The Audience Connect

The ability to enchant the audience with your presentation skills still remains a big challenge. Even after numerous books and countless courses speakers still fail to engage their audience. It is not that they lack knowledge or understanding of the subject. In fact, the knowledge they posses is unparalleled. Throw them a question and they will answer. Put them in a situation where a solution is nowhere in sight and they will solve it with ease. Don't know what's the future is going to be like, ask them and they will predict trends that not only will enhance your understanding of the subject in question but also prepare you for the same. But...when it comes to communicating and disseminating the same through presentation or a public speaking engagement they struggle. They may not be prepared one might say but they are. Thoroughly, in fact.

Then what ails a presentation? Why is it that death by presentation is still so common? As I said before there have been a thousand reasons given and thousand ways preached but be seated in the audience and the story is the same. 

With all due respect, to all the techniques, methods and ways suggested to enhance the quality of presentations one thing gets frequently undermined. Failing which, every bit of preparation and rigour put into the presentation goes down the drain. That one thing which makes or breaks the presentation irrespective of the preparations and content is the ability to connect with audience. One may debate it or even challenge it but you can't ignore it. The ability to connect with the audience is the key differentiating factor which enlivens the presentation.

When you speak to friend, a colleague, a teacher, a leader you listen to them with intent for they all speak the language which you understand. They convey meanings you can gauge and fathom. Compare or contrast this with a person whose language and meanings you cannot comprehend. The same holds true of the presenter and his audience. Gauging the language the audience can understand and easily relate to becomes of utmost importance. Tell them things they can connect with and they are all ears. Substitute the key terms or jargon with things the audience does every now and then, and you almost eliminate the possibility of loosing them.

Though the connect remains a key differentiator it has to backed by strong preparation and a thorough understanding of the subject. So the next time when you are about to present remember to connect with the audience and you will not only enchant them but get your point across.