Creative Streak: How To Prepare a Presentation in Six Steps

This post sprang from an earlier question: What’s my best secret to help a presenter? The answer: Be prepared.

This secondary post takes it a step further. So what’s the best way to prepare?

As you begin to construct a presentation of your ideas to a small group or large audience, I’ve found six questions – adapted from a common creative brief – to be useful in gathering all of the necessary information.

1. GOAL: What are you trying to accomplish?

Specifically, what do you need to happen? What business result is driving this presentation? At the end of the conversation, what outcome do you want to occur? Does the outcome match the objective?

Two key words: Be explicit. Use the SMART system to write exact objectives, or use SMART to check whether your objectives are right before you move to Step 2.

2. CONTEXT: What's happening around you that will influence what you say (or write)?

What's the environment, context or history surrounding this presentation or communications? Will any of these factors change or influence whether or not your objective will (or can) be reached?

Just as important, what external forces or internal politics might prevent you from achieving this goal? How are you going to address that, if at all, in your presentation? One of the fastest ways to destroy your credibility is to ignore Step 2. You’ll look out of touch or insensitive – or both.

3. PEOPLE: Who is my audience?

Rather than think of your audience as one homogenous group of statistics, think of them as people with similar values, opinions and behaviors – all of which is known as psychographics. Again, be explicit when describing them. Even better, reach out to them in advance to get a complete perspective on what presentation may be appropriate, asking specifically about their …

4. MINDSET: What does my audience believe now? And why?

What happened historically to create this impression, perception or belief? Whether you like it or not, or believe it or not, people’s perceptions are real. That has nothing to do with accuracy. You cannot change a person’s mind until you know why they believe what they believe. Know what they know, and why they know it. Think too about what you want them to believe? Is it realistic, or will it sound like propaganda?

5. MESSAGES: What are you going to say?

What is your single message in one sentence? If they forget everything you said – which is possible, even of the best presenters – what’s the one takeaway message that remains in their memory? Make it as actionable as possible. Avoid passive action, such as “remember this …” or “I hope that you …” because there's no urgency. If you can’t say your message in one sentence and in one breath, your audience will never work harder than you to decipher or remember it.

Messages must change the minds of your audience. If they don’t, you’re wasting your audience’s time – if not negatively influencing this group of people. Trust me, any negative quality of your messages will have a residual rub-off effect on you, your outcome, and most of all, your personal brand.

Do you know the Rule of 3s? Do you have a message house? If not, read this post: Break Your Presentation Into Chunks.

6. ACTION: What do you want your audience to do, specifically? And by when?

This step is often put at the beginning. "Tell people what you want them to do." Personally, I tend to make this question last because the other previous questions may influence the answer to Step 6. It's very likely this action request will be the first thing you communicate to your audience, but don't start with this question. Lead up to it by answering the other questions first.

Once you have legitimate and honest answers to these six questions, you can now start to structure your presentation in slides.

If I can offer one additional secret? Don’t begin constructing your presentation by opening up PowerPoint and begin writing off the top of your head. It’s a huge waste of time. Get your thoughts properly organized, and then write.

Any other suggestions, tips or advice on preparing for a presentation?