Why Am I Here?

Few people are asked to give a presentation because their audience likes the sound of their voice: the majority of presentations are for a purpose. The key is to make the purpose of the presentation that of the individual members of the audience, not the purpose of the presenter.

Unconsciously, members of an audience ask the following questions:

• Why am I here?
• What will I get out of listening to this talk?
• Will what the presenter is saying help me?

The secret of a good presenter is to hook into what the audience wants from the talk and give it to them. You must answer the WIIFM: WHAT'S IN IT FOR ME?

WIIFM Statement

If I Can Get ( My Audience) To Agree That (My Plan/ Proposal) Will Help Them (In Their Jobs) Then They Will Agree To ( My Proposal).

For instance, if I can get Presentation Techniques for Impact course participants to agree that this training will help them in their jobs, then they will agree to take part in the activities of the next two days.

Before undertaking any presentation - or for that matter going into any meeting - ask the WIIFM question. This way you can get into the minds of the audience and thus turn your knowledge and thoughts into the items that they need to help them with their jobs.

B COZ Statements

As well as the WIIFM statement you must also answer the B COZ questions:-

• I Am Standing Up Here Because...
• They Are Listening To Me Because...

This way you will be allowed to say your piece and the audience will listen to you as opposed to just hearing you. For instance,

• I am standing up here because whoever books your training heard what a great course this was and how good I was as its presenter and then contracted me to provide this course for your company to answer your requests for help with presentations.
• They are listening to me because they applied to come on this course having already identified their own needs for help in giving more effective presentations.

The worst scenario is:

• I am standing up here because I was told to and you are listening to me because your manager sent you ..

If you ever get to that state - panic.

Note: The key to a good presentation is to get through to the audience as someone whose ideas can help them do their jobs more efficiently.

What is a Presentation?

Presentation
A Presentation is an occasion when the speaker talks through an idea or proposal with an audience (normally more than two) who, after hearing them, react to the talk.

Training
Training is where the audience are actively involved in acquiring skills or knowledge from the trainer.

Meeting
A Meeting is an occasion when two or more people discuss and agree actions.

Essentially the audience is "passive" during a presentation. The secret of a good presentation is to involve the audience, but not be driven by it.

End Result of a Presentation

Giving a presentation is like selling something - an idea, a concept, some equipment. It allows a number of people to listen to the arguments of the presenter then to ask questions. From the perspective of the presenter, it allows you to influence a number of individuals at once.

Sometimes a presentation is not the answer: individual meetings may be the better choice for delicate subjects.

A presentation is always intended to get results. This means that the presenter must be aware of their end goal. If you are unclear of the purpose of the presentation, so too will be your audience.