Resonate: Present Visual Stories that Transform Audiences

Chapter 4. Define the Journey

Preparing for the Audience's Journey

Presentations should have a destination. If you don't map out where you want the audience to be when they leave your presentation, the audience won't get there. If a sailor wanted to travel to Hawaii, he wouldn't hop in the boat, open the sails, guess at a direction, and fully expect to arrive after a few days of sailing. It simply doesn't work that way. You have to set a course, and that means developing the right content. The destination you define can serve as a guide. Every bit of content you share should propel the audience toward that destination.

Keep in mind that a presentation is designed to transport the audience from one location to another. They will feel a sense of loss as they move away from their familiar world and closer to your perspective. You are persuading the audience to let go of old beliefs or habits and adopt new ones. When people deeply understand things from a new perspective to the point where they feel inclined to change, that change begins on the inside (heart and mind) and ends on the outside (actions and behavior). However, this typically doesn't happen without a struggle.

That struggle usually manifests as resistance—something that can be harnessed if you plan for it. When a sailboat is sailing against the wind, the sails are positioned to harness the wind. If done well, the boat sails faster than the wind itself—even though the gusts are opposing it. While you might not be able to control ...