“Landing the Plane”

October 20, 2022

Nervous about a big presentation, you work hard at preparing for your moment in the spotlight. You’ve kicked off your talk with confidence, using the highly effective 90 Second Opening Statement. Next, you inform, persuade, and motivate your audience with convincing facts and figures and memorable storytelling. And now, it’s time to land the plane, so to speak.

Wouldn’t it be disappointing if this is how you did it: “Well… that’s about all I have, so if there aren’t any questions…”

Yikes!! This could be a rough landing.

Instead, finish strong! Like an Olympic sprinter pushing for the tape when the gold medal is on the line.

In our Wixted & Company training sessions, we recommend landing the plane by re-stating your Main Message – that one, big idea you want your audience to know and remember. For example, “Our sales team is committed to exceeding our goals for 2022.”

If the purpose of your presentation is ultimately to make a request, now is the time to do it. And do it with confidence! This is not the time to retreat or beat around the bush. Plant those feet, remind yourself that YOU are the expert, and deliver your “ask” with purpose.

If time allows, give your audience the chance to ask questions next. Our training team at Wixted has some great advice when it comes to Q&A. One tip is to have a couple of questions ready to ask yourself. That way when there’s dead silence in the room, you can lead with, “One question I’m often asked…” Not only will this fill the awkward gap, but it can also trigger other good questions from your audience.

And finally, don’t forget to say thank you. Genuinely thank your audience members for their time and attention.

You may now exit the plane. 

Blog by Jeff Johnson