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Big Presentations in Small Rooms

helping ordinary people communicate with extraordinary effectiveness

5 Powerful Ways to Discover Audience Benefit

Acknowledge Audience Benefit

As you prepare for a Big Presentation in a Small Room, you identified your hope and articulated your presentation goal. You learned who will be there. The next step is to discover the audience benefit.

Why?  Because people naturally focus on their own best interests.  

Acknowledge this truth, but do not be frustrated by it. After all, the presentation goal may serve your personal best interest. People have needs and desires. This is true for you and your audience.

Instead of being frustrated by this reality, discover the places where the interests overlap. Identify the common ground and focus on it—from their perspective.

Considering audience benefit
When planning, consider audience benefit.

5 Questions to Discover Audience Benefit

When discovering their best interests, ask,

  1. How could this plan reduce stress?
  2. How could it save money?
  3. How could it save time?
  4. How could it make them look good?
  5. How could it set them up for future successes?
Audience Benefit creating teamwork
Considering audience benefit lowers stress and increases engagement.

Audience Benefit: Lower Stress

Let’s focus on the first question.  Lower stress is a powerful audience benefit.

How can your idea alleviate stress? Consider the following situation.

Your presentation goal is to increase the supply budget for your project by $15,000. You realize that this increase will allow you to finish the project on time. The time saved will result in over $15,000 worth of productivity increase in the IT department. It will also lower their stress considerably.

If you highlight these facts during the presentation, you are more likely to win the support of the IT department. It will also be meaningful for the finance department, which is concerned about the budget of IT.

By focusing on the savings and the decreased stress levels, you address what is in their best interest. By helping you, they are helping themselves. Win-Win! Whenever possible, think “win-win.” And draw attention to the win that benefits them. 

Spotlight Audience Benefit

Spotlight the win that benefits them. The win might involve money, time, reputation, or future success.  It might include a lower stress level.  Whatever it is, discover the audience benefit and focus on the win—for them!

For more guidance for your big presentation, continue reading the blog!

For even more information order Big Presentations in Small Rooms.

So,

What is a common audience benefit that comes from your presentations?

what is a win-win you can focus on in an upcoming presentation?

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