How to Capture Any Audience

I just finished giving an amazing weekend, which is part of our yearly program the Business University, the weekend was the Master Presenter weekend and it was all about how you can become a great presenter and speaker.

Giving valuable presentation is one of the ways that you can establish yourself as an expert in your field. The problem is that most presenters suffer form what I call the Corporate World Syndrome – which means they are… BORING.

Here are four simple rules that would make sure that you will be a top presenter and that your audience will be will be paying attention to what you have to say to them.

It takes an audience about 15 seconds to decide whether your presentation is worth their attention. Fritter away those fifteen seconds and your audience will either mentally check out or pull out their phones to start texting.

Here’s how to begin a presentation so that your audience really sits up and takes notice.

1. Take your time to get to the stage.

Most presenters think that if they run to the stage that would cover their nervousness and that it would “pump them up” so when they get to the stage they would have high energy.

Nothing is farther away from the truth. Running to the stage would create the opposite. You will get on stage breathing heavily (especially if you’re out of shape…) and more important you’ll be focusing on your fears instead of being centered and focused in what you wish to deliver.

Instead walk steady to the stage (don’t have to be too slow), stand in the center of the stage and just center yourself by taking a few deep breath on stage while scanning the room and looking for friendly faces.

This way once you open your mouth, you already got the attention of the people and you are centered and focused.

2. Do not start with a joke.

Unless you are a stand-up comedian (if you are, I have no clue why you are reading my blog…) never start with a joke. I have no idea how the “warm-up joke” became part of common-sense speaker’s arena wisdom.

Most of the time those jokes are as old as Moses or worse… not funny.

3. Open with questions.

To get an audience focused on what you’re going to tell them, you must first break through the “mental noise” that causes their attention to fade away.

The best way to get the audience engaged is by asking them two questions that would hook their mind on the answer and would force their brain to be focused on what YOU want them to be focused.

The truth is that your mind is nothing more than an… answering machine. When I ask you a question your mind cannot stop from looking for the answer, even if you don’t have the answer, which makes you even more engaged in what I wanted you to be.

As a presenter you want your audience to be engaged with what you have to speak to them about. Therefore starting with two questions or maybe three would get the attention of your audience.

Make sure that the questions are simple and not too complicated.

4. Do not give your “background”.

So many presenters are starting by telling their corporate background in order to build credibility. (Example: “I’ve been working in the education field for 35 years!”)

The problem here is that at the start of a presentation nobody cares about you or your company. You’re asking them to translate your background information into something that’s meaningful to them and their business. Why should they bother?

What you need to do is engage them by telling them your personal story so they could connect with you and realize – “hey this gal, has something meaningful for me I can learn something from her”.

So this is it in a nutshell…

Now I’m curious…

What are your tips in how to start a GREAT presentation?.

Share with us your tips and advice in how to get the audience engaged immediately?

Share with us in, the comment box below.

If you find this article inspiring, please SHARE it on Facebook, LinkedIn or retweet it, by pushing the button on the left, for the right channel, so more women could benefit from it.

Please share this article with your:



- LinkedIn connections
and blog readers...

Have a magical week! Vered