Getting The Attention of the Audience

How many times have you been to a presentation where you switched off in the very first minute of the presentation and at the end of it, did not remember any of the points the speaker had to make? And this on a topic that you are particularly passionate about. Do you remember feeling a sense of frustration and of having wasted a whole lot of time? Well, the next time you have to make a presentation, you should remember that no matter how much of an expert you are and no matter how many great visuals you have, you would need to put everything together so that the whole presentation is effective. Here are a few tips that will help you catch the attention of your audience in the very first few minutes and then keep them engaged throughout the length of the presentation.
1.    Make an effective opening – Here is where you get to make a solid start to your presentation. While you will need to talk about other points, make sure that your opening conveys the main message of your presentation. Help the audience understand why your product or service will make such a big difference to them and help them visualize the benefits of buying the product or service. Start with a touching story or a shocking statistic that will immediately engage the audience. Once the audience knows you’re your presentation is about something that will benefit them, they will be more willing to listen to you. With an effective opening, you would have caught the attention of your listeners in under a minute.
2.    Work on the content – Of course, you will now need to provide all the relevant information like specific details, statistics that prove the benefits of the product and testimonials from satisfied customers.
3.    A picture speaks a thousand words – Merely dry data will not help drive home the facts about your product. Include visuals that will help understand this data better. You can even include photos or videos if that will help bolster your case or explain the product better. Intersperse your speech with enough visuals so that the audience remembers it better. However, there is always a danger of overdoing the visuals. Make sure that you do not lose track of the main points you were trying to make.
4.    Practice on your delivery – Even the most powerful presentations if delivered in a dull, monotonous voice will have minimal impact on the audience. Practice delivering your presentations so that you do not speak too fast or too slow. Vary the loudness and the pitch of your voice whenever you are trying to convey a point. Most importantly, you should sound natural throughout your presentation.
5.    Add some spice – If you want to keep your audience engaged at all times, make sure you add some variation to your presentation. Add some humor, narrate a story, tell an anecdote. Anything that breaks the monotony, prevents your audience from getting distracted and also helps you reinforce your points.