EYN#053 - Which Session Would You Rather Be In?

Imagine you've got a problem that needs solving.  It's causing you pain and you need to get it resolved.  You've been told someone could help and you book a meeting with them. 

Which session would you rather be in?

Option A

The presenter unveils the agenda they use in every presentation they give.  They deliver the features and facts about their solution.  They speak the language of the company they work for.

It’s all about the presenter and their objectives, you just happen to be the person that's hearing it today.

I call this presenter centric.

Option B

The presenter understands your perspective, pain and goals.  They speak your language.  They engage you both rationally and emotionally.  They're relevant, valuable and interesting.  You leave the session feeling energised and informed.

I call this audience centric.

Which session would you rather be in?

Probably, the answer is option B.

And yet …

When you come to deliver a presentation yourself, you become the presenter from Option A.  You become presenter centric. 

You start to craft the message you want to deliver, the stories you want to tell, the slides you want to show.

You don’t stand back and think "What does the audience need to hear?"

Before you create your presentation, step back and research their pain, their goals, their motivations.

The more audience centric you are, the more relevant you will be, the more valuable your message and the more successful your result.

We all do it. But resist the urge.

Start with your audience.

Be audience centric.

Hope this helps.

Ben