What do great business leaders presenters such as Sheryl Sandberg of Facebook, author Dan Pink and Eric Schmidt of Google have in common? Thanks to YouTube you can see these great business presenters in action. One thing is for certain: they don’t read their PowerPoint slides.
Why would you ever read your presentation slides to people in your audience? And yet, it happens all the time. If the presentation is to prospects, it is probably more repelling than compelling.
Heidy LaFleur served as a school leader for 22 years and saw her share of bad presentations. Today LaFleur is CEO of Common Sense Leadership, where she provides inspirational speaking and education consulting. She is the author of Hop on the Clue Bus: A Common Sense Guide to Leadership.
In a phone interview, LaFleur offered leaders five tips to improve their presentations:
Make It Fun. “Play games, take breaks and entice the audience to get to know you, not your slides,” says LaFleur. “They will love you for it and you will be remembered long after the presentation. As Maya Angelou said, 'People will forget what you said. People will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.' This is huge.”
Make It Personal. “When presenting, people want to be entertained and engaged through your voice and your actions,” says LaFleur. “Make it personal, listen to their stories and allow for participation. Those who feel appreciated and respected by you will always do more than expected.”
Make It Compelling. “Give your audience a reason to be passionate about your topic,” says LaFleur. “Provide and share your purpose and how your presentation will benefit their lives. Be intentional with your words and your actions. Spice up your slide deck with funny memes, videos and real-life attributes.”
Make It Provocative. “Who says a presentation has to be the same slide after slide?” asks LaFleur. “Leave your audience in a better place than before you arrived. No matter how serious your topic, people want to laugh, love and enjoy. Be human. Be real and allow them to see that you put your pants on the same way they do. The most effective presentations are those in which the audience feels a connection to you.”
Make It Sparkle. “Allow time for questions and give them a sneak peek into your life,” adds LaFleur. “For we all long to be better, confident and proud. Remember, your words and actions leave a lasting impression wherever you go. Make sure your presentations sparkle.”
Another tip from another presenter I greatly admire, venture capitalist and author Guy Kawasaki, is simple but powerful. If you must use slides, never have more than four lines per slide and no more than four words per line. Use the 4 x 4 rule and the audience will thank you.
