Ever feel as if your audience members are just a bunch of bodies warming seats? Chances are you have one time or another. In corporate America or any political meeting, often times audiences are bored with corporate or political jargon that many audience members hardly understand. One way to deviate away from the traditional, “I speak, you listen” form of a presentation is with an Audience Response System. Look no further, you are in the right place for the right system that is going to fit your needs for the right price. As a company, we do not compete on price, we compete on quality.
An Audience Response System (ARS) is the first step towards giving your audience the WOW factor that everyone is looking for. The title of this blog is “Brand YOU,” and the reason for this is exactly what it says. Give yourself a brand, cherish your brand, grow your brand, and visualize the impact you can make on your audience before you do so. In marketing, a brand is an idea that represents consumer’s connection with a company identity. Now in presenting, your brand is your image, your body language, and most importantly, your message. In order to develop your brand and impact your audience to an extent that leaves them with a desire to take action, simply follow the guidelines that follow.
Preparation is a vital aspect to the success of your presentation. The age old saying of “Practice Makes Perfect,” is especially true when it comes to being ready to get in front of an audience. In preparing your speech, be sure to time yourself. Include time that you are going to allow your audience to give responses using the Audience Response keypads or web software.
We here at Option Technologies challenge you to be different, to step out of your comfort zone, and leave a lasting impression on your audience through maximizing your brand. An absolute essential element to developing a tremendous brand and lasting impression on your audience is to tell a story with value that your audience can relate to. A story that gives them a sense of value listening to you speak. A tip for telling a story to your audience is to start off by giving a quick background of the purpose of your story. This helps the audience to understand your intentions with the story, and may help them follow along and obtain your overall message. It is also very important to reiterate the reasoning behind your story after you conclude.
A majorly overlooked aspect of presenting to an audience is body language. There is no exactly correct method to show positive body language despite what you may have read or been told in the past. The idea of good body language should coincide with the brand that you are looking to build for yourself. Of course, you are looking to display body language that will complement the wonderful message you are instilling upon your audience, but this does not always have to be a chest out, broad shouldered look. Things such as eye contact create feelings of relatedness and honesty. Movement is more natural than standing in one place, so do not be afraid to utilize the available space around you to keep your audience paying attention. As discussed before about telling a story, positive motions and feedback to questions shows your audience that you are comfortable being in front of them which plays a role in making them trust you. Remember, a presentation is a performance; the goal is to sell your story containing your message.
Just as you should in all your presentations, we are going to summarize the key points mentioned today. The first and easiest way to take your presentation to the next level is the introduction of an Audience Response System. With the implementation of an ARS your audience already has an optimistic mindset about what you are going to be presenting to them, and this is a great transition to utilize storytelling and good body language. Don’t forget to prepare and time your presentation well in advance before getting up in front an audience. If you can combine these four things, you will surely see a positive impact on your audience’s engagement and ultimately your brand.
