The key to a successful presentation is keeping your audience engaged. The more you
know about them, the more likely you will be to connect with them and deliver
information of value. How do you get to know the folks you will be addressing? Sales presentation and coaching experts say
to:
- If you have a list of attendees, you can check out their names online. Most professionals are listed on LinkedIn. You will want to understand their backgrounds and current roles as much as possible.
- If you have been engaged to speak at a corporate event, talk with your contact to learn who will be present, their level of expertise in your subject, and what they hope to learn from the presentation. And don’t neglect to research the information available on the web—annual reports, press releases, and letters from the CEO.
- If you will be speaking in a public forum, take a close look at the pre-publicity. The messages there will tell you why people signed up and what they expect from you.
The best presentations are those that deliver what the audience expects in a way that seems more like a conversation than a lecture.
