It’s easier to listen to somebody when they’re speaking in a conversational manner. This is intuitive but also backed up by research by Richard Mayer and others (there’s a nice summary of the research at the Creating Passionate Users blog). Research by Mayer showed that people learnt more when a computer-based educational game was conversational in style (Mayer calls this personalized), as opposed to formal in style. When tested on the content, they scored significantly more:
So when you’re presenting, use your natural conversational style. Here are some tips to achieve this:
- Always be talking to someone – you may think this is obvious, but how many presenters have you seen that are talking to the PowerPoint screen, to their notes or to the back of the room.
- Talk to one person at a time – spend a few moments with this person. It shouldn’t be so long that they risk feeling intimidated, but long enough that they do feel as if you have been talking to them. This will normally be the length of a phrase, or a short sentence.
- Imagine that you’re having a one-on-one conversation with that person. Let the other people in the room disappear from your consciousness for that time.
- Look for their reaction to what you’re saying before you carry on. Most people will nod or smile.
Good suggestions, Olivia, though a slight caution about your second point. You don’t want the presenter to “lock on” to an audience member. Eye contact, as you know, should be uniform.
However, your overall concept is sound. Presenters should strive for a friendly conversation with the audience. (Especially during small-group seminars and workshops.) No need to get stiff and formal about it. Both the audience and presenter benefit when the presenter is relaxed.
Much of the stiffness could be caused by nervousness. The cure for that, of course, is experience.
Do you mind if I quote a few of your articles as long as I provide
credit and sources back to your site? My blog site is in the very same area of interest as
yours and my visitors would certainly benefit from some of the information you present here.
Please let me know if this alright with you. Thanks!
It must be onn the point, ?asily ?eadable, and keywor? focused.
?he same rule is a?plied to the web page popularity.
2) ?ctivate Aki?met plugin and s?tting up: Spamnming is on? in thhe worst things inside
cyber world.
Hi! I just want to offer you a huge thumbs up for the great information you have
right here on this post. I’ll be returning to your site for more soon.
Hi! I know this is somewhat off topic but I was wondering which blog platform are you using for this website?
I’m getting tired of WordPress because I’ve had issues with hackers and I’m looking at alternatives
for another platform. I would be great if you could point me in the direction of a
good platform.
You’ll be doing a lot of moving around, kneeling
and bending so wear comfortable dress shoes. Finding the right tuxedo takes time,
as do fittings to make it look just right.
Mike is also a well known Detroit radio personality, having spent
over 14 years on-the-air at one of Detroit’s most popular music stations,
101-FM WRIF.
If you are going for finest contents like myself, only go to see this website all the time for the reason that it offers
quality contents, thanks
Very true about a conversational approach being easier on the ear. When I was in Toastmasters, a fellow member liked to say “Ladies and gentlemen” a few times during a speech, which (as well as being formal) reminded me that he wasn’t speaking to me, but to a crowd!
I just posted about 12 tips for conversational presenting. They’re grouped into 3 levels: Have a chat (i.e. Speak informally), Help people think (Give them time and cues to reflect on what you’re saying), and Hear their thoughts (Let them respond with a show of hands or with questions etc).
Nice read