presentation goals

6 different Types of Presentation Goals

When you are doing a presentation you always have a goal. You are trying to get a message across. You are trying to teach your audience. Or you are trying to sell something. There is always a presentation goal.

There are different goals for a presentation. Here are six types of goals. Each of them has their own purpose. And each of them should be handled in a different way. In this article, I will explain how they work and how you as a speaker can benefit best.

The six presentation goals are:

To persuade or convince

To activate, to inspire or motivate, to entertain.

Most of the presentations in business are about informing the people in the room. A client or your manager asks you to come and present on the progress of the project. What they expect is to get informed. They aren’t looking for inspiration or funny videos. What they want is a clear explanation of what the status of the project is.

There are more examples of presentations that are about informing the audience. Like presenting financial results or presenting the findings of a research. Or when you are a teacher and informing the parents of all the things that are going on in your school.

These talks are often short and to the point. If there is too much information, people won’t remember much. They should be easy to understand for those in the room.

The talks focus on the facts. The goal is to give the audience these facts.

When the talks become a bit more complicated, that is usually because they aren’t only to inform. They are to educate. The goal is to have the audience go home understanding more about what they heard. They need to leave knowing a lot more.

This goes beyond stating facts. You want the audience to learn, so you have to pay attention to this. You need to teach or instruct the group of people in front of you. That means you need to know a lot about your topic.

There are many different examples of this talk. A workshop or training session is the most logical one of course. But also instructing your staff on new policies is an example.

Presentations to educate are often longer. Because you want the audience to remember what you teach them, you will use more examples and go more in depth. Often they are also more interactive since interaction helps the understanding. What is more important than the length, is how thorough you are on the topic.

There are a lot of presentations that have the goal of persuasion. Speakers want to convince the audience to understand or believe their stand on a topic. Or simpler: to buy a product or service.

These types of presentations you can often see in politics. The politician wants to convince the listener to vote for them. But you can see it as often in business. Each sales presentation is about persuading the potential client. You want them to choose your product or service.

A persuasive speech is working towards a solution. You show the problem. Then offer the audience the solution by presenting your views and methods. A persuasive speech offers evidence, logic and has emotion in it.

Close to persuasion is activation. These speeches present the audience with information that makes them want to take action. Fundraising presentations are good examples, but you can see them in politics a lot as well. Politicians want people to take action. Or vice versa, people want politicians to take action.

To make this type of presentation work, one of the most important ingredients is to tell them what to do. If the audience doesn’t know what to do, why would they act? Another important ingredient is passion. You are trying to make people move. They will only do that if they feel you believe.

In essence, every speaker wants to inspire. Inspiration, after all, is one of the most powerful emotions. It is great if you are able to inspire people to think, move or change their behavior.

These types of speeches are often seen at TED Conferences. More often you see them at events aimed at personal improvement. There are many motivational speakers there. You can also see motivational speeches within businesses. When management is trying to inspire the staff to work harder or better. The best examples of motivational speeches you find in locker rooms. When coaches are trying to get their teams out on the field full of positive adrenaline.

Talks that are inspiring are often very personal. Overcoming hardship usually does very well. But it doesn’t have to be about something bad that has happened. It can be about the future. The speech Martin Luther King gave was about a dream. In the future. That can be just as inspiring!

The last type of presentation is to entertain. Everybody likes to be entertained. And one way of entertaining is to have a great speech.

Many of these types of presentations are done in personal settings. When you are entertaining guests for example. Or when you are doing a speech at someone’s (or your own) wedding. But you can see the entertaining speeches in many places. Stand up comedy, theatre, but also presentations at an opening of an event. They are meant to entertain. To make the audience laugh and feel happy.

To make this presentation work, you have to give the audience what they are looking for: a good feeling. Sometimes you can accomplish this by telling jokes. But be careful, not everyone has the same humor. And especially these days, people are hurt easy.

To be able to make people feel good, you need to understand who is in the room and what makes them tick. You need to do your research here!

To conclude: your goals

Now that we’ve looked at the different types of goals, it’s time for you to determine your presentation goals. Have you figured them out yet? Make sure you do before you create the presentation! That way, you can work towards the goal.

And remember, when you are thinking about your presentation goals, think first about your audience. What should they get out of it? Because for all the different types of talks, the secret to all success is to understand your audience!

You need to define your goals. That means you need to take a few steps.

First , you need to get more understanding of your audience . Do your research . Find out what their wants and needs are.

