The upside of the story is that Michael made a terrific presentation and got the client for his firm. He was also assigned Linda as his full-time assistant.
In your position, too, you may have to make presentations, so let me share with you some tips on how to put together a memorable one. At the very least, before you begin preparing your speech, ask yourself the following questions:
- What exactly am I supposed to speak on? Will my audience expect me to provide facts and figures or just an overview?
- How long am I supposed to speak? If you are making a speech to a client as part of a bigger corporate presentation, you may need only 10 to 15 minutes. On the other hand, if you are making a keynote address to an audience, you may have to fill an hour or more.
- What attitudes does the audience hold about the topic? Is it informed or not on the subject? Does it have a bias? Will the members of the audience have work to do after the presentation, or do they need more information?
So, to give an effective speech, you need to know the specifics of the topic, the time frame, and your audience. Once you have that information, you are ready to develop your speech. The speech itself can describe how to do something, update the audience’s information, describe a typical experience with X, set limits and clarify issues, argue the pros or cons of an issue, or solve a problem. The approach should be appropriate to the subject. Whatever the purpose, you can develop the presentation by relating your approach to your audience.
Consider asking a question, telling a story that makes the subject come alive, conducting a minisurvey of your audience, or posing a quiz or an exercise to get audience interest. Your approach should communicate that you understand your audience’s needs.
If you decide to use visuals, make sure that they are clear, accurate, and easy to follow. Be as up-to-date with technology in your delivery as you can. If possible, use a laptop to deliver a PowerPoint-based presentation rather than depend on a flip- chart or overhead transparencies. If statistics support your point well, use them in your speech. Provide handouts, and take the time to explain them to your audience.
Keep the speech itself simple. Expert speakers believe that the same rules that apply to writing apply to speaking: “Tell ’em what you plan to say to them, tell ’em what you said you were going to tell ’em, and tell ’em what you told ’em.”
When the time comes to deliver the speech, take a deep breath, pause, and smile to the audience. Consider members of the audience as friends, not opponents. Don’t come with a written speech. Rather, prepare notes and refer to them as you speak. If you are using visuals, practice using them to ensure your thoughts are in sync with your slides.
Let’s assume the worst scenario: The laptop won’t work, the handouts aren’t done as promised, and you have a cold. So life isn’t a bed of roses. Don’t apologize to your audience. Get to the speech and go on. When you are speaking, you must do the best you can with what you have. Present yourself as resourceful and competent. Apologizing only makes others think you are unprepared.
If you get anxious about speaking, try to identify the cause of your nervousness and deal with it. Most people are anxious about speaking, so there is no point in denying your tension, at least not to yourself. If you’re nervous about the size of the audience, look for a friendly face, or try to get the audience on your side from the start by telling an amusing story. If you have the usual generalized nervousness common to most speakers, the best cure is to practice in less threatening situations. If you expect to do a lot of speaking for your firm in the future, you might want to practice by volunteering to lead a discussion group in a civic organization or chair a staff meeting.