Presentation Training Tips:
Making Your Presentations More Relevant 

American Idol's newest judge, Kara DioGuardi, tells contestants on the popular TV show to "be relevant." She says audiences respond more favorably to artists who are "fresh" and "can connect." Nothing you didn't already know, but it bears repeating for people delivering a presentation, regardless of whether they're entertainers at a rehearsal or a business leaders at a podium. Here are four easy ways to appear relevant to audiences in business settings.

Tap Twitter. When I present to groups, I find that most people have heard about microblogging site Twitter but very few are active users (usually about 1% to 2% of the audience). That means you can appear fresh and contemporary simply by using Twitter and engaging in conversations that you can describe to your audience. Try this: Poll your Twitter followers and incorporate their comments into your presentation.

Encourage texting. I recently asked my connections for ideas on making presentations relevant. One person, who often lectures at universities, suggested you include a slide with your phone number and urge your audience to text questions during or after your presentation. She says texting works well for her because some audience members are reluctant to ask questions publicly.

Shoot video. If you notice something that's relevant to your message, shoot a video of it, and insert it into your presentations. Turn static two-dimensional presentations into multimedia experiences. I recommend a simple, relatively inexpensive Flip camcorder for such events.

Experiment with other new technologies. Beyond Bullet Points author Cliff Atkinson uses a tablet PC for his PowerPoint presentations. At key parts of his presentation, he inserts a blank slide into the deck, asks his audience a question, and uses a stylus to write the responses on the screen. He also uses this technique, like a digital whiteboard, to sketch ideas. Says Atkinson: "This mix of a high-tech tool and a low-tech technique [sketching by hand] creates an interesting dynamic that engages your audience and leaves the impression that you're on the leading edge of technology but that you also care about old-fashioned conversation."

You might also want to try experimenting with online services to create and deliver your presentations to remote audiences. Online presentation provider SlideRocket sells tools that allow users to create, collaborate on, and share presentations with anyone with access to an Internet browser, on Mac or PC. Because it's Web-based, users don't need to e-mail their slides. It also allows for integration of images, animation, and video.

Of course, don't think you can rely solely on gizmos or online services to convince your audience. The content of your presentations is the most important part. The other day I spoke a small-business owner of a real estate firm who has successfully navigated four housing downturns in her 33-year career. She credits her company's longevity with her constant push to learn from and share knowledge with her peers. Read publications your audience doesn't read. Devour books they don't have the time to get to, and sign up for conferences they're not attending this year due to tighter budgets. Teach your audience something new, and you'll be recognized as relevant.

Your audience is changing. It's consuming and delivering messages in far different ways than it did just a few years ago. Keep up with it. Then incorporate new information using a creative approach. Good luck!

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