iWork '09: The Missing Manual

Planning the Presentation

Before you even boot up your computer, it’s worth spending some time identifying your audience and the goal of your presentation (convince Mom and Dad to let me go away to camp; convince Junior that camp would be good for him—whatever). To succeed, your presentation has to hit the audience where they live, where they work, in the way they think, and in the way they believe—or, as a wise man once said, “You scratch ‘em where they itch.” Once you’ve identified what you want to say, there’s the equally important work of figuring out how to say it. The best presentations combine style and substance in ways that naturally complement each other without distraction.

The Goals of Your Presentation

There’s nothing worse than being on the receiving end of an aimless talk. Begin by really thinking through what you want your presentation to accomplish. In other words, what do you want your audience to walk away with? Here are some examples:

• Gain knowledge or skills.

• Understand a new concept.

• Be inspired or moved.

• Change their behavior.

• Change their belief system.

• Take action.

• Buy something.

• Donate to your organization or invest in your company.

• Become involved in a process or a cause.

• Get media coverage for your business or organization.

Know Your Audience

Put yourself in their shoes and figure out how you can make your presentation interesting and relevant to them. Sometimes you’ll know exactly who you’re talking to: the members of your project team, the Board of Directors, or ...