Key Strategies for Successful Presentations

I have a confession to make. I have been guilty of putting people to sleep during my presentations. Unfortunately, not once, but many times. I could blame it on the complexities of tech topics or the dryness of the subject. I could always console myself by saying that at least it's not as sleep-inducing as financial presentations (sorry, my friends in Finance). Deep down, though, I knew that even the most complicated and dry topics could come alive. As with anything, it's a skill and can be improved upon. Thus, I turned to my friend Christopher Chin, Communication Coach for Tech Professionals, for some much-needed advice. He shared these 5 presentation tips guaranteed to leave a lasting impression: 1/ Speak to Their Needs, Not Your Wants Don’t just say what you like talking about or what your audience wants to hear. Say what your audience needs to hear based on their current priorities and pain points: that sets your presentation up to be maximally engaging 2/ Slides Support, You Lead Slides are not the presentation. You are the presentation. Your slides should support your story and act as visual reinforcement rather than as the main star of the show.  Consider holding off on making slides until you have your story clear. That way, you don’t end up making more slides than you need or making slides more verbose than you need 3/ Start with a Bang, Not a Whisper The beginning of a presentation is one of the most nerve-wracking parts for you as the speaker and one of the most attention-critical parts for your audience. If you don’t nail the beginning, there’s a good chance you lose the majority of people. Consider starting with something that intrigues your audience, surprises them, concerns them, or makes them want to learn more. 4/ Think Conversation, Not Presentation One-way presentations where the speaker just talks “at” the audience lead to dips in attention and poorer reception of the material. Consider integrating interactive elements like polls and Q&A throughout a presentation (rather than just at the very end) to make it feel more like a conversation. 5/ Finish Strong with a Clear CTA We go through all the effort of preparing, creating, and delivering a presentation to cause some change in behavior. End with a powerful call to action that reminds your audience why they were in attendance and what they should do as soon as they leave the room. By integrating these, you won't just present; you'll captivate. Say goodbye to snoozing attendees and hello to a gripped audience. 😴 Repost if you've ever accidentally put someone to sleep with a presentation. We've all been there!

I don’t consider myself to be a speaker so much as a learning facilitator. I really appreciate a well crafted presentation where you can tell how much the person has prepared to serve their audience. Here are some of my lessons I’ve learned along the way to becoming a more effective public speaker that might not seem as obvious. 1. Storytelling - the AUDIENCE is the protagonist of the story (not you). A good story isn’t just about being “entertaining” or “charming”. Winning over an audience isn’t about making them think “gosh, he’s really great.” It’s about being able to serve their needs by providing insight into their journey that they might’ve missed on their own. The best compliment a person can give me after is “you really made me think.” 2. Don’t worry about the people who are ignoring you. It can really derail you to start focusing on why a person isn’t paying attention, or why they’re not laughing at your jokes, or why they seem upset. You have NO idea what’s going on in their heads. Move past it, and find the people who are engaging and stick to them! You don’t need 100% of the audience to engage. You need the engaged members of the audience to get 100%. 3. The master storytellers do most of their work in the editing room. Cut slides, cut words, cut superfluous stories, and cut, cut, cut until you have distilled the most essential parts of your story. It takes COURAGE to purposefully not connect all the dots but rather give enough context so your audience can connect the dots. (They’re part of the story, this way.) 4. Ruffle a few feathers. We worry so much about being likeable that we end up playing it too safe to ever hope to be remembered. Attack ideas but never people. Challenge ingrained thinking by putting the audience in the position of the potential change maker. 5. Humor is a secret weapon. It can bring people back in when you’re sidetracked. Self-deprecating humor can help build rapport or trust. It relaxes people just enough to keep their interest. But remember you’re not just there to entertain. Jokes have to drive the bigger point. Study comedy - in particular the rules of improv. There are basic comedic structures (just google them). Don’t repeat tired old, stale jokes the entire industry uses. Use relevant and appropriate humor to drive the story forward. Even if you don’t plan on being on stage or in front of your industry’s peers, you are likely presenting to people in some way pretty frequently. A microphone isn’t about amplifying your voice. A microphone is about helping your audience to better hear. A lot people won’t get what I mean by that, but I’ll tell you what. That epiphany TRANSFORMED the way I approach speaking gigs, content writing, leading meetings, and much of my communication mindset. 🎤 💜

