Podcast Summary: Three things you can do to stand out as a presenter
Three things you can do to stand out as a presenter
Written By: Jenny Rearick
In episode 1 of The Speak As Well As You Think Podcast, Jenn Alex and I talked about three things you can do when presenting to stand out.
Because presentations have become the go-to medium for sharing information within organizations, it’s important you find ways to do it well.
Before naming and elaborating on those three things, Jenn and I talked about the need to reframe what a “presentation” is. If you treat presentations as a once-in-a-while occurrence, you’ll miss the everyday opportunities you have to improve.
From our point of view, any time you get the opportunity to share your viewpoints and ideas within and outside of your organization, you’re presenting. Sure, some of these opportunities are far less formal than others, but they still deserve your attention and intention.
With that, what are three things you can do as a presenter to stand out?
Flex your delivery to your audience’s needs
Treat the experience of your presentation with as much respect as you treat the content
Tell your audience where you are, where you’ve been, and where you’re going next
Flex your delivery to your audience’s needs
Your audience is made up of human beings. Human beings are dynamic.
Their attention is dymanic, they have emotions, and they’re always overlaying their narratives on the information coming in. Knowing this, it’s important to consider their current state throughout the delivery of your message.
How do you do that?
Pay attention to them!
Look at the individuals in your audience and notice them. Make direct eye contact.
Notice the expressions on their faces, how they’re sitting, if they’re distracted, and what their energy feels like. As the presenter, you’re looking for signs of ineffectiveness.
When you notice any signs of ineffectiveness, you need to do something about it. Maybe you need to summarize the point you’re on and move along. Maybe you need to pose a question to your audience to reengage their attention. Maybe you need to give an example or tell a story to clarify the information you’re sharing.
Don’t do nothing.
Notice and respond.
Treat the experience of your presentation with as much respect as you treat the content
We don’t need to tell you to spend time on your presentation content. But we may need to remind you that the way in which you deliver your content is of equal importance.
How your audience experiences your presentation and receives your information will impact your outcomes.
Information in itself isn’t all that compelling. It’s the way it’s delivered that makes it compelling.
In order to create a great experience for your audience, you need to do two things:
Set ground rules and expectations at the start of your presentation
Deliver conversationally, while maintaining your professionalism
What does it mean to set ground rules?
At the start of your presentation, tell your audience when and how you want them to ask questions
Tell them if you have any planned breaks or activities
Give them an agenda as to how you’ll spend their time
Tell them when and how they’ll have access to your information/materials
To deliver conversationally means you speak with your natural personality. You don’t try to sound like a professional. Many professionals we coach change their voice when they stand up to present. They try to speak in the way they think a professional is supposed to sound.
Although well-intentioned, it has them come across as disingenuous and scripted.
Your audience wants you to present to them as yourself, but with a certain level of professionalism.
That professional can come across in the way you manage your physical and vocal speaking skills.
It can come across in the way you choose to dress.
It can come across in the word choices you make throughout your presentation.
It can come across in the organization and design of your presentation (if you’re using visuals).
As Jenn said in the podcast, people do business with people they like. Speak in a way that develops rapport and builds trust. If your audience feels like you’re performative, they’ll perceive you to be insincere.
Tell your audience where you are, where you’ve been, and where you’re going next
Speaking and presenting requires you to verbally guide your audience through your content. Unlike reading, your audience can’t go back to remember what you took them through five minutes ago. Knowing this, when you present, you need tell your audience where you are, where you’ve been, and where you’re going next.
In the podcast, Jenn and I talked about treating your presentation as a series of mini-presentations, with conclusions peppered throughout. At the end of each idea or section, you should make a summary statement to conclude that idea or section, then introduce what’s coming next and how it’s the natural next step.
Essentially, you’re leaving breadcrumbs for your audience throughout your presentation as a way for them to orient themselves to where you’re at in your overall message and how the logic works.
Until next time!
Podcast Host: Jenny Rearick
Podcast Guest: Jenn Alex