Page 11 - Pure Magazine Issue 2

The knot of dread in your stomach. The 3. What's The One Single Message?
sweaty palms. The blank piece of paper,
wondering where to start. If you can get laser-focused on this (one thing,
not three things!) it will allow you to get it
Any of these sound familiar? Whether it’s a across at the beginning and capture people’s
presentation to a room full of people or attention. One way to practise this is to
filming a YouTube video, having to talk to a imagine that you have only 15 seconds to
live (or virtual) audience can strike fear into present. What is the thing that will make your
even the most confident of us. And if you feel audience think ‘I want to listen to find out
nervous, you’re not alone. Surveys have shown more about that’.
that a fear of public speaking is right up at the
top of the list, with only the loss of a family
4. What's In It For Them?
member a more terrifying thought.

Rather than thinking about what you want to
But it’s something many of us will have to do –
present, reframe it. As an example, not many
in an interview, for your first go on Instagram
of us would feel motivated to work with a
TV or if you’re invited to speak at an event.
coach if it was sold on features – looking at
Presentation success starts with knowing
your values, getting to know your authentic
what you’re going to say, then putting it
self, understanding your limiting beliefs – as
together in an engaging and memorable way,
humans we’re much more interested in the
so that your audience will be hanging on to
end result (‘yes, I want that!’) rather than the
every word.
process (‘ugh, that sounds

scary/difficult/uncomfortable – no thanks’). So,
So, if you’d like to own that stage or grow your
put the result up front - ‘in the next 30
business, read on for my top tips to perfectly
minutes, I’m going to show you how to
prepare your presentation content - based on
communicate more effectively with your boss,
my experience as a marketing and
so that you can confidently negotiate that pay
communications strategist.
rise’ - and then you’ll have their attention from
the get-go.
1. What's The Objective?

5. Bring Your Words To Life
Many people write a presentation and then

only when it’s done think ‘what do I want to
If I’m working on an advertising campaign, I’m
say?’ Thinking like a marketer, the objective
always looking for something that will have
should always come first: What do you want
immediate impact and grab people’s
to achieve afterwards? How will I know if it’s
attention. Presenting is no different. Bring in
been a success? For you to achieve a brilliant
an anecdote or story to make it more human,
result from your presentation, you must first
or break down a number in a way that makes
know what that looks like.
it more relatable (for example, people in the

travel industry might find it easier to

2. Know Your Audience remember what 52,500 people looks like, if it
were positioned as ‘that’s enough to fill 100 A-
When I write a campaign brief, one of the first 380 aeroplanes’).
questions I will ask is ‘who am I talking to?’
Only then can you put yourself in the shoes of
your audience and start to think about what’s
important to them, what do they care about,
what’s their point of view, and what are their
beliefs or fears – and shape your content
accordingly.

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