Tired eyes.
Heavy lids.
Have you ever sat through a presentation that felt like a marathon?
The kind where time sl-o-o-o-o-ws down, and your mind starts plotting escape routes—social media, weekend plans, anything to break free?
But what if I told you, it’s not your fault?
We’ve all been there, Reader.
Today, let's dive deep into what puts the audience to sleep and how you can avoid it.
Because ...
life is too short for yawns, and we as an audience deserve better!
1 - My-Name-Is-Blah-Blah-Blah Introduction ...
Look at this intro to one of my talks:
"Good morning, everyone!
My name is blah blah blah.
I am from Denver, Colorado.
I recently graduated from the University of blah blah blah with a Ph.D. Degree in blah blah blah where I received the Dean's PhD scholar award.
I recently moved to Colorado for a job in June 2023.
I now work as a Lead Engineer in a leading research and development company blah blah blah.
I am a public speaker and today's topic of my presentation is blah blah blah.
Thank you for coming to this presentation and for your time and attention ...
I really appreciate your presence."
Are you still awake?
If I were in the audience, this is what I would've done during the intro ...
Here's why such intros are boring and sleep inducing:
People don't care about me.
Only I do.
People are interested in only ONE thing ...
What's In It For Me?
They are looking for something that may be of value to them.
Conventional My-Name-Is-Blah-Blah-Blah intros are a surefire recipe to put the audience to sleep—right in the beginning.
Instead ...
Keep the personal details short as if every word would cost you 100 bucks.
Your audience doesn’t need your life story—just the relevant highlights.
Here's a detailed past newsletter issue on 4 ways to immediately attract attention in the beginning without putting them to sleep.
2 - When Presenter Talks, But No One Talks Back
This is another way to put them to sleep.
When the presenter only talks and does not engage the audience into his presentation
... the audience is likely to snooze off.
When it comes to public speaking, we think of it as a one-way communication.
Well, it's not!
As a public speaker or presenter, it's our job to engage the audience in such a way that it transforms into a dialogue—a two-way communication.
One of the most common—and my favorite—ways is asking enrolling questions.
An enrolling question is a simple YES or NO question that you ask your audience, and they can respond by a show-of-hands.
For example ...
If the topic of my talk is public speaking anxiety, this is how I may begin:
"Have your mind ever blanked out on stage during a public speaking situation?"
And then you comment on their response.
Acknowledging their response to enrolling questions is a crucial step.
For instance, you may comment such as:
"I see some of you have gone through this ordeal. You are not alone; it happens to most of us ".
Asking enrolling questions offers 2 major benefits:
- It calms your nerves
- It makes the audience engage with your talk and most importantly keeps them awake.
3 - Snooze-Inducing Slides: When Fonts Whisper and Eyelids Grow Heavy
Most presenters make this costly mistake.
Costly because it will surely cost you their attention.
I understand the temptation to put every little detail of your presentation on slides in lengthy paragraphs.
I understand it because I am also guilty of doing it ...
Not once, tens of times.
Here's why this may be a problem not only for the audience but also for the presenter:
First ...
we as a presenter might get lost in the long paragraphs, which is highly likely under high pressure situations.
Second ...
the audience would be forced to read the slides and may not be able to follow the content
... and they would withdraw from our presentation altogether.
So, what's the point of presenting if they are not paying attention and snoozing off?
Instead ...
Keep your slides simple and easy to follow.
Write in bullet points and in BIG visible fonts that are easy to follow.
This is an example of a good slide, wouldn't you agree, Reader?
Make sure visuals are not too complicated and are easy to digest.
Trust me ... your audience really appreciates simplicity that requires minimal effort.
You'd be doing them a favor by keeping it simple.
4 - Empty ‘Thank You’: Missing Key Takeaways
Imagine you delivered a presentation on the topic of Overcoming Public Speaking Anxiety ...
and after sharing insights and wisdom it’s time to leave a lasting impression.
Consider these two endings and decide which one of these seems impactful.
The Ordinary?
"... and that's all I wanted to say today.
In the end ...
I would like to extend my sincere gratitude from the bottom of my heart to the organizers for inviting me and hosting this event.
I would also like to thank my audience for your precious time and attention throughout my presentation.
It was a pleasure to stand before you and share my wisdom.
Thank you once again."
Or The Alternative?
"Today, we explored three secrets to overcoming your public speaking anxiety:
First, you are not alone in this fear.
Second, just practicing—without mindset intervention—is the slowest and most ineffective way to overcome your anxiety.
Third, there is always one or many limiting beliefs behind your fear of public speaking.
Keep these insights in mind when you're ready to take the first step.
And know this ...
I am one email away to make you fall in love with public speaking and gain the self-confidence you always wanted.
Thank you!”
I will leave it up to you to decide which ending would have more impact on the audience
... and make them think about what to take from your presentation.
If you know someone who could benefit from this newsletter, I’d love to have them join our community of fearless public speakers. They can subscribe here.
BRINGING IT HOME
TL; DR
Life is too short for yawns, and the audience deserves better.
- Ditch the conventional My-Name-Is-Blah-Blah-Blah intros and use one of these 4 ways to open your talk
- Engage your audience by transforming your presentation into a dialogue by asking enrolling questions
- Keep slides simple and easy to follow: The audience appreciates simplicity which requires minimal effort
- Discard "empty thank you's" and summarize key insights that audience can take with them
THREE MORE WAYS I CAN HELP YOU
1 - Free Discovery Call - Book your free discovery call now to uncover the root of your anxiety and fast-track your journey from nervous to confident speaker 🎤. Don’t miss out—time is of the essence! Seize the opportunity and take that first step toward transformation!
2 - Free live webinar - I will host a Live FREE Webinar on Friday (@1:30 PM MT, 12:30 PM PST, 02:30 PM CST, 03:30 PM EST) in which you will learn three secrets to overcoming your public speaking anxiety.
3 - Social media - I regularly share practical tips and insights on public speaking and communication skills. If you are active on Youtube, Instagram, or Threads, let's connect.
Best,
Waqas, Founder & Speaking Coach
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