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Is your
audience
switching
off
when you
present
data?
Presenting
data is
a very
difficult
challenge.
You are
presenting
as the
expert.
You have
worked
hard to
collect
the data
and/or
to
synthesize
it for
presentation.
It may
be
important
that you
be seen
as the
expert,
but you
are
faced
with the
challenge
of
presenting
this
sometimes
overwhelming
mass of
data so
that an
audience
can
understand
and
appreciate
it.
What is
the best
way to
do that?
Usually
the
first
step is
to
design
the
visuals.
What can
we use
to
simplify
this
data –
graphs,
pie
charts,
lists
….?
While
that is
certainly
a valid
part of
the
process,
it
should
not be
the
first
step.
As with
any
presentation,
the
first
step has
got to
be
acknowledging
what you
want
from the
presentation.
You
probably
already
know
what
that
is.
It may
be that
you want
to
persuade
someone
to take
action –
to
donate
to your
cause,
to fund
your
research,
to hire
you, or
to
change
company
policy.
It may
be that
you want
to
persuade
people
to
believe
your
theory
about
something.
And
underlying
those
outcomes
may also
be a
desire
to be
seen as
the
expert,
to be
seen as
relevant
to the
audience
in some
way, to
be seen
as
credible.
So if
you need
to,
define
it
first,
but
certainly
acknowledge
it, and
then use
it in
choosing
how the
presentation
will
proceed.
In
choosing
the
direction
of the
presentation,
the
first
aim is
to
engage
your
audience.
Give
them a
reason
to
listen
and not
to
switch
off.
Make it
clear
why this
presentation
will be
relevant
to them,
why it
will be
worth
their
while to
listen.
And
make it
clear
just
what
they can
expect
to get
out of
it if
they
listen.
Just
because
you are
presenting
data,
does not
mean you
should
stop
making
“you” a
prominent
word in
your
speech.
So start
with the
end
objective.
Present
it up
front.
Explain
why it
is
important
for your
audience
to
understand
the
data.
Put the
big
picture
first.
Use
stories,
examples,
anecdotes
and
analogies,
not just
the
facts.
Your
audience
is used
to
dealing
with the
flood of
information
that
each of
us faces
every
day.
They
know
that
unless
they
have a
reason
to focus
on, or
to
engage
with, a
particular
piece of
that
information,
they
have to
tune it
out. So
let them
know
your
particular
pieces
of
information
are
relevant
to
them.
The use
of
stories,
personal
examples,
analogies,
even
metaphors
will
personalise
the data
and
engage
your
audience
with
it.
So keep
that
WIIFM
(What’s
In It
For Me)
aspect
always
present
in the
presentation,
and you
will
engage
your
audience
– the
first
step to
having
them
think,
act or
feel the
way you
want
them to.
©Bronwyn Ritchie
If you want to include this article in your publication, please do,
but please include the following information with it:
Bronwyn Ritchie is a professional librarian, writer, award-winning
speaker and trainer. She is a certified corporate trainer and speech
contest judge with POWERtalk, a certified World Class Speaking
coach, and has had 30 years experience speaking to audiences and
training in public speaking. Get her 30 speaking tips
FREE and boost your public speaking mastery over 30 weeks. Join now or go to
http://www.30speakingtips.com
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