Effective presentations bring in new clients, build profits, accelerate business development cycles, speed fundraising and promote rapid growth, if they serve your AUDIENCE and your desired RESULTS. Answer these questions to frame an effective presentation that gets results:

1. AUDIENCE: First, last and always central to your planning

• Who is in your audience?
• Why are they listening to you?
• What do they want? …need?
• How do they feel about your topic and how can you ease their anxieties and uncertainties?
• What are their most likely objections or concerns?


2. RESULTS: Thoroughly and optimistically defined – every time.

• What is your core business goal? (Objective)
• What, exactly should the audience understand and retain? (Key Messages)
• What should they be able to repeat to other stakeholders and why should they want to? (Key Motivators)
• What do you want the audience to do when you finish speaking? …when they leave the room? …In the following days, weeks and months? (Call to Action)

3. CONTENTS: Your message must serve your AUDIENCE & RESULTS:

• What are your most persuasive points?
• How do they meet your audience’s needs?
• What risks, obstacles or doubts must be overcome, and how can you do that?
• Which examples, stories or illustrations are the most convincing?
• Does your presentation support your business goals? (Continual Assessment)
• And afterwards… (Videotape, tape and/or keep notes!) How did it go? What can be better next time?

Top 10 TIPS:

1. Visualize the exact results desired from your well-defined audience
2. Open strong, maintain interest, close strong
3. Organize, organize, organize; practice, practice practice
4. Match the message to the medium to the audience
5. “Script” it by speaking, not by writing (use a coach, recorder or scribe)
6. Use gimmicks/effects sparingly, if at all
7. Clarity: Discern between what you can vs. should include
8. Communicate, DO NOT RECITE
9. Arrive early, finish early
10. YOU are the EXPERT – own your subject

Excerpt: “Great Presentations Mean Business”
by Laura Athavale Fitton

Effective commerce demands effective communication. A great idea is a nice start. A product or service, that idea made real, is even better. But until a viable market finds out about it, and more importantly, about why they want it, the product has no worth.

Step one. Identify the market. Step two. Describe, not the product, but the benefits of the product. Construct a vivid picture in your audience’s mind. Bring them along on a journey and show them the world that could be, that would be if only they… signed up, signed on, invested, committed, agreed… well, you get the idea.

Although oratory is an ancient art, the recent proliferation of PowerPoint-based business presentations has become largely detached from that history and is wanting for effective codification. There are abundant sources of material on effective speaking and presenting, but surprisingly few formal ways to acquire and improve the requisite skills, Particularly in a one-on-one setting with an emphasis on developing the presentation itself, not just the “tricks and techniques” of delivering it.

Most of us should know better than to think you can convince by explaining, but an unfortunate proportion of business presentations merely describe and contain a “laundry list” of content. That’s fine if you want your audience to think “Hmm? Oh, that’s nice. Is it time for my next meeting?” Wouldn’t you would prefer that your audience act on your presentation, in very specific ways that justify why you are making it in the first place

Persuasive, and therefore effective, business presentations are both an art and a science. Talent plays a role, but attentive study, practice, strategy, targeting, practice, discussion, analysis and more practice can dramatically improve any presentation. Structured, facilitated practice with a professional trainer is the fastest way to achieve the most substantial improvements.

Great ideas, great service and great products, in a vacuum are not worth much. Profitable commerce demands effective communication.

Resources to make your next presentation great:

Web Sites:

Pistachio Consulting Strategic Communications Consulting
www.PistachioConsulting.com

Presentations Magazine Equipment - resource for frequent presenter www.Presentations.com

Patricia Fripp - Former NSA president, great articles
www.Fripp.com

Tony Jeary - Mr. PresentationTM
www.TonyJeary.com

Cliff Atkinson - Fighting “Toxic PowerPoint”
www.SocialbleMedia.com

Books:

Tony Jeary Inspire Any Audience; Life is a Series of Presentations
Marjorie Brody Speaking is an Audience-Centered Sport
Speakers Roundtable Speaking Secrets of the Masters
Morrisey, Sechrest & Warman Loud and Clear
Tufte, Edward Visual Explanations

[email protected]... because GREAT PRESENTATIONS MEAN BUSINESS
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