Take Your Presentation To The Next Level (Part 1 of 2)
Have you recently attended a presentation only to walk away an hour later feeling slightly underwhelmed?
Over the last several years I've had the opportunity to attend a fair number of talks, seminars, and presentations. In addition to hearing others as an audience member, I have also been a presenter and facilitator myself. While at a recent meetup I started compiling a list of all the simple things that can contribute to a great presentation. Here are my tips for knocking your preso experience out of the park (the awesome content is still up to you):
Part 1: Creating the Environment
Don’t let people get lost trying to find you.
Take the time to make some great signage – A challenge I have had in the past is a simple one to solve. Many times those who are attending a talk have never been to the location before. Help them find you by putting up brightly colored and clearly labeled signs pointing to the room they need to get to. I once had to awkwardly excuse myself from the wrong room after 10 minutes of listening to an insurance pitch because there was no signage indicating what presentation was where.
Greet your guests.
In addition to great signage, why not enlist one of your co-workers or someone from the event venue to greet people as they come in and help them get where they need to go? It's nice to interact with a friendly face right off the bat. Who doesn't love feeling welcome?
Build relationships with your crowd.
Have people sign in and share their email, twitter handle, or business card. Start building out a list of people who are interested in what you have to say. Follow up with your presentation deck to all those who came. Just because you were only allotted an hour for your talk doesn’t mean you can’t lay the foundation for something that lasts much longer. Help everyone meet someone new as well- provide an opportunity to build relationships with their neighbors by prompting them to turn and talk to the person next to them about whether they store their syrup in the cupboard or the fridge. It’s a controversial topic that always inspires conversation ;)
Don’t let your guests become parched.
Make your guests feel comfortable and at home. Have a bottle of water ready for them at their seat. Note: I didn’t say have bottled water for them in a corner- have it at their seats showing them you were thoughtful and expecting them. If you’re at a venue where bottles are against a facilities “green” rules against plastic provide a few pieces of candy instead.
Help everyone follow along.
Another way to help those around you feel comfortable, prepared, and give them an outlet for energy (besides nervously scrolling through their phone) have a printed outline of your presentation with a space for notes and a Sudoku puzzle in the margin. Some people need the opportunity to de-stress or fidget by doodling to become better listeners.
Setting up a comfortable environment can create a positive experience for you as a speaker, but more importantly--for your attendees. I’ll be back with more tips next week for the second part of this series! I’ll highlight ways to honor, engage, and retain your audience. Stay tuned...









