Strategy 3: Use Superior Organization

Overview

A place for everything, and everything in its place.

—Samuel Smiles, author

No amount of outstanding content or effective delivery skills can save a poorly organized presentation. If the participants can't follow your presentation's organization or line of reasoning, they will assume that you don't know the material, haven't integrated it, are lazy, and don't deserve their attention. Therefore, Master Presenters spend a great deal of time not only developing the content and the delivery of their message; they also focus on developing superior organization. This chapter presents five techniques that will assure both you and your audience that your presentation is impeccably well organized. The five techniques are:

1. Developing advanced organizers.

2. Using the eight organizational structures.

3. Making sure it is cohesive.

4. Paying attention to your transitions.

5. Understanding the critical importance of timing.