HBR Guide to Persuasive Presentations (HBR Guide Series)

Persuade Beyond the Stage

Your presentation doesn’t start the moment you enter the room; it starts the moment you’ve committed to speak—and it continues after the actual talk, as you follow up with the audience. If you take advantage of opportunities to reinforce your message at all three stages, you’re much more likely to change people’s thinking and behavior.

Before

How you position the talk before you even deliver it will have a big impact on the audience’s level of interest. Consider the most effective forms of communication to send out in advance. If you’re presenting to colleagues, you might e-mail them a summary of your message and a rough list of points you plan to cover, for example, or send a meeting request with a detailed agenda. ...