Stages of preparation
Many of us have experienced the paralysis of knowing what we want to accomplish, but having trouble putting down the actual words and ideas. Usually, the easiest way to proceed is to divide the work into stages.
- Stage 1: Define your key message. What do you want people to remember and what action you want them to take? This message flows directly from your objective. You can have a number of supporting arguments, ideas, and facts, but only one key message.
- Stage 2: Next, identify the arguments that support your message. Avoid excessive detail but be sure to talk about more than just the facts. It is important to identify and address the emotional underpinnings of your message. Why should the audience care about it?
- Stage 3: Finally, identify when it is important to get audience participation, reactions, agreement, or buy-in.