One of the things I really like about travelling is the plane travel. It is a great opportunity to catch up with all those movies you haven’t had the time to see in the normal hectic day to day life. Especially when you can choose from 20 or more movies!
For the last four weeks I have been travelling around Greece exploring the ancient ruins and numerous museums. So I was quite delighted to note on the flight back that the new movie “My Life in Ruins” was available to view. How opportune I thought, this is just what we have been doing for the last four weeks. Now I can really recommend this film – it was a delightful comedy. However, what struck me even more about this film was what a great example it was on two of the common pitfalls presenters can fall into: not knowing your audience and failing to sell your message because you didn’t add the emotional connection to your message.
The movie is about a tour guide, a reluctant tour guide, who is passionate about the ancient history connected to the sites that she is touring. She had all the facts and figures on the sites and was determined to present these to her tour participants – whether they liked it or not. She did not see her participants as individuals but gave them nicknames as to their characters as she saw them e.g. the two aussies, the comedian. There was no connection with her participants; she did not know her audience! Consequently you can well understand that she was failing dismally at her job.
As the film progresses she starts to loosen up, starts getting to know the people as individuals – she begins to know her audience. Knowing her audience she starts to include in her tour less of the facts and figures and more of the emotional connection – more of her passion and making the history live for the tourists. You can see the change in the tourists’ attitude and gradually they come to appreciate the sense of history and passion that moves the tour guide.
In any presentation you do whether it is informative, motivational or selling; it is essential that you know your target audience. You can have all the facts and figures, all the information but if it is not what your audience is after you are not going to succeed. If the message is not given in a manner that connects with the audience you are not going to succeed. The message has to be given in a way that makes your audience sit up and say wow – this really connects with me – yes I know what the speaker is saying – yes I want that product – yes I understand where the speaker is coming from and I am prepared to travel that journey with them.
So a little bit of research before your presentation will provide you with a better idea of how to present your message successfully. Be prepared to be flexible, to think outside the mere facts and figures, to try new methods to get that emotional connection to sell your message and this will provide enormous benefits and make the difference between an excellent presentation and a not so successful presentation.
This can work especially if you find yourself in the situation where you are giving the same presentation over and over again. Looking for different ways to make your presentation live and being aware of your different audiences will help to keep your message alive and new.
Well, I’m off to catch up on all the events and messages that have piled up whilst I have been away. If you get the opportunity to see “My Life in Ruins” do so- enjoy the comedy in the movie but watch out for the other lessons buried within the movie and remember – know your audience and make the emotional connection, make it meaningful for them and you too will succeed.
Trish @ Trischel