Here are some tips for presenting to various audiences. The general tips are useful in all situations. In addition, if you are speaking to an audience about one of the subject areas below, please click on the appropriate link for more service-specific tips. General Tips The Basics • Know Your Audience. Tailor your presentation to the appropriate level of your audience. Remember to keep it simple, but not simplistic. • Know the Room. Be familiar with the room in which you will speak. Arrive early, walk around the area, and test out the audio/visual aids. • Concentrate on the Message. Communicate clearly your goals. Having a simple take home message (1-3 points) is much easier to digest. • Keep it Simple and Straightforward. Don't get bogged down with too much data or detail. Keep your overheads to a few points with minimum text. Use simple clear graphs and remember the one slide/graphic per minute rule. • Make a Connection. Show the audience how ecosystem services affect their lives and others in the community. Give them a reason to care. • Empower Your Audience. Always include solutions ('Things you can do') in your presentation. Motivate them to take personal and political action.

Tips For Engaging Your Audience Tell a Good Story. • Mix facts with anecdotes, quotes and poetry. • Be humorous and creative. • Describe the "life history" of some component of the service. • Tell a personal story of yourself, a family member or a well known person. • Recount an incedent related to your research or research site. • Show connections between themselves and the service.

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Illustrate the Message. Audiences can lose interest quickly if overwhelmed with factsand figures. Visuals and metaphors help to get ideas across and enliven a presentation. • Use slides, colorful graphs or cartoon overheads to highlight important points and to keep your audience awake and focused. • Bring in models, toys, or "the real thing." • Use objects as metaphors to elucidate concepts. • Use simple demonstrations or games.

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