Wouldn’t it be great if our audience members felt as passionate about our presentation content as we do? Chances are, some of them might. But probably not all of them. So how do you move audience members from uninterested and unengaged to interested and engaged?
By answering two questions. How much will it cost? And what now?
How Much Will It Cost?
When we talk about how much presentation content will cost the audience, we aren’t just talking about money. The Cleveland Clinic says that “any change that requires an adjustment or response” creates stress. And “the body reacts to these changes with physical, mental, and emotional responses.”
To accept new information, ideas, policies, procedures, or products always costs the audience something. It might be money. But it might also be a disruption of their mental comfort. What they’ve thought to be good or right or true, isn’t. That realization is costly. Or they might have to alter their daily routine in some way. That change is tough.
As a presenter, you have to be both aware and upfront about what your presentation content could cost your audience. Tell them that you understand how your information could impact them. This will help them to trust you and your message.
What Now?
One of the biggest mistakes presenters make is forgetting to answer the question: what now? You can create inspiring presentation content, but if the audience members don’t know what to do with that information, you probably won’t affect much change.
In an article called “Action Plans: The Key To Tangible Business Results From Trainings And Workshops,” Forbes writer Valerio Pascotto recommends 4 guidelines for action plans. As presenters, we can use them to hep us answer the important “what now?” question.
- Instead of thinking of yourself as a teacher who is the only source of knowledge, think about what the audience can contribute. Pascotto encourages us to see ourselves as facilitators “of a dynamic, creative process where the participant contributes.” Don’t focus just on what you can teach. Instead, focus on how your audience can carry your ideas beyond the presentation. That’s the key to real and lasting change.
- One of the best ways to get the audience involved is to give them action steps—things they can do following the presentation. Pascotto says, “The actions identified . . . need to be activities that [the audience members] are currently not doing, thus encouraging innovation and experimentation.”
- One of the questions I write frequently on my public speaking students’ papers is “so what?” This is meant to urge them to, as Pascotto says, create “the bridge between learning and doing.” If the content we are learning doesn’t affect the way we live, why does it matter? This serves as a reminder that as we present, we always need to carry theory into everyday practice.
- Finally, Pascotto says, “The action plan [is] a tool for the participant to give back and feel that they are adding value.” When you give your audience members clear, specific, attainable steps, they become active contributors rather than just passive listeners.
When developing your presentation content, keep these two questions in mind: how much will it cost? and what now? Identify and be honest about what your message could cost your audience. And then make sure your audience knows what to do with the information you’ve presented.
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