Localizing your presentation can create a better sense of empathy with the audience. It also proves to the audience that you think they are important enough to do extra research and study. We always like people who make us feel important. Here are some examples:
If you live in Auckland and are presenting in Wellington, rather than using the traffic congestion on the harbour bridge as an example you might opt to use their motorway instead. Another…
If speaking in Dunedin and you wish to state that your company’s reps cover an area from Auckland to Hamilton every day… perhaps Invercargill to Ashburton might give them a better frame of reference.
Look for local areas of interest, perhaps items in the local newspaper might steer you to a good connection. We’ve all heard a presenter make reference to a local football team’s performance, either for the good or the bad.
A good presenter will do their homework and research the audience and find out some common factors. Maybe they all play golf or are all tertiary educated… that would allow the presenter to flavour the presentation to their specific interests and experiences. Knowing that the audience falls into a specific age bracket might allow you to use dated references from a period of time that ‘proves your point’ better.
Audiences appreciate your effort so give a little and get a lot in return.