Presentations are some of the most visual mediums of communication you engage in working as a professional. Most people believe that one has to be born with good presentation skills, but fortunately, there are many ways to learn how to give an excellent presentation.
While it may be challenging to keep your audience engaged with the topic you are speaking on, a good slideshow can help keep them interested in the message. As the presenter, it’s your job to create interest in the information you are delivering, so your audience can pay attention and retain the information.
Read on to discover our top tips for making your presentation more interactive and engaging:
Begin By Asking The Audience Questions:
The audience’s attention will drop to zero within 10-15 minutes of you starting the presentation, so it’s essential to begin by breaking the ice.
Start off by asking a simple question to get everyone in the mood for what’s coming next. This should be a question anyone can answer and one that gets them focused on the theme of the presentation. It will also help you relax before getting into the flow of presenting so your most important information can make the most significant impact.
If you find the audience drifting away, you can also take a break from the presentation after a few slides and interact with them. Ask them if there is any confusion.
If you don’t want to break the flow of your presentation, you can stimulate the audience by asking rhetorical questions to get them thinking.
Incorporate Humor:
One of the best ways to get your audience to focus on what you’re saying is by showing your personality and adding humor.
Once you’ve made them laugh, the audience will be more inclined to focus on you and your presentation. Moreover, they will remember you, and therefore, your ideas and message.
Eye Contact:
It’s essential to maintain eye contact while delivering a presentation. Doing so gives you a strong presence on stage, allowing you to deliver your message more effectively.
It’s essential to connect with each audience member, but if doing so is too overwhelming, you can focus on sections and sweepingly move your gaze around the venue. Eye contact allows you to hammer home the message, making each person feel like you are directly speaking to them.
Formal Language:
Using the right words and tone can help you inspire your audience members. You can also adjust your voice to change how each part of your presentation impacts the audience.
Your language also plays a part, and you should ensure that you use formal words to match the setting. Moreover, avoid using technical terms with a non-technical audience as the message may be lost to them.
Use A Simple Presentation:
Plan your presentation using a clean, simple format. You may be tempted to add bells and whistles, but these are likely to take away from the message you actually want to convey. A presentation that distracts from what you’re saying is likely to be too overwhelming for your audience.
To avoid this, you can choose from one of the professionally designed slides and dashboards from Biz Infograph. With free templates for presentations, you can make your presentation engaging while keeping the slides focused on what you’re saying. Visit their website to download them now.