johncarrickxy: 6 Business Presentation Lessons from London 2012

Monday, 13 August 2012

6 Business Presentation Lessons from London 2012 - ProPresent

On August 13, 2012 by gnb

Finish first

The opening & closing ceremonies had to fill several hours and they did run over by a few minutes.?In presentations, aim to finish a few minutes under the time allowed.?It?s not that people think better of you for finishing early; it?s more they might think worse of you for finishing late.

Don?t Please Everyone

The closing ceremony addressed the UK audience. The audience in the stadium loved it. The global audience (according to Twitter anyway) found it a bit ?too British?.

We think the organisers got it spot on! If they had tried to appeal to everyone they?d have pleased no-one. Focus on getting your presentation right for the key members of your audience.

Content & Context

Sceptics might say that sport is boring. And they?d be right. What gives sport its magic is the struggle, the adversities and the sheer determination to overcome anything to reach the goal. All wrapped up in a way that makes it easy for people to follow what?s happening; whether that?s graphics to the show scores & times, back stories about the competitors or the forecasts & opinions of knowledgeable pundits. Identifying content for a presentation is much more than just the basics. To really bring it to life don?t overlook the human context. This is what people relate to most.

Flow

The Olympics creates an ebb & flow like a strong tide. It?s a never-ending sequence of setting up a dramatic event that?s about to happen, letting it happen and bringing it to a natural conclusion. It?s one of the most reliable lessons when it comes to presentations,?audiences are engaged by a story that ebbs & flows through a sequence of clearly defined events that are clearly set up, unfold and then naturally conclude. Some people call it a beginning, middle & end but that?s too business-like and robotic. You need flow. People like flow.

STAR Moments

Something They?ll Always Remember. What was your unforgettable moment from London 2012?

Whatever it was, you still have an overall feeling about London 2012. You either liked it or you didn?t. And the likelihood is that it?s the sum of several unforgettable moments that have made you feel that way. If you can?t remember any unforgettable moments then I bet you feel negative about it. On the other hand, if you have lots of unforgettable moments then I bet you feel really positive about it.

All any of us really remembers is how we feel about something. Make sure your presentation has several STAR moments.

Train Hard

Making what?s difficult look easy is what wins gold. To do that you must train and practice until you can do it without making mistakes. Practice until you can do it without thinking. And then on the day, under the spotlight, you too may give a gold medal performance.

We hope you win gold for your next presentation!

A successful presentation is a bit of an art and a bit of a science. It?s a process we call?ProPresentology^TM.

Until next time. Keep on being brilliant.

Photo:??Nick Webb?via?Compfight