In the last thirty years, presenting to an audience has changed remarkably. Back then, it was called ‘oratory’ and the aim was to impress your audience to establish authority; whereas today the aim is to engage your audience to establish connection. The trouble is, most of the guidelines for presenting successfully to an audience were written over thirty years ago. So here are five guidelines for today’s audiences.
1. Forget about ‘getting it right’
For most of us, this becomes an obsession. “I mustn’t leave anything out,” becomes our overriding thought. We measure our success by how closely we match our script. We forget that they haven’t seen the script. The danger is that in focussing on getting the words right we turn our delivery into something so boring that nobody wants to listen to it. Have a clear idea of the message you want to leave them with and some notes to refer to if necessary; but don’t worry about what you leave out – they’ll never know!
2. Don’t worry about going blank
They say that the human memory is a marvellous faculty that starts the moment we are born – and only stops when we stand in front of an audience to speak. Everyone goes blank. It’s not the worst thing that can happen. If you lose your way, simply check your notes and refresh your memory. The audience will not think less of you for it. When I admitted to an audience that my mind had gone blank, they told me afterwards that it actually enhanced my credibility. “It made you seem more human,” they said, “and this made your message more relevant.”
3. Prepare more than the words
Many speakers spend all their available preparation time writing their speech, when some research shows that as little as 7% of the message the audience receives comes from these words. Up to 93% of the message – and, certainly, a majority of the audience engagement – comes from the non-verbal component, specifically, the vocal component (the way we say the words) and the visual component (what they see). Write your speech early and spend a majority of your preparation time saying it aloud (paying attention to your pacing, emphasis and pauses) while standing up.
4. Write it ‘back-to-front’
The most important part of the speech is the conclusion. What message do you want to leave them with? Write this first, then decide what’s necessary to lead up to it. Practice similarly, so you know your conclusion better than the opening. Then, in your delivery, you are working toward the part you know best – which will build your confidence.
5. Tell them a story
Audiences love stories. The narrative is inherently engaging. They are also more likely to remember the story than any other part of your presentation. From your perspective, the story is the part of your presentation where you are least likely to lose your way or go blank. Stories are a guaranteed way to engage their imagination and put images in their minds that will stick.
Use these hints and you will become more natural, spontaneous and engaging to an audience.
Article Contributed by Kevin Ryan, an international speaker , workshop leader and author with Training Edge International. He is a business communication expert specialising in the areas of employee and client engagement, sales, humour intelligence and presentation skills.
Email : kevin.ryan@trainingedgeasia.com
Website : www.trainingedgeasia.com
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