Contents
Plan well.
Know your audience and build empathy.
Understand the Audience’s Power
Your idea’s fate is in their hands.
Focus on who matters most.
Present Clearly and Concisely to Senior Executives
Help them make big decisions on a tight schedule.
It’s easier to convince someone you know.
Define How You’ll Change the Audience
What do you want people to believe? How do you want them to behave?
Resonate through empathy.
Develop persuasive content.
Clearly state your point of view—and what’s at stake.
Generate Content to Support the Big Idea
When you’re brainstorming, more is more.
Think through opposing perspectives.
Amplify Your Message Through Contrast
Create and resolve tension.
Build an Effective Call to Action
Get things done!
Sort and filter.
Outline your presentation by writing clear, active slide titles that hang together.
Balance Analytical and Emotional Appeal
Stay credible while you reel people in.
Is your language clear enough to pass the “grandmother test”?
Good ones get repeated, tweeted, and heeded.
Use storytelling principles and structure to engage your audience.
Make your presentation stick.
Storytelling principles provide a framework.
Establish the gap between what is and what could be.
Build tension between what is and what could be.
Describe the new bliss.
Decisions are not made by facts alone.
Memorable themes help rally an audience.
Create Something They’ll Always Remember
Drive your big idea home.
Identify the best modes for communicating your message.
Choose the Right Vehicle for Your Message
Slide decks aren’t always the answer.
Make the Most of Slide Software
It’s not just for slides.
Determine the Right Length for Your Presentation
Keep your audience engaged by budgeting your time.
Communicate before, during, and after your presentation.
Mixing in experts and media holds interest.
Conceptualize and simplify the display of information.
Visuals should convey meaning.
Create Slides People Can “Get” in Three Seconds
Do they pass the glance test?
Choose the Right Type of Slide
Bullets aren’t the only tool.
Plan before you create.
Make your slides stand out.
Arrange Slide Elements with Care
Make your visuals easier to process.
Emphasize what’s important, remove the rest.
Use shapes to show relationships.
Use the Right Number of Slides
Size up your situation before building your deck.
. . . and when it’s overkill.
Deliver your presentation authentically.
Roll with the unexpected and fully engage with the audience.
Control them when you can.
Anticipate Technology Glitches
Odds of malfunction are high.
Exercises to calm your nerves.
Set the Right Tone for Your Talk
You never get a second chance to make a first impression.
Authenticity connects you to others.
Physical expression is a powerful tool.
Create contrast and emphasis.
Make Your Stories Come to Life
Re-experience them in the telling.
Work Effectively with Your Interpreter
Pay attention to chemistry, pacing, and cultural resonance.
Plan, plan, plan.
Build Trust with a Remote Audience
Get past technology’s barriers.
Keep Remote Listeners Interested
You’re fighting for the attention of multitaskers.
Keep Your Remote Presentation Running Smoothly
Use this checklist to minimize annoyances.
Measure—and increase—your presentation’s impact on your audience.
Build Relationships Through Social Media
Engage with users so they’ll engage fully and fairly with your ideas.
Spread Your Ideas with Social Media
Facilitate the online conversation.
Gauge Whether You’ve Connected with People
Gather feedback in real time and after your talk.
Make it easier for people to put your ideas into action.