Then of course there were the times your parents laid into you about doing your homework and sitting up straight and the importance of getting into a good college. If you dared ask the simple question “why?” you’d end up getting the ubiquitous “because I said so” response.
Is it any wonder most of us grow up to become the kind of presenters that talk AT our audience, giving them little regard? The difference is, as kids, we had no choice but to sit there and listen. Your adult audience does have a choice whether to give you their …show more content…
It makes you far more and engaging and, quite frankly, makes you look ‘normal.’
Don’t Tell Facts – Tell Stories
It doesn’t matter if you are a business professional, you are a human being first, as is everyone in your audience. And, as human beings, we have a deep love of storytelling. Stories were the first way we learned about ourselves and the world around us.
It doesn’t matter what business or industry you are in, dumping a bunch of information on your audience and spouting facts and figures will force them to tune out. Give a presentation without any stories or anecdotes and you’re putting your audience right back in school, giving them a lecture instead of asking them to join you in a conversation.
Pause for Reflection
In a conversation you don’t make the other person a victim of your verbal barrage, instead you pause to allow the person to take in and fully process what you’re saying. The same can be said for giving a presentation. Speak slowly and be sure to pause every now and then so your audience can get the full impact of what you are trying to convey.
Lose the Corporate