Comms Planning in Presentation Mode
Whether it’s a reading deck or presentation deck, walking a client through strategic work is a task we all face. Too often, the meeting is held over the phone where attention spans are frighteningly short and it’s easy to lose someone as you explain a text heavy page. Sometimes, even when you’re in person it can be hard to not use what’s on screen as a crutch.
We all know the basic guidelines of presentations:
· Never read the page — your voice over should be complementary to the deck, not a replacement of it
· If you have nothing to add to the text on the page, acknowledge that it’s self-explanatory or that the audience knows the information well — just explain what it is and how it was used for the rest of the presentation and move on
· If you’re presenting with a group (which we almost always are), don’t build on someone else’s build — a former planning director gave me this advice and it is just so true. No reason to beat a point to death
But to get more granular, how do you treat presentation of some of the more complex communications planning tools (messaging frameworks, blue prints, ecosystems)? These tools naturally have a lot of text and can be hard to look at for anyone, regardless of if they’ve worked in them before. Here are a few basic guidelines that I’ve found helpful in getting through a presentation successfully.
1. Don’t tell them what’s on the page, tell them why it matters.
2. Give them the lay of the land, a quick example and ask for questions.
3. Don’t jump around — consider the most organized way to present the information.
4. Ask questions frequently — especially if the documents are new for people, ensure that they’re with you each step of the way.
5. Always explain why/how the documents are used — what’s their purpose?
Is there a previous situation where this document would have been useful? Have the creative teams already started using a particular document in a way you can point out?
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