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Learning how to connect with your audience is an important tool to succeed as a presenter. When we stand in front of a group we focus on keeping the attention of our listeners. What about connecting before and after the presentation? Find some suggestions below how to communicate with your audience beyond the actual presentation.

Connecting starts before the presentation:

When you write your speech, keep the audience in mind. Visualize who will be there and even better if you know some of them already, imagine John, Mary, Peter’s face as if you were speaking to them in person. Start to connect by asking yourself:

Who are these people?

Create a picture of your audience: are they young, old, active, involved in nature, people, technology, mostly male or female, single or married etc.

What do I know about them?

Do some research: check websites, associations, communities these people belong to and find out what interest them. For example if you speak at an annual convention, check the organization’s website or call the company to find out if they had some important news you should know about e.g. a ten year anniversary, opening of the first office abroad, an award they won etc.

Why should they come and listen?

What is the main objective for your audience? Will they learn something new? Are you there to present a new product or service? Are you a motivational speaker to uplift the energy in the room? What ‘gift’ will they receive from you? What is in it for them?

What do they know about the topic already?

Are you the first to address this topic? Who has spoken before you in the program, who comes next? What information was available to the audience before they entered your room. What is the level of understanding? These questions should be directed to the organizer or your main contact who hired you to do a presentation. Also at your office, check if you tuning in to the right level of knowledge.

What is my intention?

What would you like to offer them? Do you want to persuade them, inform them, make it easier to make a decision, start a discussion? Connect with your own objective and link it to the audience’s objective. Feel if your purpose supports their needs.

Create an emotional connection

After your research and writing your speech. Close your eyes, take a few deep breaths, center yourself, sit comfortably with a straight back and concentrate on your audience. Try to picture them, the room, the way you present and imagine how they feel: excited, tired, curious? See yourself giving an excellent presentation and that people are smiling and expressing their gratitude. Feel how good it is to be of service. Feel that you care for them and that your presentation will benefit them. While staying connected with this loving feeling, take a few breaths and open your eyes. Try to repeat this as often as you can before the presentation is due. It will feel as if you know everyone already which will create an intimate atmosphere.

Create a physical connection.

If there is a possibility before your presentation starts, stand at the door and shake hands with your audience and make them feel welcome. If time allows ask them some short questions to show (genuine!) interest e.g. “How was your flight?”, “Did you have a chance to see the city?”, How do you enjoy the program so far?” etc. If you are speaking to a large crowd you can do this on stage and address the whole group with a few questions to create a connection with the people in the room.

Connecting after the presentation

When you finish your presentation:

-Thank the audience out loud and from your heart.

-Tell them about the follow up if applicable: where will they find more info, when is the next meeting, presentation or update?

-Send slides and information as promised: add something personal if you can that reflects on the speech, person or event.

-Send answers to questions you did not know during meeting and promised to answer later.

-Send an evaluation form or even better ask them to fill it in straight after the meeting (arrange with the meeting planner).

-Connect with yourself: what went will that you’d like to repeat next time and what would you like to change about your presentation? Did you research make a difference, did you feel you were on the same wave length?

-Connect with the organizer to offer your services again.

When preparing for a presentation start to connect with your audience, during the presentation stay connected and after the presentation round off the connection. Connect through the heart and you will have success!

Over the years, it can be startling how many presents you seem to buy for other people’s children, whether your friends children, your children’s friends, nephews, nieces or God children. We hope this guide will give you some food for thought.

Your friend’s children
When we were younger we got into the habit of buying Christmas and Birthday presents for our friends children. Then, as our own children got older, we started to realise just how much stuff children accumulate – all those little presents really add up. One of our friends suggested that we stopped buying for each other and although it seemed a bit mean initially we think she was absolutely right. Certainly, our children haven’t missed these additional presents and we’ve probably saved a fortune.

Your children’s friends
Children will generally get a present from every child that they invite to their party (although we were in awe of one parent who sent their child to one of our children’s party without one!). If you hold a party in the local sports centre and invite the whole class that’s about 30 presents. If you want to see what 30 presents x 10 birthday parties looks like you should see our daughter’s bedroom – and most of the time we only had 10 children or so at a house party!

