Do you really need to give a presentation?

My clients have been known to show up with a slideshow that's a document rather than a presentation. That is, instead of using the slides to enhance the presenter's spoken content, everything they want to say is delineated on the slides, either in copious bullets, graphs, or wordy paragraphs.

Frequently, these clients are perplexed as to why a presentation is necessary when the updates could easily be e-mailed in a brief report.

It's my job to help them turn that presentation into something engaging, useful, and of value to the audience, so we go ahead and fix it.

However, could the same goals be achieved by delivering the content another way? Is it necessary to call a meeting? Do you really need to give a presentation at all?

Here are some questions to ask when you're considering scheduling a live presentation:

1. Is there a human element necessary to give emotional context to the information? Are there stories or analysis behind the data that a person needs to speak about that can't be otherwise written in a report?

2. Is there a purpose to the meeting beyond the mere transfer of information, like brainstorming or group decision-making?

3. Are there objectives and action items that will be addressed? Are there specific results expected to come from the meeting? Is there a strategy? An agenda?

4. Is something being taught or demonstrated, where audience interaction is required to ensure comprehension and retention of new concepts?

5. Is there a persuasive element to the presentation where a speaker is necessary to activate emotions and inspire the group to take some sort of action?

If you answer "no" to all or most of these questions, then please consider sending your material by e-mail, making a video, or finding some other way to deliver the content.

Don't waste your group's time making them sit and listen to a speaker who is simply repeating the information on slides that the audience is looking at on a monitor—or worse—already holding in printouts.

If your group can look at the material on their own, at their convenience, and respond in an appropriate time frame to the necessary colleagues, isn't this a better use of everyone's time?

?Share your experience: How many unnecessary meetings and presentations do you attend each week??

Something far too many business speakers lack is self-awareness - the ability to see their own strengths and weaknesses, and the ability to understand how they're seen by others.

Take the first step with the Speak to Engage? Presentation Scorecard, a simple self-assessment tool that allows you to break down and evaluate the critical elements of your presentation so you can get clear on your most pressing areas for growth and improvement.

Use this FREE self-assessment tool to:

?? get a big-picture overview of your skills and abilities

?? eliminate the guesswork around where you’re nailing it and where you’re falling short in getting your message across effectively and with impact

?? monitor your improvement over time and

?? create actionable goals

Did I mention it's ??FREE???

Get your Presentation Scorecard here!

Lisa Braithwaite mentors purpose-driven leaders to build visibility, credibility, and awareness for their work through engaging presentations. She’s the author of Presenting for Humans: Insights for Speakers on Ditching Perfection and Creating Connection.

Before launching The LisaB Company, she spent sixteen years designing programs for nonprofits as an advocate and educator. Her work is also influenced by her degrees in theater and education.

She’s been interviewed for the Wall Street Journal, Los Angeles Times, Chicago Tribune, Men’s Health, Toastmaster Magazine, and Inc.com. She provides training for companies as diverse as Microsoft, The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Pulmonary Fibrosis Foundation, Massachusetts Association of Realtors? and AgWest Commodities.

Lisa’s philosophy is that public speaking is fun, it’s an awesome way to express yourself creatively, and it offers an accelerated approach to developing an intimate and trusting relationship with your target audience.