Don’t Just Read

Once you’re up on stage, if all you do is read from your notes, you’ll quickly lose your audience. It’s common for new speakers to attach themselves to their notes because it feels safe; however, people have come to hear what you have to say and they want to see you looking at them when you speak. They want to connect with you, so give them every opportunity to do that.

Your notes are there to guide you through your presentation. Remember to stay out there with the audience and not buried in your notes.

Maintain Structure and Flow

If you don’t have an organized flow to your talk, it will be confusing to follow, and you will lose the audience. As you write your talk, ask yourself these questions: What is the objective of my talk? What points do I want to make? What do I want my audience to walk away with?

1. Tell them what you’re going to tell them,
2. Tell them, and
3. Tell them what you just told them.

This translates into an opening, a body, and a closing.

Don’t Overwhelm

No matter how long your presentation is, be sure not to overwhelm your audience with too much information, however valuable. When they feel overwhelmed, they’ll tune out. As you design your 30-60 minute talk, cover no more than (3) or (4) points. At the start of your presentation let the audience know what the agenda is and how long you’ll be speaking. By doing this, you’re respecting the audience’s time and you’ll then have their full attention for the entire presentation.

It’s Time to Share Your Story

Do you know one of the fastest ways to draw the audience to you as a speaker is by sharing your personal story? When you’re willing to open up your heart and reveal who you really are, people instantly feel connected to you.

In this week’s video, I share with you five tips on how to share your story in a way that will grab your audience’s attention.