WIIFM ==> What’s In It for Me
Want your audience to listen to what you have to say? Start off telling them WHY they should stay.
We all lead busy lives. And if we’re not busy, we’ll act like it during your presentation. The only reason people showed up is to find out how what you have to say can help them. How your presentation will give them more:
- money
- power
- information
- fame / popularity
- youth
- money
Think Tony Robbins. Zig Ziglar. Steve Jobs. Dr. Stephen Covey.
Here’s the trick for today’s audience: tell them in the first 2 minutes. Otherwise they’ll start faking a grocery list or act like there’s a phone call they have to take. You only have two minutes to convince them to stay. Infomercials do a great job of this. And they do it in less than 30 seconds. How do you do this? Create the need.
- Lead with a story: stories draw the audience in and make them wanting to know more
- Connect your stats with their needs: when the data direct their actions, they are merciless to resist (save this for the scientists)
- Define their needs: in some cases people don’t know what they need; help them
If your audience is going to be selfish, give them what they want. It’ll make them stay and listen.
And if they listen to you, maybe you’ll get what you want:
- money
- power
- information
- fame / popularity
- youth
- money
Next Week: Scientifically Speaking…Visual Aids
