Public speaking is an essential skill in many fields and will help you improve your career and move forward. However, public speaking can feel like a highly challenging task and one that makes them feel anxious, so they tend to avoid it. Here are some tips to engage any audience and succeed at your presentation or talk
Ask the audience questions
Present them with an intriguing question. Tie this question to your presentation but don’t give the answer right away.
- When people expect you to answer a question they want to know more about, they will pay more attention
- Ask them questions to ponder
Ask for feedback and give space for questions
During your presentation, you should always try to leave room for questions.
- The questions people ask will help you see how you did and also make them feel more invested, as they get to participate directly and let themselves be heard too.
Tailor your examples to the audience
Give examples that are relatable
- Talk to teens about teen problems
- Geeks about sci-fi
- People will pay more attention if you make them feel as if they are part of your story.
- Focus on the industry or life experiences that will resonate
Enjoy yourself
Focus on the elements that you enjoy.
- You will be talking about something you know, so try to consider your favorite elements, stories, and what you enjoy from the topic as you prepare to go on the stage.
- Don’t feel like you are on death row, enjoy yourself.
Build suspense as you tell a story
Don’t give away the end of the story right away
- Tie in the middle or at the end to keep the audience interested
- We are naturally wired to like stories and when we hear the beginning, we want to stay till the end
Put some energy into it
Audiences want to see you talk about something you know, so try to offer a little energy
Get people involved
Avoid looking at or engaging with the audience. Instead, it’s useful to bring people in.
- Ask them to raise their hands, to answer questions, to do an exercise, or to help you out with something.
- Try to speak to everyone, and look at the people in the back seats, in the middle, and in the front.
Keep it light
Add humor if it is appropriate
