PRESENTATION SKILLS

& PUBLIC SPEAKING 1.7

[The Presentation Secrets of Steve Jobs]

As with all Steve Jobs presentations, there is much we can learn and apply to our own unique situation. His speaking style is very simple yet very effective. There are many things we can learn about Jobs's style on stage; and here they are…

a. Develop Rapport with the Audience. Jobs walks out on stage all smiles. He welcomes everyone and then quickly (very quickly) reviews. "I just want to take a moment to thank you..." CEOs often say these kinds of things, but in this case it seems very natural, humble, and heartfelt. Right off the bat he acknowledges the importance of the audience and that they are important ones, they are who this presentation is for. For our unique situations too it is important to establish rapport right from the start. Mingling with the audience before your talk helps; this way you're not a stranger. It’s like more than just a "thanks for coming."

b. Use Personal Stories/ Examples/ Experience to Make a Point. Steve Jobs’ 2005 Commencement Address at Stanford University is one of the most inspiring commencement. Rather than lecturing the audience about the importance of following dreams and having confidence that everything will work out, Steve Jobs’ chose to share three of his personal stories with them. Stories are effective because they are memorable and connect with the listeners on a heart-to-heart level. Stories are inherently interesting. Each of Steve Jobs’ three stories has a simple take-away point for the listener. In this way, the stories act as an anchor which hook the message to the listener’s memory. Tell a Story, Make a Point…Are you telling stories in your presentations?

c. Speak from Your Heart. It’s pretty clear that Steve Jobs’ speaks from his heart. His stories are genuine and heartfelt, and his listeners can easily detect this. So, how can you “speak from your heart?” Speak about topics that you really care about. Speak about things that you are genuinely passionate about. Make sure that the message you’re delivering is one you care about because this will show through in your presentation.

d. Set the Theme. On Macworld Conference & Expo, Apple CEO Steve Jobs once again raised the bar on presentation skills. While most presenters simply convey information, Jobs also inspires. "There is something in the air today." With those words, Jobs opened Macworld. By doing so, he set the theme for his presentation and hinted at the key product announcement—the ultrathin MacBook Air laptop. Every presentation needs a theme. Once you identify your theme, make sure you deliver it several times throughout your presentation.

e. Demonstrate Enthusiasm. Jobs shows his passion for computer design. During his presentation he uses words like "extraordinary," "amazing," and "cool." When demonstrating a new location feature for the iPhone, Jobs said, "It works really very well." Most speakers have room to add some flair to their presentations. Remember, your audience wants to be wowed, not put to sleep. Next time you're crafting or delivering a presentation, think about injecting your own personality into it. If you think a particular feature of your presentation is "awesome," say it. If you are not enthusiastic about your own presentation, how do you expect your audience to be?

f. Provide an Outline. Jobs outlines the presentation by saying, "There are four things I want to talk about today. So let's get started…" Jobs followed his outline by verbally opening and closing each of the four sections and making clear transitions in between. For example, after revealing several new iPhone features, he said, "The iPhone is not standing still. We keep making it better and better and better. That was the second thing I wanted to talk about today. No. 3 is about iTunes." Make lists and provide your audience with guideposts along the way.

g. Make Numbers Meaningful. When Jobs announced that Apple had sold 4 million iPhones to date, he didn't simply leave the number out of context. Instead, he put it in perspective by adding, "That's 20,000 iPhones every day, on average." Jobs went on to say, "What does that mean to the overall market?" Jobs detailed the breakdown of the U.S smartphone market and Apple's share of it to demonstrate just how impressive the number actually is. Jobs also pointed out that Apple's market share equals the share of its top three competitors combined. Numbers don't mean much unless they are placed in context. Connect the dots for your listeners.

