Measuring the success of a presentation
Successfully persuading an audience
When presenting technical concepts, the very best speakers are the ones that can explain complex concepts clearly and concisely are the most sought-after speakers for conferences, events and in the media. If you are a subject-matter expert that would like to be presenting technical concepts at conferences or to become a recognised industry spokesperson, then it doesn’t matter how much you know, it is more about how you can communicate what you know.
Those speakers that are the very best at presenting technical concepts achieve their goals of informing, entertaining and inspiring their audience through a combination of expert speaking techniques that they have likely honed over many years.
But, at the heart of every great technical speaker is one simple mindset / theory / technique / tactic (delete as appropriate!).
Let me explain…
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If you were due to address an audience full of French speakers, I hope you wouldn't begin talking in English, because ultimately they are not going to understand a word you say.
Similarly, if you are to be an expert at presenting technical concepts, you need to be speaking a language that your audience can understand. This is where the greatest technical speakers excel.
If you are currently struggling to present technical concepts then it might be that you are using language that is too complex, that you don't explain the technical topics in smaller bitesize chunks, or maybe you assume that the knowledge of your audience is greater than it is.
If you are to be an expert at presenting technical concepts, you need to be speaking a language that your audience can understand. This is where the greatest technical speakers excel.
How to begin presenting technical concepts
If you want to get your message across then begin by, either during your speech on the day or beforehand, surveying your audience and understanding what they know and also what they want to know. A simple show of hands will do the trick.
Then, when it comes to presenting your area of expertise, you can adjust your style and content accordingly, and break it down into bitesized chunks that are easy to comprehend. Don’t forget to use terms and language that your audience will understand, and use stories, examples and metaphors to make the very complex very, very simple.
Before long, you won't just be a subject matter expert, you will become a successful, sought-after speaker, too, simply by speaking in the language of your audience.
Want to become an expert technical speaker?
Discover more about our Presentation Skills for Technical Speakers course and how it can help you to inform, inspire and motivate your audiences today.
