This document provides tips for perfecting client presentations. It recommends that presentations should motivate the audience to take action, either by buying a product or supporting an idea. Presentations should use slides to reinforce what is being said rather than repeat it verbatim. Visuals like images are more memorable than words. The presentation should be kept short and start by describing the problem before offering the solution. Above all, presentations need to be practiced.
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Volkswagon’s “The Force” commercial has to date received almost 42 million views on YouTube. The number of written or spoken words during the one minute ad: 9 (not including disclaimer copy or logo).\n
JFK’s speech ignited a dream. He didn’t use any slides.\n
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Your slides aren’t your cue cards.\n
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Know what you’re going to say before your audience does.\n
People can read faster than you can talk. Your job to to engage the audience and establish a relationship. You can’t do that if your audience is bored or busy not listening to you. (photo by Stephanie Booth)\n
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If all you want to do is present facts and figures, then file a report. The point of a presentation is to sell your idea.\n
Your presentation is to make the emotional sell. A leave-behind document is for the logical sell.\n
“The way that ideas are conveyed the most effectively is through story.” -Nancy Duarte\n\nSeth Godin uses hundreds of image slides to keep his audience captivated:\nhttp://www.ted.com/talks/lang/eng/seth_godin_on_the_tribes_we_lead.html\n
Choose meaningful and powerful images. This takes a lot of time and thought, but it will have more impact than clipart.\n
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“I’ve never heard a pitch that was too short.” -Guy Kawasaki\n
“Your solution is not my problem.” -Dave McClure.\n
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Where do we go from here? You’re there for the sell, so don’t forget the call to action. (photo by “bound_4_freedom”)\n
Pretty good isn’t good enough. Practice on new people, every day.\n
Continue to gain ideas and perfect your presentation. There are countless resources available online. Sometimes the best way to learn is to simply observe -- at TED.com.\n