Presenting to Win

1. Master the art of storytelling to persuade and move your audience

Every communication has as its goal to take the audience from where they are at the start of your presentation, which is Point A, and move them to your objective, which is Point B.

Storytelling is persuasion. A powerful presentation is not just about conveying information; it's about moving your audience from Point A to Point B. This journey involves understanding, believing, and ultimately acting on your message. To achieve this, focus on:

• Clarity: Ensure your main point (Point B) is crystal clear
• Structure: Organize your ideas logically
• Benefits: Show how your message serves the audience's interests
• Engagement: Use anecdotes, analogies, and vivid examples

Avoid common pitfalls. Many presentations fail due to:

• No clear point
• No audience benefit
• Confusing flow
• Too much detail
• Excessive length

By mastering storytelling techniques, you can create presentations that are not only informative but also compelling and memorable.

2. Focus on your audience's needs and benefits (WIIFY)

For people to act on anything, they must have a reason to act, and the reason must be theirs, not yours.

WIIFY: What's In It For You? This crucial concept shifts the focus from the presenter to the audience. Every element of your presentation should answer the question: "Why should the audience care?" To implement WIIFY effectively:

• Identify your audience's primary interests and concerns
• Translate features of your product/service into specific benefits for the audience
• Use "WIIFY triggers" to constantly link your content to audience benefits:
  • "This is important to you because..."
  • "What does this mean to you?"
  • "Why am I telling you this?"

Audience Advocacy. Put yourself in your audience's shoes. Understand their background, knowledge level, and potential biases. This approach helps you:

• Tailor your content to their needs
• Anticipate and address potential objections
• Create a connection that makes your message more persuasive

By consistently focusing on WIIFY, you ensure that your presentation remains relevant and engaging to your audience.

3. Organize your presentation with a clear flow structure

It's less important which Flow Structure you choose than that you make a choice.

Choose a logical structure. A well-organized presentation helps your audience follow your argument effortlessly. There are 16 flow structures to choose from, including:

1. Chronological: Organize ideas along a timeline
2. Problem/Solution: Present a problem and your solution
3. Opportunity/Leverage: Describe a business opportunity and how to capitalize on it
4. Comparison/Contrast: Compare your offering with alternatives

Implement your chosen structure. Once you've selected a flow structure:

• Use it to organize your main points (Roman Columns)
• Ensure each section naturally leads to the next
• Provide clear transitions between sections
• Reinforce the structure throughout your presentation

Check your flow. Use tools like the Storyboard Form to visualize your presentation's structure. Ensure you can trace the logic of your entire presentation by reading only the slide titles.

By implementing a clear flow structure, you make it easy for your audience to follow your argument and reach your desired conclusion.

4. Capture your audience immediately with a powerful opening

You never get a second chance to make a first impression.

The power of the first 90 seconds. The beginning of your presentation is crucial for capturing your audience's attention and setting the tone. Use this time to:

1. Deliver an Opening Gambit: A striking statement or question to grab attention
2. Present your Unique Selling Proposition (USP): A concise summary of your offering
3. Provide Proof of Concept: A compelling fact that validates your USP
4. State your Point B: Your clear call to action

Opening Gambit options:

• Question: Engage the audience directly
• Factoid: Present a surprising statistic or fact
• Anecdote: Tell a brief, relevant story
• Quotation: Use a powerful, relevant quote
• Analogy: Compare your topic to something familiar

Tell 'em what you're gonna tell 'em. After your opening, provide a brief overview of your presentation structure. This "forest view" helps your audience understand the journey you're taking them on.

By mastering your opening, you set the stage for a successful presentation and immediately engage your audience.

5. Design effective visuals that support, not overshadow, your message

The slides or other graphics are there to support the presenter, not the other way around.

Presenter Focus. Your slides should complement, not dominate, your presentation. Key principles for effective visuals:

1. Less is More: Simplify your slides, removing unnecessary elements
2. Minimize Eye Sweeps: Reduce the number of times viewers must scan across the slide
3. Use appropriate graphic types:
   • Pictorial: Photos, sketches, icons
   • Relational: Tables, matrices, hierarchies
   • Text: Bullets (headlines, not sentences)
   • Numeric: Charts and graphs

Design guidelines:

• Limit text to 4-6 lines per slide, 4-5 words per line
• Use consistent fonts, colors, and styles throughout
• Ensure high contrast between text and background
• Incorporate your company logo subtly

Avoid the Presentation-as-Document Syndrome. Don't use your slides as handouts or speaker notes. Create separate documents for these purposes.

