You're about to give a presentation. What techniques can you use to captivate your audience from the start?

Because I have a sarcastic and playful nature, I have always pull the audience in by starting with a playful banter or a joke to put everyone at ease. Works all the time!

The powerful pause and scan the room. I learned this technique from Ed Tate, the Toastmasters 2000 World Champion of Public Speaking. Before, you begin your presentation, pause and make eye contact across the room. This draws the audience in since they expect the speaker to begin speaking immediately. They will also be listening in anticipation instead of tuning you out. Now, a pause can seem like forever for the speaker when you are on stage. Count to ten in your head. Even though it will seem like eons to you, it won't to the audience. Then when you are ready to begin, your audience is more likely to listen to you.

Yes, a hook is good - and so is the initial silence. Over many years, my training and experience as a public speaker (and as a teacher) has confirmed for me that the best presentations follow a simple plan: tell them what you're going to tell them; tell them what you want to tell them; then tell them what you told them. And use real-world examples that are succinct and memorable - ideally with a catchy take-out phrase.

Of course a "hook" is essential, but you have to deliver in the message you relay after. If you simply say something shocking at the start for attention, but don't provide solid, interesting evidence to back up your claim/statement, it's just verbal clickbait and you'll lose the audience later. One method you might consider is starting with your conclusion - which might be contrarian or counter-intuitive - then go back to the start of how you ultimately get to that idea.

Your energy is contagious. If you’re excited about the topic, your audience is more likely to be engaged. Let your passion for the subject shine through. This makes you more relatable and your message more compelling.

You don’t want to leave your audience alone and keep speaking. Ensure you make them feel comfortable and allow them to actively participate if there need be and create a comfortable atmosphere for them to enjoy and actively participate.

Use humor appropriately to break the ice and create a relaxed atmosphere. A well-placed joke or humorous observation can make you seem more approachable and likable, Humor is always kind of preferred over personal experiences

Building rapport with your audience from the start is key to a successful presentation. Begin by greeting them warmly and expressing genuine enthusiasm for the topic. Share a bit about yourself, such as a relevant personal story or your passion for the subject, to create a personal connection. Use inclusive language like "we" and "us" to foster a sense of community. Maintain eye contact and smile to appear approachable and trustworthy. Show empathy by acknowledging their perspectives or potential challenges they face. Engage them early with a simple question or interactive activity to break the ice. By creating a friendly and relatable atmosphere, you can establish trust and encourage openness.

It helps to have a framework for the audience to navigate up front. Excellent presenter/storytellers often use the Pecha Kucha style of presenting. This is because visuals sometimes assert more articulately what a long winding story cannot. Another trick of the trade is knowing that no more than three clear points should ever occupy a single slide. Not only does this help the audience consume nuggets of information easily, it also allows the presenter a moment to breathe, reflect, articulate, and impact their audience better.

Use a striking image that relates to your topic. Visuals can quickly grab attention and make your point more memorable. A relevant and engaging video can set the stage for your presentation and provide a visual break.

- Outline the main points of your presentation upfront to provide a roadmap for the audience - Use transitions to guide them through different sections smoothly - Summarize key takeaways periodically to reinforce understanding

Clarity cannot be overemphasized. You have given a good presentation or a good speech when it is clear. Lack of clarity will hinder your flow with the audience and they will loose interest in no time.

Tengo muchos a?os de dar charlas presenciales y ahora virtuales, y creo que el principal aprendizaje que he obtenido, es que uno debe ser muy claro y conciso con el mensaje que deseamos transmitir, no podemos hablar de más, porque sino vamos a perder la atención de nuestra audiencia. Es muy importante siempre estar ubicados en la posición del otro, para así lograr mantener su interés.

Start with a quick poll or ask the audience to raise their hands in response to a question. This immediately involves them in your presentation. If possible, do a live demonstration related to your topic. This can be very engaging and informative.

Visual aids should be just that - an aid, not a crutch. You should know your presentation so well that you could give the entire thing without visuals (NEVER read verbatim from a slide), but you have some included to keep the multitaskers' brains engaged. It can be tempting to use animations and transitions but these alone won't make visual aids more successful and could actually be distracting. Simple is key.

Visuals enhance your presentation by illustrating your key points effectively. When incorporating images, ensure they are relevant to your topic and clearly visible. Slides should not be text-heavy but rather concise, focusing on key points to support your spoken content.

Images can add to and replace what you yourself say in words. Some people are more drawn to visuals, so make sure yours can tell a story - whether it's a photograph, video, graphic or animation. Make sure your words complement and don't conflict with what's showing on the screen as you share them.

