Audience Respect

One of the biggest mistakes most presenters make is in not considering or respecting their audience when preparing their talks. Showing respect means not boring them to tears with a data dump of information which is meaningless to them.

1. Respect your audience. Make sure your talk is relevant to them, not just to you. Focus your talk on what benefits the audience and you will keep their interest.

2. Do not memorize your presentation. It will sound like and feel like you are reading it from the cue cards in your mind.

3. Never read a presentation, even if you are giving it in a language other than your mother tongue. No matter how well you have practiced the talk, you will come off stiff and boring. One exception might be if you are in a crisis and have decided to only deliver a single statement to the press, with no Q&A afterwards.

Showing audience respect means not loading your Power Point slides with overwhelming content that you expect them to read while you continue talking, or worse yet, reading the slide content to the audience. Audience respect involves knowing who you are talking to and knowing what they care about. Audience respect means showing that you care about each person in the room. Speakers who respect their audiences:

? Find out what the audience wants to know and address this information gap.
? Keep the messages simple and interesting.
? Use colorful examples and stories to illustrate their messages.
? Present in a natural and comfortable way.

Rudi Goldman is the founder and Managing Director of Media in English B.V., a Dutch-based communications company and media consultancy which prepares executives for successful television, radio, print media appearances and business presentations. An award-winning communications expert, his 30 years of international media experience covers a broad spectrum, from Los Angeles to New York and from London to Hilversum. Having served as Director of Programming - UK, Benelux and Scandinavia for the Walt Disney Company in London, he understands the European perspective. Goldman has individually trained well over 200 top international business/government leaders. http://media-in-english.com/

---

Eight Success Tips for Your First Trade Show Booth

Exhibiting in a trade show can involve a major investment... Read More

How to Attract New Business Like George W. Bush Wins Elections

THE LITTLE-KNOWN SPEECHWRITING SECRETS THAT WON GEORGE W. BUSH THE... Read More

Ancient PowerPoint Secrets: Ask Your Grandma!

Yes, there are ancient PowerPoint secrets...secrets your grandmother knows and... Read More

Seven Tips for Coping with Pre-Stage Jitters

Whether you need to address large groups or small, familiar... Read More

Nonverbal Communication in Business

There are five key elements that can make... Read More

7 Myths That Make Meetings Miserable

Myth 1: Executives belong in meetings.Although the demands of business... Read More

Improve Your Bottom Line with What You Say

When was the last time you thought about what you... Read More

Writing The Query Letter

The query letter is simply a business letter that serves... Read More

Cell Phone Dos And Dont During A Meeting

What would we do without our cell phones? Wow, there's... Read More

The Who, What, Where and When of Color In Your Documents

This article will help you to assess and maximise the... Read More

Presentation Skills: Be More Productive Using a Facilitator Mode

There are many definitions for presentations. When you present there... Read More

Tips for Thinking on Your Feet

If you really aware and alert, your audience's behavior -... Read More

Incorporate Humor in Your Next Speech

Some speakers say, "I could never use humor in my... Read More

The End is the Beginning

People remember best what you say last. In a presentation,... Read More

Develop The Winners Edge Through Conversational Hypnosis

Communication is vital for survival in an age of information... Read More

Ten Tips on Using Flip Charts and Whiteboards

Flip charts are so common that we all think we... Read More

The Secret Language of Money

At a number of business seminars and presentations, I passed... Read More

Is This Thing On?: Keeping Your Audiences Attention

First and foremost, you must deal effectively with your own... Read More

Problems with the Lecture Format

ALTERNATIVES TO THE LECTURE FORMAT: How often do you use... Read More

Business Presentations - Use Power Pitching - Get the Personal Edge

Whenever and whatever you're pitching, dozens of factors will figure... Read More

Show the World Your Wares Easily and Inexpensively

You've spent a lot of time preparing your PowerPoint presentations... Read More

Beetle Bailey and Presentation Skills

In March 2002, the comic strip Beetle Bailey contained a... Read More

Handling Questions with Authority

At some point in your presentation you will be expected... Read More

Presentation Power Does Not Come From PowerPoint

You speak before a group. You present your message. You... Read More

Audience-Friendly Presentation Style Habits in Three Easy Steps

You have presentation style habits that automatically appear when you... Read More

Move Key Audiences to Actions You Want

How?Try a blueprint like this: people act on their own... Read More

The Upside to an Auditory Rehearsal

Many experienced trainers feel that there is something lacking in... Read More

How You Can Save On Conference Calling

In recent years, companies have recognized the need to expand... Read More

PowerPoint Presentations: How to Use This Tool More Effectively

Many of us use PowerPoint to convey a message to... Read More

Be Bold, Branded, and Bespoke - Your Customers Want You to Choose

I had been working on a logo idea for several... Read More

5 Breakthrough Marketing Ideas

Do you ever get frustrated with your marketing? Are you... Read More

After the Speech

Usually the emphasis on making an effective speech is what... Read More

Chairing A Meeting The Most Effective Way

How many times have you attended a meeting where the... Read More