Every presenter dreads facing a silent audience that’s giving zero feedback. You finish speaking and … crickets. Nothing. Now what?
Technology now provides a way to avoid this frustrating situation. An audience response system (ARS) provides two-way feedback throughout a presentation, energizing it with active participation from the crowd. Audience members can share their thoughts and presenters can react in real-time.
Let’s look at the advantages and disadvantages of using an ARS in your next presentation and find out how feedback can reshape the way you communicate with audiences.
Active vs. Passive Listening
An ARS is based on the idea that active participation - being actively engaged in interacting with presented material - is far superior to silent, zoned-out passive listening. Learning experts support this theory. When people are actively paying attention, they are much more likely to absorb and retain information.
Active participants are also more likely to correctly analyze data. Some studies show that at least 20 to 30% of things that are said are not properly interpreted by the listener. With an ARS, an audience member can quickly ask the presenter a question and receive a clarification, improving their ability to come to the right conclusions.
Two-Way Trust
Trust is also a big issue in audience presentations. If the crowd doesn’t trust the person sharing the material, they’re less likely to hear, retain, and rely on what’s presented.
That’s why any presentation— ARS-enabled or not— needs to start with a bit of background on the person’s qualifications. If you’re an outside consultant who’s been brought in by the company, explain why. If you’re hosting a community forum, describe how you’ve helped other communities in the past.
As author and motivational speaker Stephen Covey said, “Trust is the glue of life. It’s the most essential ingredient in effective communication.” In Covey’s book, “7 Habits of Highly-Effective People,” he emphasized the need for active listening and open collaboration in securing people’s trust.
A Boost of Energy
A major benefit of ARS technology is that it makes presentations more fun and interesting. Rather than feeling their eyes glaze over at yet another PowerPoint chart, the audience can see the chart come to life with animations. The presenter can run a quick audience poll to gauge understanding of the chart, and address any concerns immediately.
The whole presentation begins to feel less like a business meeting, and more like a lively interactive game. In fact, gamification— or learning through games— is a new frontier in audience response technology, helping people enjoy adult learning in new ways.
An ARS can be as basic as a quick poll and as complex as a custom-built game. This flexibility allows you to tailor your message to every audience.
Limitations and Proper Use of ARS
Of course, any system has its limitations. ARS can’t solve every problem you might have in your presentations.
Let’s go back to the issue of trust for a moment. Trust is a tricky thing. No matter how much you reach out to your audience, there will be some people who simply refuse to engage. Trust-averse people may need one-on-one discussion with an HR rep or training specialist.
There’s also the issue of over-reliance on technology. Even the snazziest interactive presentation won’t make sense of messy math or incomplete data. Make sure your information is clear and accurate before adding ARS, or you may face uncomfortable questions from sharp audience members.
Also, ensure the presentation format matches the group. A cheerful animated presentation might be a mismatch for a community discussion about opioid abuse. In this case, a more straightforward town hall style meeting would be more appropriate.
Reacting in Real-time, and in the Real World
You’ll know you’ve picked the right ARS format when your audience is sitting attentively, asking questions, and showing deep understanding of the material. Make sure you seize the opportunity to react to their excitement.
Remember to:
- Respond to every question asked, or reassure them that you’ll follow up later.
- Answer questions respectfully, and in a way that encourages additional interaction.
- Have a plan for people who react badly to ARS or attempt to hijack the conversation.
- Provide a clear call to action about what you’re hoping they’ll do with the information.
- At the end of the presentation, give contact information for additional discussion.
- Conduct pre- and post- meeting polls and surveys for continuous improvement.
Find out how Option Technologies can help your company use ARS for real-time feedback and maximum information retention.
