Tips on research for presentations, getting the right information and delivering it effectively
Research for presentations is an important part of presentation skills training. Follow these tips to ensure your message is heard and acted on.
- Ask yourself what question your audience will need answered to accept your message. This is what you need to research. Support your idea or argument. Repeat a few times until you’ve covered the key questions your audience will ask.
- The quality of your source matters, don’t be lazy when choosing your sources. Wikipedia has its place, however would you trust your reputation as a speaker on the information provided there? Look for primary sources.
- Research for presentations from other sources – books, newspapers, magazines, a business, interview an expert. You raise your credibility by going beyond the first/basic source (the web).
- A statistic or quote may be accurate, but without citing a source, your audience may dismiss it. Always double check quotes and statistics to ensure accuracy.
- Facts, statistics, quotations often need some context to make them relevant to the audience. Making it relevant makes it easier to remember and digest. We may understand 20% intellectually but 1 in 5 is more relatable.
- Avoid “consultantese” – the temptation to shovel a truckload of statistics and facts at your audience. Your speech should be supported by the facts and research; it should not be just the facts and research. What does the audience actually need to know?
- If you have extra facts, statistics and references share those in a handout – not on the screen. Less is more.
Richard Riche
Change Communication and Employee Engagement specialist at One Clear Message Consulting
Richard specialises in helping you build real human communication skills. Employee Engagement / Experience, Emotional Intelligence skills, building high performance teams and a great place you want to work. TED style speaking and presentation skills. Training, consulting and coaching.
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