Are You Presenting With Your Outcomes In Mind?

You have a big presentation to do and you need it to go well.  How can you plan to ensure that happens?  There are some key questions to answer that will help you get clear on what should be included before the big day arrives.

• What are 2-3 outcomes that you want people to walk away with after hearing you speak?

• What is the “story” you want to share with them?

• What style of presentation will help you get your story across in the best way? (Pictures, charts, videos, music)

• Do you need to provide any context at the beginning?

• Who is going to be in the audience?

• Do your slides have the right amount of information on them?

• Are you proactively answering the key questions that people may have?  (Key decisions, approach, timeline, people impact, technology changes, process changes, where you need help?)

• Have you practiced and prepared what you will say?  (You may want to write out your notes and practice for someone else

• Look at the presentation after you have created it and make sure it is communicating the story that you want.

• What does success look like and how will you measure it?

Going through and answering these questions as you are planning the presentation and designing it will help you have clarity.  It allows you to begin with the outcome that you want in mind and ensure that it will resonate with the audience. The presentation isn’t about you and your style.  It is for them to learn, be aligned or influenced depending on the type of presentation.  Doing this will ensure that you reach all the outcomes that you want.