Think of the last really memorable talk or presentation that you
attended. Now, was that easy to do, or did you really have to rack your brains
to remember one? Sadly, too many presentations are easy to forget. And that's a
big problem because the only reason the presenter gave the talk was to
communicate something to you!
However, there are three basic things that you can do to ensure
that your verbal messages are understood – and remembered – time and time
again.
Although somewhat obvious and deceptively simple, these are:
_ Understand the purpose of the
presentation
_ Keep the message clear and concise
_ Be prepared
_ Be vivid when delivering the message.
Understand What You Want to Achieve
Before you start working on your talk or presentation, it's vital
that you really understand what you
want to say, who you want to tell and why they might want to hear
it. To do this, ask yourself:
Who? What? How? When? Where?
Why?
Who are you speaking to?
What are their interests, presuppositions and values? What do they share in
common with others; how are they unique?
What do you wish to
communicate? One way of answering this question is to ask yourself about the
‘success criteria’. How do you know if and when you have successfully communicated
what you have in mind?
How can you best convey your
message? Language is important here, as are the nonverbal cues
discussed earlier. Choose your words and your nonverbal cues with
your audience in mind. Plan a beginning, middle and end. If time and place
allow, consider and prepare audio-visual aids.
When? Timing is important
here. Develop a sense of timing, so that your contributions are seen and heard
as relevant to the issue or matter at hand. There is a time to speak and a time
to be silent. ‘It’s better to be silent than sing a bad tune.’
Where? What is the physical
context of the communication in mind? You may have time to visit the room, for
example, and rearrange the furniture. Check for availability and visibility if
you are using audio or visual aids.
Why? In order to convert
hearers into listeners, you need to know why they should listen to you –
and tell them if necessary. What disposes them to listen? That
implies that you know yourself why
you are seeking to communicate – the value or worth or interest of
what you are going to say.
Keep it Simple
When it comes to wording your message, less is more. You're giving
your audience headlines.
They don't need to and are usually not expecting to become experts
on the subject as a result of hearing your talk. If you're using slides, limit
the content of each one to a few bullet points, or one statement or a
very simple diagram.
Be Prepared
Preparation is underrated. In fact, it is one of the most
important factors in determining your communication successes. When possible,
set meeting times and speaking and presentation times well in advance, thus
allowing yourself the time you need to prepare your communications, mindful of
the entire communication process (source, encoding, channel, decoding, receiver, feedback
and context).
By paying close attention to each of these stages and preparing accordingly,
you ensure your communications will be more effective and better understood.
Of course, not all communications can be scheduled. In this case,
preparation may mean having a good, thorough understanding of the office
goings-on, enabling you to communicate with the knowledge you need to be
effective, both through verbal and written communications.
Unforgettable Delivery
Your delivery of your speech or presentation will make or break
it, no matter how well you've prepared and crafted your clear, concise message.
Some useful tips for keeping your presentation vivid include:
_ Use examples to bring your points to life
_ Keep your body language up-beat – don't
stay stuck behind a rostrum
_ Don't talk to fast. Less is more here
too. Pauses are effective.
_ Use a variety of tones of voice
_ Use visual aids.