Content + Delivery = Impact

Way back when, people in business and society were very particular about how they presented themselves. They had impeccable manners and beautiful clothes, they dressed for dinner every day—think “Downton Abbey.” Then came the late 20th century, and suddenly “casual” was cool. Ties and high heels were out; khakis (or even jeans) were in. Formality was also out. Standing at a podium reading a scripted speech meant you were boring, out of touch and probably insecure.

Nowadays we talk about “communicating” rather than “public speaking,” because we have so many more ways to get a message across than just reading words on stage in a nice suit. There’s more reliance on video, graphics and other technology—but if you’re flashy yet have nothing to say, you haven’t succeeded in your mission.

A presentation is a sum of several moving parts, all of which require you to think about what you want to say (your content), how to say and show it (your delivery), and how your audience will react to it (the impact). Taking the time to craft how you’ll come across in terms of both style and substance shows that you respect your audience and care about what they think. This is the Preston formula for success: guiding philosophy: Content + Delivery = Impact.

Authenticity is also very important. If you try to be something you’re not, your audience will see right through it. A middle-aged guy like me could go up in front of a group of millennials dressed like them, saying stuff like “chillax” and “I can’t even,” but it isn’t going to go over well. You need to communicate in a way your audience can understand, but remember: it’s your message, not theirs.

To recap, a successful presentation needs three things: substance, effort and authenticity. You need to have a compelling message, and you need to do the work to get that message across to your audience with sincerity and without over-relying on smoke and mirrors. After the show, you don’t want your audience to say, “Nice light show… what was he talking about again?” You want them to say, “Wow, I really understand what that person was trying to say. It makes a lot of sense. How can I apply this in my own work?”

Communicating is hard, and the Preston Productions team has your back. We’ll work with you not just staging, lights and video, but also on sharpening your stage presence and fine-tuning your message to match your audience. Let us help you present yourself in a way that makes you and your company look their best. Give us a call and let’s start collaborating!