Know your audience

Has it ever occurred to you? Have you ever been in a presentation where you feel so disconnected from the speaker and the subject that provokes you to get up and leave? Or have you experienced it the other way around: It is you the one that's giving the presentation but somehow you are not able to reach out and truly connect with your audience.

Let's face it. Most professionals have the responsibility to prepare presentations, but somehow fail to dedicate enough time to prepare. Sometimes you blame it on your boss. It's common to hear something like: "We have to prepare a sales pitch for this big client. The meeting is tomorrow". Does this sound familiar? And sometimes you have so much going on that you just don't have the time.

Personally I think that there are many professionals that don't give the importance they should to preparing their presentations. If they did, they would find the time to prepare. 

The base for preparing an effective presentation is to know your audience. To quote Nancy Duarte from her book Slide:ology:

"Start by building audience personas before building slides. Painting a picture of a real human with real needs helps you connect to them more effectively".

Some of the advantages you get by doing this are:

• You know how to speak to them, how to make your message get through. When you know your audience it's easier for you to decide which way to "speak" to them: do images work best or do you have to present hard data to convince them?
• You can identify what they expect from you. Remember: people are coming to see you because they are expecting you will deliver something they need or desire. You have to make sure they get it from you 
• By knowing them it's easier for you to get them to "take action". This is the final goal: to get them to buy your product or make a donation or join your community. Remember to be clear about what you want them to do

I hope you find this useful for any of your future presentations. I know your audience will appreciate it.