The 8 P's of Powerful Presentations

by

David W. Richardson, CSP

 As a communicator you're excellent in one on one situations or in small groups around the conference room table, but when it comes to making presentations to a large group where it's critical that you convince your audience to act favorably on your client's behalf you somehow find yourself falling short.  Persuasive skills in such a setting are essential to your success yet you can't quite get a grasp on what's missing, what keeps you from having that edge necessary to be passionately convincing.

The bottom line . . . your presentations must be delivered in a powerful, succinct and meaningful manner and in order to do that you need to start at the foundation of your message and create a presentation style that has everyone in the room paying close attention to what you have to say.

 Use the 8 "P"s of powerful presentations to create and deliver a message that achieves these goals:

1.      Plan.  Before you write the first word, before you even think too much about the presentation, ask yourself this, "What is the objective of this presentation?" "How do I want my listeners to be different when it's over?" "What do I want them to do; what action will they take?"

If you know what you want to achieve, then the actual design of your presentation will not only be more productive but easier as well. 

2.      Prepare.  Prepare your presentation and do it in a structured manner so that it becomes a message with a logical flow rather than just a bunch of meaningless words.   

Design the ending first.  Why?  Because the last words you say will suggest a call to action or recommend the next step to be taken.  

Next, prepare three or four key points that will drive the message to its conclusion.  And then, most importantly, select stories, examples, analogies, and metaphors to support and validate these key points.

Then prepare a powerful opening that will immediately grab the attention of your listeners.  Trite sayings such as, "Thank you for inviting me here", "I'm happy to be here today", "Today I'd like to discuss . . . ", are outdated and signal to your audience that a boring presentation is on the way. 

3.      Persuade.  There are four basic types of presentations: informative, persuasive, entertaining, and motivational.   

Look at your original plan.  What is your objective?  How do you want your listeners to be different?   What action will they take?  To achieve that objective, there is no question that you must prepare a persuasive presentation. 

Persuasive presentations are always delivered with a greater energy level because your message requires certain results. 

A persuasive presentation should not be confused with a sales pitch (although sales pitches are persuasive) but rather as a way to challenge and influence people to your way of thinking. 

4.      People.  Since we are speaking to people, it is important that they know we care about them.  This is accomplished in an effective "audience-centered" presentation as opposed to a "speaker centered" presentation. 

A speaker who makes his information "user friendly" to the audience by explaining terminology that listeners may be unfamiliar with or intimidated by realizes that an audience-centered presentation is the only way to achieve the desired end result.   

A speaker-centered presenter uses his or her own "language" in order to create a personal comfort zone regardless of the audience comprehension and ultimately just wants to "get it over with." 

And, this is very important, don't forget eye contact.  When you look people in the eye, they know you care about them.  They not only hear what you're saying but, more importantly, they feel good about you and will be engaged in what you have to say to them. 

If people don't think you care, then they won't care.  Good sincere eye contact is one way to show them that they are important to you. 

5.      Pause.  Why is everyone so self-conscious about "dead spaces" in their presentations?  For the many clients with whom I have designed presentations and coached in their delivery, the use of the pause is seemingly one of the single greatest areas of concern, so uncomfortable that they frequently insert "non words" such as "ah", "er", and "um". 

The pause is one of the most powerful tools that a speaker can use.  When you come to the end of a key point, a point that has great value to your listeners, pause for a two count, a three count, or even a four count.   

And as you pause, look at your listeners, look them directly in the eyes, let this key point sink home. 

In many cases, it's not what you say, but what you don't say that keeps your listeners on the edge of their seats and challenges them to internalize the very essence of your message. 

6.      Project.  How many times have you watched someone stand behind the lectern and read a speech in a dull, monotonous tone?  Or worse yet . . . how many times have you been that person behind the lectern? 

You must use your voice as a tool to project your message to your listeners. We all have four ranges of inflection we can use throughout the presentation.  Level two is conversational . . . the tone of your voice as you naturally converse with a group of three or four people.  Level three radiates a little more intensity and energy.  This is the tone you might use when calling your children for dinner . . . the first time.   

Level four utilizes the full extent of your voice.  This might be the natural level you would use when calling your children for the second time!  You might only use level four in a presentation one time, maximum twice.  Or maybe it's not appropriate at all, but it's certainly worth considering. 

Level one is the most powerful level of all.  It is the tone that exists just above a whisper.  To conclude that powerful key point literally whisper into the microphone and then drive your message home by pausing for four counts. 

7.      Participate.  Participation in your presentation is twofold.  First, your listeners will be encouraged to hear what you have to share with them if they sense that you are a participant in your own presentation. Speakers who read their presentations from behind the lectern in a monotone, lackluster voice are obviously not participating in their own presentation. 

The second aspect of participation is within the audience itself.  Something as simple as asking them to raise their hands in response to a certain question or encouraging some form of dialogue with them during portions of your presentation suggests that what you have to say is of value and you want to share it with them. 

It's important to remember that when requested to do so by the speaker, people will raise their hands only twice without being recognized.   

Question: "How many people have ever been to Las Vegas?"

Answer: "Hmmm, looks like about two thirds of us have been to Vegas, thank you". 

Let people know that you care about them and their responses, and they will show you that they care by participating. 

8.      PowerPoint.  The technology word in presentations today is PowerPoint.  Visual aids designed and used well can significantly enhance a powerful presentation.  Whether you use the very latest in computer technology projection, an overhead projector, 35mm slides, or a flip chart, make sure that what your listeners are looking at is not just an "eye chart".   Nothing will turn listeners off more quickly than visuals that cannot be seen or clearly understood. 

Don't let your visual aids become the presentation.  They are just visual AIDS . . . use them as such. 

The next time you have to make a presentation, punch it up by using these valuable keys and then feel the power as it surges throughout your entire message. 

If you would like Dave's 5 Dynamic Ways to Close Your Presentation, fax a copy of your business card to 480-451-9372 with the word "Dynamic" written on it or send an e-mail with the subject line "dynamic" and including your name, telephone number and company information to speaking@richspeaking.com.

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