Imagine this: You just left a presentation that inspired and motivated you. The speaker made you laugh one minute and then see the connections the next. He got ideas, advice, enjoyed relevant stories and examples, a great brochure, and an inspirational message. Most importantly, the speaker seemed to speak directly to you and your needs. It was almost as if you and the speaker shared similar life experiences and values. As you leave, you are grateful that you decided to attend the presentation, and you agree to take action based on what you learned. You have been deeply impressed by the “It’s All About You” speaker and wish all speakers could be like that. What a valuable use of your time!
And now imagine this: You are sitting in an audience about to hear a speaker say [what you hope] is an inspiring story about how they came to be so successful. Perhaps you can learn some valuable lessons that you can apply to your current situation. The speaker begins with a long, text-heavy PowerPoint slide listing his credentials and qualifications, complete with elegant initials following his name. They brag about their accomplishments, their awards, their rock-solid work ethic, and how many businesses and luxury cars they had when they were 18 years old. You wait in the hope that they share something of value, something that isn’t just about THEM, that shows that they care about what their audience gets from the presentation. But nothing. The conclusion is something like: “I am so busy and successful that you would have to queue if you wanted to work with me.” Ah good. The speaker “It’s All About Me” just stole an hour of your life that you will never get back.
It’s not about you … really!
It is not too difficult to see that the first speaker earns accolades for being attuned to the needs of their audience. Before speaking, you have researched who they are, why they are there, and what they expect to hear. Offer valuable content that is aimed directly at them. The second speaker, however, is not in tune. Her goal is to impress her audience by listing her qualifications and credentials, but what she doesn’t realize is that her audience is full of smart and successful people hoping to learn something new and interesting from her. With its self-centered content and its inability to provide something of value to the audience, it just ends up alienating and frustrating them.
This is the reality: People care about themselves and how to solve their problems. So for them to appreciate your message, the speech must be about the audience and their needs. As a speaker, you must resist the urge to focus on talking about your products and services, and what makes you the best person for the job.
A composed, prepared, and information-rich presentation will go much further to show your expertise than to list your qualifications, credentials, and experience. Even if they ask you to talk about your company or your products, talk about your customers or the problems you solve. Give them valuable content, and they are much more likely to give you your recognition, your recommendation, and your business.
