You might have a job that requires you to give presentations every now and then. In some cases, you might even have to travel around giving the same presentation to different audiences. In order to be a successful leader in the workplace, you have to become skilled at giving presentations like a pro. This means that it’s not enough to simply stand up and repeat yourself at every single location. If you really want to make an impact then you have to learn how to tweak and adjust your presentation without compromising your overall message. Here are a few tips for giving the same presentation at different locations.
Know Your Audience
The most important part of your presentation is your audience so you need to consider them first. Before you begin preparing your presentation think about the purpose of your talk and what you want the audience to get out of it. Although the basic content will remain the same, you might have to tweak a few things depending on your audience. For example, a board of directors is likely to come to your presentation with a lot more prior knowledge on the topic than a group of new employees. Therefore, it’s safe to use more technical terms with your directors. When you are speaking to less experienced employees, however, you might need to use more basic language and further explain certain points. Similarly, consider the demographics of your audience. If you are speaking to a group of young professionals you might include current references to pop culture, music, and videos that would capture their attention. On the other hand, if you are speaking to a group of older people, they might not be able to connect with such current points of reference. Familiarizing yourself with your audience will help you determine what they already know about your topic, what you want them to know about your topic, and how well they will understand your topic.
Tailor the Content
While you might be presenting the same general information at each location, it is important to note that different audiences respond to different approaches. A scientific audience, for example, might be more interested in the details and they would appreciate graphs and charts. Business and management audiences, conversely, may want to focus more on numbers and the bottom line. Industry audiences might appreciate more examples and might like the opportunity to ask more questions. So, while you are still presenting the same basic information, you might need to add or delete a few slides to tailor the information to fit each specific audience.
Consider the Basics
You might need to make a few adjustments to your presentation according to some pretty basic information. What time of day is the presentation? You might be presenting first thing in the morning to one audience. In this case, they might appreciate lots of energy, a little fun and entertainment, and even a little more audience interaction. On the other hand, if you are presenting late in the day to another audience, they might be tired and ready to just get the show on the road. They might not be as amused by your high energy and humorous antics. It might be better to approach this presentation in a more direct way that is straight and to the point. Other basic things to consider are the size of the venue, how many people are in the audience, and what other things have gone on that day prior to your presentation.
When you are giving the same presentation multiple times at different locations, be sure and take the time to make the presentation fit the audience. The overall message and purpose should remain the same, but subtle changes might need to be made to personalize each presentation. Your visual aids, style of language, degree of formality, use of humor, and your personal wardrobe should all be consistent with the audience to whom you are speaking.
