How to Focus on Your Audience

The secret to a good presentation is connecting with the audience. This can be difficult, given that most people aren’t naturally enthusiastic about sitting through a presentation. The problem is that we have all been the victims of a painfully boring presentation at one time or another. That’s because presenters often develop a speaker-focused perspective rather than an audience-focused perspective. They stand at the front of the room and force the audience to remain passive participants listening to what they have to say. They are solely focused on what they have to say rather than being mindful of what the audience wants to hear. It’s difficult to convince, persuade, and connect with an audience when the focus of the entire presentation is on the speaker. In order to deliver a powerful message, you must shift the focus to your audience and center your presentation around them. Here are a few ways to make your audience the star of your next presentation. 

Consider Their Pre-Existing Knowledge

All too often, presenters take the stage, open their PowerPoint and begin firing up their presentation and the audience is just an afterthought. Before you begin preparing your presentation, you must stop and consider what your audience already knows about your topic. Think about your message and ask yourself the following questions:

• What prior knowledge does my audience have on this topic?
• What do they want to know more about?
• What areas of the message will they resist and how can I address them?

Taking the time to consider these questions allows you to shift the focus of the presentation to meet the needs of your audience. Your audience will know that you value their point of view and you crafted your message accordingly. 

Give Your Audience Something to Gain

The purpose of any presentation is to create change. You want to change your audience’s perception of something, deepen their knowledge of a topic, or persuade them to act differently. Therefore, you have to let go of the “What’s in it for me?†mentality and adopt the “How will this change my audience?†mentality. Consider how you can offer ideas to help your audience learn and grow. How can you help them do something better or faster? Can you provide them with new creative ideas? You want to create something valuable that your audience can take with them. In a sense, they become co-collaborators and this is a great way to drive audience support and engagement. 

Less is More

Many speakers fall into the trap of overwhelming their audience with data. They feel like their presentation is their chance to cram as much information as possible into the heads of their audience. Unfortunately, this plan does the exact opposite. It’s easy for audiences to tune you out when you begin dumping too much data on them. Instead, edit your presentation and stick to your core message. When it comes to data and information, less is actually more. Your audience will pay attention and remember the information if it is simple and consistent. 

Interact With Them

Humans are made to interact with one another. We don’t do well when information is simply thrown at us. As you prepare your presentation, think about ways you can interact with your audience and make them part of the presentation. Includes questions, polls, and quizzes. Tell stories that will resonate with them. Create games and activities that connect audience members with one another. Include volunteers from the audience and invite them on stage to be part of a demonstration. All of this interaction will create a connection between you and the audience and it places them at the center of the presentation.