Dr. Antonia Johnson
Tips for Organizing Your Presentation Like a Pro
Tips for Organizing Your Presentation Like a Pro
- The scenario: You are asked to do a presentation. Perhaps it is at a lunch or you are asked to talk as part of a team. You were asked to speak because you have recognized expertise. To paraphrase Kevin Daley, the temptation for any speaker is to stuff the audience with facts. You need to provide information, but don’t think that’s everything. No speaker was ever praised because he or she broke a world record for reciting data.
- We get lauded for being interesting, not for being a fountain of numbers. Statistics are not interesting by themselves. We use factual evidence to increase our credibility and to support our viewpoint. But audiences don’t pay attention enough to track statistics. An audience is much more moved by a story. That is what grabs their attention and sways their viewpoint. That is what impresses them. If you want the audience to love you, tell a story.
A much loved truism:
Tell me a fact and I’ll learn.
Tell me a truth and I’ll believe.
Tell me a story and it will live in my heart forever. – Indian proverb
Rerun from Sep 9, 2013
The Rule of Three!
The Rule of Three!
For this week’s clear English speech coaching, we have a speech tip video below. Also, do the Rule of Three. Every great message contains at least one but not more than three key points.
1. Why should you follow the Rule of Three? People are so swamped with information, they quickly forget.
2. Another reason: Recall how we codify information: We remember things in groups of threes and fours. Best example is phone numbers.
3. How do you determine the one, two or three key points you want to make? Focus on these two questions:
a. What point will best lead to my objective?
b. What points do I most want the audience to remember?
Rerun from October 26, 2016
