For Presentations, Sometimes WAY MORE!
From Wicktionary, and spot on for this post:
That which is of smaller quantity could be of higher quality.
That which is less complicated is often better understood and more appreciated than what is more complicated.
Brevity in communication is more effective than verbosity.
In other words, Less is often MORE. For presentations, a lot MORE.
One reason is because a primary Presentation Goal is for your audience to GET IT!
They may not agree with everything. They may not agree with anything. Unless they GET IT!, meaningful discussions can’t follow.
And, the audience wants to GET IT! – Quickly!
You are probably giving them a lot of information and they don’t want to take a lot of time to “figure out the meaning” of everything.
To help them GET IT! LESSEN these things in your presentation.
1. Your Introduction
Always write your own Introduction. It is not your bio, your responsibility to write, and an integral part of your presentation.
Your Introduction should answer three questions: 1. WHY this subject? 2. WHY this speaker? 3. WHY now?
Your audience is investing time, sometimes money, and opportunity cost (they could be doing something else) to watch and listen to you. Your Introduction should let the audience know you are the person to present this topic.
Write your Introduction as succinctly as possible. Too often, what the emcee reads goes on and on to the point where the audience is telling themselves, “Let’s hear the speaker, already!” Long Introductions are the equivalent of too many commercials and previews of coming attractions before the featured attraction at a theatre.
2. Your Presentation
Use simple language and simple words, deleting complex explanations and terms.
Buzz words, acronyms, and techno-speak have no place in a presentation. Your audience will not be impressed by hearing things they don’t understand. They will feel stupid and tune you out.
If you can say it with less words – do it!
Eliminate distracting “filler words and phrases” such as ah, err, you know, like, so, and others.
3. Your Props
As soon as your audience sees a prop, including a slide, they should GET IT!
Your slides are not an Ink Blot, or Rorschach Test, where interpretation of a visual is up to the person viewing it, with many “seeing” different images.
Use high quality, universally understood images.
Eliminate clutter from your slide presentation.
Transitions and builds should be clean and not distracting.
Fonts should be simple and easy to read.
Don’t use fancy templates with corporate logos and contact information.
My favorite templates, with no distractions, are.
All white.
All black.
Limit the number of images.
Occasionally, use a ‘blank’ slide or press the “B” button on your remote control.
The eyes of your audience will shift from the screen to you, where they should be.
This same idea for taking the image away should apply to physical props. When their need is over, put them away or they become a distraction.
4. Your Personal Appearance
You are the presenter, not the presentation.
For Guys: Madras sport coat, colorful socks, and bright orange tennis shoes – Fuhgeddaboudit!
Think: Steve Jobs or Mark Zuckerberg.
For Gals: Bright bling, patterned scarves, and multi-colored eyeglass frames – Fuhgeddaboudit!
Think: Rachel Maddow.
Plain – Simple – NO Distractions!
It’s best if your audience doesn’t notice what you are wearing.
Implement these LESS is MORE guidelines into your Presentations and Elevator Speeches and I guarantee they will be absolutely, positively – NO SWEAT!
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About the Author
Fred E. Miller is a speaker, an international coach, and the author of the books,“NO SWEAT Public Speaking!” and “NO SWEAT Elevator Speech!”
Businesses, Individuals, and Organizations hire him because they want to improve their Networking, Public Speaking, andPresentation Skills.
They do this because they know:"Speaking Opportunities are Business, Career, and Leadership Opportunities."
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