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Use
Change
to Build
Audience
Engagement
People
notice
change.
You
notice
the hum
of the
air-conditioner
when it
comes on
and when
it goes
off –
but not
in
between.
So
change
will
re-engage
in your
presentations
as
well.
Change
what the
audience
sees of
you and
your
environment.
Change
your
stance
and
gestures.
Change
your
position
and
location
to
emphasis
a
point.
Change
the type
of
visual
aids you
are
using –
maybe
from
flip
chart to
object
to
slides.
Introduce
a video
clip
into
your
presentation.
Make
sure
your
slides
do not
follow a
template.
Introduce
something
very
different
or
unexpected.
Change
the way
you
present.
Use
silence
and
pauses.
Change
your
tone of
voice
and your
speaking
volume.
All of
these
will
match
what you
are
trying
to
deliver
– facts,
stories,
data,
persuasion,
all
require
different
presentation
styles,
but the
change
caused
by this
will
also
build
engagement.
Change
your
material.
Signpost
changes
or new
points
you are
making,
by using
a
sentence
or a
word,
and a
gesture
that
heralds
something
new.
This
regains
audience
engagement
as well
as
whetting
their
appetite
for
more.
Change
topics.
Change
the
state of
the
audience.
Have
them
move
into
groups
to
discuss
a
concept
or share
ideas
about a
topic.
Change
later to
simply
discussing
with a
neighbour.
Ask
questions.
Have
them
raise
their
hands to
answer.
This
changes
their
physical
state
and
allows a
change
in
mental
attention
as
well.
Get them
moving
in some
other
way.
Changes
in your
presentation,
in your
presentation
style
and in
the
audience’s
own
physical,
emotional
and
mental
states
will
maintain
and
build
their
engagement.
©Bronwyn Ritchie
If you want to include this article in your publication, please do,
but please include the following information with it:
Bronwyn Ritchie is a professional librarian, writer, award-winning
speaker and trainer. She is a certified corporate trainer and speech
contest judge with POWERtalk, a certified World Class Speaking
coach, and has had 30 years experience speaking to audiences and
training in public speaking. Get her 30 speaking tips
FREE and boost your public speaking mastery over 30 weeks. Join now or go to
http://www.30speakingtips.com
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