Making presentations - you might love it, you might hate it, but it's a fact of corporate life. Many of you are asked to give presentations. We do it to persuade, to teach, or simply to tell a story. Whatever your goal is, here are three handy rules for making your next presentation really great.
1. Get Help.
Death by PowerPoint. We've all been there. We don't want to return.
This is your goal: Meet Henry.
If you can't do this alone, call for backup.
2. Watch Steve Jobs.
The ultimate presenter, Steve understands about "one thing". Just tell them one thing. He tells his story well. "Sell the sizzle, not the steak."
Don't say "Hey, we have a new music playing device with dual core processor that links to your hard drive."
Say "The iPod - bring your music everywhere".
3. But Be Yourself.
Okay, you've designed some great slides, you've edited down to the core, and now you are ready to rehearse. For many folks, this is the hardest part and the piece they avoid. AT YOUR PERIL. Being unrehearsed is like wearing the perfect dress and shoes but forgetting to comb your hair. It ruins the whole picture. We often avoid this step because we are nervous. Okay, I get that. But rehearsing will allow you to be less nervous when you get up to the podium. Once you get started, your talk will start to flow, just out of sheer repetition.
When you speak, do it from the heart. The best presentations are really conversations. Talk to people as if you were sitting in their living room. This is what I mean, this is something I feel passionately about, this is how it affects you.
Just remember: Be focused. Be passionate. Be yourself.
Oh, and one more thing. It's good to have a sense of theater.
Pauline
Live from Omicron Persei 8.
No comments:
Post a Comment