You probably have tried telling impactful personal stories, clever use of visuals, but your audience is still non-interactive or unresponsive. You would also have made observations of their body language by now. With all that info, you know you now need to "turn the tables". So try turning your speech into a "workshop". You step away from the rostrum, make your way down from the stage towards the audience. You are standing within close proximity of them. Start with asking compelling questions on the topic you spoke about. Ask them to share their stories or what their thoughts are. Pace the room. You pick the people. Reward with chocy or book (you prepare them before hand) to keep the momentum & engagement going. You've got this.

As a public speaker, facing an unresponsive audience can be challenging, but it’s an opportunity to pivot and re-engage them. First, acknowledge the energy in the room—something like, "I can sense a bit of stillness, let's shake things up!" Then, try shifting your approach. Use storytelling to create a personal connection or ask thought-provoking, open-ended questions to invite participation. Humor can also lighten the atmosphere. Finally, vary your tone, pace, and gestures to maintain a dynamic delivery. Remember, your energy often mirrors back from the audience - so stay positive and enthusiastic!

"If you want to connect with people, share a personal story that matters to you." — Chris Anderson. To captivate an unresponsive audience, share a personal story that genuinely matters to you. People crave stories that resonate with their own experiences or emotions. In addition, asking open-ended questions can spark curiosity and engagement, and well-placed pauses allow your message to settle, giving the audience time to reflect. By combining these strategies and making direct eye contact, you can transform disengagement into active attention.

When your audience seems uninterested, try using more energy to grab their attention. Change your voice to highlight important points and move around to make things more lively. Adding a bit of humor, like a small joke, can help make the audience feel more comfortable. You can also ask simple questions or do a quick poll to involve them. Keep your message short and easy to understand, connecting it to what matters to them. Finally, be ready to adjust your approach if it seems like something isn’t working. This will help keep your audience engaged and interested in what you’re saying.