Persuasion & Presentation

The purpose of any presentation can be positioned at some point along a continuum - where one extreme is 'pure information conveyance' and the other extreme is 'pure impression making'. We rarely find, however, any presentation that is at either extreme. If 'pure information conveyance' was the objective, we could distribute third-generation photocopies of text and expect our audience to read them. If 'pure impression making' were our objective, we'd omit substantially all the facts and statistics and concentrate on creating the mood and imagery of the concept.

In business, we must be concerned with how an audience 'perceives' the presenter and the message being delivered because we depend on this perception to guide their subsequent behavior. If the audience fails to derive any importance from the message, no action will result. The 'perceptions' and 'impressions' we are working hard to convey are the substance of any presentation made in daily business activities. Modern businesses thrive or die based on how they are perceived by critical audiences.

Presentations take place constantly - every day - on all levels. One-on-one or in large business meeting venues, we are constantly trying to persuade others to see our point of view on subjects - from technical information to financial strategies; on emotional issues to political campaigns - and on and on. The process is partially an art form -and partially scientific - part the credibility of the presenter and part the 'provable' technical data. How we organize the material; how we deliver the material; and how successful we are at achieving understanding on the part of the audience determines success.

The old adage - 'You never get a second chance to make a first impression' - has never been more true than in today's rapid-fire business environment.

Contact us for assistance in developing presentations that work!