I’ve spent the past few weeks working with a group of speakers preparing for a large corporate event, and I keep seeing the same 5 pitfalls. It felt right to share here on LinkedIn, because it’s relevant for anyone pitching a client, presenting to your team, or speaking on a stage: 1. Resist the urge to lead with an intro, "Hi, my name is." Start with a strong hook - a question, a statement that announces the problem you’re about to solve, instead of leading by introducing yourself. And let’s please stop going around with some “hot start” where your entire team gives intros in a cheeky way for a new business pitch or client presentation. Just introduce yourself before you’re about to speak and then go into what problem you’ll be solving for the client if they hire you. 2. Establish the stakes. Why is the work you’re doing so important? What would happen if you didn’t do it? What are the stakes of the problem or challenge you’re outlining? 3. Tell a personal story. If you can take a personal story (yours, a customers, someone your work impacted) and thread it through the talk or presentation, everyone in the room will walk away remembering some part of that person’s journey. They’ll visualize the person, they’ll develop an emotional connection to them, and they’ll remember your talk long after it’s over. 4. Practice your steps and hand gestures. Choreography is a big part of presenting, and far too many people focus only on the words they’re saying. I am someone who speaks with my hands, which can be distracting on stage. That’s why when I’m preparing for a talk, I run through how I will walk around on the stage and when I will stop to make a point. Ask me about the triangle method I learned while prepping for my TEDx talk! Be aware of your body but not too self conscious of it. Move your hands so they add emphasis but don’t distract. Record yourself walking around your office or living room rehearsing, even if it makes you cringe. This will help you make any necessary adjustments as you go. 5. Focus on ONE message. Be clear on the one major takeaway you want people to remember after you leave the stage, the room, the meeting. Don’t muddle your message or try to communicate too many things in too little time. Keep going back to your one main thing. Repeat it if you have to. Make your point, and don’t dilute the point with tangents or unnecessary details. Restate your point in closing. What else makes or breaks a great presentation? I’d love to hear your best advice!

I talk on a lot of different stages to a lot of very different groups of people. Over the years, I've adopted three practices that I think are fundamental to making a keynote memorable. 1️⃣ Do Your Homework. Before every talk, I study up on the event and its audience. I ask a lot of questions of the planners about their theme and goals. I get detailed information about the audience - who will be attending, their backgrounds, where they are in their careers, what issues are top of mind for them. And I read up on the organization itself, learning the names of key players and adjusting my slides and talking points to speak to industry trends. This ensures my keynotes feel personalized, relevant, and valuable to the people listening. 2️⃣ Keep It Personal and Punchy. Most of my talks start with a personal story. I think audiences need to feel connected to a speaker first, before they can connect to that speaker's content. Then, throughout my presentation, I make sure my slides are punchy, visually bold, light on text, and big on impact. I share key points in easy-to-digest bites, peppering in compelling quotes, fascinating case studies or research statistics, simple tips or lists, and emotive video clips. These tactics help to keep the energy high throughout the hour. 3️⃣ Share a Moment of Magic. My presentations always include something unexpected—a surprising activity, a sleight of hand, or an interactive exercise. I call these "moments of magic" that break the audience out of the mundane, repetitive, talking head experiences of a typical conference day. And I invest a lot of time in conceiving new ways to add that magic element. These moments make your presentation refreshing and memorable. I have met many people years after they saw me speak, and they will tell me how much they remember a specific quote or activity that I did with the audience. I believe these three practices can turn keynotes from just "a speech" into an impactful experience. And a great experience will leave a lasting impression long after an event is over. #KeynoteSpeaker #Events #ThoughtLeadership #PersonalConnection #AudienceConnection #KeynoteSpeakerEvents #Connections #KeynoteLearnings #Lessons #Growth #ProfessionalDevelopment #Events

I once asked my youngest daughter what she thought I did for work, and she said, "You sit on Zoom and give people your opinion all day." While there's more to my day than that, she's not entirely wrong! As you climb the career ladder, your schedule fills with presentations—some inspiring, others not so much. Here’s how to make sure yours stands out when presenting to senior leaders: 1. Be Specific, Not Overly Detailed: You've probably heard, "Keep it high-level for executives; avoid the weeds." True, but don't swing too far into the abstract. Ground your points with concrete facts and data. For instance, instead of saying, "Some code deployments aren't automated and there are opportunities for improvement," try, "Our analysis shows 25% of code deployments require manual effort, particularly in post-change validations and service restarts." 2. Harness the Power of Storytelling: Transform your presentation into a captivating narrative. Stories make data relatable and memorable. Start with a real-world example, like a customer struggling with your current system, highlight the problem and then move on to your solution. 3. Start with the 'Why': Dive into the heart of your proposal by explaining its significance. Why should your audience care? How does it align with their goals? For example, "By automating these processes, we not only boost efficiency but also advance our strategic goal of enhancing customer satisfaction." 4. Foster a Dialogue, Not a Monologue: Remember, communication is a two-way street. Anticipate your audience's reactions and be ready to engage. Hit your key points swiftly, avoid over-explaining, and focus on insights that empower decision-making. After presenting, ask questions to invite discussion. These strategies can help you tie together facts, emotions, and strategic insights, making your message not just heard, but remembered and acted upon. #presentationtips #careertips #careeradvice

