The “3 Watt Strategy”: How to Make Your Next Presentation Unforgettable

Every professional knows the pressure of preparing a presentation for a leadership audience. You have data, insights, and recommendations—but how do you guarantee your message lands and drives action? Over the years, I’ve evolved and learned a lot. One piece of advice I heard stuck with me. I call it the “3 watt strategy.” It helps cut through the noise and deliver presentations that truly matter. This approach centers on three core questions: WHAT, SO WHAT, and NOW WHAT. Let’s break it down and see how it works in the real world.

What is the “3 Watt Strategy”?

The “3-watt strategy” is a simple yet powerful way to structure your presentation. It draws inspiration from frameworks like “SCR“, which we already talked about. These frameworks are proven to make your message clear, relevant, and actionable.

Here’s how it works:

• WHAT: Start by clearly explaining what you’re presenting—the facts, data, or situation.
• SO WHAT: Next, answer why it matters. Why should your audience care? What’s at stake?
• NOW WHAT: Finally, outline the call to action. What should we do next? What steps should leadership take?

Why Does the “3 Watt Strategy” Work?

Too often, presentations get bogged down in details, leaving leadership confused or unsure about next steps. The “3-watt strategy” forces you to be clear, concise, and compelling. It’s a storytelling framework that connects data to business impact, driving informed decision-making. By answering these three questions, you guide your audience through a logical journey. They move from understanding the facts to seeing the implications. Finally, they take action.

Practical Example: Persuading Leadership to Reduce General & Administrative Expenses

Let’s say you’re a finance leader tasked with convincing your executive team to reduce General & Administrative (G&A) expenses. Here’s how the “3 watt strategy” would work in practice:

WHAT: The Facts

You present data indicating that G&A expenses exceed industry benchmarks in certain categories. Specific departments and internal processes drive most of the excess. You use a clear comparison chart to highlight which areas are out of line.

SO WHAT: Why It Matters

You explain that high G&A expenses are eating into profit margins, making the company less competitive. If left unchecked, this will impact our ability to invest in growth, reward employees, or respond to market challenges.

NOW WHAT: The Call to Action

You recommend specific actions, including renegotiating contracts with outsourced suppliers, streamlining internal processes, and conducting quarterly reviews to track progress. You ask leadership to approve these initiatives and assign clear ownership for implementation.

Summary

Your presentation is more than just numbers when you use the “3 watt strategy.” It’s a story with a clear beginning, middle, and end. It keeps your audience engaged, makes your message memorable, and drives action. Whether you’re presenting to the board, a leadership team, or your own department, this approach will help you deliver results.

Next time you prepare a presentation, try the “3 watt strategy.” You will be amazed at the increased impact you can make. It is also much easier to get leadership to act.

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