The Goldilocks Technique 

  Not too much, Not too little, but Just Right!

You've been invited to speak to your colleagues and associates for 40 minutes on a subject they're all dying to know about.  You're ready to tell them everything you know.  Frankly, you're the perfect choice because you just happen to know more than anyone else in the room about this particular topic. 

Not only do you want to spread the word, but you'd be happy to become known as the 'go to' person on this subject.  That's one of your major goals for yourself and your business and this presentation fits right in with your plans.  So you're definitely ready to fill your 40 minutes chockfull with everything they need to know and then some!  It's a win-win situation for all concerned, isn't it?

Whoa!  Wait a minute!  Slow down!  Before you start gushing facts and figures like a Texas oil well, think about how all that information is going to affect your audience. 

One of our greatest temptations when we're asked to speak about something we know well is to say too much.  Because we're familiar with all the nuances of the points we want to make, we forget that the audience are neophytes, just being introduced to information that feels as familiar to us as an old jacket.  In our zeal to reveal as much as we can in the short time allotted to us, we often make one huge mistake:  We offer point after point without stopping to amplify any of them sufficiently.  Our audience quickly gets lost in this Laundry List of information. Trying to keep up is exhausting and frustrating for them, and so they tune us out. 

The other side of the coin is to say too little.  In an effort not to overwhelm our audience, we underwhelm them with so little information that we end up repeating ourselves or don't have enough material to fill our 40 minutes and have to resort to a lengthy Q&A to fill up the time.  If the audience doesn't ask questions, we'd better be a good tap dancer.  Nothing is more embarrassing than standing on the stage with nothing to say before folks you want to impress.

Remember Goldilocks' visit to the home of the three bears?  The first bowl of soup she tried was Too Hot.  Too difficult to swallow.  The second bowl was Too Cold.  Not enough there to interest her.  But the third one she tried was Just Right!  Not too difficult to swallow, not too boring or unpalatable, but just the right temperature for her to absorb and be nourished by.

When you're preparing your next presentation, remember the Goldilocks technique.  Forget the Laundry List; concentrate on the three or four most important points your audience needs to know and amplify or discuss them enough that your listeners will get it, your message will land, and they'll be with you all the way without feeling frustrated or bored. 

Go narrow and deep; focus on what's really important.  Your audience will feel well fed and more inclined to look to you as the 'go to' person you want to be.  And they will come to you for more, count on it!