Without a Connector there is no point in presenting

To assist you in crafting a compelling story that connects your content with your audience, you need to determine the smallest number of people who can have the most significant impact on what happens next for you and your content.

Picturing the three key roles – your audience

Last week, I shared the idea of imagining your audience as three people sitting around a table with you. You are there sharing the story that contains the solution they all need, a confident position to imagine yourself in. But you are not the hero; they are. Your job is the guide, helping them to find their way to a better place, showing them the way through the change you see as being possible.

The other three seats are occupied by:

• the Connector
• the Influencer
• the Impacted

This week, we will look at the Connector in detail.

Of the three positions, this is the one that really needs to be in the room. You must bring the Connector into your story, have them connect with your content, and give them what they need to go on and do the job you need them to do.

Keep asking yourself who is doing that next round of internal work for you and sharing your content after you leave. If your content doesn’t connect with anyone, the answer is no one. If there is no Connector present, there is no point in presenting because there is no one to carry your message forward. In these instances, your presentation has fallen into the entertainment bucket; it was fun while it lasted, but nothing material is going to come from it.

This starts by establishing who within those attending could represent your Connector for this presentation. Who will take what you present and be the guardian of your story? Who will find the slides that need to go into a more extensive presentation that your ideas might only be a small part of? Who will take others through your ideas and gather feedback? Who will tell your story and collate meaningful feedback?

Do not assume this is the person with the most grandiose title or the most fabulous swagger; think about who will take what you present, interpret it, cut it down, repurpose it and carry it forward. Who will do the work?

Often, the most excited person in the room

The Connector may well have briefed you on the problem to solve or the challenge at hand and be the one who wants to work with you or at least is keen to see what you have to offer to help them do their job. ?

During the presentation, they may be exuberant, nodding and giving reinforcement and reassurance.

These people are like seals being thrown fish, clapping along and excited for what might come next. Be careful of their overt positivity. They still need to convince others, and you must help them do this; otherwise, they are just a performing seal with one trick.

The key Connector questions are:

1. Who in the room is best placed to connect your story to others and keep you in the game?
2. What are they going to have to do with your content after you leave?
3. How can you make it as easy as possible for them to do this?

Making it as easy as possible for them means thinking about:

• Have you created the one or two slides they need?
• Does your content flow in a logical story that is easy to follow and recall?
• Is your story simple enough for them to be able to share it after seeing it just once?
• Do your slide headings help them remember what each slide is about and how to present it?
• Are the key points the most obvious on every slide?

These are just a few of the tricks that strategic storytellers use to ensure that their first presentation isn’t the last time this content is seen. They know that this is critical to staying in the game and getting the outcome they desire.

Next week, we will explore the Influencer and how they can derail everything if their objections are not considered and well-managed before, during and after a presentation.

Can’t wait?

My Audience Discovery Masterclass will teach you everything you need to know about your audience and prepare you to create more compelling presentations for those who want to elevate their impact now.

#strategicstorytelling #winningpresentations #storytelling