There are little ways to communicate that work well with some people, but not with others. There are big ways to communicate that can turn-off or enrapt just about anybody. Robert Moment has three suggestions for
great presentation communication that I think will improve our conference calls.
Preparation – This is an important point for any presentation, but when it comes to preparing for a particular audience, it’s vital. What do you know about the people dialing-in to your conference call? What are their interests? Are they detail-oriented or big picture people? Knowing what motivates your participants—and what bores them—and tailoring your presentation accordingly will go a long way in gaining and keeping their attention.
Presentation – Practicing is a key point that Robert Moment makes in this part, but I think his best point is one he didn’t emphasize: choosing what to present. “Anyone adequately prepared can talk for hours…” but your participants won’t listen for hours. What information will get your point across in the fastest and most memorable way? What is the best way to present that information? Would telling a story be most effective? What about running a web conference and showing a series of pictures? Or would a simple PowerPoint with a few spartan slides have the most impact?
Passion – There’s little I can do to embellish on this point other than perhaps to ask you to recall the last boring presentation you sat through. What made it boring, the subject matter? Now think about a presentation you attended that should have been tedious but wasn’t. What made it interesting? An energetic, passionate speaker can make any meeting or presentation worthwhile, regardless of the topic. When you are hosting a conference call, get excited! Let your participants hear it in your voice, and “see” the smile on your face. If you are passionate about a subject they will give you their attention, if not become passionate themselves.
These are three solid presentation suggestions but I know there are far more. What do you do to make your presentations interesting and exciting? Leave a comment and tell me about it.
