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Presentation Success ROAD Map

Imagine having a simple and memorable 4-step roadmap for presentation success. Would you like to get your hands on it? I bet you would!

I was just looking at The 2010 Social Media Marketing Benchmark Report from Marketing Sherpa. (I’m not an affiliate for them or for the report, just in case you were wondering. 

But something in their email caught my eye: the acronym of ROAD. And I got to thinking.

You could use similar categories to develop a ROAD Map for your business or sales presentation. These basic buckets work for any type of presentation. Social media. Face-to-face client pitches. Sales presentations.

The four categories spelling ROAD, as outlined by Marketing Sherpa are:

Research

Objectives

Actions

Devices

Here’s my spin on the ROAD Map for presenting. I often use the concept of a roadmap to describe why presentation storyboarding is so powerful. A storyboard is essentially a roadmap of your presentation.

There are many ways to look at the big picture, milestones, and details. Working with a storyboard is the fastest way to see where you are going – and how you want to get there. 

Let’s look at how each of these areas can help you get focused and get results.

R = Research

Focus on your target audience. Find out about their roles, responsibilities, needs and history. As you investigate, be sure to also take note of specific language, issues and problems your audience is facing. When you do this, you can use what you’re finding for this audience to get a head start on presenting to similar audiences.

O = Objectives

What is your objective in presenting? Do you want to get your foot in the door? Are you hoping to seal a deal? Do you want to target decision makers or influence influencers?

In every presentation, you’ll want to refine your objectives. The clearer you are going into your talk or speech, the better you can focus the outcomes.

Similarly, it’s essential to understand why your audience is attending. Are they interested in information gathering? Are they coming with an urgent need? By understanding objectives from both perspectives, you can tailor your presentation to match the situation.

A = Actions

A clear and specific plan of action will help you prepare and give an exceptional presentation. This includes a plan of action about actions. Know what you want your audience to do – before you ever enter the room.

This is a lot like goal setting. If you know where you want to go, and what action you want your audience to take, you can organize your entire presentation to ignite this action.

D = Deadlines

I adapted the “D” from Devices to Deadlines.

Nothing inspires action like a deadline! This is true to get that old procrastination habit out of the way. If you’ve been stalling on preparing your presentation, set a tighter deadline. You know what I’m talking about.

There’s nothing, and I mean nothing, like the creativity that comes at the 11th hour.

The same is true for your clients and prospects. If you create deadlines for action, you will ignite decisive action.

If you are looking for a proven ROAD Map for your presentation, this is an easy way to sketch out the milestones to success.

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How to Avoid Stress When Delivering a Speech Or Presentation

You don’t have to feel unique and strange if you have stage fright when speaking in public. Happens to many. I was wrong, and not infrequently, even to me – this to take an example at hand:)

Over time, I was the main protagonist of public speaking scenes so embarrassing. So I will not tell them to you (but remember trembling voice, shirt stuck to skin, burning face?). Instead I will say how I started to treat me.

First aid I received was from a source very close at hand: TV. One night I watched Seinfeld. And what I hear? Jerry says that he made a survey of which is the thing which people fear most in life, proved that most Americans fear… speaking in public! and only a minority… say, dead! Comic conclusion: put yourself in the situation of a speech at a funeral, most would prefer to be in place of the dead, rather than in place of the priest.

And now here’s the first tip: Start your presentation with a little joke.The more your audience is stunned and more quiet, the more your blood pressure is higher. If you managed to snatch a reaction from the start, will give you courage, and will make the rest of the speech to flow more naturally. With humor and even self irony, you can use emotions in your favor, turning them into sympathy.

The second tip is related to the homework: the more is done more thoroughly, the more you will be easier to get through trial. Of course, there are those people “charismatic” that prepare the draft one night before.

Also on the training event, and also from personal experience, I can guarantee that drinking a glass of alcohol before will give you the strength to do what you want. Relax all your muscles and breathe several times. It’s a good exercise control. You learn to master the start.

During the speech itself, it is best to choose a position that involved a “shield” between you and the audience – a table, a gallery – will be good. If allowed, use your all helpful materials – projectors, files, notes.

If you have prepared thoroughly before you will also have the time under control. Maintain structure that you have proposed it, not digress and let the presentation to evolve as a building, brick by brick, and will be increasingly easier.

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Pocket Wedding Invitations – It’s All About Presentation, and These Babies Don’t Disappoint

In real estate it’s called curb appeal; in retail it’s called staging; in people it’s called a first impression. When it comes to your wedding invitations, presentation is no less important. And that’s where pocket wedding invitations really shine.

Pocket invitations offer a complete wedding stationary package with one unified theme and a lot of texture with multiple layers. While the design varies, most pocket invitations have at least one thing in common: an outer card that encloses the whole package, and multiple layers on the invitation.

Some pocket wedding invitation lines offer almost 90 color/design options for your outer pocket. The invitation is usually printed on a light, neutral colored card (so the text shows up), and often times there is a third card between the two. That gives you a lot of options to mix and match various colors into a multi-layered package that takes your invitation to a whole new level.

The outer pocket can come in a variety of designs, including enveloppers and pochette folders. These are outer pockets where the four corners fold in on each other to enclose your invitation. These are often closed with a printed seal or a matching band, either of which can also be customized from a selection of colors. Other great designs include gatefold, jackets and tags.

In addition to the main invitation package, the pocket often includes supplemental ensemble items like direction cards, reception cards and RSVP cards with matching return envelopes.

The whole set is delivered in a matching outer envelope with a liner that is — you guessed it — customizable from many of the same color/design options.

Pocket invitations make a beautiful presentation, but they don’t come cheap. Often they can cost anywhere from $4 each up to about $7 each. And, like anything, there are some very extravagant designs that can be found for as much at $20 per invitation! But these are few and far between (for good reason).

So if you want to really wow your guests with a beautiful invitation pockets are the way to go!

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