One thing that has been proven time and time again in regard to information retention and learning is that the more interactive your presentation is, the more likely people are to learn and retain the information.
Why then do we resort to a lecture style format over and over again where we talk at our audience rather than have a conversation with our audience. There are a few quick tips we can engage with to ensure our next presentation is not just informative but also interactive.
Tip 1 – Ask questions.
If you want your presentation to be interactive, you have to give your audience a chance to interact. The simplest way that you can do this is simply by asking questions. Whether you ask multiple choice or call and response type questions, allowing your audience a chance to answer will automatically engage them in what you have to offer.
Tip 2 – Give away free stuff.
Here is the reality: everyone loves free stuff! I cannot tell you the number of chapsticks, koozies, and frisbees (all worth less than a dime) that I have been randomly given at some festival or fair. It doesn’t matter if you give away a trip to Tahiti or a $0.10 branded pen, the act of giving something away will help your audience interact with you ultimately resulting in an increase in information retention.
Tip 3 – Allow time for open mic.
Warning do not do this if you are not comfortable guiding a conversation and taking back control of the room! However, if you do feel comfortable navigating open mic this is a great chance for real time feedback as to how your presentation is going. It allows you to hear from your audience and connect directly to what they are thinking and feeling.
Tip 4 – Use live polling.
Another great way to receive real time feedback is through live polling. There are numerous apps on the market today that allow your audience to answer polls and respond to questions from the convenience of their smartphone. This can be extremely helpful when you find yourself in front of a large crowd in particular.
Tip 5 – Get them talking.
One of my favorite ways to create an interactive presentation is by encouraging my audience to engage with each other. This can be as simple as saying, turn to your neighbor and discuss x. As simple as it may seem, it’s a great way to get your audience interacting and sharing their opinions as well as learning from each other. One tip for this type of interactive: make sure you participate, it will allow you to gauge how much time is needed and when it’s time to move on.
Tip 6 – Allow for Q&A.
I know that this is not always possible and sometimes our audience does not lend itself to Q&A, but whenever possible, I recommend leaving time for a good old fashioned question & answer time. Q&A allows your audience an outlet to wrap up any questions they had. With all their questions answered, they can leave chewing on the information you just gave them, rather than trying to come to a conclusion for their big question.
Interaction is a crucial part of information retention. It allows your audience a chance to engage with you as the presenter as well as learn in a more hands on way. Try one of the above in your next presentation, I promise you won’t be disappointed.
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