Need to prepare a presentation? Have lunch with a friend.

You're on a deadline.  You have to deliver a presentation.  Maybe you have to explain something that's new to a group of colleagues.  Maybe you're trying to drum up new business.  Or maybe you're trying to recruit students to your university.  Do you start by choosing a PowerPoint template?  Do you begin by opening up a Word document and crafting your opening line?

I'm going to suggest something a little different.  Imagine yourself explaining your main message to a friend.  At lunch.  What words would you use?

We speak differently than we write.  Now is not the time to write out your remarks, like a script. Now is the time to channel that voice you use when explaining something to a friend.  Be yourself.  Be conversational.  Use vivid examples.  And if you actually DO have lunch with a friend or colleague and begin hearing yourself, you will find the words that feel comfortable to you when you speak.  And you will see for yourself which examples fall flat or cause your friend to wrinkle her brow in confusion.

It's not necessary to adopt a different persona.  Be yourself.  Ask yourself "How would I describe this to a friend at lunch?"  And then make that happen.  We still crave face to face contact.  Have lunch with a friend or colleague and actually look them in the eye and talk.  It's great practice for that speech that you have to prepare.