If you have flown lately, you might have noticed what I did on my trip to Chicago last week on American Airlines. Where once one person on a video would walk you through all the safety information, several people explained the procedures on the video I saw. One person welcomed us aboard. Another demonstrated the life jacket. Another described how the oxygen masks worked. The switches were almost one per sentence per person. I suspect this is American’s solution to our attention deficit world: they switch the stimuli frequently to keep listeners’ attention. How do you do that in presentations?
7 Tips for Keeping Attention
Keeping attention can be like catching butterflies. You need to be careful and have a good net. Here are 7 ways to capture and keep attention. 
1. Most important, be totally relevant to their world Use examples from their industry/company. Use their products, visuals, logos. Reference their names/needs/departments as you present. Continually link what you are presenting to the pay-off for them
2.Get listeners talking. Ask them which issues on the agenda are most important to them. Periodically, ask open-ended questions: Thoughts on what you just saw? How do you think this will play out here? To what extent does this meet your requirements? What do you think management/users/customers would say?
3.Change the medium. Show a video. Move to a flip-chart and draw something.
4.Have more than one presenter. Bring along a technical expert, a marketing pro, or a product manager.
5.Use color strategically If talking about components, for example, have the headers for each have their own color. Use red circles, arrows, highlighters to focus attention on key points, numbers. Use colored icons in the corners of your slides to show listeners where you and they are in the discussion.
6.Involve mentally. Ask listeners to imagine a scenario. Ask them to guesstimate a number you know will surprise them. Use stories, metaphors, and analogies throughout to help them see what you are saying.
7.Do/show the unexpected. Start with a cartoon, quote, game, or startling fact (I once took a Southwest Airlines flight where one safety instruction stewardess got passengers to put down their reading and listen to her, when she said, “And if this flight should suddenly become a cruise…” Use images to conceptualize the points you are making. Use props to drive home a point. Depending on the group, give prizes for answers to questions. Use appropriate humor.
Variety is the Spice of Life (& Attention)
Today more than ever, holding attention in presentations is a real challenge. Think of all the ways you can vary both the content and the activity of the experience for listeners and use the ones that make sense for your particular situation. Then, watch how listeners will “fly” with you and your recommendations.
Anne Miller
Want to keep your listeners riveted on your presentations? Call me today for a free coaching, training, or speaking consultation. 212 876 1875. “I still use what you taught me thirteen years ago!” CEO, 1stDibs.com