Cooking Up Memorable Presentations

Memorable presentations do not happen by accident, but when you experience one, it is truly fantastic. Can you recall a memorable speech? As someone who loves watching BBC’s Professional Masterchef, it occurred to me that there are many similarities between cooking a great meal and serving up memorable presentations. Here is my take on it.

What is the purpose?

Chefs have to think about whether the meal is for a celebration, part of their business, win a competition, or just for fun? Similarly, it is important to know the purpose of your speech. It could be to inform, instruct, persuade, pay tribute to someone, or entertain. The purpose will determine the ingredients and recipe you use. Clear purpose gives your speech pure poise.

Serve what your audience wants

No one enjoys a meal they don’t want or like. With a speech, it is too easy to tell the audience what you want to tell them. Put your ego to one side and serve a speech that your audience wants or needs to hear. This isn’t about you, but the message you deliver. It’s important to know who your audience are, why they are there and what they expect, so you can match and exceed this. Just as serving up a burger at a fine dining event would not go down well, neither would a comedic speech be appreciated when the audience expects scientific facts!

Another important aspect if speaking at an event, is to know what the format is, how much time you have, size of audience, and what the organisers want. Carrying out research beforehand can make a big difference. Like a banquet, there’s no point cooking for 20 when there are 200 guests!

Choose your recipe

Are you going to use a tried and tested method or be creative and try something new? Carefully plan how you can best deliver your speech and think about what skills you need to deliver it. Timing is very important, and you need to make sure you are not putting too much into the ‘dish’. Remember less is more. So often highly skilled chefs will overcomplicate what they want to deliver and run out of time.

Get the best ingredients

Having decided on your purpose and recipe, the next step is to get the best ingredients, which match the audience’s palette. Is it appropriate for the demographics of the group, will it offend, or meet expectations?

Ingredients of a speech can be the content, structure, delivery, visual aids, and impact. Watching the professional chefs, they are prepared to use the very best and sometimes unusual ingredients to make the meal memorable. You can do the same for your memorable presentations. What will spice it up, make it exceptional and deliver on time?

The variety of dishes chefs can produce is incredible. No one expects to sit down to a bowl of gruel every time! Your audience expects variety as well as quality in what you deliver. Give them something different and not the same old message in the same old way. Use your creativity. Options open to you are only as limited as your imagination.

Star of the dish

In the initiative test on Masterchef, contestants are asked to make one ingredient the star of the dish (e.g. beetroot), make it stand out and all the other ingredients to complement it. What is the star of your memorable presentation? What is the one message or theme that needs to run through your speech, which everything you say and do complements? What is your audience’s take away?

Cooking it correctly

You can have the very best ingredients, but if you overcook them, then it can spoil the meal. Similarly with a speech, you need to think about the various parts. What aspects need a light touch, what needs whipping up and what needs a good roast? Yes, repeat your key message, but not too many times.

Presentation is everything

It astounds me how the chefs finally deliver something spectacular on the plate. There is a real WOW factor. With your speech, you can throw it haphazardly out there, put too much on the plate, or you can present it in a way that astounds, engages and excites your audience, leaving them hungry for more. What will you do to make it exceptional?

Passion is paramount

The Masterchef judges are always looking for the passion in the chefs and what drives them. If you are not passionate about your message, why should your audience be? Humans are emotional beings and want authenticity. You can capture this by being yourself and speaking honestly from the heart. What emotional journey do you want your audience to experience during your speech? Does this fit with your purpose?

It is said, people will forget what you said, they will forget what you did, but they never forget how you made them feel.

Your own emotions come into play and many of us are nervous about giving presentations. That is only natural. You can feel those emotions and harness them to good effect. Adrenaline gives us that edge if used to enhance your delivery. It’s the seasoning in the dish!

“It’s all right to have butterflies in your stomach. Just get them to fly in formation.” Rob Gilbert

Get feedback

Over the years, I think the quality of constructive feedback on the Masterchef programme has improved enormously. You can see how the chefs really appreciate what they are told and learn from it. Do you ask for feedback from reliable sources about your presentations? Do you take the advice on board and apply it?

One of the best things about being a member of Toastmasters International, is getting feedback from the audience. This is the way to truly learn and improve your skills. As a member of Casterbridge Speakers Club for sixteen years, I would highly recommend finding a club near you, because you never stop learning.

Final taster

If you want to serve up memorable presentations then be clear on your purpose, have the right recipe and best ingredients for your audience, and deliver in style, with passion and confidence. Above all enjoy the experience, then your audience will too. If you are not sure how you are doing, then get feedback.

Whether for a business presentation, wedding speech or eulogy, please contact me, if you would like more information, or join us on the next workshop.