“The meaning of resolution is “a firm decision to do or not to do something.” The key words are “firm decision.” If you make a firm decision about something, then you must also take action and set a deadline, in other words, set a goal!” – Catherine Pulsifer

We’re at that time again this year for setting resolutions for how 2022 will be different than 2021.

No doubt you have made New Year’s resolutions in past years. So what are your speaking New Year’s resolutions?

Let me suggest the following three.

Resolution 1 – Make Sure Your Presentation is All About Them; Not About You

I’ve spoken in many articles about why it is imperative to find out who your audience is before you spend any time developing a new presentation or revising a current presentation.V

Before you go too far with creating your presentation, determine the answers to these three questions?

• What does your audience know about your topic?

• What do they want to know more about your topic?

• What do they need to know more about your topic?

If you don’t determine the answers to these three questions, you will almost be guaranteed to “miss the mark” with your audience.

So, always resolve to develop your presentation around the audience’s wants and needs. However, although this is necessary, it is not sufficient to deliver a successful presentation.

You must also resolve to practice, practice, practice your presentation delivery.

Resolution 2 – Practice, Practice, Practice.

Some speakers (you may be one of them) get so caught up in constructing a presentation, they forget that to their audience, their presentation delivery is their presentation. Don’t short yourself on practicing your presentation delivery. You will regret it.

Fortunately, like so many things in life, there is a process to practicing a presentation. Below is the presentation practice process I have used repeatedly in the order presented. It has proven very effective.

Step 1 – Practice your presentation by yourself by talking through what you want to say.

• Time your practice presentations. See if they fit within the time constraints of your presentation. If they don’t, start cutting extraneous material from your presentation.

• Repeat this process until your presentation time is 10% – 20% less than the time allotted. Why this reduced timing? When you speak in front of an audience, extra time is needed for audience applause, questions, and a myriad of other time fillers. Therefore, your delivery and this extra time have to fit into the total time for your presentation.

• A final word – record your delivery voice several times and see how you sound. You will, no doubt, change the way you say certain words.

Step 2 – Practice your presentation delivery by yourself in front of a mirror.

• You may feel uncomfortable doing this, but you will quickly see first-hand all the annoying gestures, ticks, and mannerisms you do when you are presenting. Jettison these annoying parts of your delivery as soon as you can.

• Body language is a large part of communicating with your audience. Practicing your presentation in front of a mirror allows you to practice meaningful and relevant gestures, facial expressions, and other body language. If you do not use your body language in your presentation delivery, you will never become the great speaker you want to be.

• Still ensure you stay within 10% – 20% less than the time allotted for the same reason stated above. Practice your presentation several times until you are comfortable delivering your presentation in front of an audience

Step 3 – Video record your presentation delivery.

• There is no faster way to advance your presentation delivery than to record your delivery and evaluate your recorded delivery like a person out in your audience would. You will observe all the verbal faux pas, annoying mannerisms, and otherwise distracting body language when viewing your presentation.

• Still ensure you stay within 10% – 20% less than the time allotted for the same reason stated above.

Step 4 – Practice your presentation delivery in front of a live audience of trusted colleagues and friends.

• I say trusted because you do not want them to say your presentation is excellent if it is not. Instead, suggest the “sandwich” evaluation method to your practice presentation audience members. Have each of your practice audience members say something positive about your talk, something you can improve, and then something motivational to encourage you to improve your delivery.

Have your trusted colleagues and friends ask you every possible question that an audience on your subject can ask. Then, practice compelling answers to every question.

• Still ensure you stay within 10% – 20% less than the time allotted for the same reason stated above.

• Practice your presentation several times until you are comfortable delivering your presentation in front of an audience

If you follow these steps, you will develop the confidence to deliver your best presentation to your intended audience.

So, now you know to have a successful presentation, you must make your presentation fit your audience and practice, practice, practice.

However, if you want to be invited back to talk to the same organization, you must go out of your way to help the event planner.

Resolution 3 – Go Out of Your Way to Help the Event Planner

In sales, which we are all in, it takes seven times the effort to create a new customer than it does to keep a current customer.

The event planner for your next presentation is your current customer. You want this event planner to invite you back to talk to the same organization again and again.

The best way for this to happen is to be the most cooperative speaker with which the event planner has ever worked. Below are some ways you can do this.

• Work with the event planner to their schedule, not yours

• Before the event, help the event planner in whatever tasks they have to do

• Be a gracious guest – send a handwritten note after the event to the event planner thanking them for having you as a speaker and telling them how much you would enjoy returning and talking to the event planner’s organization in the near future

Think about how your perfect guest would act if you invited them to your house. This should guide you in the right direction in interacting with event planners.

In summary, the three speaker New Year’s resolutions I have covered are:

• Make sure your presentation is all about them and not about you

• Practice, practice, practice the delivery of your presentation

• Go out of your way to help the event planner

Call to Action

• Take the time to find out who your audience is, what they know about your presentation topic, and want they want and need from your presentation

• Practice, practice, practice the delivery of your presentation enough times to where even your mother would not want to hear it again

• Be the most cooperative speaker the event planner has ever worked with

Frank formed DiBartolomeo Consulting International (DCI), LLC (www.speakleadandsucceed.com) in 2007. The mission of DCI is to help technical professionals to inspire, motivate, and influence their colleagues and other technical professionals through improving their presentation skills, communication, and personal presence. Frank can be reached at frank@speakleadandsucceed.com and (703) 509-4424.

Don’t miss Frank DiBartolomeo’s latest book!

“Speak Well and Prosper: Tips, Tools, and Techniques for Better Presentations”

Available now at Amazon.com and BarnesandNoble.com