Giving a presentation would be so much easier if your topic was always something enticing like: “How to make $10 million in 30 seconds.” Even if you’re not a great speaker, you know people will lean in and listen.
But most of us are asked to speak about far less flashy topics. And if you want anyone to pay attention you need to be organized, succinct, authentic and persuasive.
Still, given short attention spans, it never seems like enough. So how do you keep people from looking at their phone or staring into space? As a public speaking expert, I use one phrase that gets audiences to instantly perk up and pay attention. It works every time: “Imagine this scenario…”
Let’s break it down:
Together, these words engage attention, evoke curiosity, and invite your listeners into a shared mental space where they can feel and experience what you’re talking about.
