Making a great presentation is about more than just conveying information. It’s about creating an experience for the audience that benefits them while establishing your own expertise in their minds.
That was the bottom line from my recent conversation with two public speaking experts – communications strategist and Speaker Hall of Fame inductee Victoria Labalme and our branding authority Bruce Turkel.
For Labalme, business and art are not separate pursuits, and she likes to quote singer Bob Dylan in saying that the purpose of art is to stop time.
“If you create a great presentation, it’s like a piece of art. It stops time. People are not checking their Blackberry’s or their smartphones or the iPads. They’re present – and they’re transported,” she said.
You can use your presentation skills to build your own brand as a professional, but Labalme cautions that you only have one shot at it. The opportunity is not to be underestimated, and you can’t afford to blow it.
“You want to craft that message to really fall in line with your vision,” she said.
That opportunity, Turkel said, brings with it two major benefits:
1. You get the opportunity to present a “hyperrealized” version of yourself.
2. The power of the platform. The lights and sound contribute to your perceived authority. You achieve a higher level of consciousness in their minds. “All of the surroundings make what you’re doing better,” he said.
If you make your talk all about the audience and things that resonate with them, you will establish an indelible brand in their hearts and minds, Turkel said.
But to personalize your presentation to the audience requires some due diligence, Labalme said. You really have to focus on:
– The reporting: Really answer the who, what, where, when and why of the event.
– The researching: Look at social media related to the audience and environment.
– The reception: Go to the event the night before. Watch other presentations. Mingle with the audience. Pick up tidbits of information about the company to mix with your presentation.
Of course, my question was this: How do you keep your presentation fresh, especially if you speak to the same group from time to time?
The truth, said Turkel, is that audiences often want to hear your best material again. Just keep things relevant to current circumstances – and be sure to keep it about them.
And, above all, be real. Find your style, said Labalme. Find out what makes people come alive when you speak, and then stick with it.
Click here to listen to the full interview with Victoria Labalme and Bruce Turkel.
You can learn at lot more about Labalme – and get some free tips – at www.rocktheroom.com. Look for Turkel at bruceturkel.com.
