What’s the best gift you’ve ever received?
The National Retail Federation forecasts this year’s holiday sales could exceed $680 billion. There will be plenty of duds among those billions of gifts – as any child who’s received socks and underwear can attest. Thankfully, many recipients will also unwrap the gifts they wished for.
In order to give a great gift, you have to know your audience. The same is true for presentations. Delivering a great presentation involves knowing your audience and tailoring your message to their needs.
Answering the following questions before you pick-up the microphone will help you gift the right information for your audience:
Who’s in the Room?
The Basics
- Who is in the audience?
- How many attendees?
- Is there a theme for the meeting you can tie your information to?
- What are the expectations for the presentation?
Digging Deep
- What is your audience’s understanding of, and viewpoint on, your topic?
- What problems concern your audience?
- What is important to your audience right now?
- How can you tie your topic to what is important to them?
Getting to know your audience doesn’t stop when you switch on the microphone – on the contrary, now the real fun begins! Engage them in relevant conversation, ask questions, and have the audience share their experiences.
Take the time to truly know your audience so you can gift them with the right information. May you deliver great gifts – to your audience and your loved ones – this holiday season.
