The essential missing ingredient to memorable presentations
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Do you remember that one presentation from that one conference where the speaker droned on and on, and the slides were lackluster, and the content was all over the place??
No??
Yeah, neither did we.?
Let’s dig into the hard truth: Most presentations are forgettable. There are approximately 30 million PowerPoint presentations created every day.* With that quantity, there’s no way all those presentations were made with the intention of being memorable ... or to stand out.
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What is the cost of an unmemorable presentation? While it’s hard to quantify, an easy measurement is the ill-spent time. One easy formula is to use Harvard’s Meeting Cost Calculator, multiply it by the number of employees in attendance at that presentation, multiply their time and hourly rate, and voila: The cost of that bad presentation is no longer a mystery. It’s probably a number with a few zeroes at the end (and if you had multiple C-suite members in that meeting, oof! Add an extra zero.)?
In this month’s issue of Duarte Digest, we're taking some pages from our research-backed body of work Resonate? to help everyone deliver not just good presentations, but when you need them, unforgettable ones too.?
In this issue?
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In our Resonate? workshop, we teach people about S.T.A.R. Moments?. It stands for “Something They’ll Always Remember,” and it refers to the memorable moments in a presentation that stick in the minds of your audience long after the presentation is over.?
It could be the use of repeatable sound bites, like the “I have a dream” phrase in Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.’s famous speech. Or “... of the people, by the people, for the people ... ” like in Abraham Lincoln’s Gettysburg Address.??
It could be the use of evocative visuals or shocking statistics, like our work on “An Inconvenient Truth.”??
Whatever your S.T.A.R. Moment? is, it’s typically the thing — a repeated phrase, prop, emotional moment, etc. — that your audience will not only remember from your presentation, but will be talking about at the water cooler the next day.?
Remember: You’re typically presenting to an audience that sees a lot of presentations. Think about either a venture capitalist hearing a lot of pitches or a customer who is evaluating several vendors. You want to build, and deliver, a presentation where you stand out TWO WEEKS after you presented, when they’re making their final decision.?
So where do you start??
First, you need to hone in on your Big Idea?. Then, make sure your S.T.A.R. Moment? compliments it. Remember that it should be significant, sincere, and rooted in empathy. It should magnify your Big Idea?, not distract from it (ie: no marketing gimmicks!)?
Then, make sure you understand your audience. Don’t create something that’s overtly emotionally charged for an audience of biochemists. Do some prep work and conduct an audience analysis using our free Audience Needs Map?.??
Once you’ve found either the majority of your audience or the segment of your audience that you want to connect with the most, focus on brainstorming your S.T.A.R. Moment?.? It should either have emotional appeal, logical appeal, or a nice balance of both, so it really stands out and hits home.?
Finally, practice, practice, practice! Practice the delivery of your S.T.A.R. Moment?. Make sure it lands well, on time, the way you imagined it. Feedback from a Speaker Coach is invaluable here, but you could also record yourself and share your rehearsal with close friends to see if your S.T.A.R. Moment? delivered the impact that you hoped.?
Our Agency team is well-versed in creating S.T.A.R. Moments? for our clients. If you want help with developing an unforgettable event, speech, or presentation, schedule a no-pressure meeting to learn about our services and offerings.?
And if you’d like to generate your next S.T.A.R. Moment? yourself, at least take our Resonate? workshop so you can dive deeper into other examples of unforgettable moments. Use it to get inspired on what you could possibly ideate!??
8 resources to help you deliver an unforgettable presentation?
It’s time for your next presentation to shine. Here is a list of resources to help you immediately deliver a standout talk or presentation quickly.?
Free resource: Pocket guide to presentation skills?
Our free Pocket guide to presentations downloadable includes an outline of practical tips to help you nail every presentation, every time. Use it to guide your next speech, event, presentation, or all three, so you can ensure your next big moment is one that is not forgotten.??
Case study highlight: VMware Explore?
VMware Cloud Service Provider had their annual event coming up. Not only did it need to be rebranded, but it needed to reflect the company’s expanding role, deliver multiple product announcements, and make a strong impression by standing out in its attendees’ minds.?
The result? We produced 450 impactful slides, 7 major keynote presentations, and collaborated with 20 VMware executives and thought leaders to ensure the entire experience was impactful. To learn more, dive into our full case study here to see this Agency offering in action.?
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I help individuals and companies with public talks and business presentations
2 个月Interesting article! People often forget to include something memorable in their talks, like a striking moment. A presentation can be good, but sometimes that's just not enough. This reminds me of a great book by the Heath brothers, "Made to Stick", which emphasizes the same point