For many people confronted with the dreaded prospect of delivering a presentation all that is going through their mind is getting up on stage delivering the presentation with all good speed and getting off the stage.
As long as the message has been delivered and reinforced (usually by distracting and overloaded PowerPoint slides) that's the job done. It's absolutely crucial that speakers consider how they will persuade their audience.
Failing to win people over will result in 90% of the audience switching off from your presentation within the first 5 minutes; that should be regarded as a catastrophe, but regrettably it is alarmingly common.
In recent years I have made a point of asking people what they thought about a presentation that we have all sat through and it is truly horrifying how many people very quickly went off into their own dream world, so dull was the presenter.
It is not uncommon for 100 people to sit through an hour's presentation and only 10 to be still listening after a few minutes Just how much working time has been lost.What is the process of winning over the audience?
Firstly - know them (if you can) and as early as possible get in a statement that you know they can identify with. Imagine a politician addressing an audience of business people all of whom are running small independent operations and that politician's opening remarks being 'Red tape is strangling this country and impeding the ability of our entrepreneurs to thrive. The burden will be reduced immediately by adopting the following plans...'
As long as the actions made sense to the audience they will have been won over completely and utterly. The rest of the speech will now be so much easier to deliver.
Compare this to a speaker with an audience comprised solely of people working within finance departments being greeted with the remarks 'this initiative will allow us to reduce those working in finance areas by 50%'.
It was hardly surprising that this proposition received a cool reception.
Secondly - when you deliver this audience winning statement look them straight in the eye as you say it and see how the audience rapport builds as they look back at you. Sense that growing bond as the audience warm to you.
Thirdly - when you have finished delivering that winning statement pause briefly to allow the audience to absorb the statement and quite possibly shake their head in agreement.
Fourthly, it's important to ask your audience rhetorical questions whose answers will underline and confirm your major points.
Finally - and this particularly applies to a speech over ten minutes in length; humour is marvellous to soften the effect. This will ensure that the attention of the audience never drifts off.Knowing that you have won an audience over is one of the best feelings in the speaking world.
Author Resource:-
The College of Public Speaking offers a variety of personal development courses and workshops to deliver personal impact. Based in London, England hundreds of students each year benefit from our diverse sessions. For more information on voice coaching, vocal impact, elocution and accent softening and reduction, please visit ==> Fear of Public Speaking London and Voice Coaching London
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