Want to know why executives are checking their phones during your presentation? Here's a secret: You're not giving a presentation. You're leading a high-stakes conversation. I've spent years helping leaders command attention, and here's the framework that works every time: The Golden Window 🕒  Your opening sentence determines success. Forget "Today I'm here to talk about..." Instead, try this: "We've discovered a way to cut customer churn in half while spending 30% less. I need your go-ahead on three changes to make this happen." The Secret Menu Approach 📋  Structure your deck like a great restaurant menu: - Specials up front (key insights) - Prices clearly marked (what you need) - Ingredients available (supporting data) The Sticky Formula 🎯  Every winning executive presentation needs: - One compelling story - One surprising number - One clear ask Billboard vs. Novel 🚗  If someone's driving past your main message at 60mph, would they get it? Think billboard, not novel. Start with this opener: "The one thing you need to know today is [your biggest insight], and here's why it matters to our bottom line..." Watch those phones disappear. 📱↘️ #ExecutivePresence #Leadership #BusinessStrategy #CommunicationSkills #PublicSpeaking 💡 Follow me for more insights on executive communication and leadership presence.

What can a baby teach us about mastering presentations? A few years ago, I recalled a memory of a friend navigating new motherhood. She had just welcomed her first baby, and her mother stayed with her for the first week to help her adjust. Despite years of experience babysitting in her teens and early twenties, my friend was understandably nervous about caring for her own infant. She asked her mother if she would stay longer. Her mother, ever calm, offered this timeless advice: “Oh, Elaine, it’s not that hard. Just keep his stomach full and his bottom dry.” Brilliant in its simplicity! The wisdom behind those words has stayed with me, because it reminds us that sometimes the best solutions are the simplest. And when it comes to public speaking, it’s the same principle: keep things clear and focused, and the rest will fall into place. Presenting doesn’t have to be overwhelming. Yet, many people get bogged down in the details—choosing the right words, worrying about how they look, fearing the “what ifs.” But let me tell you, the key to a successful presentation boils down to just two things: 1.      A clear message 2.     Audience connection If you nail these two, everything else is just gravy. The Power of a Clear Message Hone in on one core idea. If you can’t explain your message in a single sentence, you probably don’t have a clear enough grasp on it. Use short, impactful sentences that are easy for the ear to follow. A message may read brilliantly on paper, but when delivered aloud, it can easily lose its power if it’s too complex. So, speak in everyday language. Keep it conversational. People will connect with what you're saying because it feels accessible and real. Building an Authentic Connection with Your Audience Once your message is clear, focus on how it lands with your audience. Valuable content is just the starting point; you need to get your listeners out of their heads and into their hearts. So, how do you build that connection? Start by telling stories—personal anecdotes, industry-related examples, metaphors, and even humor. Stories help the audience see themselves in your message and make the content memorable. Make eye contact. Master the pause. Silence can be a powerful tool—give your audience time to feel your words, not just hear them. Engage them directly by using their names, asking them to participate with a show of hands, or encouraging them to nod in agreement. People respond when they feel like they’re part of the experience. Let them see your humanity—share your struggles and your successes—but don’t make the presentation all about you. Shift the focus to them. Make your message their journey. Just like my friend, who was initially overwhelmed by the thought of caring for her newborn, the simple, straightforward approach to presenting will give you the confidence you need to shine. With a clear message and a strong connection, you’ll deliver a knockout presentation every time.  

