The Killer Presentation: Where Lincoln Meets Steve Jobs

5 Ways To Deliver a Killer Presentation

In a world of tweeting, texting, acronyms, and e-mail; our communication has been diluted down to a mere 160 characters.  While being concise and exercising brevity is a way to save time; what happens when you are asked to give a presentation in front of a few hundred people, or even a high profile interview?  Not every presentation is a formal, structured event; this blog entry will give you several tips on how to structure your 'presentation' to deliver the greatest impact, regardless of the audience or scenario.  It will not focus on which support tools to use (i.e. PowerPoint, Prezi, etc.), simply how to deliver your message.

1. The Lincoln Effect

Ok, so I have to admit that I am a bit obsessive when it comes to the legacy of Abraham Lincoln.  Without being formally educated, and in the face of severe failure and tragedy, Lincoln still became (in my opinion) the greatest American President to ever live, and a historical figure that stands for great change and progress.  The reason that step one is called the 'Lincoln Effect' is because of his unique ability to concisely deliver a powerful message, and then use silence as a tool, not a crutch.  Below you will find a link to the Gettysburg Address; one of the greatest overall speeches in American history.

http://www.abrahamlincolnonline.org/lincoln/speeches/gettysburg.htm

In 263 words (yes, I counted) President Lincoln manages to honor the fallen soldiers at Gettysburg, provide perspective on the perils of the Civil War, express supreme disapproval for slavery and declare that the democratic process shall not falter.  Then he walked off and allowed the words to resonate instead of continue talking - silence.  Most of us cannot concisely communicate what we want from the grocery store in 263 words.  Be brief and use silence as your ally.  If your message is powerful enough, you do not need to continue talking.  

Key takeaway:  For all of you Twitter fans, your presentation message should be summed up in the equivalent of a Twitter headline.

     2.  Tell a Story

This is one of those presentation attributes that exists in every book on the topic of presenting, and for good reason.  A good, relevant story connects with your audience, captivates their attention and makes it memorable.  Bring levity to a situation, even if it is a serious presentation, by telling a brand, personal, or customer related story.  The important thing here is that you want to make the story relevant.  As you prepare for your interview, presentation, or meeting, chose the three points that you want to communicate to deliver the most impact with your audience. This way you have a baseline to turn at least one of the impact points into an engaging story.  In my experience, people like personal stories - it allows them to connect with the presenter and engage on a personal level.  Also, connect your story to powerful images.  Providing these images in direct correlation to your story will engage auditory learners similar to those who prefer visual stimuli.

     3.  Introduce a Villain

All great stories have a hero and a villain right?  Steve Jobs was a master at doing this in his presentations. The villain can be a business problem, and inefficiency, the weather, a competitor, etc.  Using a hero/villain narrative can be very engaging; below is an example from the master himself:

In 2007, why did the world need another version of the iPhone at a higher price than before?  Jobs set up the narrative by introducing a villain, a problem that needed to be solved:  

"Regular cell phones are not so smart and they are not so easy to use.  Smartphones are a little smarter, but are hard to use.  They are really complicated...we want to make a leapfrog product, way smarter than any mobile device has ever been and super easy to use.  This is what iPhone is". 

He was very simply able to present the villain, validate the problem and present the solution in three sentences - the world now needed another iPhone! 

     4.  Be Unexpected

We have all seen the movie The Sixth Sense, right?  Well if you have not, I recommend you go out and rent it. The ending was so unexpected that it had people talking for weeks, months and even years after the film - Bruce Willis was ..... go rent it, I won't spoil it.

Why can't your presentation be like that?  Add an element of mystique or intrigue and you will have people talking for days after your presentation.  Again, it is all about relevance; however, no matter what your subject matter - there is always a more creative way to present it.  While I like to consider myself a "right" and "left" brain oriented person, my "right" brain is not quite as creative as some of the amazingly talented people out there.  Regardless of your discipline or topic, don't be afraid to ask someone with a background in liberal arts or marketing to review your presentation and suggest delivery and/or style options.  Also, don't be afraid to try something new!  Status quo typically equates to boring.  If you find the right mix, your hint of unexpected will equate to a memorable experience for your audience

     5.  Be Passionate With the Rule of 3

So this is last, but certainly not least!  You can prepare for days, do one million mock presentations in your bathroom mirror, but remember two things:

• You are the expert.  People are coming to hear you speak so don't be afraid to communicate your thoughts with a passionate inflection and enthusiastic presence. Understand your audience, and adjust according; however, don't sacrifice your passion.

• No matter how many times you have rehearsed, it is the first time your audience is hearing it! Don't go through the motions and sacrifice passion.  Even if you are nervous or forget to mention something, you are the only one that knows.  Keep moving and be passionate.

Finally, utilize the Rule of 3.  Steve jobs understood that the number 3 was one of the most powerful numbers in communication.  A list of 3 is more intriguing than a list of 2, and easier to remember than 30.  Try to structure your presentation into three sections (regardless of presentation length) and try to keep the list of important attributes for each to 3.  It is an interesting concept and it works!  I would recommend picking up Steve Job's book to learn more.

Conclusion

I hope these tips were helpful.  It makes presenting more fun, relaxed and certainly more memorable.  The final tip is to have fun.  Presenting is a fun experience and should be embraced.  If you use these tactics, you will find that you are more excited to present; if for nothing else, to see how the audience receives the different tactics you deliver.