As a professional speaker who also provides presentation coaching to
professional speakers and salespeople, I have probably either seen or
made all the speaking technology gaffs that exist. I’ve seen speakers
use the wrong technology, use it the wrong way and at the wrong times.
But by far, the biggest and most common audience complaint about
speakers using technology has got to be— They Overdo It! Technology can be great.
It can bring some Hollywood razzle-dazzle
into otherwise tedious presentation material. But many speakers abuse
their technology quota. Here I want to help you understand the
pitfalls of Powerpoint and the terrors of technology so you don’t
alienate your audiences.
Here are the top ten most common complaints audiences have about how
salespeople use high-tech in their presentations.
- It was too much for too long— too much of anything is boring.
- The speaker read the slides too much. We can do that ourselves.
- The technology gave the talk, so who needs the speaker?
- It insulted the audience using so much technology.
- The print was so small, it was really frustrating to follow.
- The charts were too busy, and we lost sight of the main points.
- The speaker did not practice their technology and botched it up on
stage.
- The low room light put the audience to sleep.
- The style and purpose of the talk did not lend itself to technology.
- The high tech format painted the speaker as needlessly nerdy.
Why do people attend presentations when they don’t have to? In hopes
of having an experience. Of seeing or learning something they can’t
get at home. That experience is YOU, the speaker. If they simply
wanted the data content, you could send them your Powerpoint slides by
email. That would save everyone time and money.
A real live speaker should beat technology or reading a report any day.
People enjoy unpredictable theater, and that’s what you can give them,
if you allow your personality and charisma to shine through on stage.
Why Speakers Fear Stopping Or Reducing Presentation Technology
Speakers
are afraid to change. They:
- Have always done it that way.
- Use it as a crutch, to read from.
- Can hide as the audience focuses on the technology, not them.
- Think they alone will not be enough to keep the audience interested.
- Think that the MTV generation and the Just Do It generation want
things fast, to remain fascinated.
Maybe people don’t want the attention-deficit type performances
speakers think they need to provide. They want the human touch instead.
The Advantages Of Low Or No Technology
- Fewer or no technical breakdowns and glitches.
- Less to buy, pack, carry and set up/tear down.
- Less to be stolen or be misplaced in travel.
- You will improve your content, vocal and physical messages.
- Your audience and you can focus on each other more.
- You won’t be like all the other speakers that are technology-heavy.
- You can craft more creative ways to have fun and connect with your
audience.
Have I convinced you to reduce the tech? To go high-touch? To
personalize your talks? I hope so.
I urge you to create presentations with either low or no tech and see
how your audience responds. See how you present differently. To do
this, call a coach. Read some books. Watch top speakers who don’t use
much tech. Better hurry.
I hope you do something to turn off the tech before your audiences turn
you off.
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