Four words for you

12/14/09 10:48 AM
Everyone needs an editor
 
Recently I attended a high-level event that attracted hundreds of top business women and men, government officials and civic leaders. A representative of a major institution delivered the keynote address about a significant advance that could have positive effects across a wide spectrum of state concerns.
 
The speaker carried impressive credentials. The venue equipped him with a good sound system and large video screens. He did not exceed his allotted time. Yet a few minutes into his speech, the Blackberries and the iPhones flashed and conversations started at the back tables.
 
Why the rude behavior? Indifference. The speaker delivered information about a strong subject with a weak presentation:
·      He spoke without much emphasis;
·      He failed to establish the relationship between his organization’s experience and his audience;
·      His slides were too wordy, too intricate and out of scale with the room.
 
In a small room full of his department heads, his message might have worked well. In this case, a true expert had a chance to leave a room full of powerful opinion leaders inspired. He didn’t.
 
The lesson: Everyone needs an editor.
 
A presentation is no different from a speech or an essay or a bumper sticker. If you’re not an expert in the medium and you don’t use an editor who is, you can lose your audience.
 
At Executive Media, we rely on you to know your subject. You can rely on us to know the media. Call us at 317-231-7000.
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