Second , write down your own goals . What do you want to accomplish?

Third , find the overlap between you and your audience. And focus your presentation on that.

About Author

Bas van den Beld is the founder of Speak with Persuasion. He is also your first trainer. Bas is a highly sought-after consultant, trainer and professional speaker. He helps businesses and individuals become better and more confident speakers. He has won several awards for consulting, speaking and training, including being voted European Search Personality 2015, honoring his achievements within the search marketing industry.

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14 SMART Goals Examples for Public Speaking

Public speaking is a critical skill in many contexts, such as job interviews and presentations in the workplace. It may be intimidating to present in front of a crowd, but with preparation and practice, anyone can become an effective public speaker.

Having SMART goals encourages you to focus your efforts on specific outcomes and make progress toward being able to deliver presentations confidently.

Table of Contents

What is a SMART Goal?

Your public speaking goals should be created in tandem with the SMART strategy. In case you are unaware, SMART is an acronym standing for: Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Relevant, and Time-based.

• Specific: Ensure your goals are as detailed as possible.
• Measurable: Public speakers should make their goals trackable; this component is essential to success.
• Attainable: You want your goals and objectives to be both challenging and reasonable.
• Relevant: Try to align your goals with your personal core values.
• Time-based: You need a specific end date for accomplishing your goal . This will keep you accountable and create a feeling of urgency.

By following these 5 SMART criteria, you can speak confidently and assertively on stage.

Let’s cover 14 examples of SMART goals to improve your public speaking skills:

1. Increase Confidence

SMART Goal: To become a more confident speaker, I’ll practice public speaking exercises every day for the following two months. I want to become more comfortable speaking in front of large groups and build the confidence I need to be a successful public speaker.

• Specific: This goal outlines what you need to do (practice public speaking exercises) and how often you need to do it (every day).
• Measurable: You could count the days you’ve practiced public speaking.
• Attainable: Practicing public speaking exercises daily is absolutely doable.
• Relevant: Taking advantage of these exercises is an excellent way to boost confidence when speaking in front of large groups.
• Time-based: Goal achievement is expected after two whole months.

2. Improve Vocal Delivery

SMART Goal: I want to improve my vocal delivery when I give presentations. To do this, I will practice speaking in front of a mirror for 30 minutes every day for the three months ahead and record myself during practice sessions to review my progress.

• Specific: The SMART goal is explicit because it details how the individual will improve their vocal delivery.
• Measurable: They can record themselves speaking during practice sessions.
• Attainable: Practicing speaking in front of a mirror is achievable within three months.
• Relevant: Vocal delivery is instrumental in enhancing your public speaking skills.
• Time-based: Goal attainment is expected within three months.

3. Expand Repertoire of Presentation Materials

SMART Goal: I will develop new presentation materials for my public speaking engagements by the end of two months. This will include creating slideshows, animations, videos, and interactive resources to capture my audience’s attention.

• Specific: The statement is clear and concise, outlining what materials need to be created.
• Measurable: You can determine how many new materials have been developed.
• Attainable: This goal can be accomplished by dedicating time to developing the materials.
• Relevant: This is essential for public speaking because it will help engage the audience and make presentations more interesting.
• Time-based: There is a two-month end date for accomplishing this goal.

4. Conquer Your Fears

SMART Goal: I’ll aim to improve my public speaking skills and conquer the fear of speaking in front of a large audience. I will attend one public speaking event each month for the next 6 months and practice my skills by presenting at least two talks during this time frame.

• Specific: The person has a particular goal to conquer their fear of speaking in front of a large audience.
• Measurable: Attend one public speaking event each month and present two talks.
• Attainable: Given the timeline of 6 months, this statement is achievable.
• Relevant: This is pertinent to the person’s needs and interests in becoming a successful public speaker.
• Time-based: Six months is required to reach this particular target.

5. Develop Stronger Storytelling Skills

SMART Goal: By the end of 5 months, I will work to develop stronger storytelling skills. I’ll practice my oral presentation skills with friends and family, work on writing stories to use for presentations, and attend workshops that focus on storytelling techniques.

• Specific: This goal is focused on improving storytelling skills, which will be helpful in public speaking.
• Measurable: Make sure you actively follow the listed action items for success.
• Attainable: This is a relatively achievable goal if you are dedicated and consistently practicing.
• Relevant: Storytelling skills are essential for public speaking and will help you convey your message more engagingly.
• Time-based: There is a deadline of 5 months for meeting this goal.

