Don't lose their attention and be forgotten!
It's Communications 101 and yet we forget it all the time.
Here's 3 simple steps to make sure you get your message across and are remembered!
1. Know your audience
Here's the cheat sheet version. Instead of knowing what their interest are, their communuication style, and what their family and leisure activites are like - instead focus on the things that will get you shut down. What don't they want to hear, what will turn them against you, and keep your eyes out for the tell tale body language signs that you are losing them.
2. Engage their brain - make them curious
The biggest barrier to learning is the assumption that you already know it. If your audience thinks they already know what you are going to say or the point you are trying to make, their brain will more than likely be working on a reply or heading off in another direction.
Use stories, analogies, or ideas that make what you are saying relatable and slightly unique. An example of this is when you are introducing yourself...
"I'm a flow specialist" now you invoke curiosity and another part of their brain lights up - they will now more likely to remember you - and what you have to say next.
3. Make sure your message, and the purpose of your message is clear
No matter how good you are your audience is unlikely to remember everything you've said. If you are just talking - they'll remember about 20%, and after a few days much much less.
Imagine they were only going to remember two things, and then focus the whole time on that. Keep it simple enough that they could repeat the idea to someone else - if it's too hard to repeat - chances are it will be forgotten.