3 chances worth taking to make your presentation memorable

Rather than lecturing and pounding your audience with dozens of slides, engage the crowd through participation. Above all, be yourself.

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“I want my presentation to be engaging and memorable. I want the audience to remember me and my message. I want to be amazing!”

Sound familiar? Sure. Who doesn’t want to be a killer presenter? But what if the following also rings a bell?

“I’m talking about serious business issues, and I want to be taken seriously. My audience isn’t interested in anything ‘creative,’ so don’t ask me to do anything weird.”

Guess what. Your own reluctance is crushing your potential to get people engaged in and enthused about your message. If you want to show up, stand out and stick in people’s memories, start with these three suggestions as you plan and deliver your presentations.

1. Give your audience a little credit.

Sure, you might face a roomful of people who are reserved, quiet or serious. They might even be risk-averse, resistant to change or total sticks in the mud. Still, fixating on those negatives limits you and them. Instead, focus on positive opportunities. What stokes their curiosity? What lights them up? What might loosen those sticks from their mud?

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