Most of us have had to balance our presentation delivery with presentation technology. Some people try not to use it, others use it too much and end-up hiding behind the technology to make the boring content of their presentations palatable. Striking a balance with presentation technology is to have a silent relationship with it. Here are a few ways to do this:
The Use of Presentation Technology Should Be Subtle
Watching the presenter having fun with presentation technology doesn’t win any points for him/her. In fact, if the new toy doesn’t work then it could actually make the presenter feel anxious. If you want to use something new, then make sure to check if it works in advance.
In case of multiple presenters, use a switch box to seamlessly toggle between laptops. This way time and focus won’t be spent on connecting another laptop to the projector. Try to make the technology you use as invisible as possible.
Use The Remote Mouse Without Pointing It At The Projector
Many presenters love the wireless mouse. These remote control devices give the presenter more autonomy. This way you don’t have to ask someone to change the slides for you either. But, there’s one problem with how many presenters use this technology. They pause, point, and press the button. This takes attention away from the presenter for too long. The images should appear to change effortlessly with the thoughts of the presenter. Practice using the remote mouse to make the transition between the slides smoother. This also ensures that your thoughts are not broken in between a topic.
Direct The Audience’s Attention
It can be a little discouraging when you see someone in the audience checking their phone in the middle of the presentation. You have to understand that you are competing for the audience’s attention vs the screen in their hand. This doesn’t necessarily mean that you have to be loud. You just have to be smarter.
When you are on the stage, you’re directing the attention of the audience. It is their natural inclination to pay attention to you if you move forward towards them, or if you black out the screen after a slide. If you take a step back and change the slide, their attention shifts to the screen. Clever use of technology and presentation techniques ensures that the focus goes to the message and not everything else.
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