Keys to Organizing a Speech or Presentation - Step 1: Plan
Step 1: Plan
We have been asked to speak to a professional group on organizing speeches and presentations. This should be a no-brainer for us, since we have both been talking from a very early age and have a steady stream of opinions and ideas to share with whomever has a mind to listen. As we consider what information is appropriate to include in our presentation, it occurred to us that we are all in the business of making presentations to the public. It might be a Sunday School lesson for your church or an impassioned plea to City Council to install a stop sign. It could be a synopsis of the latest selection for your book club or the introduction of a speaker at the motorcycle club. Whatever the subject or the setting, there are certain stages and methods of organizing the presentation that make you confident and successful in imparting the information.
We call them the three Ps:
Planning
Preparation
Presentation
First you plan by determining the answers to these questions:
What is the topic? If you are lobbying for the stop sign, it is not “The city is unsafe”. It is “We need a stop sign at the corner of Sixth Street and Lincoln Street because there is a history of accidents there.” Once you know exactly what the topic is you can gather the information you need.
Who is my audience? It is important to know who your audience is because it dictates the style and content of your presentation. If they are a group of elected officials, you will want to appeal to their ability to get re-elected. If they are fiscally conservative, you will want to make sure to touch on cost-effectiveness. If they are children, you want to use age-appropriate vocabulary and keep the time to their attention span.
The size of the audience is also important. For large audiences you need to consider what kind of electronic equipment will be used. You also need to decide what, if any, visual aids will be needed to deliver your message.
Gender and background can also be issues to consider in planning. Anecdotes should be appropriate to the group. You will use different stories and analogies for young mothers than you would for retired engineers or personal trainers.
What is the venue?
Is it an informal gathering in a home or restaurant, a council meeting in community meeting hall, or a convention in an auditorium with a jumbotron? The location and size of the presentation site dictates your dress and your methods of presentation.
What is the date and time of the presentation?
You want to mark it on your calendar and give yourself enough time for preparation. You also want to be prepared and arrive early when it is time to present.
Your final plan for your presentation can be summed up with the following statement:
I am presenting on the topic of ______________
for the audience of ___________________
which will number approximately________________________
which has the following important characteristics____________________________
I will give my presentation at _____________ (place) __________ (date) ________ (time)
Now you are ready to prepare the presentation.
We will talk about that next time.
Beverly & Kristen
Key Transitions
http://www.keytransitions.net/
KeyTransitions@cox.net
PO Box 5383
Suffolk, VA 23435-0383
(757) 642-3193
We have been asked to speak to a professional group on organizing speeches and presentations. This should be a no-brainer for us, since we have both been talking from a very early age and have a steady stream of opinions and ideas to share with whomever has a mind to listen. As we consider what information is appropriate to include in our presentation, it occurred to us that we are all in the business of making presentations to the public. It might be a Sunday School lesson for your church or an impassioned plea to City Council to install a stop sign. It could be a synopsis of the latest selection for your book club or the introduction of a speaker at the motorcycle club. Whatever the subject or the setting, there are certain stages and methods of organizing the presentation that make you confident and successful in imparting the information.
We call them the three Ps:
Planning
Preparation
Presentation
First you plan by determining the answers to these questions:
What is the topic? If you are lobbying for the stop sign, it is not “The city is unsafe”. It is “We need a stop sign at the corner of Sixth Street and Lincoln Street because there is a history of accidents there.” Once you know exactly what the topic is you can gather the information you need.
Who is my audience? It is important to know who your audience is because it dictates the style and content of your presentation. If they are a group of elected officials, you will want to appeal to their ability to get re-elected. If they are fiscally conservative, you will want to make sure to touch on cost-effectiveness. If they are children, you want to use age-appropriate vocabulary and keep the time to their attention span.
The size of the audience is also important. For large audiences you need to consider what kind of electronic equipment will be used. You also need to decide what, if any, visual aids will be needed to deliver your message.
Gender and background can also be issues to consider in planning. Anecdotes should be appropriate to the group. You will use different stories and analogies for young mothers than you would for retired engineers or personal trainers.
What is the venue?
Is it an informal gathering in a home or restaurant, a council meeting in community meeting hall, or a convention in an auditorium with a jumbotron? The location and size of the presentation site dictates your dress and your methods of presentation.
What is the date and time of the presentation?
You want to mark it on your calendar and give yourself enough time for preparation. You also want to be prepared and arrive early when it is time to present.
Your final plan for your presentation can be summed up with the following statement:
I am presenting on the topic of ______________
for the audience of ___________________
which will number approximately________________________
which has the following important characteristics____________________________
I will give my presentation at _____________ (place) __________ (date) ________ (time)
Now you are ready to prepare the presentation.
We will talk about that next time.
Beverly & Kristen
Key Transitions
http://www.keytransitions.net/
KeyTransitions@cox.net
PO Box 5383
Suffolk, VA 23435-0383
(757) 642-3193
Labels: Introduction, Key Transitions, Oratory, Organizing, Presentation, Professional Organizer, Public Speaking, Speaking, Speech, Talk
posted by Key Transitions at 7:20 AM
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