You’ve probably heard that since we have two ears and one mouth, our communications should follow the same proportion – spend twice as much time listening as speaking.
Presenters often ask if this applies to situations where information is delivered to an audience within a short time span, such as a 30 minute investor presentation or webinar. The answer is yes, by using two time periods: one before and one after the presentation you actually deliver.
The first IS driven by the ADAP formula (i.e. Audience Driven, Authentic Presentations). Listening means understanding your audience’s interests before you even meet based on prior direct or indirect relationships. The more thoroughly you prepare to deliver the story with supportive facts and call to actions, the more effective you will be.
For instance: What does the audience want to know, how will they feel about it, and what resistances are there? How many other people have to be involved to make the decision? Etc. Much of this can be gleaned from the context of the meeting and prior experiences. Today, most non-angel investors represent a group. Therefore she/he will not make a final decision based on that one presentation; instead she/he first has to present the information to others involved in the decision-process. (That means the presentation has to be one which she/he can communicate effectively on behalf of the original presenter! If there is too much jargon and not enough connections between the issues discussed, that might not be possible!)
Second, always leave time at the end for questions and comments – so you can listen to what’s really on the mind of the audience. For instance, at many investor and other conferences, speakers often are given 30 minute slots. Leave at least one-third of that time for questions and comments, with the goal of listening, learning and responding to the needs.
President Lincoln believed that we should spend more time sharpening our saw/hatchet before chopping trees; spend more time “listening” to the needs of your audience than delivering the content.