You can’t force people to listen to you. Their willingness to listen depends on what you say and how you say it. Therefore, you need to be smart when delivering your presentation so that you can capture attention. These tips will help you make people listen to what you say without forcing them to listen.
Listen
If you want someone to listen, you need to do the same. You can’t expect people to hear you out when you keep interrupting them or telling them that their ideas don’t matter. Whether or not you agree with what another person is saying, you need to listen. There is a time to express your feedback, and it is not while someone else is speaking.
Be concise
You need to keep your words short and get straight to the point. Some people want to listen, but they become bored when you say a lot of words. Find a way to be concise with your thoughts so that you can move on with the discussion.
Use visual aids
If you can’t express everything during the presentation, it helps if you have a visual aid. It helps you further the discussion because some of the issues that you can’t cover are in the presentation. You also can’t expect everyone to be at the same pace when listening to you. Some grasp ideas faster than others. Visual aids also reduce the possibility that people will get bored. They have something to look at on the screen if they don’t feel interested in listening to what you have to say. Buying a TV wall mount is a good investment for your business because it allows you to get people’s attention while you speak, without them being distracted.
Give time for sharing
Some people might want to express their thoughts while you explain your ideas. Since you want them to listen, the best way is to give them some time to discuss things once your presentation is over. Open the floor for sharing and discussion. They can reserve their thoughts until they have the chance to speak.
Talk to people after the meeting
You can continue the discussion once the session is over. If you only have an hour or two to meet with them, it is possible for some people not to feel heard. Take time to speak with them once you finish the meeting to let them know that you still care and you value what they have to say. In the next meeting, they won’t mind listening to you and other people because they know that even after the session, they will have a chance to speak.
Getting people to listen is not an easy thing to do. You need to be interesting to capture attention. You need to prepare well. You also have to open the floor to everyone so that they can say what is on their minds. Even if you do all these things, there is still a chance that some people will not listen. You need to keep working hard and command attention without coercion.
