Presenter Focus Revisited

Let me pose a question. Throughout this entire chapter, and in the previous three chapters on graphics, I haven't mentioned Point B or the WIIFY once, while, throughout this book, I've repeatedly stressed their importance. Where in the Storyboard, or on which slide, do you think you should put your Point B and the audience WIIFY?

The right answer is nowhere . Point B and the WIIFY don't appear on any slide. They are stated by you, the presenter.

I ask this as a trick question to reinforce the concept of Presenter Focus. The slides are not the presentation; they are simply presenter support. It is you, the presenter, who must grab your audience at Point A, navigate them through all the parts , and deposit them at Point B.

Imagine a company CEO, in a presentation to an audience of potential investors, showing the slide in Figure 9.32.

Figure 9.32. Where's the WIIFY?

After discussing the various product benefits listed in the slide, the CEO could summarize by saying, "You can see that our product provides a rich set of benefits to our customers," and then move on to the next slide. That, however, would be an opportunity missed.

Instead, the CEO should add: "This rich set of customer benefits produces repeat business for our company. Repeat business translates into recurring revenues. Recurring revenues translate into shareholder value, and an excellent investment opportunity."

That statement contains both the WIIFY and Point B, neither of which appears on the slide . By coming from the presenter, the presenter leads the audience to a conclusion. That conclusion is Aha!