Whether you like it or not, you’re always presenting something.  Your life is made up of a series of presentations, most of the time simply presenting yourself in the best light possible. It happens when you’re out on a job interview, trying to land a client, or convincing your team that a job must get done. You are making a presentation.

Selling may not be your gig. It definitely isn’t mine. But, when you’re the head of a business, you’re making presentations every day.  And, at times, you also have to make them more formal. 

To be masterful at doing the formal presentation, just remember “IPRESENT”!  

Involve your audience

People support solutions that they help create. That is simply human nature. Allowing your audience to participate involves them in the creation process. To forego involving key people is risky; messages can be misunderstood and barriers go up.   If buy-in doesn’t happen, your plans can be derailed even before they begin. 

Prepare your audience

Preparation is key to success.  The Boy Scouts think so!

Prepare your listeners to what’s coming in your presentation.  Toastmasters always say: tell them what you’re going to tell them, tell them, and then tell them what you just told them. It makes for good public speaking.

Try these strategies:

1. Assign pre-work. This could be pre-reading, the study of a problem and the preparations of possible solutions.  An example could be, “go and visit three kinds of accounts before the meeting.”
2. Make pre-meeting contacts with those invited by email, phone, or in person.  You might want to try an informal survey to get people’s position on the issues at hand.

Research Well

Do your research!  To make it look easy, have a hidden cache of tools.  If this is cache is up-to-date containing organized material, you can access it quickly in ready-to-use form when you need it. 

Successful presenters have the stats to back up their ideas, and they have a mental collection of stories, examples, jokes, and ice-breakers to use when needed.

Your presentation could include tangible items such as recent articles, photographs, reports, and demonstration items.  To become masterful, maintain resources you can access for just the right thing at the right time.

And, if all else fails, bluff your way. When I was in law school, I was so nervous when appearing in Moot Court the first time I thought I was going to be sick. One of the judges told me something that has stuck with me since then. He said: “Even if you don’t know the answer, pretend you do. People believe those that appear to know, even when they don’t.” LOL!

Explain “Why?”

Another thing for you to do is to explain “why?”

The single most powerful thing you can do to convince your audience is to provide a convincing reason why. Why they should do what you suggest. Why they should believe what you say. 

People want and need a clear “WIIFM”, you know “what’s in it for me?” They want to be able to react positively to you. But they want to make sure there’s something in it for them.

Deliver a vision of benefits.  Hearing the “WIIFM” won’t automatically generate a “yes” but it’ll open the door for receptivity to your idea.

Knowing the “why” also satisfies a basic need that we all have: to understand the purpose of your actions.  When your subject matter is likely to generate strong emotions, it is essential that you test it in advance.  Ask someone(s) you trust to play devil’s advocate and help you with your logic and arguments.

Manage Your State

Your mental state has to be congruent with the message you’re delivering. 

If you don’t believe what you’re preaching, it will not work. Just try giving a pep talk to your team when you’re depressed! 

You have to be aware of and manage your own mental state and that of your listeners. If you fail at this, communication channels will not open.  The listener is tuned in to more than your words, whether they consciously know it or not.

This is a vast subject, more than a single post can hold. But here are a few key hints. 

1. First, “AAI” – act as if. Act the way you want to feel, it’s amazing how this works. 
2. Use music to set the mood if necessary.
3. Dress the part.
4. Reduce your anxiety by whatever method works for you. 

Remember: you’re the one in charge, and presentation mastery isn’t about being perfect – it’s about achieving your objective. Remember the Moot Court judge!

Eliminate the Unknowns

Fear of public speaking ranks high on most people’s list of worst fears. So you are not alone. Managing your anxiety permits you to focus on your audience and their needs.

Some basic approaches are:

1. Ask yourself a list of “what if?” questions. 
2. Take ownership of the situation. 
3. Rehearse, rehearse, rehearse.
4. Double check your notes and prepare yourself.

kNow Your Audience 

Whether you’re presenting to one person or a roomful of people, there are three basic things to do: 

1. Meet their needs
2. Reduce their tension
3. Avoid mistakes as much as possible

Knowing who your listeners are will give you a chance to tailor your objectives to meet their needs.  In the process, you will reduce the “audience-presenter” tension so they will focus on what you’re saying. And knowing who they are and what they think, you’ll be sensitive to potential “hot buttons”.

Tailor Your Presentation Throughout 

Bored listeners lead to missed opportunities or even failure.  Watch for non-verbal behavior such as clock-watching, foot-tapping, and cat-napping. When any of these are present get some feedback with, “Is it too warm in here?” or “Should I pick up the pace?”  Any of these will break the monotony and grab their attention, bringing them back to you.

An important thing to remember is that the mind can absorb no more than the seat can endure.  Sometimes a simple thing like taking a short stretch break will solve the problem.

Above all else, you’ve got to be flexible and responsive. Use techniques that will give you audience feedback. If you find yourself heading for the cliff, quickly diagnose the cause and take some action to counter boredom.

Ready? Remember, life’s nothing but a series of presentations. Be ready for the next time you’ll be onstage.

What do you use to make yourself ready? Let us know, won’t you?

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Lilia Lee is the owner and founder of Simplify and Manage. She is an expert on business process development and process improvement with 20 years experience in the field, working at major corporations. Prior to this experience, she was the Controller & CIO of a marine insurance company. She has a B.Sc. in Accounting from Hunter College of CUNY and a J.D. from NY Law School. She is a certified coach from Coach Training Alliance.

 Simplify and Manage is a company dedicated to helping business owners simplify, to get things done. We use our system to plan, implement, take appropriate action, evaluate any process, project or money-making idea. And then, we manage the ongoing operations of the business.