Introduction

The mind is a wonderful thing. It starts to work the minute you are born and never stops until you get up to speak in public.

—John Mason Brown, literary critic

Whether you’ve never presented before or are an in-demand experienced keynoter, this book, Presentation Essentials, is going to help you improve, laugh out loud, and say to yourself, “Oh yeah, I can do that!”

We’ve had a blast writing this book together because we understand all of the feelings you can experience when it comes to speaking: the adrenalin rush, the fear, the dry mouth, the anxiety you’re swept away in before you get up there, the confidence you feel after a successful presentation, and the sheer exhilaration of sharing your thoughts and ideas with others and seeing those light bulbs go off in the audience. Those “aha” moments you will witness and feel from your audiences (large or small) are worth a million dollars.

This book is not only a how to do a presentation type of book, it’s also a what to do book for when you’re preparing, when you make a mistake in front of everyone, when you need to understand and calm your fears. It includes ways to add zing to every presentation you deliver going forward—novice or seasoned presenter alike. This book is full of tips, tools, and techniques you need to captivate your audience, deliver your story with passion, and make your message more memorable and authentic. That’s how success stories are born. It’s how we build relationships. Solid gold presentations are essential for our present and future success, entrepreneurial startups, and million-dollar contracts. Presentations are also essential for everyday living. The truth is that almost every time we speak, we are presenting. Whether you’re coaching your son or daughter in math, asking for a favor, explaining to your team what comes next in the big scheme of things, raising capital for your business, or putting your most charming self forward to ask for that date you’ve been wanting with someone special. It’s all in the presentation!

In Presentation Essentials you’ll find concise tips scattered throughout and two vital assessments you’ll want to be part of and take over again after you’ve tried out our suggestions. We think they will help you to evaluate and chart your progress following each presentation you deliver or help others to sharpen their presentation skills, as well. In other words, this book contains valuable information you’ll be able to refer to repeatedly as your presentation skill set develops, strengthens, and grows.

HOW TO USE THIS BOOK

This book is split into three distinct parts, each detailing important features that go into planning, crafting, and, finally, presenting your message. In Part I, “The Essentials,” we break down what goes into a winning presentation. Chapter 1 covers how to overcome any hesitation you may be experiencing so you can concentrate on delivering a great presentation. In Chapter 2, you’ll discover the fundamental structure to follow when creating your presentation. In Chapter 3, we discuss the different kinds of presentations and why you may need to make each one.

Part II, “The Essentials Applied,” begins with a self-assessment for you to take inventory of your talents and strengths you now bring to the table. You’ll also discover the challenges and new opportunities you’ll want to improve on. This assessment is essential to all of the lessons in this book. It will help you calibrate your comfort zone, give you insights to what you enjoy and don’t enjoy, and provide you with perspective on your various levels of presentation skills development.

Following the assessment, Chapter 4 explains the makeup of a powerful presentation and introduces the concept of the Big Idea Statement, the foundation on which your presentation is built. Next up is Chapter 5, which discusses storytelling and why it’s so important. Chapter 6 examines presentation openers and why they are the make-or-break moments for you. Imagery plays a vital role in conveying a message of a presentation, and we cover this in Chapter 7. Chapter 8 reveals the secret weapon of a memorable presentation: the catchphrase or one-liner. In Chapter 9, we cover why you want to end your presentation with a memorable closer like a story or a powerful quote. In Chapter 10, we dive deep into delivering engaging and memorable online presentations. Chapter 11 focuses on helping you develop your individual signature style by channeling the best parts of your personality and amplifying them to leave a lasting impression on your audience. Wrapping up Part II is Chapter 12, which covers the fundamentals of presenting a formal speech.

Part III, “Beyond the Essentials,” opens with Chapter 13, where we discuss the pros and cons of pursuing a career as a professional presenter. Chapter 14 talks more about establishing a relationship with the audience. We then close with our Presentation Essentials Toolkit, a collection of useful tips and tools we’ve developed to help you along your way to presentation greatness.

In our ordinary, everyday interactions—from the barista brewing our morning coffee to the parent-teacher conference we attend, and even all the way to those awesome and sometimes bizarre social media video clips we love to watch—we tell the world who we are by the way we present and share our ideas. Life is one big presentation, like it or not.

THE GIFT THAT KEEPS ON GIVING

If you break down the word “presentation,” you’ll clearly see the word “present,” which is exactly what you should be giving your audience. Your message is your gift to the listener; whether you’re informing, instructing, persuading, or entertaining, you are there to transmit information—our goal is to help you do that effectively, positively, and memorably.

And because life is all one giant performance, we’re constantly being judged. In about three seconds or less, those on the receiving end of what we’re saying are forming their first opinions of us, our competencies, and our capabilities to serve them or be a part of their decision-making process. It’s human nature, and we all do it.

We rarely get a second chance to make that first impression. So it’s very important to always be prepared and ready to grab every opportunity to make a positive impact on others, particularly with a planned presentation, demonstration, speech, or address. Nothing is more cringeworthy than a presentation that is not authentic; it’s impersonal, untrustworthy, and fake, and above all it is a poor imitation of the real thing. Our emotional intelligence—our ability to form connections, have empathy for others, and be vulnerable and courageous—is what sets dynamic presenters apart from the rest and makes them the authentic deal to their audience.