Handouts are usually a distraction during the presentation, but can be a good reminder for after the presentation. During the presentation you want people focusing on you and what your team has to say. Handouts encourage them to be reading ahead and not listening. If handouts are an integral part of the discussion, then hand them out as they are needed. Highlighting areas you want them to focus on is helpful.
An agenda is a good handout for the leader to give each person when he starts his schmoozing. It’s a good excuse for the schmooze and it looks good as you cover everyone. The agenda can also have the names of your team members on it and their role / expertise / position.
A parting handout loaded with pictures, numbers, names, and details can be valuable. You can also fill it with points of their interests - not yours. Make it sort of a mini summary in living color - sort of a brochure. Remember they already have a written proposal.
Handout copies of the PowerPoint presentation only if someone asks for it. Ask for their email address and email the presentation - unless you feel there could be a competitive threat.
Click here for the complete C-Level Proposals and Presentations
You have two great points here: #1 is the subject of the article, which I learned the hard way many years ago. If you hand something out you lose the attention of the attendees. #2 is something I've never thought of and it's to hand out the agenda during the "schmoozing." That is brilliant.
Posted by: Wes Schaeffer | May 10, 2009 at 04:07 PM