We’ve all attended a presentation only to leave and immediately forget everything we’d learned. Why does this happen?
Recently, I discussed this with Rick Davis of the Davis Presentation Group on Leading the Factory Forward. Rick is a speaker and trainer with a professional performance background.
Typical Presentation Mistakes
Everybody is different, but most presenters have common issues and challenges, such as:
Telling themselves they can’t or shouldn’t do public speaking.
Putting the focus on themselves and not on their audience.
Providing too much content, such as numbers and statistics, without discussing their meaning.
How to Tell Good Stories in Your Presentations
Give more details than you think you should
Include a few first names of people involved in the stories
After you establish the details, expand on the lesson of the story
Paint a picture with the story by including emotions, descriptions, and dialogue
You may also want to work on some general presentation formats that can apply to any type of presentation you are asked to give. This way, you will be ready even if you are asked to present last minute. The formats Rick use include:
The SSRS Structure: Story, Significance, Relevance, Support. You start with your story, give its significance (which is the lesson), explain how it relates to your audience, and then give them something to do with it.
The Vowel Structure: A, E, I, O, U, and always Y. The A is for “astonish.” You start by engaging them somehow. The E is for “enlighten your audience.” This is where you deliver your content and main message. I is for “involve them.” Allow the audience to ask questions or do an exercise that gets them involved. O is for “offer,” where you offer anything you’re selling or something you want for the audience. U is for “uplift.” You always want to end on a high note, uplifting your audience. The Y stands for “you.” Always bring your true, authentic self to the presentation and speak in a conversational mode.
Rick uses these strategies to help presenters find ways to CONNECT to positive sources, PLAY with ideas and interests that energize them and make them come alive, and PERFORM in the roles they were always meant to portray.
