by Randall CraigFiled in: Blog, Make It Happen Tipsheet, PresentationsTagged as: Audience, Preparation
Even though you may be on stage when you are making a presentation, it is your audience that deserves the focus. They don’t care about you – at best they only care about how you can “solve their problem”. And at worst, they want to be entertained. Changing focus to the audience doesn’t happen by accident – it requires preparation, both before and after the presentation itself. Here are a number of ideas from delivering 100’s of keynote speeches over the last decade or so.
Before the presentation. Ensure that you really understand the audience and their needs. Answering a few simple questions can make a huge difference: Why are they there? Do they have to be? What are they hoping to learn or accomplish as a result of listening to you? Of course, if your presentation is worth giving, it is worth rehearsing: your style and fluency should help deliver your message, not hinder it. (A bit more on how I do this as a professional speaker, here.)
At the end of the presentation. The purpose of your audience is not to be a “receptacle” for your ideas, nor are they there to feed your ego. The mark of a successful presentation is one that causes something to happen: mindsets are changed, action is created, or decisions are made. So why not end the meeting with a focus on action? Here are a few ideas:
While all of these ideas apply to group presentations, they are equally applicable in small group meetings, networking meetings, and even one-on-one meetings.
Run through these ideas prior to your next group meeting or presentation. It’s all about your audience: what you do before and after can change a good presentation into an impactful one.
Does this topic resonate? Reach out to Randall: he can present it to your group. (More presentation topics) Download Randall’s professional credentials: Speaker credentials one-sheet or Management Advisory credentials.
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