Lo sencillo, es lo mejor. Recuerdo en mi época universitaria cuando me correspondía preparar una exposición, todo el esfuerzo que hacía para que las cosas salieran bien. En ese momento no existían tantas herramientas tecnológicas como hoy en día, pero la creatividad podía hacer milagros...siempre encontraba alguna forma interesante de presentar mi mensaje, utilizando herramientas y ayudas audiovisuales muy sencillas, pero que cumplían su objetivo. Por eso siempre he pensado, que los menos....es más....

Creativity in vocality is a skill that not only engages but also captivates your audience during a presentation. It involves using tone, pacing, and emphasis to convey your message with enthusiasm and clarity, making the experience enjoyable and memorable for your listeners. When you decide to maintain a single tone throughout your presentation, it risks boring the audience. Varying your tone and delivery keeps listeners engaged and enhances the impact of your message.

A respira??o é essencial para produzir uma voz e uma fala mais fortes. Sem ela, você poderá sentir oscila??o no tom, voz soprosa, fadiga vocal e tens?o no mecanismo vocal, o que deixará sua voz ainda menos clara. Portanto, você deve fazer exercícios respiratórios regularmente para aumentar a clareza da sua fala.

Vocal clarity is essential to keep your audience engaged and ensure your message is understood. Start by speaking at a moderate pace, avoiding the temptation to rush. Enunciate each word clearly, paying attention to the pronunciation of key terms. Use appropriate volume, projecting your voice without shouting, so even those at the back can hear you comfortably. Employ varied intonation to avoid monotony and emphasize important points. Practice proper breathing techniques to support a steady and strong voice. Take purposeful pauses to give your audience time to absorb information and to highlight key ideas. Lastly, stay hydrated to keep your vocal cords in good condition throughout the presentation.

Practice Until It Hurts: Ah, the tough part. Great content begs the presenter to be well rehearsed without appearing to be rehearsed. There are no shortcuts here and the more your presentation can come across in a natural, relaxed tempo the better you will be perceived. I usually create slides with three bullets that are short and to the point and then ad lib (rehearsed of course) the “filler anecdotes” that paint the picture of the slide. One minute per slide keeps the attention of the audience as I naturally weave my stories throughout the presentation. It may appear “off the cuff” but it is very well practiced in advance.

An appropriate piece of music or sound effect can create an emotional response and draw attention. If suitable, use a prop to illustrate a point. This can make your presentation more dynamic and memorable.

?? Conhe?a seu público. Fa?a alguma pesquisa sobre as pessoas que v?o ouvir sua apresenta??o… Conhe?a seu material, conquiste e mantenha a aten??o deles… ?? Use a respira??o diafragmática. ?? Use uma linguagem corporal eficaz. ... ?? Fa?a contato visual e Fale devagar. ... ?? N?o preencha as pausas.

This is is a key strategy to make a presentation engaging and memorial . Get your audience involved #bbgforum does this brilliantly . After the talk - split in groups of 5 per think tank - and enable the audience to share their views and takeouts - then have a member form each group - unpack the think tank . People like to listen to themselves - record this and then share the snippet with them afterwards - an awesome way to wow your audience

Never, Ever Read Slides: Raise your hand if you have been in the audience of a speech where the presenter read the slides WORD-BY-WORD… positively riveting! Don’t be THAT guy! The audience can read the slides – keep them brief and to the point – accentuating what’s on the screen with anecdotal tidbits that enhance and personalize the slide. Keep the pace moving so that the audience does not fall into a trance staring at a slide with 100 words on it for five minutes.

Engage With A Poll Or Interactive Activity: Turn the audience from passive listeners to active participants by kicking off with a fun poll or interactive activity. Get them on their feet or their fingertips, right from the start!

Get your audience directly involved early. Do this by giving them a challenging question related to your topic & ask them to discuss this with a neighbor. After 2 - 3 minutes get them to call out answers. Now they are really involved in your topic! This has always worked well for me.

These techniques are essential and help to gain initial attention of the audience. Speaking from the heart with sense of humor blended with emotional & logical intelligence, will help to connect beyond their thinking brains. Additionally, the intent of the speaker does matter as audience knows how to read between the lines/speeches.

I think if you can show equal amounts of these four energies you're on to a winner: Physical energy - i.e. gestures, tone of voice Intellectual energy - i.e. information, debate Emotional energy - i.e. passion, vulnerability Spiritual energy - i.e. belief, vision