A small tragedy new communicators never see coming: Even right after they walk off stage, no one can tell you their main point. Why? It's not always because... → The idea wasn't strong enough → The delivery wasn't confident enough → The speaker wasn't prepared enough It's often something much more subtle. Ready for why main points get missed? → It’s the presentation. The speaker shared their big idea... but with the exact same... ❌ build-up ❌ energy ❌ explanation they used for all their other SUB-points. The food showed up, but it was plated so poorly that people didn't even realize it was the main course. Your big idea needs to be treated like... → the BIG idea. You have to pay special attention to how you serve it up. BEFORE you share it, you need... ✅ Some hype ✅ Some build-up ✅ Some verbal cues AFTER you hit it, you need... ✅ Immediate examples ✅ Metaphors to illustrate it ✅ A case study to prove it Here’s a four-step framework I teach my clients (and use myself, delivering 70-80 talks per year): 1️⃣ Use a Differentiation Phrase → Set up a contrast that adds clarity. ✔️ For years, I thought (x), but... ✔️ Most of you probably think (x), but... ✔️ You may have heard people say (x), but... 2️⃣ Use a Drum-Roll Phrase → Cue your audience that the big idea is coming. ✔️ Here's the reason I'm on this stage today. ✔️ If you only hear one thing from me today, it's this: ✔️ What the last 10 years have convinced me of is this... 3️⃣ Drop the Big Idea → Make sure it's clear and punchy. ✔️ Now I know [Big Idea]. ✔️ I firmly believe [Big Idea]. ✔️ I've come to understand that [Big Idea]. 4️⃣ Drive It Home → Immediately follow up your big idea with a concrete way to drive it home. ✔️ Story: Here's how this plays out... ✔️ Case Study: Here's a real-life example... ✔️ Metaphor: The easiest way to understand this is to think of it like a... Try it in your next big talk. You’ve got this!

The most ignored public speaking tip I’ve learned in 10+ years: Stop memorizing your presentations. Last week, I gave a talk on influencing executives to a group of 50+ analysts and leaders. The audience was great. Engaged, laughed at the jokes, nodded along. And after giving dozens of presentations like this (to all kinds of audiences - small rooms, big rooms, senior folks, general teams), I’ve landed on one rule I always follow: I never memorize my presentations. I used to. And when I did, I noticed: - If I blanked on a phrase, I’d lose momentum - I was focused on the next line instead of the people in the room - I sped through like I was rattling off a script (which I was) instead of making a point Now, I do this instead: - I memorize my opening 2–3 minutes. Just enough to start strong. - I know the one takeaway I want per slide and speak to that instead of reading bullets. - I run through it out loud 3–4 times so I find the rhythm, not just the words. The result? More presence. More connection. Less stress. Anyone else prefer the “loose outline” approach over word-for-word memorization? —-— 👋🏼 I’m Morgan. I share my favorite data viz and data storytelling tips to help other analysts (and academics) better communicate their work.

How to Create a Sticky Statement: Leadership eventually comes with a microphone. And when it comes to communication, it’s important to remember that the audience rarely remembers entire messages. They remember phrases and moments. For example, the next time you’re watching a presentation, watch when the audience members pull out their phones to take a photo of what’s on the screen. They’re telling you what most resonates with them, which is why communicators must be very strategic with words, phrases, and moments. Too often, communicators miss with phrases and not creating moments by not asking themselves these two questions: 1. What do I want the audience to remember? 2. What do I want the audience to do? Creating sticky statements that people can remember and act on is a key component of a successful presentation. But that’s easier said than done. To help create sticky statements, I want to give you two strategies for your next presentation. These two are called Rhyme and Repeat. 1. It may sound simple but it’s still true. People remember rhymes. For example, I bet you can finish this sentence: “Columbus sailed the ocean blue in ___________.” You remember this because it rhymes. No one, on the other hand, knows when Magellen circumnavigated the globe. Because, sadly for him, it didn’t rhyme. Here’s another example. A few years ago, I gave a talk about busyness. My sticky statement was one that rhymed: “Your life moves to a better place, When you move at a sustainable pace.” Cheesy? Perhaps, but I’ve had people come up to me years later and repeat it back to me. Now, for sure, we can get too cute with sticky statements that rhyme but if I had to choose between cheesy or forgettable, bring on the cheese! 2. Another way to create sticky statements is to repeat words. For example, here’s a sticky statement from a talk I heard years ago about the difference between a hobby and a business: “ A business makes you money. A hobby costs you money.” That’s very clear and memorable. Part of the reason for this is that the word ‘money’ repeats. As you think about your next presentation, I want you to go back to the image of the audience taking a photo of your content. What do you want them to take a photo of? Or, if your talk could be summed up on one social media post on LinkedIn what would that post say? This is the essence of your message. And don’t forget, people usually don’t remember entire messages. They remember moments and phrases. Or, another way to say it is: “What’s your phrase that pays?” (Hey, that rhymes!)