I was hoping this course would help me keep my students' attention in an all-lecture class. It is after lunch and I have a hard time with them nodding off. I modulate, show examples, try not to cover too much, and I start every lecture with reasons they will need the info. Any help?
Great points. Regarding making it relevant I once heard a speaker make the point that it is the speaker's job to make the application, don't just leave it up to the audience. Thanks for the reminder.
Ryan
I believe that in customizing a presentation to your audience we can utilize more the technology at our finger tips. We can engage our audience even before the presentation by making the option available to pre-submit their questions. In addition a small 10 question survey can me made available to get a feel for the audience perception, experience, expectations etc. Know your audience.
Practicing on a group similar to the audience is good, to build confidence and ensure that the presentation is most effective. Further ensuring that even the most hostile walks away motiviated and activated is important show them what's in it for them.
These are all great ideas. I especially like your idea of the option to pre-submit questions. This will help them to anticipate your presentation & also give you a chance to prepare for those tougher questions.
Ryan
we use various methods for presenting info, such as whiteboards, hand-outs, ppt, video. the trick is to change up as much as possible. someone commented that their students get lost in the pictures of a powerpoint, i find that varying the above items reduces this quite a bit and sometimes they are refreshed by getting a handout or today we are going to watch a video, etc...
"Variety is the spice of life." A very old statement but I have found it to be very true in my presentations. The more variety I can use, the more engaged my audience is, especially when we are together multiple times.
Ryan
Reserch is always the best option. Having the ablilty to know your audience gives you a chance to tailor the presentation to fit their needs.
What strategies do you use in customizing an online presentation vs. a face-to-face presentation?
I am customizing a presentation by focusing on who I am giving the presentation to (young audience, professionals, lay person etc). I also customize by either knowing the individuals in my audience or giving a presentation to people I have not met before. It is not necessarly easier to customize a presentation to people we know.
Know your subject and audience then arrange your presentation.
Know the dynamic of the audience and include visuals or references to their company or organization.
Great idea, especially the aspect of including visuals & references that are specific to the company or organization to which you are speaking.
Ryan
I like to use personal stories that relates to the subject matter.
Yes, stories are incredibly powerful & I highly encourage you to use them whenever possible.
Ryan
You must understand all of the dynamics connected to your presentation. This includes knowing as much as you can about your audience (demographics), be mindful of the time of the presentation (morning vs. evening), and understanding the physical layout of the place you are presenting.
I do presentations for a variety of companies, organizations, and interest groups. I think the best way to customize it is to get a feel for the "culture" of the organization. Secondly, know to whom you are speaking and if they have any pre-conceived ideas about what outcomes they want from the presentation. Beyond the basics: size of the audience, demographic make-up, etc. I like to know if they are required to attend or if it's optional.
The best way to customize a presentation for an audience is to research your audience. By finding out what the audience is interested in and what their position is you will be able to customize the presentation to what their particular interest and needs are.
To customize a presentation to the audience you would first need to know your audience. Once you accomplished this, you should then review your presentation and pull out the parts that may be the most insteresting to them. For example, you may want to discuss a few topics in more detail. To do this you may add additional data or charts to the presentation. Maybe you determined that the audience would like the presentation afterword so you add a sign up sheet where you would then email the presentation.
These are all great ideas/suggestions for preparation. I especially want to highlight the need to find out if this is a voluntary or "mandatory" audience. This really does make a big difference in how you approach your audience.
Ryan
Absolutely & definitely important to find out the position or level of your audience. While you may speak on the same topic to a variety of audiences, the particular information or angle may be somewhat different based on these factors.
Ryan
