1. Don’t be phony

All audiences have an authenticity detector. It’s finely tuned and can pick up when a speaker is being disingenuous in 0.5 seconds flat. You may not be doing it consciously, but when assumptions are made, and your presentation style is adjusted to fit those assumptions – the audience won’t relate. And if they can’t relate to the speaker – how can they relate to the message? There’s a reason you’re speaking in front of an audience, and it’s not for them to think, “ah – it’s one of us”, but rather for you to bring in a fresh perspective. One that’s honest, authentic and understands their niche business challenges and solutions – but does not claim to understand them. 

2. You can articulate their pain points

When presenting to your target audience, it’s not about swinging in the dark and hoping you hit the mark. The more accurately you can articulate a prospect’s specific challenges, the more likely it is to drive action. By highlighting their pain points, you’re also showing them what waits for them after they’ve overcome them (the victory condition). You’re showing your audience that you understand their situation. What happens when your clients feel you understand their situation? More leads, more customers, more referrals, more business. 

3. Templates are useless

Sure, you could follow a templated approach, but how exactly will that set you apart from your competitors using the same template? Most presentation templates focus on creating an “ideal buyer persona”, which is neat – but not enough. 

Let’s say you meet someone for the first time; what would be more effective, listing a bunch of facts about yourself or finding a shared topic that you’re both passionate about? The same goes for tailoring your ICP. At Missing Link, we follow four core steps to ensure we hit the mark: Give your audience a reason to care, a reason to believe, tell them what they need to know and what they need to do. To master this action framework, you need to be willing to step away from the status quo. 

4. You can’t know your audience

It may sound brutal, but hear us out. People can surprise you (in the best way possible), and if you’re hell-bound on shapeshifting into a version of yourself to fit the description of what you ‘assume’ your audience wants -it won’t work. Knowing your audience may tweak what you present, but it should not change how you present. 

Ultimately, there is only one presentation style that you’ll be able to ace every time – YOURS. So, when it comes to knowing your audience – the best way to approach it is to get to know them in real-time, gauge their response and be mindful of them during your preso.