This archive report was first published on 6 August 2020.
Imagine watching the news on TV, and the newscaster starts reading the newspaper verbatim. You'd think it's a prank, right? But that's what happens when you present written information to an audience without adapting it to their needs.
As a presenter, you've likely fallen into this trap. You refer to your company's website, proposals, reports, and brochure, and create a presentation based on that content. But when you present it, your audience's eyes glaze over, and they start to lose interest.
The problem is that reading and listening are two different forms of consuming content. Written information is meant to be consumed by readers, while presentations are meant to be consumed by listeners. To deliver an effective presentation, you must adapt your content to your audience's needs.
Here are three key things to keep in mind when adapting your content:
- Brevity is key. Your audience wants to know the gist of your message within the first 10 minutes. They're easily distracted and won't remember everything you say.
- Listeners want to be told, not made to think. They want to be fed information, not forced to interpret it. Unlike readers, who can pause and reflect on what they're reading, listeners are passive and need to be told what to focus on.
- Know what you want your audience to know and tell them from the start. Don't assume that because their video and audio are on, they're actively listening. Instead, give them a clear overview of your message and stick to it.
By adapting your content to your audience's needs, you can deliver an effective presentation that engages and informs your listeners.
