Visitors to Raleigh, NC who want a novel and fun tour of the historic district have the option of site-seeing via a Segway. Recently, while entertaining some out-of-town guests, we decided to take advantage of this delightful opportunity. When the day arrived we got there early, eager to get “segwaying”!
Not really thinking about work, (or looking for a blog post), I couldn’t help but be struck by the top-notch presentation our instructor/tour guide, Jeff, provided. His presentation was captivating and interesting. What really caught my attention was his ability to seamlessly transition, or segue, from one topic to the next.
Jeff moved through technicalities to safety issues to the enjoyment of operating this newfangled form of transportation, skillfully “segueing” from one topic to the other. He led us through what we needed to know, not only holding our attention but making it easy for us follow along.
Most speakers give little thought to how they segue through their presentation. Yet these all-important transitions are essential for moving your listeners from “Point A” to “Point B”. How well you are able to do this can mean the difference between a listener having to make the effort of tying your points together themselves, or being able to relax and follow you on this journey.
The next time you step up to speak, instead of relying on “ah” or “so” or advancing your slide to segue, you might try some of these techniques:
- Providing a short phrase or sentence that summarizes what you just said
- Posing a relevant question, and then providing the answer
- Using a catchphrase or slogan repeatedly
Incorporating segues into your presentation will engage your audience and help ensure that in the end they really “get it”!
Remember your segue or Segway – either way, you are on the move!
And if you are in the Raleigh – Durham area, visit Triangle Glides, ask for Jeff and enjoy a Segway tour!