By following these principles, you create visuals that enhance your message without distracting from it, keeping the focus on you as the presenter.

6. Bring your story to life through verbalization and practice

The only way to prepare a Power Presentation is to speak it aloud, just as you will on the day of your actual presentation.

Verbalization is key. Speaking your presentation aloud during preparation is crucial for:

• Crystallizing your ideas
• Improving flow and logical connections
• Identifying weak points or areas needing clarification
• Building confidence and familiarity with the material

Practice techniques:

1. Spaced Learning: Rehearse multiple times over several days, allowing for reflection and refinement
2. Real-time run-throughs: Practice your entire presentation as if it were the actual event
3. Record yourself: Listen to or watch recordings to identify areas for improvement

Use effective language:

• Avoid weak phrases like "I think" or "We believe"
• Use active voice instead of passive
• Incorporate internal linkages to connect different parts of your presentation:
  • Reference your flow structure
  • Use logical transitions
  • Cross-reference earlier points
  • Employ rhetorical questions

By verbalizing and practicing thoroughly, you internalize your content, improving your delivery and overall presentation effectiveness.

7. Customize your presentation for each specific audience

Create the illusion of the first time, every time.

Tailor your message. Even if you're delivering similar content multiple times, customize each presentation to make it feel fresh and relevant. Use External Linkages to connect with your specific audience:

1. Direct Reference: Mention audience members by name
2. Mutual Reference: Refer to shared connections or experiences
3. Ask Questions: Engage the audience directly
4. Contemporize: Reference current events or trends
5. Localize: Mention relevant local information
6. Data: Provide up-to-date statistics or facts
7. Customized Opening Graphic: Include audience-specific information in your first slide

Preparation strategies:

• Research your audience in advance
• Arrive early to mingle and gather information
• Stay current on industry news and trends
• Be prepared to adjust your content based on audience feedback

Be in the moment. Focus intensely on your audience during the presentation, incorporating real-time observations and interactions into your delivery.

By customizing each presentation, you create a more engaging and relevant experience for your audience, increasing the likelihood of achieving your desired outcome.

8. Use animation judiciously to enhance your message

Use motion to help tell your story by expressing the action in your message; use motion to mirror or evoke the feeling you want to create in your audience.

Animation principles:

1. Simplicity: Less is more; avoid overwhelming effects
2. Purpose: Use animation to support your message, not for visual flair
3. Direction: Left-to-right movement feels natural and positive
4. Consistency: Maintain a cohesive style throughout your presentation

Effective animation techniques:

• Wipe Right: Use as your default for introducing text
• Emphasis: Highlight key words or numbers
• Grow/Shrink: Call attention to specific elements
• Motion Paths: Show progression or relationships

Animation and narration:

• Pause your speech when introducing animation
• Allow animations to complete before continuing
• Ensure your narration aligns with the visual action

Remember that animation is a tool to enhance your message, not a substitute for compelling content. Use it strategically to reinforce your key points and guide your audience's attention.

9. Adapt your skills for virtual presentations in the digital age

Think of the virtual presentation as teleconferencing on steroids, with visual aids and interactivity.

Leverage technology. Virtual presentations offer unique advantages:

• Reach geographically dispersed audiences
• Reduce travel costs and time commitments
• Utilize interactive features like polling and chat

Preparation for virtual success:

1. Familiarize yourself with the platform's features
2. Test your audio, video, and slide transitions in advance
3. Prepare backup materials and have them readily accessible
4. Eliminate potential distractions in your environment

Engage your invisible audience:

• Use polling to understand and involve your audience
• Invite questions and comments frequently
• Visualize your audience to maintain energy and focus
• Be prepared to adjust your content based on real-time feedback

Enhance the virtual experience:

• Customize your presentation using audience information
• Incorporate more verbal signposting and transitions
• Use annotation tools to highlight key points
• Consider having an assistant to manage technical aspects and audience interactions

By adapting your presentation skills to the virtual environment, you can deliver compelling and effective presentations, regardless of the physical distance between you and your audience.

Last updated: January 25, 2025