Do you have a food processor?
If you like baking like me, but are stuck for time then it’s a godsend. And if you don’t like cooking then I’m sure there’s a device that saves you time and that you’d be lost without…
My food processor went on fire last week. The motor had burned out which was understandable really because we did buy it about 25 years ago!
So it became an urgent necessity to buy a new one so I went online…
I was soon overwhelmed with too much choice!
Which brand should I get a Phillips, a Bosche, a Sage, A KitchenAid?
Should I get one with 30 attachments, or 15, or 10?
Would I ever, realistically, use a dough hook? Or a rasping disc? Or a fine chipper disc?
– It was too much!
And speakers often overwhelm their audiences in the same way.
In an attempt to explain all about themselves and what they do, many presenters give too much information and too many options.
They give more than the audience wants, or can remember.
Speakers often try to cram in 25 years worth of experience into a 30 minute presentation.
And is often made worse with PowerPoint – the record I have seen being 76 slides in 24 minutes!
This leads to what I call “information overload “. You can see the action listeners develop a glazed expression because they can’t take it all in.
Rather than being persuaded to take action they all lulled into a state of inertia.
And this means no sales, no changes in behaviour, no changes in attitude.
The brain has a limited time span for concentration, particularly if you are just listening passively to the presentation – and this limits the amount of information that can be meaningfully absorbed.
So how can you avoid it?
- Have one clear key message for the audience that you want them to remember
- Support that message with between three and five key points that you want your audience to take away
- Reinforce those key points several times during your presentation using examples and stories to show their relevance to the audience
– And that’s it!
No more overwhelm – and your audience will take away your key message and remember it.
And in case you’re wondering… I brought the new version of the old compressor processor!
Until next time,
with best wishes for your success,
Cath 
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