How to Make More Effective Presentations

©2013 @MIKETRAP, LLC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

Effective Presentations JUNE 17, 2013 • INTELLIGENT.LY


@miketrap #How2Present

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It’s almost a cliché…

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We want more of this. We make more of this.


Most presentations suck.

•  Suck to sit through as audience member. •  Fail to achieve intended result. •  Problem goes beyond slide design. •  Form follows function. •  Here’s how you can do better.

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Top 10 Tips

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10. Have a point.

•  Sound obvious? •  Point of the last presentation you saw?

How about the 3 before that? •  Most presentations are about as specific

and conclusive as the phone book.

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Why are you presenting?

To change what a group of people thinks, feels, or does

about something specific.

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The Point Meeting Objective

To make you a more effective presenter.

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Communications 101

Current State

Desired State Support

Key Thought


9. Start with structure.

•  What substantive argument will get them from Point A to Point B?

•  What is the logical progression of that argument over the course of n slides?

•  Start there, and you’re halfway home.

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Here’s How

•  Create an "Agenda" slide that lists each section of the presentation, based on your logical argument.

•  Stack the section headers. •  Make a copy for each section, to

indicate the start of each section.

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Agenda

The Setup The Rules Questions & Answers The Exercise Conclusion

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The Setup


Agenda


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The Rules


8. Show their progress.

•  Creates a spine for your presentation.

•  Gives audience a sense of where they've been, where they are, where they're going.

•  Makes us feel good. We all want to move forward, make progress. Puts us at ease.

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7. Tell them 3 times.

•  Media is bought on reach and frequency. – Target needs a message 3x before it sticks.

•  Tell them what you’re going to say, tell them, and tell them what you said. – Meeting Objectives states the point – Agenda reinforces the progression – Conclusion re-states both

•  A little repetition of key ideas is a good thing.

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6. Entertain, Inform, Promote.

•  In that order of priority. – Guy Kawasaki thing. Served me well.

•  NO PRE-ROLL. – Rude, good way to become a presenter

people want to see less of.

•  Draw them in, with a little... zip.

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5. Start strong.

•  Consider starting with what people really want from a speaker: A story. – Stories are universal, accessible, engaging.

•  But an anecdote or even an idealized fiction that people can relate to immediately. – Not some joke, unrelated to your point.

•  Entertain and inform simultaneously, a tough combination to beat.

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4. Have good slides.

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http://amzn.to/19drEgz


Louis CK

•  I don't stop eating when I'm full. •  The meal isn't over when I'm full. •  It's over when I hate myself.

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Louis CK

“It’s over when I hate myself.”

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3. Show the punchline.

•  You > Your Slides – Don’t stand there and read them. Please.

•  Relax, and talk. Pretend you’re a person. Talk to individual people, all around the room.

•  Use each slide to emphasize a single idea in the flow of your pitch. – A cue for the audience about what’s important.

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2. Keep it short.

•  Have an hour? Speak for 40 minutes. Half hour? Talk for 20.

•  Got 5 minutes? Build your "Agenda" slide one header at a time, and spend a half a minute explaining what's most important in each section. Then ask for questions.

•  Your goal is not to get through your slides. It's to move individual people in your audience from Point A to Point B.

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1. Practice.

•  No matter how good your presentation is, practice will help you refine it.

•  No matter how experienced a presenter you are, practice will make you smoother and more relaxed come game time.

•  Great decks are honed over time…

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Copy comedians.

http://amzn.to/17T2INI


What to take away…

•  Have a point. •  Start with structure. •  Show their progress. •  Tell them 3 times. •  Entertain, Inform,

Promote.

•  Start strong. •  Have good slides. •  Show the punchline. •  Keep it short. •  Practice.

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Agenda

The Setup The Rules Q&A The Exercise Conclusion

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Questions & Answers


Agenda


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The Exercise

thank you. @miketrap

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How to Make More Effective Presentations