When Presenting, Know Your Audience

You can’t avoid delivering presentations in one form or another in your professional life. Broaden your personal definition of a presentation, and you know this is true. When you hear the word “presentation” today, you may think about standing in front of a room full of people with a PowerPoint slide show. In truth, a presentation is any opportunity to introduce an idea, pitch a solution, influence a decision, clarify a situation, or educate one or more people. It may be anything from a simple one-on-one conversation to a very structured, rehearsed, and elaborate “performance” with scenery, props, and multi-media enhancements. But all must have one thing in common in order to be successful… you must Know Your Audience.

A presentation simply will not be effective without a keen awareness of the makeup of your audience. Who are they? What do they care about? What do they already know? What are their current concerns? Who are their leaders? How is their success measured? Where are they from? What are they most proud of? What might they think is funny?

Your audience will come armed with the internal question represented by “WIIFM?”, or “What’s in it for me?” Why should they be interested in listening to you? A presentation isn’t as much about the presenter as it is about the audience. You want them to walk away with something of value – a new idea, an enhanced perspective – some sort of inspiration that causes them to act.

Research is required to customize your presentation to your audience. The nature of the gathering will dictate how best to prepare, but some ideas are: Interview people you know that are more familiar with your audience than you… Talk to a few representatives who will be in the audience to test the validity of your talking points… Search the internet or other resources for information you can use to personalize your content with examples that recognize individuals in your audience in a positive way… Find out what has been successful with this audience in the past… Be sure your presentation references the past, the present, and the future in a way that is relevant and gives you credibility as an expert.

Above all, don’t make the egotistical blunder that you are omniscient about how best to approach your audience. Find and accept input from others with different perspectives and take them into account for the best results. Remember: Step 1 in presentation preparation is Know Your Audience.

If you found this interesting, you might also enjoy "Self-Destruction by PowerPoint": http://habaconsulting.blogspot.com/2010/01/self-destruction-by-powerpoint.html

An Old Fashioned "Thank You"

Thank you notes are still a powerful form of communication and are becoming an increasingly lost art form. There are many occasions when it is appropriate to express appreciation in written form, for example after a job interview, a special business dinner, or when a mentor provides needed advice or direction. Too often, what should be an old fashioned thank you note becomes a hurried email or (heaven forefend) a text message. What has happened to the fine art of a hand written, carefully personalized, and swiftly-posted thank you? My guess is that many have forgotten how to approach such a note without it sounding stilted and awkward. Think of it terms of keeping it simple, heartfelt, personal and brief. For example: Dear Reader, Thank you for being a faithful follower of my Haropulos Bailey Consulting Blog. It is gratifying to hear from you that my stories, tips, and advice hit home with my intended audience. I am especially grateful for the comments you have posted – they are added inspiration. Thank you again, and stay tuned for future postings! Sincerely, Laurel This is how I approach it: 1. Write out your text in advance (I do it on a computer). This helps me do the hand-written version without making mistakes. 2. Start with a small, tasteful card. (Minimal real estate makes it easier to write an appropriately brief note.) 3. After a “Dear So-And-So”, dive right in with the words “Thank you”, immediately followed by a description of what you are thankful for. 4. Make it personal by mentioning something specific about how the person’s actions made you grateful. 5. Wrap up with another “thank you” before your closing. Much of the impact of a formal thank you note is quick receipt after the “event”. So break out the note cards and the ink pen, dust off your longhand skills, and make a date with the postmaster. Your note will surprise and delight a friend or colleague, and be sure to leave a good impression.

Bridges

Work at the same company for a long time and in some ways you feel like you are on an island. It’s a pretty great island, where you know most of the other inhabitants, you have a nice cube or office to call your own, there’s a gathering place to grab a cup of coffee, and even a place to eat. If you need medical attention, insurance has been made available to ensure you get better. People know you, treat you with the respect you earn, and you even make lifelong friends. There is purpose, as defined by the work and the “government” of the island. Although on an island, you are not completely isolated. The island has a bridge or two so you occasionally travel elsewhere to conduct business. But you know you can count on scooting back across the bridge to go back to the island, where you belong and feel comfortable. Well, what happens when you no longer belong on the island? Whoa! You may have been, (as they say on the reality show Survivor), voted off the island, or you may have chosen to leave for good. This is a disorienting, disquieting situation – even if you make the decision yourself. Your previous work identity is gone; your daily routine destroyed. Perhaps you question your ability to adapt to a different environment – even though you proved yourself more than competent on the island. Your confidence is shaky, and you are a little scared. That’s not a good feeling, and perhaps it makes you angry. Remember that old adage, “Don’t burn your bridges”? This is the time that advice comes into play. Once off the island, the bridges to other places are your means to navigate the journey ahead to a new place of work. The bridges I’m referring to are your network – the people you know and will come to know in your personal and professional lifetime. The majority of new career opportunities today are found through networking as opposed to job postings. Burn your bridges and you damage your network. Today, think about maintaining existing bridges and building new ones. Make a phone call or two to touch base with a former colleague you admire. Send a supportive email to a friend. Ask for help or advice from a mentor. Venture outside your comfort zone to make new connections. For goodness sake, don’t burn any bridges! The harsh words, the angry email blast – are not worth the effort or the risk. Leave the bridge intact in your rear view mirror. You never know if your path in life will need to take you back the way you came.

Relationships Make the Difference

In our neighborhood in Chicago there are two good little Italian restaurants in close proximity to our condo. They are Pizza Rustica and Fornello’s. We can easily walk to either establishment. Less than a city block separates the two. They both serve pizza and other Italian dishes, including salads, pasta, and other entrees with chicken, veal, or seafood. Both have outdoor patios during good weather. Pizza Rustica is a BYOB establishment. Fornello’s has wine and a full bar, or you can BYOB for a modest corkage fee. The prices are reasonable at both restaurants, and the service pleasant and quick. So why do we find ourselves going more often to Fornello’s than Pizza Rustica? Because the servers at Fornello’s have made us feel like valued patrons, from the first time we set foot in their place. These days, we are greeted enthusiastically by name. They know our favorite foods and beverages, and go out of their way to let us know what’s good that evening. If we fancy something not on the menu, they have the kitchen make it especially for us. Two of Fornello’s waiters should be recognized by name… Aldo is warm and charming. The last time he waited on us, I asked for advice on dining in Italy (for an upcoming trip). We had an animated conversation, and Aldo had great recommendations and advice for us. Later he came back with everything painstakingly written down, to be sure we had all the details. Aldo got so excited about thinking and talking about eating in Italy, as we left he said, “Now, I have to go in the back and cry.” Alfredo commiserates with us about dieting and exercise. Every time we see him he says we’ve lost more weight – and we are always pleased and flattered (even though it’s not true). Several months ago, we saw Alfredo walking in the neighborhood. He shouted a greeting, waved, and ran across the street to chat with us. It was a heartwarming encounter. We like Pizza Rustica’s food. But we spend more time and money at Fornello’s because relationships make the difference.