I still remember the first time a presentation I delivered was critiqued. I sat across from my supervisor and told him to let it rip. I thought I had delivered the perfect presentation, filled with clarity, direction, and inspiration. What I didn’t expect was the feedback I was about to receive. With a smile on his face he told me my presentation deserved a solid C grade. I was crushed — how could the presentation I had spent so much time on fall so flat in his eyes? He continued on to say that though my content was great, I never won over my audience, ultimately causing the presentation to fall flat.
We have all been there: armed with what we thought was a powerful presentation only to have the audience stare at us blankly as if you are from another planet. That is because no matter how good the content is, or how clear you are at presenting it, there are a few things that all presenters must do to win the hearts and minds of their audience.
So, each day over the next four days we will be releasing a new way to earn the hearts and minds of your audience. Be sure to check back daily so you don’t miss out on this valuable resource.
1. Engage All Learning Styles
There are 4 types of learning styles in the world today: Visual, Auditory, Kinesthetic, and Reading/Writing. As a presenter you must become well versed in each of these styles, because the reality is, sitting in your audience you will find people in each of these categories.
The Visual learner best understands information by visualizing relationships and ideas. A presentation filled with maps, charts, and diagrams are helpful for this style of learning to connect into the content.
The Auditory learner comprehends the world through their ears. They prefer to listen to the information rather than see it or read it. A presenter that is dynamic and great at vocal variety will appeal best to this style of learning.
The Kinesthetic learner are the most hands-on learners of the group. They learn best when they are moving and using their hands; they also tend to get fidgety if forced to sit for a long time. This is the trickiest of all learning styles to engage during a presentation, because as a presenter you must get creative and allow space for this type of learner to connect in a physical way to your presentation.
The Reading/Writing learner prefers to take in a lot of information and then rephrase and condense it into their own words. The typical college lecture style of presentations works best for this type of learner. As a presenter be sure to allow this type of learner space to write and take notes as you go.
As presenters, we all have a learning style that we fit into which more often than not is the type that we most appeal to. If we want to truly win their hearts and minds, we must find isles of refuge for all learning styles and help them connect into the great content we have to deliver.
If you want to learn more about how to engage your audience check out Ethos3.com/presentation-training.
