I have started taking part in my local parkrun recently.
Obviously, I am there to run.
But a few weeks ago, I picked up a couple of presentation lessons too.
Presentation Lesson One: Make Your Key Message Land
There were various housekeeping point to make before the run, but there was one new and important piece of information.
For the first time ever at the venue, there had been a horse on the trail during the previous week’s event.
It was important that every runner knew what to do if it happened again.
The point landed.
When it is your turn to present, can you identify the one point you absolutely must land?
Tell the audience an important message is coming .
Slow down to deliver it.
Increase the intensity of your delivery.
Pause afterwards.
Do more to land this point than everything else.
Oh, and if you see a horse while out jogging?
Stop at once. Then walk slowly around it, giving the horse a wide berth.
Presentation Lesson Two: Engage Them Together
The final point before the race started was to explain where to go for coffee afterwards.
We were told to go upstairs, and the speaker pointed us in the right direction.
“Don’t all stare at once, but it is basically exactly where that man on the first floor is standing.”
We did all stare at once!
A few people started waving at the man.
Then a lot more joined in.
It was an amusing moment that brought everyone together just before we set off.
For your presentation, what can you say that might get the audience to react as one?
Get them feeling like a group rather than a collection of individuals.
I have been at races started by celebrities.
I have been at races started by highly experienced leaders.
But this one really stood out.
I will remember it for some time to come.
Two Lessons to Take Away
A good presentation isn’t only about what you say.
It’s also about making the important points feel important and creating moments that turn your audience from a collection of individuals into a group.
The next time you present, remember these two lessons:
- Land your key point deliberately
- Engage them together
Sometimes the most useful presentation lessons turn up in unexpected places.
On a similar theme, of presentation lessons turning up in the most unexpected places, why not check our the following article…
