Hottips for Speakers: 25 Surefire Ways to Engage and Captivate Any Group or Audience »

Rob Abernathy, MA, is an instructor at the University of Phoenix and the University of California at Irvine. Mark Reardon, MS, is the CEO of Centre Point Education, a consulting firm that coaches teachers and administrators in education design.

These tips will help anyone who leads classes, workshops, corporate meetings, or group presentations get the maximum attention and involvement from an audience. Each technique is presented in a manner that allows one to understand, experiment with, evaluate, refine, and take ownership of a valuable new skill. The tips range from the simple, like pausing, to the sophisticated, such as recognizing when a conversation peaks and redirecting it before it goes off the topic. In addition to boosting the presenter’s confidence, these steps will enhance group rapport, maximize learning situations, and improve memory.

Introduction
1. Project Confidence
2. Enter Their Space
3. Hold Eye Conversations
4. Invite Questions Wth an Upward Palm
5. Use Modality-Specific Language
6. Whisper
7. Pause
8. Crest the Wave
9. Do the Ninja
10. Hang the Flip Charts
11. Post Truth Signs
12. Share Autobiographic Metaphors
13. Walk to Remember
14. Ignore the First Hand
15. Memorize Names
16. Acknowledge Participants
17. Take Care of Number 1
18. Enhance Learning Through Music
19. Use Props
20. Set the Stage
21. Surf the Unexpected Wave
22. Conquer the Fear
23. Keep Pruning
Balance Gum and Chewing
Make Cheat Sheets
Further Learning