The Art Of Making A Brilliant Presentation
Open with something completely unexpected
The first 30 seconds to one minute, are crucial in a presentation. That's when your audience is sizing you up and you set expectations. If you are unable to capture the attention of the audience during that critical time, you have an uphill task of redeeming your presentation.
"Truth be told, I never graduated from college, and this is the closest I've ever gotten to a college graduation. Today, I want to tell you three stories from my life. That's it, no big deal—just three stories. The first story is about connecting the dots. I dropped out of Reed College after the first six months, but then stayed around as a drop-in for another eighteen months or so before I really quit. So why'd I drop out? It started before I was born."
Please see link to the video of the speech- http://vimeo.com/7976699
Create a strong story line and use pictures to tell your story
The human brain has remarkable abilities to craft stories out of personal experiences and relate it to visual cues.
That's why when you have a story to share, audiences can relate to it, instantly.
The picture here says it all. You don't have to describe 'Loyalty'; the image does it for you.
Less is More
Nothing dampens a presentation, as much as unending slides.
When in doubt, keep your presentation shorter than you would, otherwise.
De-clutter your slides
Try projecting it. You will need to walk up to the screen and then use a magnifying glass to see what's on the screen. Remember, you are not there to antagonize the audience! A font size of over 20 usually works, depending on the size of the room.
Engage your audience
Ask questions, show pictures, engage the audience, in your own way.
Your objective is not to say your piece and exit. It is to achieve the purpose of making the presentation, in the first place.
Appeal to emotions
Emotions get our attention and audiences tend to retain emotionally charged content long after the presentation. Audiences seldom identify with a presentation devoid of emotional appeal. Find the right emotion to appeal to and make your pitch accordingly.
Don't let the means become the end
So what do you do then? Change what you have to say on the spot to quickly address what key participants are looking for and minimize reliance on the slides.
Maintain eye contact
A good presentation is all about preparation and inspiration
As Thomas Edison once said, ‘Genius is one percent inspiration and 99 percent perspiration'. In a presentation, inspiration gives you the perspective while preparation gives you the edge. But, no matter how good you are at presentations, there is no substitute for rigorous preparation and multiple rehearsals.
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Many of you would have made some brilliant presentations yourself. It would be interesting to know your experiences and what worked for you. Please feel free to share your thoughts.
Picture courtesy: Stanford University; Walter Isaacson
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