How to make your Presentation Awesome?

I am going to share with you what works and what does not work in a presentation. This is based on my 6 years of learning and experience.

Don’t be a LOSER

Before I tell you what works let me share with you what does not.Top 5 things which your audience hates in a presentation.

Long presentations

Image: Salvatore Vuono / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

1

Overuse of bullets

2

Small size fontsImage: photostock / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

3

What I actually want to say is that I have worked so hard and I want to tell you that I have doneWhat I actually want to say is that I have worked so hard and I want to tell you that I have doneWhat I actually want to say is that I have worked so hard and I want to tell you that I have doneWhat I actually want to say is that I have worked so hard and I want to tell you that I have doneWhat I actually want to say is that I have worked so hard and I want to tell you that I have doneWhat I actually want to say is that I have worked so hard and I want to tell you that I have doneWhat I actually want to say is that I have worked so hard and I want to tell you that I have doneWhat I actually want to say is that I have worked so hard and I want to tell you that I have doneWhat I actually want to say is that I have worked so hard and I want to tell you that I have doneWhat I actually want to say is that I have worked so hard and I want to tell you that I have done

What I actually want to say is that I have worked so hard and I want to tell you that I have doneWhat I actually want to say is that I have worked so hard and I want to tell you that I have doneWhat I actually want to say is that I have worked so hard and I want to tell you that I have doneWhat I actually want to say is that I have worked so hard and I want to tell you that I have doneWhat I actually want to say is that I have worked so hard and I want to tell you that I have doneWhat I actually want to say is that I have worked so hard and I want to tell you that I have doneWhat I actually want to say is that I have worked so hard and I want to tell you that I have doneWhat I actually want to say is that I have worked so hard and I want to tell you that I have doneWhat I actually want to say is that I have worked so hard and I want to tell you that I have doneWhat I actually want to say is that I have worked so hard and I want to tell you that I have done

Excess words on slide

4

Reading from slides

5

Image: Salvatore Vuono / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

L . O . S . E . RLong presentationsOveruse of bulletsSmall size of fontExcess words on slideReading from slides

Now that we know what does not work, let me tell you what works.Let me show you the road to awesomeness.

Attract attention

People expect presentations to be boring. They will be busy with their mobiles. So attract attention at the very start. Your passion for the topic and your style will do that.

Why agree with you?Give people a reason to agree with what you are saying. What expertise you have or research/analysis you

have done which makes us agree to you? Only when people agree will they do what you say.

Easy to understand

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Make your content easy to understand. Your audience might not know about the topic as much as you know. Get rid of jargons and complex charts. A layman should be able to understand you.

Simple slide design

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Do not waste time on making slides. People have come to listen to you and not to see your slides. Slides are secondary. Slides are only there to amplify and clarify your ideas.

Know your objective

Spend time on preparing your content. If you are raising sponsorship money, find out what the sponsor wants and how you can give him that. Focus on meeting your objective.

Be memorableYour audience should remember the top 3 things you said in your presentation. Then only will they act on it and spread it. So find out what are the top 3 messages and deliver it powerfully.

Appeal to emotionsBert Decker has said, “People buy on emotions and justify by fact.” We are all emotional beings. So share a

story or use visuals to arouse peoples’ emotions. Then only will they act on your message.

A T T E N T I O NWH Y A G R E E

E A S YS I M P L E

O B J E C T I V EM E M O R A B L E

E M O T I O N A L

This brings us to the framework. A.W.E.S.O.M.E.Your presentation needs to have these 7 things in order to become awesome.

A T T E N T I O NWH Y A G R E E

E A S YS I M P L E

O B J E C T I V EM E M O R A B L E

E M O T I O N A L

Attract attention at the start. Make people agree to what you say. Be easy to understand. Use simple slides. Focus on your objective. Be memorable and appeal to emotions.

Presentation is an art. You cannot become awesome overnight. You need to practice, practice and practice some more. Thank you.

These slides were presented at Ignite Hyderabad Volume 1 on April 17, 2011

ByVivek SinghAllAboutPresentations.com