Presentation Skills HQ

In previous posts we have covered

1. who we are pitching to,
2. what attitudes and behaviours we want to change and
3. what the biggest problem the audience has and our overall solution.

Step 4 is collecting all the evidence that we have available to support our solution.  We need to draw as braodly as possible and access as many different types of evidence as possible to ensure we meet the needs of our audience. Andrew Abela (2008) describes 3 types of evidence that you can use to support your recommendation:

1. Use real and specific (rather than abstract and general) data wherever possible.

2. Include a variety of different types of evidence and arguments—including evidence against your proposals.

3. Pay particular attention to what is new and different in your information. Try to avoid repeating the same, tired old “facts” that everyone else quotes.

The next post is how to incorporate anecdotes into your pitch.

Abela, AV 2008, Advanced presentations by design creating communication that drives action, San Franiso, Calif. : Pfeiffer, San Francisco, Calif.