Years ago, I learned Peter Drucker’s three key questions:

#1 — What is your business?
#2 — Who is your customer?
#3 — What does your customer consider value?

Recently, while I was leading a small group through an intensive two-day presentations skills training session, I remembered those questions, and came up with a “parallel” list for speakers/presenters:

#1 – Who is your audience?
#2 – What is their challenge? — (or, issue, or question, or problem, or concern)?
#3 – What is your message? (maybe, your message of solution)?

It seems to me that when we fail, we usually fail by failing to get the basics right. The basics are clear; simple (not simplistic – but simple). These questions will help you get the basics right.