The most
common type of business presentation is the presentation to inform. Every week
in our careers, perhaps even every day, we listen to presenters give us
information ranging from status reports, to procedural guidelines, to policy
changes. For many of us, the majority of the presentations that we give fall
into this category, in one way or another.
Some
individuals are very competent in giving clear presentations to inform. We
leave the presentation with a clear understanding of the message, the desired
end result, and key points that we need to remember. On the other hand, many
presentations to inform are disorganized and hard to follow. We leave with only
a vague idea of the point of the presentation.
Successful
presentations should have a clear message, an engaged audience, and all
relevant points should be covered.
The
structure in presenting to inform should adhere to the following steps:
Opening: Statement
of Topic
This
statement should be brief and clear. It leaves no question in the listeners'
minds as to the topic of the presentation. This is especially true when the
presentation is part of a longer series of presentations, such as a staff
meeting or full-day training.
State Key
Message: Desired End Result
This
statement should give the audience a clear picture of the main message of your
presentation. It is simple, direct, and tells the audience where you are going
with this information. It should answer this question in your audience's mind:
"Why should I listen to this presentation?"
Key
Points and Results:
These
points should be stated in straightforward language. They clearly express the
result of taking the recommended action. In general, the fewer words, the
better when stating our key points and results.
Closing: Restate
Key Message and Desired End Result
To
emphasize the key message of your presentation to inform, summarize by
restating the key message or the desired end result of your presentation. This
leaves your listeners with a message that they will remember long after the
presentation.