Interact with your audience

- Did you know that over 60% of people believe that a two-way presentation is more engaging, more memorable and more persuasive than a linear presentation? That goes to show how important audience engagement is. A good public speaker always leaves space for their audience to participate during their presentation. It's an effective strategy to ensure that they are following and that you won't lose them throughout the course of your presentation. In this video, you'll learn three tips on how to make your presentation interactive with your audience. First, ask questions. This is a good way to have your audience give a peace of their mind. Make the discussion feel like it's a team play so you know whether or not they're actually following, and to assess how they're absorbing the information you're giving. Do you need to slow down, or do you need to elaborate further? Ask questions and make things two-way. Second, acknowledge people's comments. Public speakers don't just speak, they listen. When your audience gives comments, acknowledge them. It's a good indicator that they're actually listening, and it makes your presentation more engaging. It's important that you keep the doors open and let your audience contribute to the discussion. Always make them feel seen and heard. Third, pay attention to your audience's cues. During your talk, it's important that you focus on your presentation. However, it's also necessary for you to pay attention to your audience. Good speakers always take their audience cues into consideration, even when they're unintentional. When you're good at reading your audience's nonverbal cues, it gives you more control in a situation. If you see them nod, it's most probably means that you're on the right track. If you see them furl their brows, maybe you'll need to pace it down and take things slow. Make sure to use these signals to your advantage. Interactive presentations make the audience feel welcomed and heard. Plus, they make you feel like you're not alone at all. As a speaker, you want to make yourself and the audience feel like you're walking through the presentation together. It's important that you make them feel like you're learning from each other.