The customer has a question, and we have an answer.  They need to learn something, and we’re in the position to be the educator.  There’s a process they have to go through, and we need them to understand.

We know so much, and we could impart so much, but sometimes imparting everything we know causes more harm than good.

Interpreting the Presentation

I have a client who recently asked that I take a look at a draft presentation they were preparing to deliver to their audience.  It was going to describe their department and how it was organized, the different areas represented and their roles and responsibilities.

As we walked through the 21-slide presentation slide by slide, what they were conveying on each slide became clear only after a bit of Q&A between us.  Each slide was either confusing or too detailed or too full of jargon.

When we reached Slide 20, there were 4 bullet points – 1 point representing each of the 4 areas within the department.  Finally, on Slide 20, I understood.  I got the full picture based on 4 simple points, when I hadn’t gotten the full picture based on the prior 19 slides.

“Why don’t we start with this slide,” I said, “and then if the other slides are necessary, they’re just building on the information you conveyed at the beginning.”

Starting Broadly, Getting into Details Only if Necessary

Our conversations with customers can go similarly.  We have so much to share, but what they really need to know are 3 or 4 key points, 3 or 4 key steps.  Explaining something to the customer doesn’t mean explaining everything to the customer.

Describe the core of the process or the steps or the answers.  Then, if needed, get into the “19 slides” of detail.

Explain without over explaining.

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