Before you deliver your speech or presentation you must ask yourself one critical question. If you ask yourself this question before every presentation you will create a better presentation and write it faster.
Ask this critical question and you will be more successful in your speaking. You will be better able to adapt the length of your presentation to last minute changes. You will look and feel more confident and convincing. You will be better prepared to handle questions and interruptions. You will be able to avoid wasteful tangents. You will stay focused.
The question that you should ask yourself before every presentation is this:
What do you want your audience to do, think or feel when you are finished speaking?
If you don’t ask this question you might be wasting time – yours and theirs.
If you ask this question – you will know why you are speaking. If you don’t know why you are speaking – you are wasting time and embarrassing yourself.
When you know what you want your audience to do, think or feel, then you can test every phrase you speak, every slide and every prop for how well it helps or hinders your purpose.
George Torok
The Speech Coach for Executives
PS: This question also applies to everything you write – including your marketing material.
PPS: The first question I ask an executive when coaching their presentation is, “What is your purpose for speaking?”
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