Be the Guide, Not the Spotlight: Using STAR to Engage Your Audience

In any presentation, nerves often remind us that all eyes are on us. We’re centre stage, and it can feel like we're the stars of the show. But the most effective presentations are not about the speaker; they're about the audience. When we shift our focus from ourselves to the people listening, we create a memorable experience that leaves a lasting impact.

To help with this shift, I use STAR to guide your presentation design: State, Transform, Act, Reward.

Let’s explore how STAR can bring clarity and engagement to your next presentation.

S – State

The first step is to understand your audience’s current state. The better we know our audience the better we can speak directly to them, using their language and meeting their needs. To do this consider the following:

Where are they mentally and emotionally when they sit down to hear you?

What’s on their minds?

What do they already know?

What are they hoping to learn, gain, or experience?

What do they expect?

What do they need?

Imagine you’re presenting to a group of young professionals on time management strategies. Before jumping into techniques, take a moment to reflect on their daily reality. Perhaps they're balancing entry-level jobs with career goals, personal lives, and, often, side projects. Contrast this with working-parents of teenagers. Their reality is different, their priorities are different, their needs and therefore solutions they require are all different. Your presentation should be tailored to the different audience.

This audience-centred approach helps you to prepare examples, language and techniques that will ensure they are better able to connect to and embrace the content you’re sharing.

When we show that we understand an audience, they’re more likely to trust and connect with us.

T – Transform

Once you know your audience’s state, the next question is: What transformation do you want to create for them? Where are you leading them through your presentation? The best way to think about this is to answer this question:

How do you want them to feel, think, or do?

The transformation doesn’t have to be grand; it just needs to be impactful and focused. The transformation can even be as simple as moving from uncertainty to clarity.

?A transformation can either be set up as a Call to Action (CTA) as a direct ask OR be more subtle in delivery, being suggestions or recommendations throughout the presentation.

Suppose you’re giving a workshop on public speaking to a group that’s nervous about presenting. Your transformation goal could be to show them some techniques on how to manage the physical effects of nerves, so they leave feeling capable of applying them in any setting. They leave feeling more aware, in control and empowered to control their nerves.

Here are some additional examples of transformations or CTAs to consider, depending on your audience and purpose:

1. Encourage Immediate Action:

• Attend an upcoming event or join a webinar for further insights.
• Try a new skill or technique taught during the presentation.
• Follow a recommended routine (e.g., a 5-minute daily routine to boost productivity or reduce stress).

2. Promote Deeper Engagement:

• Schedule a one-on-one consultation to discuss their unique needs.
• Join a membership or community group for ongoing support.
• Download a resource (e.g., e-book, checklist, guide) for more detailed guidance.

3. Inspire Reflection or Change in Perspective:

• Reflect on a specific challenge in their current situation and consider how new insights could apply.
• Share the information with their team or implement in their workplace for broader impact.
• Adopt a new mindset (e.g., embracing innovation, empathy in leadership, or personal resilience).

4. Build Relationships or Grow Networks:

• Engage in a social media challenge or discussion related to your topic to build visibility.
• Refer a colleague who might benefit from your services or expertise.
• Provide feedback or testimonials to help build credibility for the project or service.

5. Commit to Learning or Personal Development:

• Sign up for a workshop or course to deepen their skills.
• Set a goal (e.g., improving a skill, meeting a deadline) and take the first step toward it today.
• Start a habit or practice that reinforces the insights from your presentation (e.g., weekly team check-ins, morning productivity routine).

6. Create Value for Themselves or Their Organisation:

• Identify a quick win they can implement to see immediate results in their workflow or strategy.
• Share insights from the presentation with their leadership team to spark change.
• Consider a partnership or collaboration with your team to drive their objectives forward.

By defining the transformation before you think about the content you will ensure you include only relevant information and examples and keep the audience with you. CTAs help guide your audience towards specific actions or mindset shifts, creating a clear transformation that makes your presentation and message land with impact.

A – Act

Engagement grows when the audience has something active to do. We learn better if we’re involved in the content. If you want an audience to remember your message, give them an action – something small but memorable to make them feel part of the experience.

If you’re leading a session on effective communication in teams, ask your audience to try a quick communication exercise. For instance, have them pair up and take turns explaining a complex idea without jargon, then summarise it in one sentence. This exercise makes the session interactive, helps them experience the communication challenge first-hand, and strengthens the likelihood they’ll remember and apply what they’ve learned.

Another simple action could be a reflective question: “Think of a time when you felt misunderstood in a team – how did you respond?” Questions like this pull the audience into the moment and make your message personal to them.

Even getting the audience to raise their hands, shout out an answer to make a note of a reflection, gets them to act and therefore increase the chances they’ll remember your message and get closer to the transformation that you’re aiming for.

R – Reward

Finally, let’s talk about the “So what?” This is the answer to your audience’s ultimate question: “What’s in it for me?” It’s crucial to articulate a clear, meaningful takeaway that will stick with them after they leave. Why should they care about what you’ve shared? What value can they carry forward into their daily or professional lives?

Imagine you’re delivering a presentation on stress management. Your reward could be a takeaway resource like a simple five-minute daily routine to start reducing stress immediately. Give them something actionable that feels achievable, and explain the potential benefits: better focus, improved productivity, and a calmer mind. This “reward” answers the “so what?” and motivates them to take what they’ve learned and put it into practice.

Rewards remind audiences why they should care and how it directly benefits them.

The STAR Framework

Using the STAR framework helps keep your audience at the heart of your presentation. It’s a reminder that, while you might be in the physical spotlight, your role is to be a guide, helping the audience on their journey rather than simply showing off your knowledge.

Next time you’re preparing a presentation, remember who’s the STAR of the show – the audience. Define their State, the Transform. Design an activity for Act and clearly articulate the Reward. Not only will it enhance your presentation, but it’ll also turn your audience from passive listeners into active participants, engaged and ready to implement what they’ve learned.

Remember, the real power of a presentation isn’t in standing out yourself – it’s in helping your audience shine.

It’s time to turn the spotlight on your audience.

Helen von Dadelszen is on a mission to help professionals speak with more confidence. As the founder of the Present Potential Academy, she provides practical coaching and training on a range of speaking and presentation skills.

Her superpower is unlocking professionals' potential when they speak - whether it's in front on their industry, their board, their staff or a potential funder or client. She believes that finding the right words and matching that with a confident and professional delivery leads to success. She specialises in using the voice and body effectively and teaching pesky butterflies to fly in formation. Helen works mostly with non-native English speakers and those from academia, NGOs and the healthcare field.