Do you ever find yourself wondering if your audience will remember what you’ve just shared? Staring out into the audience asking yourself whether your content will stick or is going in one ear and out the other? For many presenters, this question is not only daunting but stressful. In fact, it is often this question that keeps presenters up wondering if they will ever make a real impact. At Ethos3 we know how important it is to keep your audience engaged and leave them with content they will never forget. With this in mind, we have put together a few ways that you can leverage alliteration to ensure long-term retention.
Alliteration is defined as the conspicuous repetition of identical initial consonant sounds in successive or closely associated syllables within a group of words. While this may not seem like an expected presentation tool it can be extremely impactful and lead to lasting retention. Let’s unpack two ways that you can use alliteration in your next presentation.
Obvious Alliteration
Obvious alliteration is when a presenter intentionally implements this tool by creating key points that all start with the same consonant. When employing this type, it is important that the points be short and easy to remember. Obvious alliteration works like a song getting stuck in your head. By using the same consonants as the first word of each point your audience will leave repeating those words which will spark long term retention.
It is also important to remember that this form of alliteration, if not executed properly, can come off as cheesy or unprofessional so pay extra attention to your word choice to avoid coming across this way.
Ordinary Alliteration
Ordinary alliteration is a particularly useful tool for a presenter. By tapping into this form of alliteration you eliminate the risk of coming across as cheesy or unprofessional. This type of alliteration must be employed tactfully throughout your presentation. Choosing unique ways to work in key ideas using alliteration.
In order to effectively execute this form, the presenter must select keywords that will be highlighted throughout. These words should be trigger words that will link back to the main idea. By use alliteration to communicate these words, they will stink in the mind of the audience and aid in recall after the presentation is complete.
Alliteration is often referenced when discussing literature, but it is a vital tool that every presenter must learn to master. At Ethos3 it is our desire to create long term engagement and long-term retention and we believe implementing alliteration is a key way to do that.
Interested in learning more about how the Ethos3 team can help you create an excellent presentation? Contact us today to find out more!
