How do we make the presentation journey more concise and deliver just what our audiences want or need?
I find it useful to think of my presentations and speeches as a journey where I lead my audiences to insights or ideas that might be new or different from how they’ve previously thought. This analogy helps me to think of the ‘road map’ of getting them from point A (where they are now) to the destination – point B (the outcome, goal, different perspective).
- Where is the journey taking them?
- What are the main sites (main points) along the way?
- How do I entice them to go on this journey in the first place (the presentation’s introduction)?
- Will they know when they have arrived (the conclusion)?
Plan the journey with these 3 steps:
1. Laying it all out.
When I think about packing for a trip, I take into consideration all of my options: weather, activities, length of time on the road, accommodations, etc. Then I gather my belongings and spread them out to see what I’ve got. You’ve probably gone through a similar process when packing for a trip.
A similar process can be used for designing your speech or presentation: gather all of your thoughts and ideas about your subject matter or topic based on your knowledge, experience, research, statistics, and stories. I like to use color-coded sticky notes to capture my thoughts based on the categories (knowledge, experience, research, statistics, story) the ideas fall under.
2. Editing.
The next stage of this process is to eliminate all of the unnecessary items I won’t take because not everything is going to fit in my carry-on. I must seriously think through what my essentials are. What are the “must-haves” vs. the “nice-to-haves”?
Similarly, when editing my content for an audience, I need to think through my main points. What does my audience need to hear? How am I answering the “what’s in it for me?” question? What are the unnecessary items that need to be eliminated in order for my message to be more clear?
3. Checklist.
Lastly, I go through my travel checklist to ensure I am not missing any important items like my passport, boarding pass, itinerary, phone numbers, etc., as missing any of these items would initiate major problems on my trip.
Comparatively, a checklist for my presentation also ensures I am not missing significant components that would ensure a disconnect or a not-so-pleasurable ‘journey’ for my audience. An important component of this checklist includes the rehearsal of my presentation.
How do you plan and pack your journey for your audiences? Please respond in the comments below and let me know!