To the outside observer, the way some businesses are valued can sometimes seem arbitrary and vague. Through some combination of efficiency, paying customers, employees, etc., we assess a dollar figure on what is really an intangible entity. As people in the space will tell you, a business is really only worth what someone will pay for it.
The development and delivery of presentations requires a set of procedures, processes and resources that function collectively much like a business does. Multiple people contribute along the way, and usually a presentation produces a result that can be measured, though this is not always a cut and dry area.
Many businesses gain value not so much from the uniqueness of their systems and processes, but from the way those systems and processes work together to produce a result. In the presentation world, the majority of presenters are using Evernote, Keynote, PowerPoint, Wunderlist, content from various books, and other resources to develop their materials. These tools are not unique to the presenters, but each individual uses them to greater or lesser effect.
When you think about your presentations, how much do you think they are worth? How much are you worth, as the “point guard” for the whole process? Some presenters fetch $15,000, $30,000 or even more just to come and talk. Are your ideas—and the way you present them—worth it? If not, should they be? Could they be?
Every presenter has the opportunity to expand their reach and influence. It’s never easy, and rarely clear, how to do so. But just like building a business, the foundation is a clear picture of what the result will be. Then it’s all about execution.
Question: How could treating your presentation activities more like a business help you produce a better result?
