Building Your Platform with Great Presentations

By Guest Contributors - Jul 10 , 2007

Surveys traditionally show that when asked what they fear the most, people say their number one fear is “public speaking.” Trailing a distant second? Death.

Perhaps the most powerful tool in your platform-building kit (after writing) is a Knock-‘em Dead presentation that highlights your work and draws attention to your expertise. In addition to the written word, presentations are an excellent method of connecting with potential readers, supporters, and clients.

Fear of speaking in front of a group is understandable, but it doesn’t have to be overwhelming. When asked to describe their fear, most people talk of being embarrassed in front of the group or of freezing – having their minds go blank. With good planning, focused energy, and plenty of practice, you can eliminate most of that fear up front.

Choosing Your Presentation
Even though you may have a narrow field of expertise in your topic, it’s guaranteed you’ll still have more material than can be offered in one presentation. It’s wise to choose a very narrow topic for your presentation; for example: “Three Steps to Becoming a Highly Effective Leader;” “Beginner’s Guide to Building a Secure Financial Future;” “How to Double Your Sales in Three Months.” Pick a narrow enough topic that gives audience members one or two important points to remember, and focus on your unique perspective. Always leave your audience wanting more.

Preparing Your Presentation
There’s an old joke about a tourist in New York City who stops a man on the street. Noticing that the man is carrying a violin case, the tourist asks, “Can you tell me how to get to Carnegie Hall?” The man replies, “Easy — practice!”

Even the most gifted musicians and athletes know that practice makes perfect. If you just write your speech on a bunch of PowerPoint slides, and then recite the words while the audience follows along (then falls asleep), you’re doing them a disservice. Memorize your presentation –- the better you know it, the more easily it flows, giving you the opportunity to tune in to the energy of your audience. Otherwise, you’re so focused on remembering your presentation that you never “connect” with them. As you memorize, don’t just recite the words in your head -– say them out loud. Practice in front of anyone (or anything) who will listen, including the family dog.

Seth Godin’s rule is “no more than six words per slide, period.” Even better, as you have your presentation memorized, use slides that only contain visuals. You’ll give the audience a visual trigger for remembering important points, and you’ll allow them to concentrate more on what you’re saying.

The more you practice, the better prepared you’ll be for worst-case scenarios. Every professional presenter has a battle scar or two and can tell you about their seat-of-the-pants moments. For instance, be prepared for technology to fail. If your computer or projector konks out, could you still give your presentation without slides? By the time you step in front of a crowd, you should have your presentation memorized — and practiced — to the point of automation.

Marketing Your Presentation
Fear of speaking in public includes visions of hotel ballrooms filled with sneering unbelievers. When you’re starting out as a speaker, your mantra should be, “Small is Good.” And don’t be afraid of small groups — they’re an excellent way to practice your presenting craft. Get some practice, work out the kinks, and then think about working your way up to larger groups.

Market yourself to small organizations and associations, which are always on the lookout for interesting presentations (usually with no pay, but hey, it’s practice, right?). You can also consider putting on your own seminar, but be sure you understand the financial investment required for such an event (not to mention getting enough people to attend).

Giving Your Presentation
No matter how well prepared you are, nerves are always a factor when it comes time to deliver your presentation. Be sure to arrive at least one hour early to test your equipment and deal with any technical issues. Strategically place bottles of water in locations that are easily accessible as you walk around the room, and have copies of a “giveaway” on hand (an article you’ve written, a white paper, etc.) for people to take home. Spend at least five to ten minutes in a quiet space before going on, to warm up your limbs with stretches and your voice with warm-up exercises (easily found on the Internet). Creating a pre-presentation routine allows you to focus on giving the presentation rather than the logistics surrounding it.

The goal of any strong presentation is to have audience members leave with one thing they can try after they leave the room. What you may think is basic information is often a brand new idea in the mind of an audience member. Good education is also good promotion, and that goes a long way toward placing you as the expert in your category. Expertise sells books and seminars, and it attracts clients.

Some pretty good benefits from telling your story to a group of people, wouldn’t you say?