6. Practice Nonverbal Cues and Gestures

SMART Goal: To become a more confident speaker, I will practice my nonverbal cues and gestures for 10 minutes daily for one month. I want to use my body language better and clearly convey what I’m saying.

• Specific: You will practice nonverbal cues and gestures for 10 minutes each day.
• Measurable: The individual could record the time spent practicing their nonverbal cues and gestures.
• Attainable: This is possible because it requires a small amount of daily effort.
• Relevant: The goal is appropriate because the person wants to become a more confident speaker, and using nonverbal cues can help with this.
• Time-based: This goal is time-bound because you want to complete it in one month .

7. Focus on Audience Involvement

SMART Goal: I will design each presentation to involve the audience, allowing them to participate. By the end of two months, I will strive to ensure every presentation I give includes an interactive element that encourages participation.

• Specific: The goal details the objective and how it will be achieved in two months.
• Measurable: You could measure audience involvement by looking at the number of questions asked and audience participation during each presentation.
• Attainable: This SMART goal is doable because it focuses on integrating audience participation into each presentation.
• Relevant: It is crucial to engage with the audience and ensure they participate in the presentation.
• Time-based: There is a two-month timeline for accomplishing the goal.

8. Enhance Visual Aids and Slideshows

SMART Goal: My goal is to be able to create visual aids and slideshows that better engage the audience in my presentations. I plan to create a template of custom visuals that I can use for all my future presentations by the end of three months.

• Specific: The goal is specific since this person wants to create better visual aids and slideshows.
• Measurable: You can check off the boxes after creating the template and visual aids.
• Attainable: This is a realistic timeline to create a template of visuals for future presentations.
• Relevant: This goal is relevant to public speaking as it will help engage the audience better.
• Time-based: You’ll achieve this goal by the end of three months.

9. Boost Knowledge of Topic Areas

SMART Goal: For 7 months, I’ll spend two hours each week researching and learning more about the topics I’ll discuss in my public speaking engagements. I want to stay up-to-date on the latest trends and regulations to give my audience the best information possible.

• Specific: The goal is clear. The public speaker wants to become an expert in their field.
• Measurable: You will spend two hours each week researching and learning.
• Attainable: This is achievable and achievable with time and intentional effort.
• Relevant: The goal aligns with the speaker’s desire to become an expert in their field.
• Time-based: You will gain more knowledge over the duration of 7 months.

10. Speak with More Assertiveness

SMART Goal: To improve my public speaking, I’ll practice and implement powerful communication techniques in each of my speeches by the end of 6 months. I want to enhance my message to the audience and speak with more authority.

• Specific: The goal is clear and concise, stating precisely the objective and how it will be accomplished.
• Measurable: By practicing communication techniques and implementing them in speeches, the speaker can measure their success with audiences.
• Attainable: This goal can be accomplished through practice and research on powerful communication techniques.
• Relevant: This is relevant to public speaking because it helps the speaker enhance their message and gain more authority.
• Time-based: There is a 6-month end date for reaching this goal.

11. Refine Time Management

SMART Goal: After four months, I’ll have established a time management system that allows me to schedule and manage tasks better without sacrificing the quality of work. This will make me more organized and efficient when preparing for my speeches.

• Specific: This goal includes the time frame for completion and outlines what you need to do (establish a time management system).
• Measurable: Measuring this goal could include tracking how you manage your tasks and if they are completed promptly.
• Attainable: Creating and refining a time management system is something you can definitely do.
• Relevant: Managing your time will encourage efficiency while preparing for your speeches.
• Time-based: Goal completion is expected to take four months.

12. Increase Self-Awareness

SMART Goal: I will increase my self-awareness to better understand how I express myself in public speaking by taking an online course on communication within two months. When addressing an audience, I plan to be more mindful of my body language and tone.

• Specific: The SMART goal is explicit because it outlines precise steps toward increasing self-awareness.
• Measurable: The speaker will determine how well they can identify their body language and tone of voice.
• Attainable: This goal is achievable as long as the person puts in the effort and time.
• Relevant: The goal relates to increasing self-awareness regarding public speaking.
• Time-based: Goal achievement is expected by the end of two months.

13. Study Audience Dynamics

SMART Goal: I want to enhance my public speaking skills by studying audience dynamics on a deeper level. I will dedicate at least an hour each week for the next 6 months to studying how different demographics interact with each other and how my messages can be tailored to reach them.

