Wednesday, July 28, 2010

Who Says You Have to Deliver Boring Presentations?

It’s 9:00 am Tuesday morning. In a half hour you have a big meeting with the executive team to discuss your project. But you’re not really looking forward to delivering the presentation before the group.

You reflect on how terrible you performed at the last review meeting--boring your audience to death. You can still see the images of everyone constantly checking their watches. Let's not bring up the sighs and whispers.

You take one last opportunity to review your notes and handouts from the How to Deliver Winning Presentations workshop. You see the letters WIIFM scribbled on your notepad, recalling the heavy emphasis the trainer placed on these letters. You gain some confidence.

WIIFM (What's In It For Me) simply means tuning into the audience's needs and wants.

The clock hits 9: 45am, and you’re feeling invincible and charged up because the coaching you received at that presentation skills seminar gave you the tools you needed to keep your audience engaged and informed.

Next, you gather your presentation package and bolt out the door, down the hall  to the meeting room with the big leather chairs. You step inside, greeting the meeting participants with a big handshake and a smile.

You acknowledge a small personal victory--remembering past times when you’d take a quick seat and blend in with the furniture. This time is different though. You are tuned into WIIFM.

Charged up and ready to go, you even make small talk with the new VP Engineering. You are focused on your audience instead of trying to remember your lines.

Fifteen minutes into the meeting you are called up for your presentation. During your opening introduction, the participants move to the edges of their seat.

They also laugh at your intended humourous line. You’re rolling. They are engaged. Why? Because your confidence is magnetic and you are tuned into WIIFM.

You think to yourself, “If only every presentation could be like this…Why, I just might get promoted."

86% of business professionals believe they are effective presenters…Only 17% of their audiences agreed (Leader's Voice). What is your audience saying about you? 

Sizzle during your next presentation. Don't settle. Get a coach! Take action!

2 comments:

TJ Walker said...

Hard to believe 86% of business people believe they are effective considering most are horrible. Thanks for the great tips.

Ron Bland said...

TJ...thanks for commenting. I work with a few peers helping them to present better. It's always an eye opener when the video playback begins.