21 Jun THE SQUEEZE
In last week’s tip, we discussed the value of time and making choices. We’ve all suffered through dull presentations where you can recall the person’s wardrobe, room setup, and lighting, but rarely their content. This is because the presenter felt it necessary to educate you, fill in too many extraneous details, and use non-specific descriptors. This made their content quite fulsome.
And since we generalize that the way you speak is the way you do business, you are not doing yourself any favors. Because, if your talk is about how the sausage is made you will lose your audience. And truthfully, most listeners only want to know that you know the mechanics of the process or services you are offering.
As you rehearse, compress your material and distill your ideas to what will best serve your audience. Use an opening that catches their attention and lets them know you have a clear intention and your presentation has forward motion. Follow neuroscience and deliver gist before detail to mirror the brain’s hardwiring. This will allow you to eliminate unnecessary windup and context.
Also, be mindful when to close. Many people feel compelled to summarize all their salient points—often multiple times. If they will be tested on your talk’s content, fine. But Shakespeare wasn’t kidding when he said, “Brevity is the soul of wit.” It’s always better to end with a powerful and memorable close. Because we remember most what we hear last.
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