Ask yourself this question: “Do I remember any of the presentations I’ve seen in the past year(s)?”
What can you remember from the? Chances are, that you only remember one clear message which resonated thought the entire presentation.
Will Your Message Fit on a Bumper Sticker?
Here’s the thing, if your message doesn’t fit on a bumper sticker, then its not concise enough.
One Message
If Your presentation is reduced to one single message, then what is that message? If you are unable to reduce your presentation to one single message, and if the message is not clear enough, then it won’t stick in people’s minds long enough for them to take action. So, its very important to get the right message across in a way that it is memorable.
Whats Your Headline?
If someone wrote an article, the what would they write for the headline of their article about your presentation? Think of this from the audience’s perspective. From the very beginning, they’re wondering what the presentation is all about. And, when they leave they should have a very clear idea of what your presentation’s primary focus was. Make sure to announce the purpose very clearly.
Don’t Forget Your Presentation’s Title
Sometimes you may get too busy making the presentation. And, you may get too busy in gathering information and writing the sides. Its rather easy to keep filling the slides and lose sight of your presentation’s purpose.
Bring Your Message Forward
You may have to cover a few important and distinct areas in your presentation, but make sure to repeat the main points or refer to them in every slide. This not to say that you need to literally repeat the same point over and over again. But, make sure not to go out on a tangent and say something that is unrelated to the main topic.
Making memorable presentations can be difficult at times, but don’t give up. Have the audience feel like they have understood and benefited from the presentation and you’re on the right track to be remembered 🙂
Image: [CC BY 3.0] via Wikimedia Commons
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