LESSON 5: THE SUBTLE-BUT-IMPORTANT DIFFERENCE BETWEEN "GIVING YOUR AUDIENCE WHAT YOU WANT" vs "GIVING YOUR AUDIENCE WHAT THEY WANT"
Are you one of those people who, when ordering in a restaurant, always orders an adjusted version of the dish as it is set out in the menu?
If so, here's a couple of things you should know:
1) We can't get married.
I'm not saying you're wrong for asking to have "four extra olives ... but only if they're black ... three if they're green ... sheep's cheese instead of the goats cheese ... unless the goats were reared on a gluten-free, kosher diet in a semi-Mediterranean climate, in which case go with the goats ... and place the pine nuts on the western side of the plate in diminishing concentric circles".
It's nobody's business except you're own if you feel that asking for all those changes will result in a meal experience for you in which all those perceived positives outweigh the negative of having the chef rub your slice of organic, spelt sourdough multi-grain on his sweaty brow in a silent protest for you ignoring his carefully thought-out and designed serving suggestion.
I'm just saying that, given my very limited skill set in life (I know how to talk on stage and ... mmm ... that's about it, really), I need to surround myself with people who are MUCH less discerning and demanding.
2) You're proving that it's more important to provide an audience with what THEY want (rather than what YOU want them to want).
What you're saying is, the measure of a successful restaurant visit does NOT come down to whether the chef was happy with what you ordered or whether you ate the food that the chef thought would be best for you. It is entirely based on whether you, the consumer, are happy with what you consumed.
And it is exactly the same when you are the 'chef' of an upcoming conference presentation.
You have your own idea of what things you want your audience to know ... but the MOST-EFFECTIVE presentation is one in which you prepare with the following thought as a priority:
What Does My Audience MOST-WANT From Me?
This SOUNDS like a similar question to "What Do I MOST-WANT To Give My Audience?" ... and, in terms of many of the facts and figures that you would want to include in your presentation, there IS a lot of crossover.
The difference comes when you think about what your audience wants from you and your presentation in BROADER TERMS.
Yes, essentially, what they want is facts and figures ... but they might want some (or none) of the following things, too, to ensure your time with them is considered BY THEM to have been successful:
They may want to hear case studies that indicate how others have dealt with situations they now face.
They might want a chance to ask questions. They might want to hear your personal opinion or some examples from your own experience.
They may want a lot more emphasis on potential solutions rather than going into detail of what the problems are.
They might know way more or way less about an issue than you can imagine, so are looking for way LESS or way MORE detail in your information.
They might be looking for stronger reasons to change their behaviour. They may need to know WHY a change is being implemented just as much as they need to know WHAT that change is.
They could be needing to hear words of inspiration.
They might need evidence of what you are saying.
They may want to hear references to people within the group, to make the information more realistic and relatable.
They may want you to use humour. Or more pictures on your PowerPoint slides and less words.
They could want a chance to talk to others near them about a point you just made. Or to ask you questions.
They might like comparisons with last year's results. Or with major competitors' results.
They may want a summary afterwards. Or your slide deck.
You get the idea? There is quite a list of possible elements that your audience could want ... and, the truth is, you have to also consider whether your audience DOESN'T WANT any of these elements, too.
But it is SO important to consider at least SOME of these points when preparing your next presentation.
WHAT ARE THE BENEFITS OF ASKING YOURSELF WHAT YOUR AUDIENCE WANTS FROM YOUR PRESENTATION?
It helps you assign time better (if you realise some points are more important than others to your audience, you will spend more of your allotted time on them).
Showing that you understand what your audience wants is one of the greatest ways of building rapport with your audience. More importantly, though, showing that you have NO IDEA what they really want is a fast-pass to having them disengage.
Your audience will trust what you say more. After all, you have shown you understand their needs.
You may discover that there is an opportunity to include elements in your presentation that enable you to add colour, warmth, humour and personality.
If you realise, after considering the points above, that your audience might feel a little AMBIVALENT about your topic, then your first task is to design a beginning to your presentation that clearly explains why the information you are about to share really DOES matter to them.
How important is THAT??!!
SO, IN SUMMARY ...
I began this article with a restaurant reference ... in which I pointed out that, just like a chef sometimes has to add to or subtract from the planned ingredients of a dish in order to truly satisfy their diners ... you, as a presenter ... will have to sometimes do the same with your presentation.
Have a think about what these ingredients might be ... and the more you incorporate them into your final presentation, the more legendary your audience will think you and your information are.
It's food for thought, eh??
DARREN ISENBERG IS ONE OF AUSTRALIA'S BEST-LOVED MC'S, WHO IS ALSO A PRESENTATION SKILLS COACH, THE CREATOR OF GRIN & TONIC™ REELS AND A SPEAKER ON POSITIVE INFLUENCE. CHECK OUT HIS WEBSITE AT www.dipresents.com.au