• Specific: The goal is to study audience dynamics and build public speaking skills by tailoring messages.
• Measurable: Dedicate at least an hour each week to studying audience dynamics.
• Attainable: The timeline is reasonable, so this should be achievable with the proper focus.
• Relevant: The goal is appropriate to the task at hand because it focuses on honing public speaking skills.
• Time-based: There is a 6-month time frame for pursuing this goal.

14. Learn from Your Mistakes

SMART Goal: In the following three months, I want to improve upon any errors I made in the past and ensure I make fewer mistakes each time I present. I’ll be more confident in my speaking abilities and know I can give an effective presentation.

• Specific: The statement is to improve upon any errors made in the past and make fewer mistakes each time speaking.
• Measurable: You can track the number of mistakes made in each presentation.
• Attainable: This is achievable because the individual actively seeks ways to improve and shows confidence in their abilities.
• Relevant: The SMART goal is appropriate because it focuses on personal growth and improvement as a speaker.
• Time-based: The goal is time-bound because it has a deadline of three months.

Final Thoughts

Public speaking may be an overwhelming experience, but creating SMART goals will make it more manageable. Knowing what you want to achieve and planning are vital to reaching success.

Start developing realistic, measurable objectives that motivate you to do your best. Take note of how far you’ve come and celebrate the small victories. With some preparation and practice, you’ll be ready to hit the stage confidently.

Define Goals for Your Presentations – Here’s How to Succeed Every Time!

The way it often goes is that you start with a great idea, and eagerly start to work towards realizing it.  Your goal seems clear!  Then as you go along, more goals start to sprout . 

New ideas and new goals can quickly crowd out your original clarity, and as your thoughts are a mess, the whole project falls apart. To avoid this, it’s absolutely essential that that you define goals as soon as possible.

Why is defining goals so important?   

Goals are totally necessary to success in any situation. Having a fixed goal in mind helps to focus and realize your wishes and ideas, and also helps to measure how close you are to that goal.

Goals also serve as an incentive; when achieved, they boost self-confidence. Without goals, people can become aimless and waste a lot of energy. Whatever the goal is, (e.g. getting a raise, saving enough money for a vacation, completing a qualification) – achieving those goals makes us feel happy and confident.

The Importance of Goals in PowerPoint Presentations

Goal setting is also important in the context of PowerPoint presentations. This is because when you put a presentation together, there is an intention behind that presentation, whether it’s sales-oriented or purely informative. What is the purpose of your presentation? Why do you want to talk about a certain topic? Learning to define concrete objectives helps you create a really effective presentation around your goal.

Goals are also beneficial in these areas within presentations:

• Goals as a guide for the presentation process

Goals serve as a guide in the planning and creation of a PowerPoint presentation . They help structure the entire presentation process and ensure that all content, slides, and arguments align with the desired goals.

By defining clear goals, you can better plan the flow of the presentation and ensure that all relevant information is covered.

For more tips on how to prepare your presentations properly, you can also refer to the article “ Preparing Presentations: 11 Tips “.

• Goals to enhance clarity and effectiveness of your presentation

Defining goals significantly contributes to the clarity and effectiveness of your PowerPoint presentation . When you know exactly what goal you want to achieve with the presentation, you can select and present the content more purposefully.

Goals help avoid irrelevant information and focus on the essentials. This makes the presentation clearer and more concise , facilitating your audience’s understanding and absorption of the message.

• Goals as a guide for your audience

Goals also serve as a guide for the audience. When the audience is aware of the presentation’s goals, they can better understand what is expected and which information is relevant.

Goals help the audience recognize the underlying structure of the presentation and process the information more effectively. By defining clear goals, you ensure that your audience perceives the presentation as relevant and valuable and actively engages with it.

Bring Order into Chaos

You need to get clear and keep in mind why you want to give your presentation and what you want to achieve with it . A structured plan will help you to get chaotic thoughts in order. The ideal way of doing this is to use the SMART method . This article will go through what it entails and how to use it to set effective goals for your presentations.

Here are the steps to define your goals in PowerPoint presentations:

• Analyze the presentation context

The first step is to thoroughly analyze the presentation context . This includes considering the audience, occasion, time frame, and expectations of the presentation. Having a clear understanding of the context allows you to define goals that are appropriate and tailor the content and presentation style accordingly .

