Contrary to a common misconception, people’s attention span isn’t getting shorter but evolving, says a recent study by Prezi. For instance, according to the study, people are now more selective about what content to consume. So if a topic of discussion doesn’t interest your audience, they’ll tune it out within seconds.

Thankfully, there are ways to catch the attention of your audience and keep them engaged. If you are planning to rent training room or rent seminar room for your next training event, here are some tips for keeping your training audience engaged.

1. Tell them what’s in it for them

You may have some important messages, lessons for your attendees, but why should they care? In most cases, people are least bothered about your message, even if it is meant to help them. You should be able to clearly state what’s in it for them right at the beginning of your speech. For instance, tell them how the message could help increase their income level or save them time. Until you can convince them that the training is going to impact them positively, they’ll not listen.

2. Tell a story

Another good idea would be to present your message through a story. According to the Prezi study, 90% of the respondents admitted that good stories always help keep an audience engaged. For this trick to work, you need to choose a story relevant to your topic.

3. Identify your objective

Make sure that you know what you want to achieve. Be specific about it. Once you identify your goal, it would be easier for you to pinpoint your speech on a single topic. It is also important for you to think about the kind of emotion you want to create in your audience. Think of it in one word. For instance, you may want your audience to feel empowered, happy, or inspired after listening to your speech. Once your intent is clear, it would be easier to craft your message accordingly.