How Do I Warm Up the Audience: Twenty-One Tips
This excerpt is from the book Smart Speaking by Master Speech Coach Laurie Schloff.
Mostly by being genuine. You'll melt the ice and warm up the room by helping the audience view you as a total human being rather than a rhetorical robot. Even better, establishing contact with the audience takes away the stress of being in an abnormal situation and allows you to feel like "you" rather than a distant relative of your regular self. There are numerous tricks that experienced presenters use to unfreeze the atmosphere. Try the ones that feel comfortable to you, and never forget the impact of a well-meant smile.
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Arrive early. Make small talk and learn at least a few names before you begin. One advantage of the virtual world: You can usually see names and call people by name more easily.
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If possible, make sure people have name badges that are large enough for you to read. This requires advance planning because usually names are written too small or too faintly. Work with the meeting coordinator to make sure the badge is placed high enough on the participant’ chest to easily see.
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Ask audience members to introduce themselves to one another and find out something specific about their partner. (“Let your partner know one communication strength you have and one communication skill you'd like to develop.")
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Have the audience complete a brief survey beforehand and include the results in your talk. (“This method is especially good for the 59 percent who said in the survey that diets just don't work for you.”)
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Before you begin, invite volunteers to let you know what they most want to know about your subject. (“What are your most burning questions about the new tax legislation?”)
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Bring in humorous items and news stories especially relevant to this audience. Start collecting them well in advance of your talk.
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Make references to tidbits about their world. (“I understand you've been preoccupied with moving your offices this month.”)
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Conduct a poll as part of your talk. (“How many of you have ever been scuba diving?”)
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Ask rhetorical questions (where you are not expecting a real answer out loud from anyone). Pause. Your audience will be answering in their own minds before you go on.
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Use cartoons on handouts or slides. Hearing the audience laugh will increase your comfort.
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Refer to information about the audience that you have gathered before the presentation or from the introductions. (“If you're a lawyer, like Mike, or a tennis pro, like Patsy ...”)
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Situate yourself physically closer to the audience— move away from the podium.
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Bring candies, fruit, or mints for a thoughtful touch.
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Provide enough breaks!
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Deviate from your main outline to give some spontaneous-sounding asides.
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Use fill-in-the-blank materials, so that people complete them as you go through your talk. Your audience will stay mentally alert anticipating what might come next.
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Do something surprising. Bring in an unusual or clever object. (One client showed a giant sponge to demonstrate the resilience of the marketplace.)
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Ask for a volunteer to help with keeping notes or demonstrating your product. If it's a close-knit audience, when you connect with one, you'll connect with all.
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Build in opportunities to show a range of emotions— you'll look more human.
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Bring up their objections before they do. It will show your broadmindedness. (“I know many of you find it difficult to think about life insurance at this stage of the game.”)
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Reveal relevant personal experiences. People will identify with you more easily.
