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How to turn your presentation into a conversation

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When giving a presentation how can you engage your audience and turn your presentation into more of a "conversation"? The following handful of hints can help you establish a dialogue with your audience and thus make your communication much more effective.

Most people don't like to be talked 'at' but like to feel engaged in conversations. Two way communications are much more enjoyable than one way. Often, during presentations, the speaker talks "at" the audience while providing information on a certain topic. It is difficult in a situation like this, especially if there is a large audience and a formal setting, to make the audience feel like they are taking part in the communication. How can you engage you audience and turn your presentation into a "conversation"? The following handful of hints can help you establish a dialogue with your audience and thus make your communication much more effective.

Hint no.1: Seek mental feedback from the audience

Present to the audience in the same way that you would speak if you were having a one-on-one conversation: make a pause after you have presented an idea, give them time to think, look at them to get feedback, repeat your point if necessary, ask if it is clear, etc. This type of mental dialogue can be almost as good as a real dialogue.

Hint no.2: Ask rhetorical questions

It is an old and a simple trick, but it works. While a formal presentation setting often doesn't allow for a real conversation between you and the audience, you can engage them by asking them questions without actually getting their answers. It is very difficult not to mentally engage and think about the answer when you are asked a question. Don't you agree?

Hint no.3: Avoid mentioning any process matters

Nothing makes a presentation more distant and artificial when then presenter keeps refereeing to the process of the presentation: "The next slide I will show…" or "I will use this microphone today…" or any other references won't create the feeling of a good conversation taking place between you and the audience.

Hint no.4: Make your point and support with evidence

When you have a conversation with someone you would normally make your point and then support it: "I think it is better to go running in the morning rather than the afternoon, because the air is fresh and the body is well rested." Use the same structure when presenting rather than over structuring how you speak by explaining that "…over the next five minutes I will provide arguments related to the best time to go running …"

Hint no.5: Try to be seated while you present

It is amazing how we tend to present in a much more conversational and natural way when we are seated as compared to standing. It might not be possible to sit down and deliver a presentation in front of a large audience but in many presentation situations it will work fine if you are seated while you present.

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