I recently ran a ‘presentation’ training workshop where we zeroed in on one of the biggest challenges presenters face: How do you keep people engaged from start to finish?
Public speaking is an important skill. But audience attention spans are short. If you want people to stay with you, it’s not just about what you say, it’s about how you involve them (and how you make them feel).
One of the core ideas we explored in the session was engaging an audience by inviting them to either see something, do something, or think something.
Think something – When people are mentally processing, they’re engaged. Storytelling is one of the most powerful ways to spark thought, but the story has to feel real. The key is to include just enough detail for your audience to re-experience it with you. What did it look like? How did it sound? What did it feel or even smell like? Sensory details pull people in and make the moment stick.
Rhetorical questions are often a presenter’s go-to, and they can be effective, if you give your audience time to actually think. Don’t rush past the silence. Let it land.
See something – Visuals, props, photos, graphs — anything that gives people something to look at will naturally pull focus. We’re visual creatures. A strong image or an unexpected prop can make a message stick. Bonus points if the prop becomes part of the story.
Do something – This is where you lift the energy in the room. Ask for a show of hands. Run a quick vote. Invite people to shout out ideas or use their phones — to take a photo, look something up, scan a QR code. Or simply have them turn to the person next to them. Any kind of movement or interaction changes the pace and brings the room back to life. I’m a big fan of shouting out ideas for a collaborative board.
These engagement techniques keep energy in the room, even if your subject matter is dry. You can often see the audience physically lean in. They’re no longer just listening to a presentation, they’re part of it.
So next time you’re preparing for public speaking, don’t just ask “What am I going to say?” Also ask “How will I keep them with me?”
Think. See. Do.
Simple. Powerful. It works.
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