Many articles have been written on the importance of knowing your audience. As trainers, we know how to size up the basic attributes of an audience when preparing for a presentation. But assessing such things as the audience's education, management expectations and job function only goes so far - it helps you ensure that your content is appropriate.

Content, however, is only one of the factors that determines the effectiveness of a presentation. Another key element of success is getting the audience to participate. In general, there are two factors that drive classroom participation: The energy level of the instructor; and the energy level of the audience. Here's a closer look at how to optimize both factors.

The Energy Level of the Trainer

To determine if your energy level will be on "Full" or "Empty" during a training session, consider:

• The time of the class - there's a big difference between a class held at 2 pm and one held at 2 am;
• How many training sessions you've already held; and
• How many more sessions you've scheduled.

Even the most enthusiastic of trainers experiences a dip in personal energy levels at some point. The key is how you handle these dips. Each individual does something different to rev up the engines. For example, if I feel my energy starting to flag, I usually get a cup of coffee or take a walk.

This activity is helpful not just for its own sake but because it gives me the opportunity to remember what is at stake. I find it very motivating to remind myself of what I can accomplish and what kind of impact I can have on each person who attends the presentation. I could be providing information that will save their lives. If that doesn't excite and motivate you, nothing will!

I also make it a practice to always greet each participant as he or she arrives for the presentation. I listen to their conversations to gauge who they kid the most and what they kid about. I then use this in the beginning minutes of my class to draw everyone into the conversation.

The Energy Level of the Participants

You also need to know a bit about your audience's energy levels. Before your presentation, find out if:

• You'll be addressing a shift that's just coming to work or just ending their day;
• The class will occur before or after a meal - either way, it's a potentially low-energy situation; and
• The class participants have been physically active or desk bound - in other words, will they be tired or bored?

If participants are at the end of their day, it will probably be necessary to raise the energy level. There are different ways to do this. One is to incorporate more hands-on exercises and games into the training. You may also want to encourage participants to bring snacks, coffee, soda, and such into the class (which I usually do anyway). Another trick I use is to bring some type of candy (I usually use Smarties for the Smarties). This is useful for two reasons: first, it helps foster classroom participation; and second, it provides instant energy.

Here's one final trick that works every time: Make a mistake. Purposely do something silly. Make a joke about yourself, spell something incorrectly on the board or use an incorrect slide on the projector. When the error has been discovered, let the participants know you are tired too, but that together you can all get through it and have fun at the same time.

Conclusion

However you choose to address the energy issues, remember that you are the biggest factor in the energy level of your class. Make sure you are animated. Add interest to your voice using inflection, pitch and volume. And don't take yourself too seriously. Have fun with your delivery and your students will have fun, too.

Next week, I'll discuss how to minimize distractions that affect audience participation.

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