It is important to have a basic understanding of your target audience to adapt the presentation to them and choose goals accordingly. Read more in the article “ Target Audience Analysis”.

• Identify the main message

It is important to identify the main message of the presentation. What is the central statement or primary goal that needs to be conveyed? By establishing a clear main message, the presentation becomes focused and concise.

Learn how to identify, define, and communicate your main message in the article “ Developing Key Messages for Presentations “.

• Set specific goals

Building upon the main message, you can define specific goals. These goals should be clear, measurable, and realistic.

For example, a goal could be to convey specific information, promote certain behavior, or elicit a particular response from the audience. The goals should be aligned with effectively communicating the main message.

• Assess goal attainment possibilities

Before finalizing the goals, it is important to assess the possibilities of achieving them . Consider the available resources, time, and the presenter’s skills. It is important to set realistic goals that are achievable and do not exceed the scope of the presentation.

By carefully following these steps, a clear goal definition can be achieved in PowerPoint presentations, supporting the success of the presentation and achieving the desired impact.

Define Goals Optimally with Information Questions

Before we go into more detail about the principle of SMART goals, it’s useful to revisit some basic tips on the subject of goal definition. To be able to grow both professionally and personally, we need goals that help us to make progress. The same applies to companies: it is essential to define goals and to realize visions in order to grow.

Who is giving the presentation?

Even setting a goal can be a challenge. Setting a goal that is too high to reach, or too low to ensure progress, is counterproductive. A good way to help define goals is to ask information questions. When preparing a presentation, it’s really useful to ask yourself the following:

What topic are you covering?

Why this topic, exactly? What in particular do you have to say about it?

What does your audience expect from you?

How will you convey your key messages? How do you want your presentation to look; how can you optimize your slide design to help?

When are you going to give your presentation? Do you have enough time to prepare?

Where will your presentation be taking place? Does it have suitable equipment, such as a projector and screen?

Defining Goals with the SMART Formula

As mentioned above, the SMART method offers a solidly useful way to define goals.

SMART is an acronym for the following terms:

S – Specific : Formulate your goals precisely so that you know exactly what you want to achieve.

M – Measurable: Define clear criteria to measure your goals.

A – Attainable: Make sure your goals are achievable and can be practically implemented.

R – Relevant : Make sure your goals align with your overall vision.

T – Time-bound: Set a deadline for yourself.

Here’s an example of how to apply the SMART method in practice. We’re going to use the goal of “more Facebook fans”, which can obviously also be applied many other things.

1. The specific goal is to reach 50,000 fans.

2. This is measurable as Facebook counts your fans for you.

3. Since you already have 45,000 fans, this is a goal that is achievable. Sufficient funds and time are available for acquiring the additional 5,000.

4. This would benefit your company, since more fans ensure higher traffic.

5. This is scheduled and should be achieved by the end of the year.

SMART Method PowerPoint Templates

In order to help you define your goals as effectively as possible, we offer numerous templates around the topic of Smart working. These can help you to design a PowerPoint presentation around your goal easily and optimally. Our Smart Goals PowerPoint template slide set offers practical working aids, explanations and overviews around the Smart method, and checklists for defining goals and creating presentations.

WOOP – an Alternative to the SMART Method

Like the SMART method, the WOOP method, is an acronym intended as a tool for defining and achieving goals. The method was developed by Professor of Psychology Gabriele Oettingen. The individual letters stand for the following terms :

W – Wish: The starting point is defining what you want to achieve.

O – Outcome: The next step is to visualize the result. What will change if you implement your wish? Will your business be positively changed by the goal? Does thinking about this step fill you with the energy needed to implement it?

O – Obstacle : What are the obstacles that might prevent you from reaching that goal? This is when you identify and and all reasons that may keep you from achieving your goal.

P – Plan : Plan how you will break down these barriers and work consistently toward your goal.

Conclusion: Define Your Goals and Achieve Success!

We hope the above article, setting out really effective means such as the SMART method for defining goals, will mean you are optimally equipped for your next presentation. Get your next presentation in order with a structured plan, and persuade your audience without any difficulty.

If you have any questions about the SMART method and define goals, or about PowerPoint presentations in general, please don’t hesitate to contact us at [email protected] .

Other articles which may be of interest to you:

• Use Handouts to Enhance Your Presentations
• The best presentation structure: tips&tricks
• Create a PowerPoint Presentation: helpful tips

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