I do my best to make this blog a resource for presenters - not pro-speakers, but real people who need to make presentations as part of their 'day job'. If there's something you really want to know about, just email me and I'll see what I can do (no promises except that I'll read your email - use simon@ and you can guess the rest of my address. :) )
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I’ve seen a lot of presentations recently… and I mean a lot of bloody presentations!… that pretend they’re offering proof that ‘the system they’re presenting about’ works. What they hide are sales pitch/presentation illustrating that the system in question can work. Not does work, just can do. When I say “sales pitch/presentation” I’m being unkind. …
Better presentations can change your world. And props can make a presentation better! Or screw it up badly. Here’s 6 thoughts on how to use props properly in your next presentation.
I often get asked how to make ‘stand out’ moments in presentations. People want/need presentations to be memorable, and moments that make your audience go “Wow” are a great way of doing that. But there’s a problem. Presentations with stand-out (wow) moments mean that’s what people will remember! That’s true almost by definition. Why? Because …
Presentations are outside most people’s comfort zone, but before you go jumping out of your comfort zone and lining up the big gigs, check out why it might be dumb!
Better presentations change your world. Here’s a simple way of thinking about structuring them if you’re a scientist, researcher or geek!
I think we’re all agreed that presentations are intended to do something, right? Better presentations make that outcome more likely – don’t they? We don’t stand up and present (or sit !) just for entertainment’s sake. So why do we spend so much of our time faffing about with our presentations instead of getting the …
I while ago I presented at a big multi-speaker conference, and the speakers got compared… it’s inevitable in a way, I suppose. It wasn’t the speakers who were comparing each other (except to help each other out, nicely)… it was some people in the audience. It’s absolutely natural and inevitable! But there was one particular set of …
Read more “I wasn’t the most impressive presenter at the conference”
TEDx presentations are a special kind of presentation – here’s mine. It was recorded during the Covid19 lockdown, so there was an empty audience! Eeeeek!
“What do you want your presentation to do?” It’s not a hard question – well not any more than “What’s the meaning of life?”. 🙂 Typically, when I ask it, the answers I get are to do with process, not outcome – and that’s entirely naturally and normal. It’s my job to get past that …
Read more “designing your presentation with just one question… and then more questions”
Are your presentations "okay on the day" but don't have an impact? Adding stories to your presentations will make the biggest difference, helping you really engage with your audience. But not sure how to get started?
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