Introduction
Have you ever attended a seminar or any public speaking event where you could just not be captivated by the words of the speaker? All their facts and information were right, but there was just something missing. It is safe to say that we all have.
Speakers often spend a lot of time coming up with content that they forget they will be required to hold the attention of the audience. When you step on the stage, your main aim is not just to deliver the speech but to deliver it in a way that the audience is left reflecting on your presentation.
How can you do that? Let us find out.
Tricks to engage your audience with public speaking
A speech is only impactful if it is running in the minds of the audience long after it has been delivered. And that can only happen if you have the capability to engage your audience in your presentation. How can you learn that besides searching for speaking coaches near me?
The following are some public speaking tricks you can use to engage your audience:
Storytelling will get you far
The beginning of your presentation is the most important part. The first minute decides whether the audience will listen intently or tune you out. In this first minute, you can captivate them by sharing a story relevant to your topic. This can be anything, but it must connect with the rest of your speech.
‘Did you know’ facts
If using a story does not work for you, you can begin with ‘did you know’ facts. For example, if you are talking about the geographic history of the world, you can begin with the following statement:
Did you know that Hawaii is progressing at a rate of 7.5 cm every year toward Alaska?
From here, you can move to tectonic plates and back to your topic.
Picturise the scene
Instead of rattling off data to the audience, you should take a second and picturise the scene. This allows the audience to frame an image in their head, which they will then link to your speech. You can picturise the scene by describing the colour, scent, or feel of a thing.
Questions are a must
A great trick to bring the audience’s attention back to you is by asking questions. These questions can be rhetoric or asked intending to get an answer. Nevertheless, it will prompt your audience to use their brains which is the finest way to engage your audience in your speech.
Polls work wonders
Questions cannot be asked to each and everyone in the audience, and that is where polls come in. All you have to do is ask who is for and against a notion.
For example, if your topic is Environmental Degradation, you can do a poll and ask the audience to raise their hands if they think it is a serious issue and then ask them to raise their hands if they think it is not a serious problem.
Be conversational
One thing any speaking coaches near me will explain is that using complex words, phrases, and references will not get you anywhere. Instead, try to present your speech in a way that it seems like you are talking to the audience instead of speaking at them.
Move here and there
Most of the speakers would get nervous and then present their speeches in one spot. While it might be good for your start, you will lose the audience’s interest after a few minutes. To make it look interesting, you will have to move around on the stage and target your speech at each section of the audience.
Take a break
Are you losing your audience gradually? Did you notice people talking amongst themselves? Now is the best time to take a short pause. Drink some water and make a few alterations in your strategy for approaching the audience. Once the pause is over, you will have a new chance of winning your audience back as you did in the beginning.
Repeat that
This trick may sound wrong, but it works great in the crowd. If you repeat an important line, data or fact, your audience will definitely notice it. This increases the chances of getting that information into the minds of the audience. Moreover, it will also bring the audience back to your speech if they have wandered off in their minds.
Humour is the best tool in your arsenal
One of the most important tricks is to use an appropriate amount of humour in your speech. This should be consistent and proper according to the environment you are presenting the speech. Your audience will be more engaged in your speech if you use humour as they will be expecting more of it.
Turn it into bullet points
If there is some information in your speech that can be turned into bullet points, turn it in. We know bullet points are great for written information, but when used orally, they have almost the same impact. For example, if you are explaining a process, divide that into multiple steps and count the steps along with your audience to make it more fun.
Use example
And that brings us to the last but crucial trick to engage your audience in your speech. This is the use of examples. You might have noticed that it is easier for us to remember examples instead of concepts. And this can be used in your speech as well. Additionally, you can also use metaphors and other figures of speech.
Conclusion
Those were a few of the most relevant tricks to engage your audience during your speech.
If you are searching for ‘speaking coaches near me,’ you should consider us, Orator Academy, to be your public speaking coach. Our programs are designed by experts in the field, and with their guidance, you can learn to engage any audience quickly. Moreover, we also help you overcome your stage fright with our group and one-on-one sessions.
