Why Bad Presentations Happen to Good Causes - The Goodman ...

Checklists to Go
Questions for Audience Research
(see pp. 19–21 for more background)
1. Who will be in the audience?
2. What do they know or believe that I can build on?
3. What do they know or believe that I have to overcome?
4. By the end of my presentation, what do I want them to have learned?
5. By the end of my presentation, what do I want them to feel?
6. By the end of my presentation, what do I want them to do?
Logistics: Confirm These Details When
Planning for Your Presentation
(see pp. 65–70 for more background)
1. Room setup
Decide which configuration best suits the needs of your presentation:
• classroom style: long, narrow rectangular tables facing forward
• round tables: known as “rounds,” which help facilitate small group discussions
• theatre style: all seats face forward, no tables
2. Light and sound
• Projector: if you are using PowerPoint, make sure the LCD projector has sufficient
illuminating power to project clear, sharp images on the screen. Projector power is measured
in lumens: For an audience of 50 or fewer, 1000–2000 lumens are usually sufficient.
• Microphones: Request a wireless lapel microphone if you want to be able to roam from
the podium. If you intend to take questions from an audience of more than 50 people,
it is helpful to have one or two wireless microphones that can be passed around.
3. How you are introduced
Write a standard 30-second introduction that can be read verbatim or quickly tailored to
any new setting in the event an introduction has not been prepared.
pg. 75