All about America

Tell ‘em What You’re Gonna Tell ‘em (3)

In doing so, Scott avoided the all-too-common practice of reading the bullets verbatim; a practice that invariably annoys any audience because they think to themselves: “I’m not a child! I can read it myself!”

When Scott was done with the bullets, he added, “Please consider this the outline for the next 20 minutes of our presentation. Let’s start at the top with the market opportunity,” adding yet another forward link, this time into the heart of his presentation.

• Forecast the time. When you establish the endpoint at the beginning of your presentation, instead of plunging your audience headlong into a dark tunnel, they get to see the light at the end while they are still at the entrance. By stating the amount of time your presentation will take, you demonstrate that you are aware of the value of your audience’s time and intend to use it productively. Another aspect of Audience Advocacy.

By providing your audience with a roadmap and a forecast of the time, you are giving them a plan and a schedule. Those four italicized nouns have a least-common denominator noun: management. Once again, you’re sending the subliminal message of Effective Management.

Taken From : Presenting to Win: The Art of Telling Your Story

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