Presentations that Sell

• Determine the Thread of Steel before you start. Write it out in huge letters and pin it to the wall. Write it on a Post-it Note and stick it to your monitor. Refer to it often.


• One point per slide. As you write ask yourself, "So what is the point being made by this slide." Not "the points," just the single point you want to make at this stage of the presentation. Use Notes and the appendix to store/record the details.


• Use visuals to make your point. Visuals are more memorable because they tell stories. A wall of words or a chart full of numbers is hard to get excited about, hard to remember, and can distract the audience from what you are really selling, you and your ideas.


• Be careful using graphs Graphs communicate a lot of information. Generally this isn't a good thing as you want to make one point. For more on using graphs effectively visit How to Make Graphs that Work.


• White space is good. Silence is good. Pause when you are speaking, especially after making a point. White space is your friend. It lets the audience focus on your message. Black slides are great transition tools. Use them.


• Keep it short. One word is perfect. One picture is better. Never use more than 10 slides to make your argument. This is hard to do but the result will be a tight, focused presentation.


• Have fun. Enjoy yourself. Be yourself. Don't worry about the things you worry about. Thay aren't that bad. They make you a real person.


• Present with passion.

The Thread of Steel is the unifying idea that you use to build an effective presentation. It's what you want them to say in the elevator after the meeting. It's the idea you are selling.

Sounds simple, but I challenge you, look at old presentations and try to identify the Thread of Steel. Or, the next time you attend a presentation, try to identify the Thread of Steel. It's hard. That's because it probably isn't there. It's also why 98% of presentations suck.

Have you been in a meeting where each slide was more obscure than the previous slide? You see a wall of numbers and the presenter is droning on about how important they are. I have and I'm sure you have too.

As you craft each slide consider whether or not it supports the Thread of Steel. If it doesn't, get rid of it. Is there more than one message on the slide? If there are, you have a problem but more important, your audience will have a problem remembering what you are trying to say. One point per slide and be sure it supports the Thread of Steel. It's all you need and it's all your audience will remember.

A presentation is a visual aid. When a person presents the content and uses slides to support their ideas, the authority rests with the person making the presentation. When all the information is on the slide, the authority transfers to the presentation. And who wants to work with a presentation? Nobody. They want to work with you.

Present with passion and confidence. Your enthusiasm will be contagious and your confidence supports your authority. Stand, pause, listen with your eyes. Control the room and the audience will gravitate to your presence. People want to work with leaders. Your job is to show them how much fun it will be, and how successful they will be if they work with you.