Audience attention equals retention. Sure. But too often, the audience sits and snores, while a presenter lectures talks and clicks through slides. Epic fail.
If you don’t have a genuinely interesting, professionally-created slideshow at hand, then it’s probably best just to…not. Besides, science tells us that sitting is the new death, so here are some ideas to get your audience out of their chairs. (Wouldn’t hurt to get them out of their heads, too!)
1) Do a live action demo.
An actual product is way better than a photo of a product. If you’re a toy company, bring in kids to live-review your latest release. And who doesn’t want to watch a puppy haplessly attempt to demolish a chew-resistant garden hose at 3pm on a Tuesday? If you’re pushing a concept rather than a product, write a script and use actors.
2) Propagate props.
Remember back in fourth-grade, how much fun it was to make the volcano erupt with baking soda and vinegar? Props are fun, and—see #1—action is effective.
You want to illustrate home-buying trends? Sculpt different sized Play-Doh “houses” on the spot, and make those stats tangible! Or use a 3D-printer to create physical versions of these “houses,” line them up while you need them, and toss them to the audience when you’re done. (Yay, souvenirs!)
In the old days (um, the 90’s), architects made physical models of buildings. And a few years after dinosaurs roamed (the 70’s), engineers used physical models to predict the outcomes of events like flooding. These models could be intricate and fascinating. Now they’re mostly software-generated and sometimes very boring. So take a tip from the creative problem-solvers of yesteryear and construct a physical model to convey a “what if” phenomena related to your presentation.
3) Bribe them with food.
Use real pies for pie-graphs, and pass out the pieces. Or model your product out of edibles, and have a server on hand to dismantle it. Free food will enhance your audience attention streak and make your presentation unforgettable. Because who doesn’t love a free lunch?
4) Use something familiar but unexpected.
Like “theme music,” repeated at opportune times throughout your presentation. Queen asks, “Is this the real life? Is this just fantasy?” What a perfect lead-in for a presentation on virtual reality, technology, fantasy sports, even politics! Are you a major hospital pitching a new cardiac wing? Try Whitney Houston’s “Where Do Broken Hearts Go?” Talking new SUVs, grand vacations, real estate? What about The Clash’s “Should I Stay, or Should I Go?” Yep, you hear the picture!
Another idea: Dancers can animate stats, cycling through different “percentages” of the same routine. Pretty sure that will gain you more audience attention.
5) Make it an art project.
Play a presentation version of “Win, Lose or Draw,” asking for volunteers to live-draw a “slide,” while the rest of the group guesses. Or break the audience into groups and give them a challenge.
Maybe they come up with solutions for a design flaw or put together a living room on a smartphone loaded with your soon-to-be released interior decorating app. Give them materials to play with. The flawed product itself, plus stuff to make it better—duct tape, pipe cleaners, string, silly putty! These people work in cubicles. They could use some hands-on stimulation. (Research agrees!)
6) Or just make it art!
Create “slides” out of something other than pixels. Are you a textile company? What about information printed on fabric? Are you an event planner? Print your slides on giant balloons. You can also create collateral out of your presentation design. Using icons on your slides? Turn those icons into buttons for your audience to wear. Free ink pens, notepads and other office supplies will also be an effective takeaway to boost audience attention long after your presentation is over.
7) Use your creativity. Or ours.
The possibilities are endless, but sometimes we’re too mentally cluttered to present beyond the PowerPoint. When your headspace is crowded, let Ethos3 help you boost your creative mojo and boost your audience’s attention.
(And if you’re still looking for new presentation ideas, we’re a steady supply.)
