Recently, one of my newsletter subscribers asked me a question on behalf of his son, who’s working on a Master’s degree in genetics. By his own admission, he needs to make “better, more impactful presentations.” I’m glad he asked, because knowing one has a problem is the first step in solving it!
Researchers and scientists are constantly surrounded by data. They wallow in it, they live and breathe it, their work is supported by it and they are constantly in search of it. So having enough content for presentations is seldom the problem. The problem is how to transform dry, confusing or overwhelming amounts of data into meaningful presentations.
Here are my top 3 presentation tips for researchers and scientists on how to communicate what they know in a way their audiences will understand.
Tip #1: Know your audience
Presenting to your peers is easy because you all share a common bond of experience and background in your field. But if you say, “As we all know*, nucleosomes are composed of pairs of four types of histone protein,” to an audience of, say, investors, you’ll lose them faster than the time it takes for a neutrino to traverse the Large Hadron Collider. Before your presentations, it’s important to learn who you’re speaking to. After that, you need to tailor your presentation so that you’re explaining complex ideas and terms in a way they can understand.
*Never say “As we all know,” because chances are there’ll be at least one person in the audience who hasn’t a clue about what you’re saying. You should strive to quickly explain complicated ideas in a way that educates the people who don’t yet know what you’re talking about and that doesn’t bore those who already do.
Tip #2: Set a SMART goal
A goal for a pitch presentation might be this:
“I want Company XYZ to help me monetize my research.”
OK, so if they give you a nickel and tell you to hit the bricks after your presentation, you’ve reached your goal. But that’s probably not what you meant.
SMART goals, on the other hand, are Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Timely. To use the above example, how exactly will the company help monetize the research (Specific)? How much money/staffing/resources are you looking for (Measurable)? Are you making a reasonable and doable request of this company (Achievable)? Will their support further your vision for your research (Relevant)? And what is the timetable for the support (Timely)?
Take a look at the SMART goal for the same pitch presentation:
“By the end of this quarter, Company XYZ will have set me up with a lab at their headquarters. We will have entered into a contract whereby in exchange for 60% ownership of Product X and distribution and naming rights they supply me with the resources and staff I’ll need to create Product X and 40% ownership. Our target release date will be one year from today.”
Dang, that’s a SMART goal! By knowing exactly what your goals are—whether it’s to educate, sell, influence or entertain—you’ll be able to design your presentations to help you meet them.
Tip #3: Be an entertaining presenter
Nothing will send your audience to their smartphones like a boring recitation of facts. To get people excited about your work, try channeling Bill Nye the Science Guy or Jane Goodall. These highly accomplished folks could quite easily speak at a level that the average person couldn’t comprehend. Instead, they use vocal variety, gestures and inflection to bring excitement to their presentations. What’s more, they tell stories, which can be very educational and relatable. They speak in a conversational tone that’s friendly and welcoming.
Talk about the benefits your work will bring to mankind, what problems it could solve, how the future could be brighter if your ideas take hold. When you’re able to link your work to its effect on people’s lives, your presentations will have a greater impact.
This is also a great approach for presenting to your peers. Imagine how you’ll stand out at a conference when you’re the only entertaining speaker amid a sea of data-dump presentations!
The Takeaway
When you speak in a way that’s easy to understand, set goals for your presentations to give them structure, and are an entertaining storyteller, your presentations will be more effective.
Image © 2014 Vitaliy Holovin, “Lecture of holography,” via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0.