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Build Rapport by Making Your Presentations Conversational

By Chakisse Newton, President, Cardinal Consulting, LLC

Few people enjoy hearing a "pitch," but most people enjoy a quality conversation. Build better rapport with your audience by using these techniques to make your next presentation more conversational:

1. Speak for the ear. Expressions that work in written communications are often more formal than the spoken word and can sound stilted when you present. When you prepare, make sure your points sound good when spoken aloud.

2. Remember the value you offer the listener. You wouldn't give a presentation that didn't offer value to the audience. When you remember that someone needs your message, it's easier to connect.

3. Practice pausing. Real conversations require a give and take between the speaker and listener and only bad conversations contain monologues. Pause after powerful points or provocative questions so that your audience can process your words or think of a response.

4. Use good eye contact. It's uncomfortable to converse with someone who won't meet your eyes and the same is true in a presentation. Be sure to make eye contact with different parts of the audience and practice looking into the eyes of one person when making a powerful point.

5. Tell stories. Remember the adage, "telling is not selling." Use stories that illustrate your key points. Stories can also help you relax while at the same time engaging your listener.

6. Practice conversationally. Practice your presentation out loud as if you were only speaking to one person. This will give you a feel for how well your presentation flows and how comfortable you feel with the language.

Keeping your presentation "conversational" does not mean you should go overboard with informality, or abandon techniques that add power or polish to your presentations. Solid speech preparation and delivery combined with the 6 tips above will help you build rapport and create a comfortable environment for your audience to receive your message.