Select your key points and then create an outline for constructing your message. In this chapter you’ll find hints on condensing your script into notes and tips for writing your presentation.

In this chapter:

selecting your key points
creating a template for constructing your message
writing your presentation
condensing your script to notes
tips for writing your presentation

Selecting Your Key Points

Having completed your mind map over days or even weeks, you are likely to have a mass of ideas, some of which will support your objectives, others will not. How do you make your selection?

The Day Glo stars on which you have written your objectives will guide you in this selection. What ideas are best suited for achieving your objectives and meeting the needs of your audience? You may wish to prioritise the ideas you have generated by awarding them ticks. Three ticks if the idea is very important to your objectives. Two ticks if it is important and one tick for an unimportant idea. If it doesn ‘t support your objectives, don’t include it.

Three Key Ideas

Beware of overloading your audience by giving them too much information. The human mind is limited in what it can retain and process. Every great presentation contains at least one, but not more than three, key ideas. Have three supporting points for each key idea – anecdotes, metaphors or hard evidence that support your key idea. Always keep in mind what your audience need from you as you construct your message.

Creating A Template For Constructing Your Message

The following is a logical and simple structure that provides continuity between the beginning, middle and end of your presentation. It is a framework that will help you construct a balanced presentation.

Opening

The opening is less about opening your presentation and more about opening up your audience so they will be receptive to you and your message. It’s a bit like offering a handshake to your audience.

To develop an original and captivating opening requires careful planning. It is best left until you have decided on the main body of your presentation. Chapter 4 shows you how to open with impact.

Overview

The overview provides a brief outline of your talk. It gives the audience an insight into the theme and structure of your presentation. This not only lets the audience know what to expect, but enhances your credibility as a speaker who is organised and thorough. By talking benefits to audience rather than content, you will generate a higher level of interest.

Key Idea 1

Begin with a general picture – the long shot, if you like. This is really a big picture statement of your first key idea. Now substantiate this with evidence. Create your argument in digestible bits for your audience. Break your key idea into segments. Finally, provide the close-up shot with examples, metaphors, quotations, statistical data, props, visual aids, anecdotes and critical commentary.

Transitions

Transitions are best if they are seamless. You are moving from one point to another without people being aware of the join. A useful way to do this is to recap on the previous segment and create a reason for moving to the next main point.

Key Ideas 2 And 3

Repeat this process for the other main ideas.

Recap

Having presented your main points, you can now wrap up by bringing together the key elements of your presentation. You tell them what you have told them, but in a different way. For example:

So to summarise, the successful presenter – like a good trial lawyer – would get the jury’s attention, then build his or her case and end with a plea to the judge and jury.

Closing

Make your ending brief, catchy and memorable. This is the time to use your take-home message and leave the audience feeling good and ready for action. Again, because of the importance of this, it is given specialist treatment in Chapter 4.

You may wish to use the structure shown in Figure 3 when constructing your next presentation.

Fig. 3. Constructing a presentation.