"What information consumes is rather obvious: it consumes the attention of its recipients. Hence, a wealth of information creates a poverty of attention.”
- Herbert Simon, Nobel laureate economist
Producer spotlight
Speak and be heard
Listeners will remember you more than your message. ”It's 93 percent how you say something and only seven percent content that matters,” says Lynn Cochrane, president of Express Communications, an executive coaching firm in Minneapolis, Minnesota.
Cochrane offers six steps for delivering a high-impact presentation.
Step 1: Know your audience
- Ask yourself, “What does this audience need in order to act?”
- Determine the audience’s preferred method for receiving information – hand-outs, PowerPoint or a mix of media
- Identify the qualities of this unique audience
- Acknowledge specific “hot button” issues
Step 2: Prepare visuals
- Most important: Leave some white space
- Less is best
- Follow the “rule of six:” No more than six words across, no more than six bullets down
- Limit wording to one line only
- Write impersonally, not conversationally (omit “you”)
- Don’t repeat the word in the text if it is in the title
- Don’t use periods
- Don’t write text to read word-for-word
Step 3: Kick off the meeting
- State the purpose of the meeting
- Provide a timeline for the presentation and for Q&A
- Ask for agreement on the agenda
- Give ground rules, such as:
“Interrupt me at any time” or “I’ll be happy to answer your questions at the close of the presentation”
- Manage expectations and outcomes
Step 4: Present the content with style
Content
- Most important: Never read a script word-for-word
- Memorize your opening moments
- Prepare headlines and bullets
- Wire into the listener’s needs, don’t just provide data
- Personalize and use the words “you” and “your,” such as:
“What you wanted us to provide…” or “The most meaningful point for you…” or “The key take-away for your group…”
- Speak in a conversational manner
- Memorize a focused, tight closing, such as:
“If there’s one thing I want to leave with you it’s…” or “One final thought…”
- Rehearse with co-workers
- Check for timing, hand-offs to other speakers and clarity of content
Style
- Most important: Never peek at your Blackberry™
- Use pauses between ideas
- Hold eye contact with the listener as you speak
- Gesture naturally
- Smile when appropriate
Step 5: Expect the unexpected
- Arrive early
- Become familiar with the equipment and room layout
- Find the best way to contact an audio/visual support person, if necessary
- Be prepared to speak without visuals or audio/visual support; have paper copies as a back up
- Be ready to delete information, if time runs out
Step 6: Handle the question and answer interaction
- Anticipate questions and prepare accordingly
- Refer to the questioner by first name, if possible
- Admit “I don’t know.” Promise to get an answer, then deliver as promised
- Maintain eye contact with questioners as they speak to you
Lynn Cochrane, President of Express Communications in Minneapolis, Minnesota has provided communications coaching throughout the United States and Canada for the past 25 years. Cochrane works with management teams to prepare successful road show presentations, prepares financial analysts for television and other appearances, trains key personnel for competitive pitch presentations, coaches leaders for shareholder meetings and preps speakers for sophisticated industry presentations. Key clients in the financial arena include Securian Financial and Minnesota Life Group Insurance, Ameriprise Financial, RBC (Canada and the US and Piper Jaffray. Other clients include Ganett Communications, Medtronic, Cenex and Land O'Lakes. For more information, visit www.express-communications.com
Additional resources
How to improve your presentation skills. Inc.com, February 2010.
Tips for creating and delivering an effective presentation. Microsoft Office.
10 tips for public speaking. Toastmasters International.
10 biggest public speaking mistakes. Toastmasters International.
When things go wrong. Toastmasters International.
Your Attention Please: How to Appeal to Today’s Distracted, Disinterested, Disengaged and Busy Audiences. Paul B. Brown and Alison Davis, 2006.
