Enterprise Presentation Tips - How To Command Attention

All eyes are on you. Yes, it's accurate. In business presentations, you are in charge. You are the leader. As the leader in a presentation, you are in charge of the pace, flow, and impact of your story.

In business presenting, a lot of professionals confuse their audiences by multi-tasking. This is a truly bad concept. Instead of giving your audience a clear direction, multi-tasking points them in 15-directions at once.

Let's look at the common (but awful) practice of talking while changing PowerPoint or Keynote slides.

If you talk, change slides and keep on talking, what ought to the audience do? Ought to they listen to your words? Need to they focus on the slide? What is the correct location to look? They aren't sure.

The audience doesn't know what is the top priority. Merely put, if your audience is confused, they will check out. Instead of staying connected to your message, their attention will drift.

Next thing you know, people will be checking e-mail, daydreaming or having side conversations. This is NOT how to command attention.

What can you do differently? Slow down. Do 1 factor at a time.

Here's the straightforward tip: Announce where you are going. Pause. Then change the slide. Next, describe where you are.

This is just the identical type of step-by-step approach that you require to take when giving a tour, or managing the attention of a young child. Only now, you're acting as a patient tour guide for your audience.

Here's the break down in precise detail.

Tip 1: Tell Where You Are Going

Announce where you are going in advance. This tip applies to your whole presentation, each slide, and the next action.

For the whole presentation: usually give an overview. This helps participants get oriented for the whole journey. Even if everybody is familiar with the topic and you've met just before, give an overview.

For every slide: prepare participants for what's in the next slide - before you go there. This is essential. The mind can wander. It's your job to tell individuals where you are and what's coming next - before you go.

For every action: tell folks what you want them to do. Announce this in advance.

Then...

Tip 2: Change The Picture

After you have alerted participants, it's time to do what you promised. Change the slide.

If you are not using slides, you can still do this step. Change to a flipchart. Change to a video. Or change to a whiteboard. You also may be changing to an exercise or activity.

Whatever you promised to do, do what you have announced.

Tip three: Show Where You Are

Now that you are in a new slide, or a new whiteboard discussion -- show people around. Familiarize them with the new part of the presentation.

I like to believe of this as playing the tour guide. It doesn't take a lot of time, but it shows how significantly you care about your audience. It shows you care deeply about their expertise.