To dramatically increase the effectiveness with all your presentations, whether short, long, impromptu, or painstakingly prepared: Prioritize!
1) Make your first priority connecting with your audience. This will only work if you truly care about them. If you don't care, find something else to do, because they will sense it. When they know you care, that is the first step to them liking and trusting you. If they don't like and trust you, you will not be going far with them.
2) Make your second priority delivering meaningful content to your audience that is for their benefit, not your's or someone else's. Again, they will know if that is not your goal, and it will only work if you are clear about what you are offering them.
3) Make your third priority entertaining your audience in a way that works for them. That doesn't mean you have to tell hilarious jokes and make them cry and/or fall out of their seats, but it does mean you have to make it fun for them. Hint: You may want to use your research skills (before you go on stage), your imagination, and your intuition.
These priorities MUST be kept in order - with one major exception: if you are speaking to a younger audience (as in younger than 28), 3) can go before 2), though 1) must always be first - no exceptions there (if you want to be effective).
Your fourth and final priority, is you and your business. You want your audience to like you, buy your CDs, sign up for your newsletter, take your workshop - whatever. We all want to be successful, but that will happen only when we get those first 3 priorities first - guaranteed.
Try it - you will like it. The best part of it is that by following these simple rules, not only will you be more effective as a presenter, your audiences will be happier and will take away more of what you have to offer.
Let me know how this works for you. If you are one of the few who already prioritize in this way, let me know that, too. I'd love to hear from you either way.
Thanks for reading!
Datta Groover
Speaker and Speaking Coach
HigherSpeech.com
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I agree with you that connection is always first. It is possible to have many types of connection and perhaps being entertained is just one form of connection.
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: March 29, 2010 at 6:50 PM Delete:
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Datta is a motivational speaker and is hired frequently by speakers, authors, and trainers who want to improve their presentation and communication skills. He lives with his wife Rachael Jayne in Fort Collins, Colorado.