I've been helping several clients with presentations these past few weeks. These are initial, generate interest presentations. And the common theme is "assume too much."

The challenge is all too often, presenters assume the audience…

- Has the same level of passion
- Cares about the subject as much as you
- Understands the complexities and connections of the information
- Will be able to retain ALL of the information presented

With rare exception, none of the assumptions are accurate.

To ensure maximum comprehension and information retention, think of your audience as a room full of 10th graders. Envision yourself as a 15-year old. How is your attention span? Ability to remember what was presented? And so on.

Leave the details, jargon, facts, and complex information for subsequent meetings…AFTER you have generated interest with a compelling presentation.