Public Speaking Tip #2

Show and Tell

Involve the audience in your presentation and you’ll keep their attention.

Steve Jobs includes a demo and stage props in all his presentations. When he introduced the new MacBook, he passed around samples so the audience could touch and feel them for themselves.

Jobs has fun too. He demonstrated the use of the iPhone by calling Starbucks and ordering 4,000 lattes – and then telling them he had the wrong number.

The Heath brothers recommend skipping the long-winded introduction and bio. Instead, capture the audience’s attention by parachuting into the action. One woman introduced her presentation by turning out all the lights in the meeting room. As she explained to the audience, this is what it is like for people who are blind in a museum.

Additional Resources:
     The Presentation Secrets of Steve Jobs
     Presentations Made to Stick

Tip #1: Capture the audience’s attention with the title of your presentation

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