Tell them to go to other parts of the room and then assign a small task to each group. Make sure it is connected to the content of your presentation.
Instead of lecturing them, get them directly involved in the presentation. Get your audience to take part in your speech and to use their hands and give them something to think about. Nothing is worse than reading from boring slides.
Take advantage of a heterogeneous crowd and use some games, team building activities and group assignments. You’ll be a facilitator of the presentation, and that is much more than being just the presenter, according to the presentationmagazine.com website.
Use some tips on how to take focus off yourself to enjoy a break when giving your presentation:
- Start your speech from the back or side of the room. However, make sure you have something the audience can concentrate on.
- Start with an activity which involves the audience.
- Use interactive technologies – you redirect their attention from messengers to your topic.
- Break your audience into smaller, collaborative groups in order to work on tasks.
Interacting, collecting and disseminating information during a presentation
Websites and apps like Kahoot, Survey Monkey or Google Forms make it easy for your audience to take part in the presentation.
However, never use your PowerPoint or Prezi the entire time. Only use the screen from time to time to really enhance the presentation. Slides shouldn’t be the foundation of your speech.
-jk-