Take-Aways and Wows

Among the important parts of presentations are two that should be kept in mind: The take-away points and the wows.

The take-away points are the substantive items the audience members will walk away with. Each segment, but not every moment, of the presentation should have take-away points. These are not synonymous with substance. Many a substantive presentation takes the audience into the jungle and leaves it there. Take-away points are the trails out. They are clear and easy to remember.

The wows are the bits of info that cause people to say, "Wow, I didn't know that" or "Wow, I never thought of it that way" or simply "That is really neat!" Wows are not necessary parts of a good presentation but they are required if you are going to have a great presentation. These are the items that the audience members will mention later on to non-attendees when they talk about the subject or the presentation.

Background and filler information will be needed in-between the take-aways and wows or your audience will be overwhelmed. It is similar to the technique used in novels when the author gives the reader some time to relax and absorb before letting - as Raymond Chandler would put it - a man with a gun walk in the door.