A useful reminder to anyone preparing for a presentation is to get him or her to spend time thinking about their audience. The more you, as a presenter, consider your listeners -their perspective, needs, interests and concerns - the more likely you are to engage their interest.
Ask yourself if your presentation answers the "WIIFM?" question - your audience will unconsciously be thinking "What's in it for me?" and you need to make sure that your content and style gives them what they want and need.
When it comes to structuring a presentation to suit your audience, the following can be a useful template:
Informational start point
What does my audience understand / not understand about my topic?
Informational end point
What my audience will understand when I have finished speaking
Emotional start point
How my audience feels at the start of my presentation
Emotional end point
How my audience will feel when I have finished speaking
Your Message is the reason that your audience should want to move from the start point to the end point.
The key elements that support my message are my objectives
Do I need to include anything else in this presentation?
Have you earned the right to be talking on the subject?
Are you eager to share the information?
Are you enthusiastic about your subject?
The last of these ‘Es' - enthusiasm - can be the most important when it comes to engaging an audience:
‘ True enthusiasm is a marvellous quality. It's infectious: it gives confidence to those around you, as well as to yourself. ’
Robin Siegler, author of the book 'Natural Born Winners
