|
Home | Contact Us |
|
Article Categories
Search |
Articles » Presentation SkillsCreate a Rock Solid Foundation: Prepare Yourself-Phase One
Have you ever tried to climb a ladder that was planted in soft ground? You can do it, but the ladder can shift unexpectedly and throw you off-balance, making it difficult for you to reach your objective. No matter how solidly built the ladder or how clear your objective, your ladder needs to be standing on solid ground. Preparation gives the ladder of your presentation the solid ground it needs for you to be successful. There are many elements that go into preparing for a persuasive presentation. Creating an outcome, is a key element. Knowing your particular audience-their wants, needs, and problems-is also essential. Then there are the obvious parts of preparation: determining your content, getting your handouts, slides, or other visual elements ready, and so on. I call all of this Phase One of your preparation. But there's another area that far too many presenters neglect: you've got to make sure you're in the right physical, mental, and emotional state to give an outstanding presentation. That's Phase Two of your preparation, and it's just as important if not more so than Phase One. In this article we'll explore how you can create a firm foundation for your presentation so you can reach your outcome in the most effective and efficient way possible. While preparation isn't the most glamorous part of presenting, you'll find that it will make you a more comfortable and dynamic speaker. You may also find it enjoyable, as you discover more about your audience and learn how to access your most resourceful and powerful emotions on command! Phase One Phase One begins with knowing your audience. When you were formulating your outcome for the presentation, you should have been in touch with the leader or contact for the group you'll be presenting to, to discover (1) the results they want from your presentation, (2) their wants, needs, and problems, and (3) what obstacles they believe stand in their way in terms of their results. Based on what you discovered, you should have come up with your outcome for this particular presentation to this particular group. But as part of your preparation, it's good to check back with the group to see if your outcome is on track. If possible, I like to do a pre-presentation call with any key people in the group I'll be speaking to. I'll say, "Based on our prior conversations and what I understand as the needs of your group, I believe your outcome for this presentation is X. Is that accurate? Do you have any suggestions or changes you feel I should make to that outcome?" This kind of call really helps both the speaker and the group leader to become clear on exactly what the presentation is supposed to accomplish, and can make for a much more satisfied group and a much easier job for you as the presenter. And, as I said in Chapter 4, this attention to the group's needs will set you apart as a presenter. Far too often a company or an executive will call a speaker or outside consultant and say, "I need someone to come in and talk on this topic"-sales, or leadership, or customer retention. The consultant comes in thinking he or she knows the outcome of the speech, but there's no clarity about the specific outcome of this specific group. Persuasive presenters customize their presentations towards their specific audience. They do a different presentation for ABC Company than for XYZ Company, based on the company's specific needs. Calling the group leader to check on your outcome also gives you an opportunity to ask any additional questions that will help you become even more familiar with the group and the challenges they are facing in relation to the outcome your speech will work to produce. I especially like to discover what motivates this particular company or group, so that I can make sure my presentation will move them to take action. (This is the goal of every persuasive presentation, remember?) The questions I ask are designed to discover the following motivating factors. 1. Concerning this situation, what do they find painful? What do they associate pain to? Are they not meeting their sales quotas? Are they under pressure from their bosses? Are they feeling like they aren't meeting the customers' needs? Are they losing customers? Do they feel unsupported by other departments in the company, or by each other? I try to discover what they feel is causing them the most pain in this situation, so I can show them a solution that will not just solve their problem but relieve their pain. 2. Concerning this situation, what do they associate pleasure to? Do they feel good about their teammates, or about carrying on despite tremendous odds? Are they generally happy with the way things are, if only this one thing was changed? Knowing what a group feels good about already will help you (1) increase the pleasure they already have, and (2) ensure that any changes/solution you propose will let them keep what enjoyment they have or give them something that they will find equally or more pleasurable. 3. What potential objections might they have to the outcome or solution I am proposing? For instance, if you're suggesting a long and expensive course of sales training for a group that already feels stretched thin time- and money-wise, then unless you handle their objections up front you're unlikely to get the group's agreement. Make sure you ask this question of the group leader so you can uncover objections and either (1) change your outcome or (2) handle the objections up front. What are the characteristics and backgrounds of the people who will be attending the presentation? The more you know about the people in your audience, the easier it will be to speak directly to them and "hit them where they live." There's nothing more effective as a presenter than being able to incorporate specific details about your audience into the course of your presentation. Once you've gathered as much information as you can from the group leader and you've confirmed that your outcome for the presentation is on track, you're ready for the next step in your preparation: become an expert on this particular topic and group. You don't have to know everything, but you at least need to have enough passion to immerse yourself in what you're going to talk about. And if you're already an expert in your field, you can always learn more. To be a truly persuasive presenter you've got to believe in yourself and the value of what you're presenting, and part of that confidence and belief comes with knowing that you've done your homework on your topic and your audience. Learn more about presentation skills from Tom by signing up for his free newsletter ezine. Click here to signup now! |
Latest Presentation Skills Headlines | ||||||||||||||
Home | Speaking Presentations | Live Events | Products | Testimonials | Ezine Newsletter | FAQs Thomas McCarthy & Associates • P.O.Box 132, Rancho Santa Fe, CA 92067 USA • Tel: (858) 759-8484 ©2007
Thomas McCarthy & Associates. All Rights Reserved. | Privacy Policy |