Prove to the audience that you know who they are. Mention a unique feature of their website, or congratulate them for a recent notable achievement. Be sincerely complementary.
Give them something to talk about with their neighbor. If I were talking about public speaking, I would ask them to turn to their neighbor and share how they feel about speaking in front of groups.
Give them something to do. In the photo you see here, I am asking the audience to demonstrate the “b and d” rule for knowing which bread plate to use and which drink to claim. You can see how engaged they were by this activity! (People always are. This one is a winner.)
Ask questions. Use show-of-hands questions, questions addressed to the group at large, and even questions addressed to specific people. Questions keep people alert and on their toes. Be sure to give positive energy to those who respond to your questions.
End with a call for action that will improve their lives. You could say, “This weekend, watch YouTube or TED talks and search for a speaker you think is either excellent or terrible and analyze what you see.” Give people something to do that will carry your message into the future.
