1. Informational – Irrelevant
Data dumps.
- Not relevant to the audience today
- No explanation of why they should care
- No benefit for the audience
- No call to action
Audiences don’t know why they’re attending this presentation.
2. Messy Messaging
- No clear takeaway.
- No through-line from start to finish
- Long-winded
- Boring
Audiences are using too much brain power to figure out what’s important.
3. Disconnected Delivery
What you say and how you say it doesn’t line up.
Body:
- Stiff
- Happy feet
- Rocking pelvis
Voice:
- Filler words like ums uhs
- Monotone
- Rambling
Gestures:
- T-Rex (arms glued to the sides)
- Clasping fingers
- Gesturing below the waist
If you’re not projecting confidence your audience doesn’t feel confident.
How to Fix It
1. Persuade stakeholders by crafting presentations like a marketer
Marketing campaigns solve buyer pains to improve their lives.
And deliver those messages in a clear, concise, and compelling way to encourage buy-in.
Do the same with your presentations:
Know your audience:
- What keeps your audience up at night?
- How do you solve their pain?
- How will this presentation benefit them?
Then create messages that:
- Create emotional connections
- Capture attention
- Are clear and concise messaging
Tell stories.
Use a strong call to action
And repeat for retention.
2. Engage stakeholders by delivering presentations like a performer
Actors are fighting for something in a scene.
Add purpose, urgency, and stakes to your presentation.
- What do you want your audience to do?
- How are you going to communicate with your whole body to encourage your audience to do this?
- How will you know if you’re succeeding? (Audience’s eyes lighting up, leaning forward, nodding their heads, etc.)?
Align voice, body language, and gestures with a strong purpose
(excite, inspire, reassure, etc.)
3. Inspire stakeholders by communicating like a CEO
The best CEOs know the story they want the audience to take away from their presentation.
And they’re focused on delivering it.
- Three key messages
- Share the most important information first
- Speak in headlines
Think of difficult questions, prepare answers, and respond with ease.
Don’t just deliver information.
You’re trying to get your audience to do something.
If you want to increase your chances of them doing what you want them to do.
Persuade stakeholders by crafting presentations like a marketer
Engage stakeholders by delivering presentations like a performer
Inspire stakeholders by communicating like a CEO
Be Brilliant!