Seven Ways to Own Your Audience
1) Make sure you give your audience some personal information about you. Whether you think so or not, your audience is interested in you. This is especially important if you are trying to get a group to take action, such as buy something. They want to relate to you. Personal information is the only way to build that relationship.
2) Be careful with your humor. Stay away from "I'm reminded of the story…" and aim towards more subtle, self-deprecating humor. Show that you are human with a brief anecdote or story if you like, but try to avoid coming across as Jay Leno.
3) Tell them what you are going to tell them, tell them, and them tell them what you told them. This is speech 101 and it always works.
4) Always end on time. If you start late, ask what time you are expected to end. If you are told ahead of time, end on time. Don't go one minute past the expected time. Not one minute.
5) Give out materials after the presentation. A sure way to lose your audience is to give out your slides or proposal before the presentation. Many will head right to the end of the slides or directly to the price quote, reach a conclusion, and move on mentally. You want to keep them in synch with you and your presentation.
6) Talk to everyone in the room. This is done by making eye contact with as many people in the room as you can. In a large room, scan the room as you speak. Don't speak to a few people in the room; talk to everyone.
7) Be ready with your own question. If you ask for questions, the worst thing that can happen is to have no one ask a question! If that happens, simply be ready with "One question that I get asked often is…" and then answer the question and thank the group for their time.
Try these tips next time you have to speak or make a presentation. You'll be comfortable and you'll own your audience.
Related Tags: business, presentation skills, speaking, professional speaking, presentations, presenting
Ed Horrell is the best-selling author of "The Kindness Revolution". For information on how to start a kindness revolution in your company, go to http://www.edhorrell.com
Your Article Search Directory : Find in ArticlesRecent articles in this category:
- The 5 Things You Must Do Before Opening Your Mouth to Speak
When invited (or ordered!) to give a presentation or a speech, most of us think that what comes out - Public Speaking Training on How to Write a Persuasive Speech
A persuasive speech is actually very simple to create and deliver. If you want to write a persuas - First Impressions Count More in the Era of Credit Crunch
Do you think about how you dress at work and carefully select your outfit depending on your working - Word Stress and Vowels
he biggest difference between English and most other languages is the timing. In many languages str - The Most Commom Vowel in English!
The Schwa. This tiny, reduced vowel is most commonly heard in English. And guess what, there is no - Colour Crunch; Inject Colour Into Your Working Wardrobe
When it's drab outside during these winter months, we often wish we could inject some colour into o - How to Write a Damn Good Speech
The first step to delivering a damn good speech is writing a damn good speech. Taking the time to w - Does Your Speaking Voice Match the Confidence of Your Handshake?
What does your handshake say about you? Confident, diffident, overbearing, wimpy? Does the sound of - Captivate Your Audience Just by the Sound of Your Speaking Voice
Imagine standing at the lectern. You know your material. You are able to control your nervousness. - The Power of the Pause
Recently at a Voice and Presentation Skills workshop I was holding in Toronto, Canada, a man stood
Most viewed articles in this category:
- Learning about Presentations from Robin Williams
In the feature film RV, Robin Williams plays an advertising executive. His boss orders him around an - Stop Pouring Money Down the Power Point Drain
What is it with people today? They cannot have a discussion about any topic without slides, even whe - How to Make a Great First Impression When you Speak to a New Group
You've just received an email from a local business networking group. They want you to give a talk n - Simple is Powerful
I look forward to a late afternoon workout, especially after sitting all-day and working on my compu - How to Write and Deliver a Dynamite Speech - Part Three
Phase Three of the 21-Step Dynamite Speech System is Preparation and Delivery.I was a professional a - Presentation Professional
What most politicians I have heard 'Don't Do' is apply variability to their tonality, pace and and t - Why a Portable Table is More than Just an Add On to Your Trade Show Display
Many trade show display exhibitors spend countless hours researching the purchase of their trade sho - Three Tips that Develop Your Presentation Skills
Try these tips to deliver better presentations at work, PTA meetings, or social functions. You'll n - Choosing A Logo Design Company
If you are looking for a logo design company that can create a really good logo for your company or - Speaking To Connect
In 1989, my first semester of college, I learned a valuable lesson. I was taking a calculus course,