6 Ideas for Engaging Presentations

Did you know that 91% of listeners at business presentations admit to daydreaming? Making your presentation memorable is essential, but you don’t need to have the speaking skills of Abraham Lincoln to accomplish it. Consider planning ahead to add some fun, unique touches to your in-person presentation that will prevent your audience from thinking about an ice cream palace. How can it be done?

Participation

Start with a question or go around the room and ask a fun question from everyone before you begin. You might also consider having a “let’s discuss” slide in your presentation to lead into a Q & A that requires your audience to use their brain power. There are also tons of resources online for icebreaker games and activities, as long as they are themed appropriately for the subject.

Hashtag It

6 Ideas for Engaging Presentations

Create a hashtag for your presentation and encourage people to ask questions, review the talk, or simply add comments after the talk. Using Twitter, Facebook, Tumblr, or any other social media site you prefer, you can monitor people’s reactions and repost the compliments. For example, if you are giving a talk about different varieties of cheddar cheese, you can create “#YummyCheddarCheese”…so long as the hashtag isn’t being used for something else.

Giveaway

You don’t have to give away a gold Rolex at your presentation (unless you are Oprah) to hand out something your audience will like. Unique pens, desk trinkets, or even cookies will make the presentation feel like something more fun and the takeaway more tangible. Relate the item to the content of your presentation and don’t be afraid to apply a sense of humor.

Props

Sometimes an unusual prop is all it takes for your presentation to be memorable. One of our heroes Amy Tan had a small dog hidden in a bag on stage, for instance, during her famous TED Talk. When using a prop, keep in mind that it needs to be large enough for the audience to see, relevant enough to enhance your points, and unique enough to justify bringing it.

Weave a Tale

We’ve been saying it for ten thousand years: storytelling increases audience retention and will strengthen your presentation. Open with a personal story or frame your entire presentation with a tale; we promise that it will add depth and personality to your talk.

The Closer

Too many presenters focus on the opening or body of their presentation but miss out on a huge opportunity in the closing. It’s the last impression your audience will have of you — make it count.” Andrew Schrance, Money Crashers Personal Finance

Save your giveaway, prop, or even your icebreaker for the end of the presentation and leave your audience smiling. At Ethos3, we personally wish all presentations ended with surprise doughnuts. This is also a great time to come up with a powerful closing line or hypothetical question if the content of your presentation leans towards the serious.

Don’t let your audience slip into a daydream stupor; plan ahead some fun activities or items that will make your presentation stand out from the crowd.

Question: How can you make your next presentation more engaging?





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