ABC Model for Successful Presentations – Step 2 Brainstorm
As I wrote in my previous article, I’m going to write a separate article for each step of the ABC Model for building your presentation skills. This article is on the second step, which is Brainstorm. If you missed the article on the first step, Assess, you can view it here.
Figuring out how to get started on your presentation can be difficult. It’ll save you a lot of time if you ask and answer three questions before writing the presentation. Brainstorm ideas to answer the following questions.
What is the purpose of this presentation?
Set a goal for the presentation. In other words, why do you want to achieve by giving the presentation? What is the ideal outcome? What would you like to happen as a result of the presentation?
If you don’t know the purpose of the presentation, the audience sure won’t either. Don’t confuse personal goals with presentation goals. The purpose of your presentation should not be to “give a good presentation” or “get through the presentation in one piece.” You shouldn’t be giving a presentation just for the sake of giving a presentation.
The purpose needs to be simple and specific. What do you want to tell your audience and what do you want them to do after the presentation? For example: You may want to inform the audience of the risks of not without a seat belt and persuade the audience members to wear a seat belt every time they get into a car.” You’re informing them of the risks of not wearing a seat belt and then using that information to persuade them to take action by wearing a seat belt.
Who is the audience?
In order to catch your audience’s interest, you need to understand your audience and their needs. People aren’t going to do something or buy something for your benefit. They’re going to act if it benefits them. Do as much research as you can on your audience. Sometimes, there may not be an obvious shared characteristic among the people who will be in the audience and you may have to search a bit more to find what they have in common. Finding that common thread will help you determine how to best deliver the message.
How am I going to package the presentation?
Brands rely on the aesthetics of their product and their product’s packaging to capture the consumer’s attention. It helps to apply this concept of packaging to your presentation as well.
Packaging your presentation means coming up with a desirable way to present the message. It doesn’t matter if your presentation is about polar bears, nuclear fission, or video games. Make it interesting for your audience. They’re sharing their time with you, so make the experience worthwhile for you and for them.
Next Step
Now that you are finished with the first step, Assess, and second step, Brainstorm, you can move on to the next step, Create.
Stay tuned for details in my next article!