How to make sure people actually pay attention to your next presentation

The art is in ensuring your message is remembered long after the words are forgotten.

By Eric Fitzpatrick Author

YOU CAN PICTURE the scene: a three-day conference with 50 different speakers, all industry experts.

As a speaker, it is an opportunity to get noticed, an opportunity to share your message or idea. But the reality is that many miss this opportunity because every speaker sounds the same – and a week later your audience will find it impossible to remember much, if any, of what you said.

The question, therefore, is how can you make sure your message will be remembered when your words are forgotten? Here are seven ideas that will help:

1. Be different

Work out how you can stand out from all the other speakers. Most speakers at business conferences wear formal clothing, stand behind a lectern, read from pages of notes, rely on text-laden slides and deliver lifeless, fact-based logical presentations.

Steve Jobs stood out as a presenter because of his appearance (you’re probably picturing him as you read this), because he stepped out from behind the lectern, because he rarely used notes, because his slides mostly contained images and because he ignited the imagination of his listeners.

2. Tell stories

People are wired for stories. They are in our DNA and we have grown up with them. Stories allow listeners to create pictures in their mind that will help them to understand the speaker’s message.

A presenter’s story allows the listener to recall their own version of that story, which makes it easier to relate to the message. A good story is easier to recall a day, a week, even a year after it was heard. As Patricia Fripp, one of the best speaker coaches in the world, says, “No one can resist a great story, well-told.”

3. Use humour

At a conference, the speaker who can make their audience laugh will be long remembered. Listeners want useful information but they need to be entertained.

Humour breaks down barriers between a presenter and their audience. Humour allows an audience to relax and relaxed audiences learn. Adding humour tells an audience that a presenter cared enough about them to make their presentation entertaining.

John Cleese once said, “If I can make you laugh, I can get you to like me. If you like me, you’ll be more open to my ideas.”

An audience that laughs is more likely to remember your message and buy into it.

4. One message

Whether you are speaking for five minutes or 45 minutes, give your listeners one message. Make three to five points that support that message but give them one message only.

If you give your audience more, they will struggle to remember and get confused. Before you start creating your presentation ask yourself, “What is my objective?” The answer will be the message you want to get across.

5. Use concrete images

The best way to explain abstract ideas or technical information is with metaphors or similes. Comparing difficult to understand subjects to visually strong or familiar images will make them easier to comprehend.

Picture a bicycle, a sunflower or a river and images come easily to mind. By contrast, terms like risk, investment or strategy can be difficult to follow. If you want your message to be remembered, explain it in terms your listener is already familiar with.

6. Connect emotionally

It has been said that 80% of the decisions we make are based upon emotion. If you want to connect with your listeners, you have to touch their hearts.

Most presenters focus on making logical arguments and try to reach their listeners’ minds, but logical arguments don’t connect and listeners lose interest very quickly.

7. Focus on your audience

Your audience doesn’t care about your product, service or idea, they only care about how it will benefit them. Create a presentation that focuses on the benefits to your listener and not the features of the product.

Change your language. Instead of saying, “we do this” or “we make this”, say “you get” or “you will benefit” or “it will help you as follows”.

Your audience is thinking, “What’s in this for me?” Answer that question in terms of benefits to your audience, and they will be focused on your message.

Eric Fitzpatrick is the author of ‘Persuade on Purpose, Create presentations that influence and engage‘.

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