Fast Company June 1999 How to Deliver the Big Pitch by Todd Balf Page 208 Nathan Johnson

All eyes are turned to the next speaker, you. Are you ready? Nervous? Do you know the audience? These are just some of the questions that were asked in this article about delivering a presentation that makes an impression in the clients mind. It all starts with knowing the audience. In extension, I think we have programming that caters to the audience. Most programs are advertised to reach a group that will find the information of value. Can we do better job? I think we can. I think we need to. There are so many businesses out there working to give many of the same types of information. If there is a place for extension its because we created it by working to meet the needs of the audience and we are there with the information first. Focus the message. As we prepare for any meeting it is important to step back from it a focus in on the most important points. It is easy to let the sidebar issues take up all the time in the meeting, but the audience leaves wondering, what is the point? If that happens the presenter has done a poor job of putting it together. He or she is now in the perilous situation of losing a potential member of the audience for the next educational event. Know yourself! How much time do you need to prepare a presentation that has an impact? How many times do you need to run through it to feel comfortable? Is there a time limit to your presentation? If you have been asked to speak at a meeting for 20 minutes, don't go over. It throws the rest of the program off schedule and can diminish people's perception of you. How about using a LCD projector? What happens if the machine quits, can you make it work again? What happens to the presentation without it? I found this article to simply reinforce my ideas about what needs to be done to get ready for a meeting. What surprised me was the amount of money businesses would pay to top management companies for this expertise. Can you say $15,000 for a two-day workshop!

-- Anonymous, September 09, 1999