Make Your Presentation a Conversation, Not a Scripted TalkIf you are offered an opportunity to deliver a presentation, and a large audience is likely to attend your session, it implies that they believe you have something important to say. Don’t ruin their expectation by making them feel that your presentation is just a scripted talk. Keep the tone of your presentation conversational. Here are a few tips for leveraging the first 30 seconds of your talk to give your audience an impression that your presentation is a two-sided communication:
3. Hook the Audience with Something UnconventionalThink out of the box and unconventional ideas to capture the audience’s attention. Use emotional elements based on cognitive responses, such as curiosity, surprise, and suspense, as a hook to create a strong bond with the viewers.
4. Appeal to the Audience’s ImaginationsMentally engage your audience and add a powerful appeal to your talk by using the attention-grabbing word “imagine.” As you open your speech by asking your audience to “close their eyes and imagine…,” their minds will get quickly activated, and they begin to create a mental image of something. Combine this hook with a relevant visual to conjure up their imagination. For example – Jane Chen used this tactic in her Ted Talk while describing the benefits of a low-cost incubator in underdeveloped countries. Watch it out here! ConclusionIn an attempt to make their slides information-rich and glossy, most presenters skimp on the start of their presentation. The result is – a disengaged audience! If you really want to set the tone of your talk and entertain, engage, and persuade the audience to stay involved till the end of your presentation, make the best use of the initial 30 seconds. It’s important to understand that you don’t have even a single minute to lose while delivering a presentation, and every minute has to be earned. In the first 30 seconds, you earn the permission of your audience to continue your talk for the next 30 seconds, and so on. So, practice channeling your nervousness and making a good impression as a speaker. Do you have more ideas to make the first 30 seconds of presentations intriguing for the audience? We would love to know your insights! Share your ideas in the “Comment” section below. share on Facebookshare on Twitter Leave a Response Cancel replyComment Name Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Please enter an answer in digits: 9 + fourteen = Ashish AroraMay 4, 2022 Ashish Aroraview all posts 5 Ways to Drive Surprise, Suspense, and Curiosity in Your Presentations Nail Your Next Hybrid Presentation with these 5 Expert Tips You Might Also Like
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What are the techniques used to catch attention from the audience?Use their imaginations.
Open your audience's mind. Mentally engaging the audience creates an image in their head, as well as suspense. Try beginning a sentence with “close your eyes and imagine…” then follow with something that relates to your message. This will set the tone for your entire presentation.
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