In March 2002, the comic strip Beetle Bailey contained a
valuable lesson for business presenters. As General Halftrack
walked into his office, his secretary asked: "How was Lt. Fuzz's
presentation?"

The General replied: "Like the Washington Monument."
Puzzled, the secretary asked, "The Washington Monument?
General Halftrack responded, "Yeah, it took a long time to get
to the point."

How often have you felt the frustration of General Halftrack
because the speaker didn't "get to the point?" Worse, have
people listening to your presentations been exasperated
because they didn't know where you were taking them,
didn't know what was your point?

An audience, whether it is one person or many, wants speakers
to provide maximum relevant information, delivered in minimum
time and in the clearest possible terms, centered on the needs
and concerns of the audience.

Time is the defining aspect of any presentation. Few audiences
have the time for a full exposition of  a subject. Presenters
must reduce and translate the salient data into an easily and
quickly understood message.

The 3-1-2 System, the heart of my presentation skills workshop,
enables presenters to organize their thoughts in the optimum
manner to implant their message in the  collective mind of the
audience, and to Get to the Point.

Most people prepare their presentations using a 1-2-3 Method,
drafting in the order of how they will deliver - (1) Opening,
(2) Body and (3) Conclusion. This is the method to organize our
thoughts we have been taught since elementary school.

Unfortunately, this system leads to various false starts,
because the presenter is attempting to place the ten gallons of
knowledge he or she has on the subject into the eight-ounce
glass of the presentation.

This method is not flexible, and forces the presenter to make
changes on the fly. This results in time-pressed presentations
lacking coherence. The traditional system of organizing our
thoughts is simply not geared to 21st century presentations.

Let's see how the 3-1-2 system can help you "Get to the point."

Place the 30-60 second Bottom Line of your message on a 3x5card.
This phrase, which should be the intersection of the audience's
needs and your objective, goes on this card, which you mark with
a 3.

Now, insert in front of this phrase words that signal the close
of your presentation, such as: "So, in conclusion" or "Let me
leave you with this thought." You now have the words with which
you will close with "punch."

This is your closing argument, to borrow a trial lawyer's
technique. This phrase can also provide you with a
a mini-presentation when you find that the allotted time for
your presentation has been sharply reduced at the last minute.

Next, take another 3x5 card, mark it with a 1 and write an
opening phrase that will cause the audience to listen because
you have hit a psychological "hot button" that sends the signal
"This will benefit you," or "This will keep you out of trouble."
A startling statistic or an apt quotation from a well-known
(to the audience) figure could also be in this  opening as an
attention-getter.

You might wish to  include your "3 card" conclusion in your
opening statement, and then inform the audience that you will
now proceed to prove the validity of your conclusion.

The audience now knows where you are going, and can, in effect,
open "files" on their mental desktops in order to absorb this
information. Audience members will know at the outset just what
is your point. They won't have to wait.

Remember that a business presentation is not a  mystery novel.
You want your audience to know "who shot John" right away, and
then  proceed to show the evidence. Above all, you want your
audience to be alerted to the fact that you know what their
material or psychological needs/problems are, and are prepared
to provide information that addresses these concerns.

With the 3 and 1cards filled out, you have the parameters
of your presentation established. You know where you are going
and can thus structure your presentation so the audience knows
where you are taking them. Take a few cards, marked 2A, 2B
2C, etc. and list your supporting arguments.

The 3-1-2 System ensures that the most important information
you wish the audience to retain and act upon is placed at the
beginning and the end. The 3-1-2 system will help you "Get to
the point," and avoid the criticism General Halftrack meted out
to Lt. Fuzz.