When You Have Something Important To Say

How to emphasize the key points of your presentation so that your audience hears, digests and remembers your message.

When you are delivering a presentation to your management, a proposal to the committee or changes to your staff they are not hanging on your every word. When you get to the key points - you want them to listen, believe and remember. Use the following techniques to give the key words of your presentation more impact.

1. Announce, "This is important." Then deliver the important line. Teachers grab attention by saying, "This will be on the exam." You could state, "This is a million dollar tip."

2. Pause, just before, and after, you say the important stuff. This is similar to placing quotation marks around the important line. Notice the effect of the pause at the awards night when they say, "May I have the envelope please?"

3. Lower the tone of your voice to increase the believability. Practice this, "And in conclusion," (lower your voice) "I am the best one for the job." Just for fun, when you are alone, try it in a higher pitched voice and notice the difference. Think James Earl Jones.

4. Make them laugh just before, then get serious and deliver the important message. This is a good attention getter and very helpful when you want to change directions. When we laugh we open our minds and are more willing to accept new information.

5. Move just before you speak - then stand still while delivering the important message. This is especially effective if you pace or move a lot when you speak. Stand still when you say the important part. We can’t listen if we are watching you move.

6. Look your audience in the eye – never read the important message. If you have to read it - then it looks like you don't really know it or believe it. Know your message, rehearse it and deliver it directly to your audience.

7. Smile. We believe more those who smile at us. We also prefer to listen to speakers who smile at us. We listen with our eyes and our ears. Be friendly to the eyes and the ears of your audience. If we don’t like what we see – we won’t listen.

8. Tell a story of how this lesson was learned or applied. The earliest lessons were stories told by our cave-dwelling ancestors. The story lessons were remembered. If only the teachers and professors of today remembered the wisdom of our ancestors. We love stories. We hate lectures. Just ask your kids.

9. Repeat the main message three times during your presentation. If you want it remembered - repeat it and repeat it again. The first time we weren’t listening. The second time we caught part of it and the third time we might hear it and remember it.

10. Reinforce the key message with images. We retain images better than words. Attach your message to word pictures, visuals and body language.

Your words will not be effective unless you skillfully package them. Do that and your presentation will be more successful. And you will close more deals.