| CEO's and VP's are no different from you and | | | | done: told their audience what they would gain by |
| me, sure they need data and analysis to make | | | | using sustainable materials. For example they could |
| decisions but they're also human. They need to | | | | have said: |
| know specifically what they're going to get for | | | | Benefit #1: "By using these bricks you can get |
| their investment of time and money. They need | | | | government grants and use less of your own |
| your data and analysis translated into targeted | | | | money to build houses." |
| benefit statements. | | | | Benefit #2": "By using this wood, your houses will |
| Blah, blah, blah; that's what most executives hear | | | | hold more heat, which you can advertise to |
| when they have to suffer endless hours of boring | | | | attract more buyers. |
| business presentations. And though the consultant | | | | Benefit #3: "By using these roofing materials the |
| might have a fantastic job of her analysis and | | | | housing regulator will let 10,000 customers per |
| number crunching, if the executives don't get | | | | month know that you are environmentally |
| what's in it for them, they won't buy the | | | | friendly, you can't buy that sort of advertising." |
| proposition. | | | | And if they'd engaged and motivated their |
| Yesterday I sat through a presentation on the | | | | audience they might have even sold their |
| importance of using sustainable materials in the | | | | consulting services. |
| housing sector. It was a really important message; | | | | So here's what you should do: |
| and a huge market for the presenters. They | | | | When you present data, ask yourself the |
| talked about the different types of | | | | question, "what does my audience gain from |
| environmentally friendly bricks, wood, and roofing | | | | implementing my advice?" Then when planning |
| materials; they mentioned the library of | | | | your presentation make sure that every piece of |
| knowledge they had created on building | | | | information can be translated into a benefit |
| sustainable houses; and they went on (at length) | | | | statement. By making your information benefit |
| about the amount of information on their website. | | | | rich your audience will be more motivated to take |
| They had quite an impact on the audience; the | | | | action, and will more readily accept you and your |
| guy in the row in front of me fell asleep. | | | | advice (oh by the way, that was a benefit |
| Here's what they DIDN'T do, and SHOULD have | | | | statement, did you notice? |