At symposia, training courses and other events, the presentation takes center stage. To keep employees and potential customers in good spirits, it's not only the content that matters but also the delivery. With the following five tips, you can be sure to capture attention.
1. Present serious topics in a relaxed way
Anyone who wants to deliver a successful presentation should meet their audience where they are. Therefore, before the speaker takes their place at the lectern, it should be clear who the target audience is and how best to address them. If the goal is to bring specialty products to market, you need to compress the most important information about the offering into language a layperson can understand. However, you should not under-challenge your audience. Nothing is worse than patronizing the listeners. Using vivid anecdotes and appropriate graphics will liven up the presentation and can make your audience marvel and perhaps even smile, before it's time to move on.
2. Ensure a relaxed atmosphere
Even an apparently dry lecture can have entertainment value. Sharp remarks will certainly liven up your presentation. But even the best speaker cannot hold the audience's attention for hours. Short breaks and meal breaks between individual conference appearances are therefore important. Non-alcoholic drinks should always be available to guests at an open bar. A structured agenda gives guests the certainty to plan when longer food breaks are scheduled. It becomes even less stressful if the organizer takes care of the guests' well-being. A hearty breakfast or an elegant dinner also provides an ideal platform for informal exchange.
3. Info and entertainment – make room for entertainment
To smoothly sidestep the notorious afternoon slump, you can bring the entertaining supporting program forward and, for example, have a cabaret performer appear as a guest speaker in disguise.kabarettist-fuer-unternehmen.de also offers the service for an international audience in the guests' native language. With tailor-made gags related to your conference theme, good spirits break out immediately. After this humorous intermezzo to exercise the laughing muscles, you can continue in a focused manner.
4. Keeping up with the times – using technology
Of course you can stick to your script when presenting your products or the latest research findings to the audience. However, it's more elegant if you speak freely. Cue cards with keywords help you keep the red thread. Don't hesitate to make use of modern information technologies to illustrate your message multimedia-style. In addition to the classics from projector to beamer, interactive touchscreens and whiteboards are recommended to sketch your ideas live. Which technical options are available should be clarified with the venue provider well in advance.
5. For next time: solicit feedback
Congresses, symposia and training sessions are intended for the exchange of information. But not only the guests — you as the organizer will also learn from every event. Use feedback loops to continuously improve your presentations. Whether you ask your guests for feedback informally at the closing dinner, set up an anonymous box for responses, or create an online questionnaire afterwards is up to you. As with the presentation, when soliciting guests' opinions: find a relaxed format that’s enjoyable.
