With the widespread use of webinars and hybrid meetings, we have become accustomed to hearing our own voice, whereas before, its sound often remained unknown to us. So we had to accept it and tame it. Capturing the attention of any audience remains a difficult exercise, because each person in the audience has different expectations depending on the circumstances. As a business leader, do you have to make a presentation in front of a large audience in the coming days? The intervention concerns a product, a service or a subject that you master perfectly, but the idea of exhibiting yourself in front of a large audience worries you? How do you capture and maintain the attention of an audience of several dozen, even several hundred people?
Body language to never underestimate
Body language is the key to success when you express yourself orally, regardless of the size of your audience. Whenever you talk to someone, your written or spoken message only makes up about 30% of the overall perception. Gestures and posture embody the remaining 70%. If you try to talk to someone without moving your hands, head or shoulders, you will immediately realize that physical expressions have considerable importance: without them, you capture the attention of your interlocutor much less.
For example, Steve Jobs, a great leader who mastered the art of keynotes and product launches, always adopted a calm and composed attitude. His controlled gestures and his sobriety throughout the presentation were modeled on the very image of the products he sold: aesthetic, functional, efficient and intelligent. Your presentation must therefore mirror the object or idea that you are putting forward.
However, do not forget that sectoral codes sometimes impose their laws: for example, in presentations of research work, it is customary to read your text, while for other types of interventions, it is essential to look at the audience to effectively convey your ideas and objectives.
The richness of your words
Another essential key to captivating the audience: ensure that your message remains interesting and rich at all times, and remember to popularize it to make it understandable to as many people as possible. Banish professional jargon that is too specific and use simple terms. As specialists like to point out: although gestures and behavior count for a lot, the substance of your speech remains the main source of interest.
Even if the initial subject may seem dry, do everything you can to make it explicit, lively and so that it resonates with the expectations of as many people present as possible. To achieve this, structure your presentation in the form of a story (storytelling) by including anecdotes, strong concepts and getting your audience to interact. Also pay attention to the format: your presentation should not exceed 30 minutes, a threshold beyond which the attention of listeners gradually diminishes.
Voice counts for a lot
Remember to use your voice and play different rhythms depending on what you are saying. A monotonous tone will definitely lose your audience. On the contrary, play on tonal variations to highlight the key messages of your intervention. These vocal nuances are essential to the success of your performance.
To progress, nothing is more effective than recording and listening to yourself. Even if our voice sometimes seems foreign to us when we listen again, this exercise allows us to hear exactly what the audience perceives, thus giving you all the keys to enrich it with captivating intonations.
