The Written sessions

Have you ever had a presentation that you get done and it's completely silent and everyone looks lost? This is the worst feeling and I've been there. The good news is that it's not what you're sharing that's the issue, but HOW you're sharing it! In this article, I will be sharing with you how you can overcome this situation in future presentations. There are two sides of presenting. The first is knowing what you're presenting on and the second is knowing whom you're presenting to. Assuming you know your stuff...(we know what that does) I think I'm safe here in this assumption that you are an expert at what you're presenting on ;) we will address the second side of what you need to know when presenting. Knowing your audience seems daunting at first, but I promise it's not as bad as you think, even if you have no clue who is going to be there for your presentation. There are three things you need to do analysis on as you prepare for your presentation. Demographic Analysis Demographics include things like gender, age range, marital status, ethnicity, job role, tenure in company. You probably already know how many male and females are going to be in attendance, how old they are roughly, and their job functions. You can use this knowledge to give you a base line of things you can use to relate with them For example, if the manager hasn't been in the company for more than 5 years and you bring up a situation from 10 years prior, you can't speak as if they understand and know the situation, you need to share more details that will allow them to understand that situation and how it relate to your topic in your presentation. Psychographic Analysis Psychographic analysis is a bit more challenging to figure out versus demographic analysis. Psychographic analysis include things such as values, beliefs, and opinions, and attitudes. For example, two people say they eat healthy, they might have very different ideas about what "healthy" food is. Since this isn't something you may be able to do a lot of research on so what I like to do is ask questions about what this audience may be asking or thinking as I present. - Are their any stereotypes? - This could be about myself, my position, or the assumption of knowledge the audience may have on the subject. - Are there biased beliefs about this topic? - This will let me figure out how I can undo some of the biases or leverage them to my advantage in a good way to help the business. - Is there a lot of tension with this topic or is it a topic that has been escalated? - This will let me know to come in more tactful with my presentation. Outcome Analysis What is the outcome you want from your presentation? Besides doing an analysis of the audience, this is the number one thing most of my clients and prospects forget to focus on when preparing for a presentation. If you don't know where you're going, how do you expect to get there? The outcome you want from your presentation needs to be crystal clear and this is something you should state at the beginning of your presentation as well! No matter the size of your audience, using these three steps will allow you to present your message in a way that will connect with that audience and allow you to not be left leaving a room of silence. Give this a try and let me know how it works for you!

Conquer anxiety tied to public speaking, refine articulation and master the nuances of persuasive delivery.

The goal of a persuasive presentation isn't just to convey information; it's to inspire action.