When establishing your audience, ask questions not only about the people but also the event that is bringing them together. Most conferences and events will use a Theme, motto or similar device to create a sense of event and to aid in the transitions between parts of the program.
For the process of developing a presentation, referring back to the theme of the presentation lets your audience understand that you have prepared with them in mind. It also provides a starting point for determining your goal.
While these things on their own make themes valuable, linking your speak with the external (event or audience), themes can also be used internally to link and hold your speech together.
There are as many ways to achieve this as your imagination allows. The theme can either be on topic or totally unrelated to your presentation, but using an internal theme in either way will bind your presentation together.
An example of an “on topic” internal theme might be a speech which uses the same key phrase several times within the presentation. For example a speech which discusses the installation plan of a new computer network, might include a discussion of the specifications concluded with the phrase “Our new network will be faster, simpler and more flexible” – this part of the speech is followed by a second point about the end user support, also concluded with the same “Our new network will be faster, simpler and more flexible”.
An example of an off topic internal theme might be along the lines of baking a cake and preparing a speech – Your 1st step in deciding to make a cake is to work out what type of cake it will be – flavour etc. and for the speech it is the same, 2nd point of your speech might be choosing your ingredients which are the contents of the speech, 3 rd point being the actual preparation (baking your cake) and the last step being practicing and refining your presentation (adding your Icing and candles).
In choosing an off-topic theme, choose something that would be widely known, this ensures that your audience can follow along your presentation easily. Also link your theme tightly to the actual topic and prior to presenting, it is a great idea to review the speech and ensure that the message is still clear.
In the example above the cake story served to link the points of the presentation into a logical order and provide transitions between your points, however if the audience emerges with a fully detailed recipe it would be safe to suggest your theme has by this point dominated your purpose. ( I don't follow this?)
Both External and Internal themes add value and power to your presentation; they differentiate your presentation from the every day and make your message more memorable.
Tips for taking telling to a true transfer of ideas
· External thematic links demonstrate thoughtfulness to the audience – this presentation is for them and not just the repeat of a stock presentation
· Internal Themes add interest and variety. They also have a capacity to hold various parts of a presentation together.
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