h. Create Visual Slides. While most speakers fill their slides with data, text, and charts, Jobs does just the opposite. There is very little text on a Steve Jobs slides. Most of the slides simply show one image. For example, his phrase "The first thing I want to talk to you about today…" was accompanied by a slide with the numeral 1. That's it. Just the number. When Jobs discussed a specific product like the iPhone, the audience saw a slide with an image of the product. When text was introduced, it was often revealed as short sentences (three or four words) to the right of the image. Sometimes, there were no images at all on the slide but a sentence that Jobs had delivered such as "There is something in the air." There is a trend in public speaking to paint a picture for audiences by creating more visual graphics. Inspiring presenters are short on bullet points and big on graphics.

i. Give 'em a Show. A Jobs presentation has twists and turns, themes and transitions. Since he's giving his audience a show instead of simply delivering information, Jobs includes video clips, demonstrations, and interactions with the audience he shares the stage with. Enhance your presentations by incorporating multimedia, product demonstrations, or giving others the chance to say a few words.

j. Don't Sweat the Small Stuff. Despite your best preparation, something might go wrong as it did during the keynote. Jobs was about to show some photographs from a live Web site, and the screen went black while Jobs waited for the image to appear. It never did. Jobs smiled and said, "Well, I guess Flickr isn't serving up the photos today." He then recapped the new features he had just introduced. That's it. It was no big deal. There are cases when presenters get flustered over minor glitches. Don't sweat minor mishaps. Have fun. Few will remember a glitch unless you call attention to it.

k. Save the Best for Last.

People will make an assessment about your performance in the first two minutes, so you have to start strong. But you have to finish even stronger. People remember most the first part and the last part of your presentation. The middle stuff is important, of course, but blow it at the start or at the end and all may be lost. This is why you have to rehearse your opening and your closing so much. And save your strongest stuff for the end.

l. Rehearse, Rehearse, Rehearse.People within Apple tell that Jobs rehearses the entire presentation aloud for many hours. Nothing is taken for granted. You can see he rehearsed the Macworld presentation because his words were often perfectly synchronized with the images and text on the slides. When Jobs was showing examples of the films that are available on the new iTunes movie rental service, one poster of a particular film appeared at the exact moment he began to talk about it. The entire presentation was coordinated. A Steve Jobs presentation looks effortless and natural because it is well-rehearsed.

So finally, here is the TOP 10 Summary for Your Next BIG BEST PRESENATION ever…

Plan your presentation with pen and paper. Storyboard the presentation first. Jobs initially prepares by brainstorming and white boarding ideas.
Create a single sentence description for every service/idea. As an example, for the introduction of the MacBook Air computer, Jobs said that it is simply, “The world’s thinnest notebook.”
Create a villain that allows the audience to rally around the hero—you and your presentation. A “villain” doesn’t necessarily have to be a direct competitor. It can be a problem in need of a solution.
Focus on benefits. Your audience only cares about how your presentation enhances their knowledge. Make that connection.
Stick to the rule of three. Almost every Jobs presentation is divided into three major parts. You might have 20 points to make in your presentation, but your audience will only remember three or four.
Give Them a Show, not your Data. Jobs doesn’t provide data alone, he shows, entertains and inspires, he said, “In our own small way we’re going to make the world a better place.”
Create visual slides. Jobs doesn’t use bullet points. Instead, he relies on photographs and images. When he unveiled the MacBook Air, he showed an image of the computer fitting inside an envelope.
Make numbers meaningful. Jobs always puts large numbers into a context to make them relevant to his audience. The bigger the number, the more important to find an analogy or comparison that adds clarity.
Use plain understandable English. Jobs’ language is exceptionally simple. He rarely uses jargon that complicates most presentations.
Practice, practice, practice. Jobs spends hours rehearsing each part of his presentation. Every slide is written like a piece of poetry, every presentation staged like a theatrical experience.

While Jobs makes a presentation look like a natural performance, his success is based on planning, rehearsal, and the willingness to break out of the corporate presentation paradigm. Consider these tips the next time you fire up PowerPoint on your computer.