How can you ensure good audience behavior? Simple, "work" the audience ahead of time! When you warm up the audience, they are receptive to you and to your presentation.

What do you have in common with your audience? Maybe it's your profession, your community, your membership in an organization or they could be on your Board of Directors. Or maybe it's a sales presentation to potential clients.

Introduce yourself. Look at their nametags. Make a comment, observation or ask a question about the information.

• "Nice to see you." (with a firm handshake, eye contact and smile)
  
• "What brings you to the event?"
  
• “Oh, I'm originally from Pennsylvania too. Where did you go to high school?"

You can be the "greeter" at the door as attendees enter the room. Or walk into the audience as they are being seated and greet them. Move around the room. You don't have to talk to each person, but do make sure you are in each section. Do include others by eye contact. Get to the back of the room because the people who go for the seats in the last few rows may need the most "warming up."

The people with whom you have chatted will pay attention, because you're now a person, not just a presenter. There is now a personal connection. The audience members who saw you talk to others get that same sense.

You have engaged your audience. They are now ready to listen to you. You have set the tone.

Tips for Terrific Talks

Know your audience. Ask the program chair several questions:

Who will attend?
How many will attend?
What is the audience demographic?
How is the program billed?
What is the goal for your program?
Who else is on the program and/or your panel?
What are the needs of the group?
Why were you invited?

Read the group's newsletter, trade journals, program brochure.

Visit their website.

Interview several people who will attend.

Prepare your material. Get comfortable using the visuals, if you plan to do so.

Practice so you are familiar with the three key points, sub points and stories.

Attend their receptions.

Greet & meet members of the audience.

You have just had conversations with audience members. Continue that conversation from the platform, when you deliver your presentation.

Take your time before beginning your presentation. Position yourself, look around the room, breathe, focus and wait until you feel that you have something important to say. Then speak.

Talk WITH the audience, not at them. I tend to talk sequentially to individuals rather than to a group. It allows me to gauge reactions better.

Start with a story/vignette that happened to you or someone you observed or that you were told in conversation or overheard. DO NOT tell a story that you heard often or another speaker has used. It is his/her material, not yours. You run the risk of retelling a vignette the audience already knows.

Treat your audiences as the intelligent people they are. Customize your program for the needs and members of the audience.

If the thought of a presentation to clients, potential clients, colleagues or community is so uncomfortable, join a Toastmasters group.

Finally, don’t picture the audience naked. Don’t be a comedian. Speak from the heart.