Gimmicks won’t help your presentation! In fact they could be hurting it.
Let’s face it, we all know a gimmick when we see one. Whether it’s a product sales pitch, cheesy pickup line, or infomercial; they are easy to spot. And once we do, it taints everything that follows. Just think about every single presentation Michael Scott from The Office ever gave. He continuously attempted to use gimmicks in the hopes of engaging his audience, and while it was hilarious to watch for comedy purposes, it was painful for the audience to sit through. This is why it’s critical to avoid using gimmicks in your presentations.
What kind of gimmicks are we talking about? You know the memes, silly clip art, unnecessary text animations, and flashy transitions people put into their presentations in the hopes of engaging the audience. Gimmicks are inauthentic and useless for building meaningful relationships between you and your audience. A better alternative is truly understanding your audience and their needs, then tailoring your presentation accordingly.
In order to create a truly engaging experience, it is important to research your audience. Conducting an effective audience analysis is key. If you can successfully identify who is in the audience, why they are attending, and what they need, you will be able to speak their language and engage them. In research published by the University of Pittsburgh, the author explains, “an audience analysis involves identifying the audience and adapting a speech to their interests, level of understanding, attitudes, and beliefs”. An audience analysis can serve as a tool for telling truly engaging stories to better capture the attention of your audience.
“An audience analysis involves identifying the audience and adapting a speech to their interests, level of understanding, attitudes, and beliefs”
Instead of telling authentic stories, Michael Scott chose to rely on gimmicks, and every time he did this his presentations fell apart. Remember when he dressed up as Prison Mike to “scare his audience straight” and it all went sideways the moment his audience began to question it. There is a lesson to be learned from Dunder Mifflin’s leader and his hysterical attempts of relating to his coworkers. Beware of gimmicks!
If you really want to connect with your audience, your first step should be telling a story. Successfully telling a story shares a lot of valuable information about you, the presenter. According to Emma Ledden, author of The Presentation Book, “people relate easily (and emotionally) to stories, and they remember them. Stories make facts more digestible and, in telling them, you, as a speaker, appear more human, more approachable and more audience friendly”. Telling a story humanizes you and helps you build real connections.
“People relate easily (and emotionally) to stories, and they remember them.”
Not only should you look for the perfect story to tell your audience, but you should practice it frequently.
After you’ve done your audience research, prepare your presentation and incorporate an authentic story, you should take the time to practice! Practicing your presentation, specifically, your story will help you build credibility and exert charisma. Mastering a presentation is not only knowing it by heart, but it is tactfully delivering each word and stirring all the right emotions.
When you can relate to your audience based on your research, and know exactly what to say and how to say it you eliminate the need for gimmicks. Even though Michael Scott captured our hearts over the span of several seasons, remember most of us laughed at him and not with him.
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