Whether you are presenting to a large group in an auditorium or speaking at your next team meeting, it’s important to build a connection with your audience. This is a skill that many presenters need to develop. All too often presenters are self-focused out of fear of messing up. They want to do a good job so they place all their focus on their words and slides. The problem is that this leaves their audience feeling bored and disengaged. Even if you have given several presentations over the years, learning to connect with your audience is critical to your success. Here are a few tips for engaging your audience in order to make an authentic connection.Â
1) Research and Learn About Your Audience
When it comes to giving a presentation, there is no “one size fits all.†If you want to connect with your audience, you have to tailor the presentation to fit their needs. That’s why you need to spend some time researching your audience and learning as much about them as possible prior to your presentation. Consider the following questions:
-What prior knowledge do they have on this topic?
-What are they looking to gain from my presentation?
-What do they need to know more about?
-How familiar are they with industry jargon?
-What is the average age, professional background, and demographics of my audience?
This information will allow you to customize a presentation that will resonate with the audience.Â
2) Tell a Story
There’s no denying that people love a good story. Forget about the formal introduction and overused elevator pitch and give the audience a compelling story. Storytelling is a great way to build interest, make your information relevant, and build an emotional connection with your audience. Stories help listeners engage with the content, increase awareness, and think deeply about the message. They evoke emotion in a way that resonates with listeners and makes the presentation memorable.Â
3) Show, Don’t Tell
Imagine someone tells you about this great product and how it has changed their life. Then, imagine you actually see the product and test it out for yourself. Are you more likely to be persuaded by the description or the action? Most people would agree that they are highly influenced by things they see and experience for themselves. That’s why it’s so important to bring your presentation to life. Rather than standing up and speaking at your audience, choose lively videos, images, charts, graphs, and even props to describe your message. Get your audience excited about the content by actually showing it to them.Â
4) Interact With Your Audience
If you want to connect with your audience, you need to get them to laugh, feel, and think. Include opportunities for interaction with your audience throughout the presentation. Ask them for a show of hands, take a poll, play a game, or to role play. These interactions make your presentation more interesting and they shift the focus to the audience.Â
5) Be Authentic
If you want to connect with your audience, be yourself. It’s tough to connect with a speaker who speaks from a script or who acts like an expert. Rather, be vulnerable and show a different side of yourself. Tell about a personal experience. Laugh at yourself. Don’t be too serious. It’s not easy to be vulnerable but people will appreciate your honesty and authenticity.Â
6) Move Around
Be mindful of space when you are presenting and don’t be afraid to command it. If you stand behind a podium for the duration of your presentation, it’s difficult for the audience to really feel your passion and enthusiasm. Instead, try walking around and moving through the crowd. Make intentional eye contact and direct your words to individuals in the audience. By physically getting closer to your audience, you make them feel closer to you as well.