Why are we here?
If you want your next speech/presentation/meeting to succeed, be sure you address the most important topic of all:
Why are we here?
I went to an online book launch recently and it was the least engaging experience of my month. It was scheduled to last an hour, I had the time blocked out in my calendar, and held every intention of spending my time that way, but I left after five minutes.
Why?
Because the MC failed to understand or address my reasons for attending in the first place.
From the moment the zoom room opened, the presentation focused entirely on how we - the attendees of the session - would help push the book up the amazon best-seller list. Literally, for five minutes, that's all the MC spoke about. He talked about how important it was for the author that the book have a successful launch, and how we attendees would help make sure that happened.
It became clear that I had been misled as to the intent of the event. I had thought I was being invited to help celebrate the achievement of a friend and colleague. I thought I was going to gain an insight into the knowledge shared in the book, and enjoy special access to the author's perspective about the topic.
But instead I was told how I was to be utilised as a faceless pawn in a strategy to game the algorithms of Amazon in pursuit of a cheap symbol of success.
So I left.
Now, I didn't know the MC from a bar of soap, but I do know the author pretty well, and know that the event (or the bit of it I bothered to stick around for) was not reflective of the type of person they are. I don't harbour a lasting grudge.
However, it was yet another reminder that the most important question you can answer to open a presentation is "why are we here?", and critically, you have to answer it from the audience' perspective, not your own.
PS - If you have a big speech coming up and you want some help being more entertaining, more likeable, and more profitable... please get in touch (col@colfink.com).
Photo by Tingey Injury Law Firm on Unsplash