When you want to send a letter, you have to be clear in indicating the address of the receiver. This is extremely important, otherwise your
receiver won't never be able to get it and, maybe, your letter will reach a
wrong house and another person that will find the information not relevant.
"What's in it for me?"
"Nothing? Ok, no time to waste"
This happens for example when you deliver
a presentation focusing on the style, the words you say, the product..... and
not on the audience. They are not able to see the value, the relevance for
them, so you lost them. Time is the most valuable currency. Time is not only
money, time is also quality of life. Why should your audience spend it just
looking at you presenting another ppt around the features of your new product.
There are plenty of products just like your outside there... make yours unique!
And make it unique, not for everybody, but just for the people that are
investing their time attending your presentation!
"Don't assume"
Think for a second. You are excited to
demonstrate the innovation your product is introducing in the market: it is
faster, it is more beautiful, it is cheaper, it is cool! Your audience will
love it......... or not? Are you sure they really have the basis to understand
why you are that better? And, are you really sure they will appreciate all
these innovative features?? I found myself a lot of times in front of customers
that really were trying not to change that much their
"way-to-do-things", for them was ok that way. You can try as hard as
you want to make them change their mind, but most of the times there are other
reasons behind their position and you should simply listen to what they want,
understand their needs and highlight only the benefits for them. You will meet
their expectations. They will find themselves in your solution, because you
truly got what they needed. Never assume you know. Remember: True knowledge exists
in knowing that you know nothing
"So What?"
You created the perfect speech. You
prepared everything and now it is Your moment. You start the presentation.
"Ahh great, they are all listening to me, I didn't do any mistake.....I
can make it right!" You arrive at the end of Your perfect moment but
nobody seems so interested, nobody asks questions, nobody is that impressed by
such an "Epic Win" of Yours. But the problem is not the audience, but
the focus on You. Keep in mind the question and tell yourself your audience is
asking "So What?" every time that:
- it is not clear your target
- it is not clear how this can be relevant
to them
How to avoid it? There are many different techniques.
The "Tell-Show-Tell", for example, allows to explain why you are
doing something before and after you actually go through you fragment of
presentation/demo. Another way is avoiding to be the only one speaking.
Interaction means:
- more control over the presentation (are
they still interested? is this important to them? do they understand what I am
referring to? do we start from the same basics? etc.)
- a relaxed atmosphere and better
understanding
- checking if the chosen communication
style is the right one for the public
- test if the main concepts are clear
- creation of trust.
Learning to deliver value in your
presentations means that your audience will be more open to receive your
message. Doesn't really matter if you make mistakes, the key is to stay real,
focus on customer/audience needs and build you message on what they tell you,
not on what you think they want.
Why am I telling you this?
Because I have still not clear in my mind
who can be the right audience for this blog and I am still thinking and working
on it. If you don't know the audience, you cannot be relevant for anybody. Let
me think about it....
