Every presentation starts at the beginning and stops at the end.

Unless it doesn't of course, which is the case for most presentations.

I mean, of course every presentation starts and stops at some point.

But that doesn't mean that it has a clear beginning and leads to a logical ending.

It just starts and stops.

It goes from the middle of somewhere to the middle of nowhere while

delivering a host of facts that may or may not lead anywhere.

To see what I mean, let's revisit what beginning and end really means.

So let's take a step back.

Every presentation that's necessary is about changing the minds of your audience.

You might need the board of directors to acknowledge a strategic problem.

Or you might want your customers to buy your product.

Or you might want to inspire your employees to understand

where the company is going.

Whatever your change is, to make it happen you need the people in your

audience to see the world differently after your presentation than before.

It's this difference that determines the beginning and end of your presentation.

When the audience enters the room, they have one worldview.

And after the talk they have another.

You pick them up at one point, the beginning and guide

them to another, the end.

It follows immediately that the beginning of your presentation isn't

about you, your company history, achievements, organizational

structure, portfolio, you name it.

But it's about the audience.

It's not about where you are coming from, but where your audience is coming from.

Your audience needs to feel: “She's talking about me.

This is where I’m at”.

That's the beginning.

And it's in stark contrast to the starting point of most presentations,

which usually is all about the presenter.

The end of your presentation is the point of no return for your audience.

They can't unsee what you've made them see.

only when you know your beginning and end can you become the

guide that takes your audience from where they are to where they want to be.