Presentations

Many times you present to a small group of people.   Marketing is full duplex.  Slide shows are one way.   Mary says: " We often talk a great game – “building personal relationships” “Listening more than talking.” etc. – and then when we actually get the folks in the room, what do we do? Dim the lights (so they can’t see us, much less each other), and go into PP pontification while they’re forced to stare politely at cells that are neither creative nor memorable."  PP = PowerPoint.

Here's how to do the small presentation.  First off know who is your audience.   What is their worldview, point of view on your topic?  Next answer the following question: "This meeting will be successful if ____ ".    Next figure out the minimum amount of information they need to get from where they are starting to where the results you want.   If you have some movies, nice graphics, etc.  , that and only that is what you have in your slides.   If you have graphics, think about putting them on a small poster boards.  Plus, of course, your aha factor.   Lose the words.   If you have dense information (market research, financials, etc.) print up handouts.  Plus handouts, illustrations, whatever you think they *may* want to talk about, but is not in your presentation.  Burn cd's with the movies on them, with a label with the date of the meeting (show them you care).

At the meeting go for the whiteboard.   The whiteboard is your friend.  It is interactive.  It shows you are listening and writing what they want to know.   When you have to pass out handouts, go to the whiteboard and bring out the main points.   If there is going to be lots of interaction and lots of writing invest in an easel flip chart.  The ones you can tear off and stick on the wall.   Finish a thought, tear it off and stick it on the wall.   

See, now you are talking with your audience about their issues and your solutions.   When done, make sure you have accomplished your objective.  If there is a call to action, list it with dates and followups and who is responsible.  When done, you jot down the notes.  Leave behind the flip charts, the cds and the handouts.   That way less time is spent with your audience writing things done, and more time interacting and getting the job done.

And that is why you are there, isn't it?

Comments

[Sandy Kemsley]

This is great! I do a lot of quite technical presentations and am always working at making them as interactive as possible to avoid "death by PowerPoint", and this is a good summary of how to keep the conversation with the participants going.