Communicate Like a Pro: Using the 7 C’s to Deliver Engaging Presentations
In any presentation, whether to an executive board, a class, or a team, effective communication is critical to delivering your message clearly and making a lasting impact. The “7 C’s” of effective communication—Clear, Concise, Concrete, Correct, Coherent, Complete, and Courteous—are guiding principles to keep your audience engaged, informed, and ready to take action. Below, we’ll explore each principle with examples to help you understand what works well and what to avoid.
1. Clear
Advice:
• Define your purpose clearly at the beginning. Avoid ambiguity by using straightforward language.
Good Example:
• “Today, I’ll be discussing three ways to streamline our workflow.”
Bad Example:
• “I want to touch on a few things we can probably do better.”
Why it’s bad: This lacks specificity, leaving the audience unsure of the main topic.
2. Concise
Advice:
• Limit each slide to one idea and cut filler words.
Good Example:
• “Let’s move directly to the results of our recent survey.”
Bad Example:
• “Basically, we’ll be sort of moving towards the survey results, which I believe are somewhat helpful.”
Why it’s bad: Excessive filler language muddles the message and slows the pace.
3. Concrete
Advice:
• Use specific examples and data rather than general statements.
Good Example:
• “This new feature will reduce user issues by 25%, as shown in our beta testing data.”
Bad Example:
• “This has been effective in many cases.”
Why it’s bad: This is too vague and doesn’t give the audience a tangible takeaway.
4. Correct
Advice:
• Double-check your facts and tailor technical language to the audience.
Good Example:
• “Based on our latest research, we’ve identified a significant trend in consumer preferences.”
Bad Example:
• “We’ve seen a lot of consumer changes, I think, according to what we know so far.”
Why it’s bad: Uncertain language like “I think” undermines credibility, and “what we know so far” sounds vague.
5. Coherent
Advice:
• Organise your presentation logically and use transitions.
Good Example:
• “We’ll begin by examining the problem, then look at our proposed solution, and finally, review the expected outcomes.”
Bad Example:
• “First, let’s talk about the problem. Later, we’ll see if we can find a solution, and I’ll discuss some outcomes somewhere in there.”
Why it’s bad: This lacks logical flow and makes the structure sound confusing.
6. Complete
Advice:
• Include all necessary details like who, what, where, and when, and offer a clear call to action.
Good Example:
• “After this presentation, I encourage you to review the attached document for additional insights on this topic.”
Bad Example:
• “Check the document when you can, it has more info.”
Why it’s bad: This doesn’t clarify what information is in the document or why it’s important.
7. Courteous
Advice:
• Use polite language and acknowledge different viewpoints.
Good Example:
• “Thank you all for your attention and thoughtful questions throughout.”
Bad Example:
• “I hope you’re following so far. Let’s move on quickly.”
Why it’s bad: This comes across as impatient and doesn’t encourage engagement.
Applying the 7 C’s in Real-Life Presentations
By being clear and concise, you make it easier for listeners to follow. By ensuring correctness, concreteness, and coherence, you hold their interest. Completeness and courtesy invite engagement and leave a strong impression.
Course Update: Deep Dive into the 7 C’s
Ready to apply the 7 C’s beyond presentations? I have updated my Udemy course on Master Clear and Concise Communication for Professionals with a section on how to apply the 7 C's to spoken and written communication, mainly focusing in emailing.
In addition to the 7 C’s, this course dives into practical techniques that enhance clarity and conciseness, with a particular focus on sentence structure. You’ll learn to:
• Craft sentences using active voice, making your statements direct and engaging.
• Eliminate redundancies, qualifiers, and complex noun phrases to sharpen your communication.
• Improve sentence structure for flow and ease of understanding, crucial in presentations.
Plus, the course includes practical worksheets and real-world case studies that allow you to apply these concepts in realistic settings. You’ll gain hands-on experience, enabling you to turn theoretical skills into confident, practical communication habits.
Elevate your communication skills across emails, reports, and presentations—get ready to transform your delivery!
What’s the biggest challenge you face when giving presentations?
Staying Clear and Concise
Engaging the Audience
Structuring my content logically
Managing time and pacing
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