So...what's on the radio?

So, you’ve found out you have to give a presentation, write an article or teach a class in the near future. You’re starting to make your outline but you’re drawing a blank as to where to start.

Why should you invest the brief amount of time it will take you to read this entry? Actually, we’ll come back to this point later.

For now, to get you started on your outline, may I suggest you listen to the radio? Specifically, I suggest you to tune into WII-FM.

Before you reach for your iPod or call up iTunes on your iPad or actually head over to your home entertainment center, I should tell you I’m not referring to any kind of electronic device. Rather, I’m referring to you tuning into What’s In It For Me. Not you specifically but your audience.

In other words, your talk or article isn’t all about you. Just the opposite.

Put yourself in their position. What’s in it for them to listen to your talk or read your article? Why should they devote the time and energy to pay attention to what you have to say? Here’s a couple of examples:

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• You’ve been tasked to give a presentation at your next staff meeting intending to change the way your coworkers fill out an expense report. The WII-FM approach would be to tailor your presentation to emphasize how doing their reports differently will result in them getting their reimbursement money back faster.
• You are writing a blog entry hoping to pass on some of your wit and wisdom about how to give effective presentations or write interesting articles. Thinking from the perspective of your audience and answering for them – all the way through it - the question of “What’s In It For Me” to read that blog entry significantly increases not only the chance they’ll actually read it all the way through and to act on your suggestions.

Personally, I’ve experienced great success using the WII-FM approach. I know you will too. Best of luck on your upcoming presentation or the article you’re writing.