When you're hosting a live session on MS Teams, keeping your audience engaged is key. It's not just about sharing information—it's about making sure your audience is really with you. Engaging your audience means they're more likely to hang around till the end, actually absorb what you're teaching, and (hopefully) put it into practice later. So, engaging them isn't just a nice-to-have, it's a must-have, especially in Presentation Skills Training where interaction literally practices the skill.

Start with Magic Maps to Break the Ice

Magic Maps is an awesome way to start your MS Teams session. Ask your attendees, 'Where are you joining us from today?' This doesn't only kick off some cool conversation, but it shows you've got a worldwide audience when those dots start appearing on the map. For a twist, during your Presentation Skills Training, you could ask, 'Which city have you presented in and absolutely loved?' Or 'Where in the world do you want to give a presentation?' This kind of warm-up gets everyone involved from the get-go and can even help them feel more comfortable about speaking up later on.

Dive Deeper with Opinion Polls

Want to explore your audience's thoughts more deeply? Opinion Polls have got you covered. Pose open-ended questions like, 'What's your biggest challenge when preparing for a presentation?' or 'What’s your secret technique to ensure you remember your speech?' You'll get a range of answers that spark discussion, and you can highlight interesting ones to add even more value to your session.

Gather Quick Opinions with Power Polls

Polls are perfect for quick feedback and to see where your audience stands on different topics. During your Presentation Skills session, you could ask, 'Which part of presenting is toughest for you?' and give options like 'Starting the presentation', 'Keeping audience engaged', and 'Handling Q&A'. This helps you tailor your content on the spot based on what they need more help with, plus it breaks up lecture-style delivery.

Use Winner Wheel to Motivate Interaction

Who doesn't love a little competition? With Winner Wheel, you can boost engagement by awarding prizes to people who interact most. During your session, maybe you pose a question like, 'What’s your top tip for dealing with presentation nerves?' Attendees post their answers in the chat, and you use Winner Wheel to pick someone at random for a small prize or recognition. This keeps the energy up and makes everyone eager to participate, knowing they might get rewarded.

Reflect Group Thoughts with Wonder Words

Wonder Words are a super visual way to see what everyone's thinking at once. Create a word cloud during your session by asking, 'What's one word to describe how presenting makes you feel?' or 'Name a skill you want to improve when presenting.' Seeing those answers pop up not only keeps everyone actively involved but also gives you a literal snapshot of your audience's mindset, letting you adjust your talk track if needed.

Decision-Making Fun with Choice Circle

Polls are perfect for quick feedback and to see where your audience stands on different topics. During your Presentation Skills session, you could ask, 'Which part of presenting is toughest for you?' and give options like 'Starting the presentation', 'Keeping audience engaged', and 'Handling Q&A'. This helps you tailor your content on the spot based on what they need more help with, plus it breaks up lecture-style delivery.