10 simple rules to 10x your next presentation

Most PowerPoint presentations suck.

But yours doesn't have to be one of them.?

Here are 10 simple rules to 10x your next presentation:

#1: Transform the audience.?

Your talk isn't for you. It's for the audience.?

Find out about them:?

? Who are they??

? What are their pain points??

? What do they already know??

Then work out the transformation.?

Where will they be at the start v. where will they be at the end?

#2: Start + finish with a bang.?

Until you’ve finished your presentation, don’t take your eye off the ball.

The start + end are what the audience remembers most.

?? Don't give a long intro

?? Don't start with an apology

?? Don't fizzle out at the end Plan your opening + close.

#3: Use your own slide deck.?

What’s the fastest way to lose the audience??

Opening with 'These are someone else's slides'. This shows the audience: ? It's not your talk?

? You aren't sure what's next?

? You didn't care enough to prepare?

Don't do it.

#4: Less is more with slides.?

The people who master presentations know something 99% of people don’t.?

No great presenter ever read from their slides.?

The faster you adopt this mindset, the more like you will be to:?

? Connect?

? Engage?

? Inspire?

Slides aren't your script.

#5: Practice - but not too much.?

A good speaker uses notes, is well practised, but still seems natural.?

A bad speaker is over-rehearsed, uses a script, + seems robotic.?

But a legendary speaker appears confident, well-prepped, yet still adapts to the audience.

#6: Be proud of your slides.?

Too often, presenters make excuses for their slides:?

? It's a bit busy?

? Just ignore this one?

? You won't be able to read this Instead, focus on only using slides that enhance your message.?

This is what makes the biggest difference.

#7: Keep to time.?

This is the formula I use over and over again:

“100 people in the audience + 30 minute talk = 50 combined hours of people's lives"?

We all think we have great content and the audience wants to hear more. But their time is valuable.?

Never run over time.

#8: Study storytelling.

EVERY presentation is made better by stories:?

? VIP audiences?

? Data heavy talks?

? Presenting research?

There's no exception.

?

Stories build audience connection by sharing a bit more of you.

#9: Vary your tone.?

The best presenters understand musicality.?

So, here are a few easy ways you can do that.?

? Vary your tone?

? Vary your volume?

? Embrace the pause?

You'll lose your audience if you speak in a monotone.

#10: Plan for tech failure.?

Finally, the most common mistake of all.?

Remember: Your slides aren't your presentation. You are.?

So:?

? Don't use your slides as a crutch?

? Be ready to present without them?

? Have a plan for when the tech fails

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