How can I present a clear message that is succinct and to the point while working under a limited time frame? Presentation Skills

June 15, 2011

The first thing is to stop making it difficult on yourself. Stop thinking about what to say and start thinking about using your Executive Presentation Skills in a new way with what they need to hear.

Too many of us build our presentations with so much information that our audience becomes immobilized. Almost everyone can remember three things, and most people can remember up to seven things. Once you get past seven points in your presentation, people will simply drop everything beyond the seven things; or they will throw their hands up and say, “This is way too difficult. I will wait till I have more time to digest this.”

In our Sales Presentation Seminars, we talk about how you run into this when you hear people say, “This is great stuff. I’ll just read it over and get back to you.” In IT or Finance, people say to you, “Can you get us more information on…?” Or they begin to argue with you over your facts and charts. When this happens it means you have confused them with so much information that they are taking their frustration out on you. You have moved them from being excited about the Why to analyzing your How. You never want that to happen.

Try to focus on the main points of the information. Keep them straightforward, simple, and put them in order of importance. Only add the details that are necessary. I find most people put in too much information.

Never be caught in a situation where you have so many PowerPoint slides that you are having to flip through them and tell your audience, “We’ll skip this one this time, and we’ll skip this one; okay, let’s look at this one.” This makes your audience feel like you are ripping them off or that you’re being devious and trying to hide information from them. The last thing you want to have is your audience in a skeptical mood.

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