3 Steps to a Memorable Presentation

Creating a Memorable Presentation

Do you have a presentation or a workshop in your future?

Are you agonizing over what to present and how to package it in the most meaningful way?

Are you wondering how to connect with your audience so they will remember what you shared?

Attending a conference is a great way to increase your knowledge about a particular topic but presenting at a conference increases your knowledge exponentially while also building your network and showcasing your expertise. I’ve attended dynamic, entertaining and informative presentations and I’ve sat through insanely boring and irrelevant presentations.  While there is always room for growth, I’ve tried to imitate the former.

Here are a few tips to make your presentation memorable not forgettable:

Before the presentation:

• Leave yourself plenty of margin–Especially if you are out of town or don’t know where you are going for the conference, plan to arrive early and allow time for unforeseen traffic or other delays.  If it is a local event, but you haven’t been there before, try to drive there a day or so ahead of time to prevent getting lost on the day of the event.
• Spend some time centering your energy— Instead of spending your last few moments reviewing your notes, biting your nails or nervously pacing… take some time to focus your energy.  Ask yourself, “How do I want to show up?”  And then reflect on what that would look like:  energetic, knowledgeable, enthusiastic, connected, etc.

During the presentation:

1. Capture your audience’s attention immediately: by highlighting the problem that you will be solving in your presentation. Make it personal and easy to relate to. For instance, are you going to help they manage their time, resolve parenting issues or increase their profitability?
2. Include a personal story to connect with your audience.  People come for the information but they really like to know you and why you chose to present on this particular topic.  Share.  Be real. Be vulnerable.  Relate your own journey. 
3. Use stories throughout to enhance the topic and make it real and memorable.  This can be personal stories or examples of how your clients have benefited from your knowledge and experience.  It can be examples of the benefits of using a particular product that you are highlighting.

After the presentation:

1. Create a way to follow-up with the audience and extend the presentation.  Audiences always like a give-away and I collect email addresses for a drawing  where I give away a book or something else related to the presentation.  Then I email everyone the next day to thank them for attending and offering another free item that extends the lesson. This can be an eBook or a checklist that relates to the presentation.
2. Offer continued follow-up–this may be a newsletter or a coaching strategy call for those who want more information or want to continue to learn and experience your program.

Lynne Watts brings excitement and energy into the room as a motivational and engaging speaker. She brings a focus on intentional living that sets the tone for participants to look within themselves to reflect and learn from. She has a relevant perspective to familiar topics. Her engagement with participants is sincere and authentic and, along with her friendly, relaxed manner enables participants to listen and learn easily. Her life experiences are meaningful to the audience and provide a candid look into self for how to make better self-choices and how to be a better team in the workplace.  D’Anna Liber DFACS Supervisor, Gwinnett County, Georgia