Have a budget and stick to it if at all possible. Our budget used to be £5 but it has crept up to more like £10 over the last couple of years – more if you add in the card and wrapping paper too. This may not sound like a lot, however, £10 x 30 children is £300 worth of presents!

Ask your child what their friend likes, and just as importantly, what they don’t – this is generally very helpful. If possible, take your child with you to buy the present or sit them with you if you’re buying on-line. Children can often instantly spot what will be popular. Try to avoid buying things which they are likely to have lots of already. By the time they are 7 or 8 most girls will have a room full of cuddlies, diaries, ornaments etc. Our son is only 3 so we’re not sure what the equivalents are for boys yet!

Relations
Now the pressure is really on – it is a well known fact that Aunties and Uncles always buy the best presents! My Auntie and Uncle have bought fantastic presents for my brothers and I and now our children for the last 40+ years. They always seem to be able to spot something that isn’t readily available in the shops and is just that little bit different. And they managed to do it without having a wonderful resource like the internet so really you have no excuse!

Some ideas are:
Think of alternatives to toys – how about a swimming bag and matching towel for school swimming lessons; a really nice backpack, a lava lamp for their bedroom.

If you’re buying toys – can you get something to go with what they already have – an exciting bridge or tunnel for their wooden train set, shiny new vehicles for their garage, a playroom or nursery set for their dolls house. These can give some of their older toys a new lease of life.

You could buy them a music CD or computer game but these can be really difficult to get right unless you know the child really well. You could ask mum or dad if there is anything they are desperate for currently.

Buy an experience rather than a present. If their parents will allow, why not take them out to a local theme park or to see a musical.

Public speaking is tough enough, yet presenting boring information makes the challenge equivalent to climbing Mt. Everest. Just the thought triggers a loss of oxygen. Imagine what it does to your audience. Still, keep hope alive! This article suggests three simple yet effective tips for presenting boring information in an interesting way. You’ll surprise yourself.

3 Tips

• Mix it up.

Why is PowerPoint the first if not second option people choose for presenting information? Moreover, its popularity appears to increase with the driest topics. The speaker reads the slides loaded with too much information talking in a monotone draining what little life exists right out of the room. Why not distribute the packets, ask the audience to review them, and cancel the session? That’s better than sitting through what seems like a funeral.

How do you discuss boring information? After determining what to cover, take a step back to ponder what would grab and hold your attention. Then, mix things up. Use a blend of instructional methods to communicate the message. Devise activities that fit as many learning styles as possible. Include technology, but don’t overdo it. PowerPoint is effective when employed the correct way.

• Have fun.

Several years ago, for instance, I had to audition for a training contract. Each person was allotted 30 minutes to discuss the history of banks. We opened with a brainteaser (only two people have been able to crack the code in over 15 years), sang a song to the tune of 12 Days of Christmas, and concluded with a game. Everyone survived! The executive team probably thought I was nuts.

One person kept asking, “Where did you get that box? He exclaimed, “My wife would love it.”By the way, the discount store special was a large blue gift box filled with smaller boxes each containing a question about the topic. It resembled a maze. Plan A was to deliver the information by playing a board game but the carpenter did not have sufficient time to build one.

• Bring the topic to life.

Let’s revisit the former example. Everyone seems to think that history is boring; however, nothing is further from the truth. In college, one of the Jesuit priests held the professor of the year award captive. Why did students enjoy attending his classes? He brought history to life by dressing in costume, decorating the classroom, playing music, etc. Simply put, this instructor was a breath of fresh air. Even if you were not a history major, you enrolled in his courses for the entertainment.

Hence, think engage first. Use case studies, role play, or a host of other strategies to have the group experience whatever you’re focusing on. Aside from getting them involved, they’re interested. Lecturing like a talking head, consequently, gets you trapped in the end zone every time.

All in all, your approach makes the difference. Decide to resurrect the topic by being innovative. Think out of the box to meet your objective. Give the audience your best.