You're aiming to leave a lasting mark with your presentation. How can you ensure it's unforgettable?

Note that, Your Audience wouldn't remember your words and yourself, they will only remember the experience that "they" lived during "your" presentation. And the experience that your Audience Lived, would profoundly based upon "your" experience that YOU Lived on the Stage. And what you Lived on the Stage would be based upon "How" you conveyed your experience and emotions on the Stage - Put bits of emotions in every words that you say on the stage, it's like with every word that you say, would build a connection with Your Audience, that "they" will remember afterwards. Don't just speak for the Audience - but Speak "with" the Audience on the Stage.

If you don't have any story - Craft "how" you reached here on the Stage, include every bits of information and experiences that you had while heading to the presentation. "I Woke up early this morning, at around 5, and the very first thought that came to my mind was to give my Best on the stage today. I head to my usual routine, however, I made sure to smile in the mirror today with a little more faith in the person in the Mirror. I carried my daily routine - had my breakfast - a cup of tea and a toast. I couldn't understand the taste today, maybe because I was too focused on the future, anyways, I carried along, gave a very confident rehearsal in the Mirror, and made my way on to the presentation. And here I am today, Living"

I would suggest to consider these strategies: Begin with a compelling story, surprising statistic, or powerful quote that grabs attention immediately and sets the tone for your message. And tell a story: Structure your presentation as a narrative with a clear beginning, middle, and end. Stories resonate with people and make your content more relatable and memorable.

Here is a practical example: Start with: “Did you know that 88% of Fortune 500 companies from 1955 no longer exist? Why?” Then, tell the story of Blockbuster and Netflix—how Blockbuster failed to adapt to digital streaming while Netflix embraced change and thrived. Highlight key decisions where Netflix evolved and Blockbuster didn’t, leading to its downfall. Conclude by returning to the question: “Why do most Fortune 500 companies disappear? It’s not just about having a great product—it’s about being willing to adapt. To thrive, you must be ready to evolve.”

"People will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel." I've used this Maya Angelou quote for over 15 years because I love it so much. It fits any presentation, whether an inspirational keynote or a straightforward steering committee. The emotions may differ, but they’re always key: Inspiration, Hope, Excitement (Keynote) and Trust, Reassurance, Determination (Steering Committee). So, how do you do this? For keynotes: Use a surprising statistic, a funny image, or a personal story—something that catches people off guard. For steering committees: Keep the storyline clear, stick to the time, give sharp recommendations, and make sure they know what decisions to make.

Share real experiences rooted in positive emotions (humor, joy, etc.) or negative emotions( sadness, fear, etc). These experiences need to be real and relevant experiences. If you lie, people have become more sophisticated at detecting that behavior. Even if an experience is real but doesn't fit the topic or message, then you will probably come off as being manipulative. If people determine they are being lied to and/or manipulated you will not only fail in that presentation, but also blemish if not destroy your reputation.

If a picture speaks a thousand words, how much more the visuals we choose to represent our very thoughts? As a creative, here are 2 BIG Game Changers I want to leave with you! 1. Uncommoness Be extremely selective with what you choose to tell your story. What makes a good story is the element of subverted expectations. Visuals that stand out and are memorable, become memorable anchors that cause your presentation to last long after the last word is spoken. 2. Logical Flow Visuals often act as logic bridges, guiding the audience through the key points that you are conveying in your presentation. Leverage that to fill in the gaps, here is where you bring in analogies and metaphors to link your ideas to their past relatable experience.

Though mode of presenting and delivery matters but, the effective visuals works as bridge to switch on the audience attention. Few tips can work for you: # Select a color combination for presentation. It can be inspired from color of brand, company or community logo. # Use only 2-4 colors (for fonts) and clear images through out the presentation. # You need not to be much creative. Simple and clear fonts with thoughtful images can create wonders # Use only 10-12 words on a slide (Illustrations or images can be added with them)

In my experience I recommend pauses to generate suspense and highlight each idea I want to convey, helping the audience to connect. I also combine it with a set of real life examples that are more understandable to the audience. One of my partners calls it “Humanize your product”.

There can be few wonderful ways to make your end □ A powerful question related to the core message. □ A 2-3 minute story (client testimony, real life experience or product development incident) □ Related Qoute □ A thoughtful image □ Alarming fact and call to action