Occasionally I get asked to deliver keynote presentations to a large audience. You know the set-up. Proper stage. Lapel mike. Walk-on music. it’s a big deal. You get given a nice build-up. You’re at an important event. You don’t want to screw it up.
5 Ways to Make Your Presentation Memorable
One of the most insightful books I’ve read on presentations was Nancy Duarte’s Resonate, where she recommended we always look to create S.T.A.R moments in presentations - ie Something, They’ll Always Remember. It’s a great piece of advice. Throughout our business careers we sit through and deliver many presentations, but how many are truly memorable? Here’s a few suggestions on how to ensure your presentation stands the test of time.
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How to Prepare on the Day of an Important Presentation
So, you’ve written a fabulous speech, with a powerful start and a strong ending. Your slides look great and you’ve practiced endlessly. Now, it’s the day of the big presentation and there’s a lot at stake. No matter how experienced you are, you'll go through a range of emotions. You could be nervous, anxious or super-excited. Adrenalin and cortisol will kick in. Your heartbeat will go up and your palms will get sweaty. So how you do prepare on the day of the presentation? How do you make sure you’re ready to give it your best shot?
How to Make Your Presentations More Emotional
Recently I saw a fascinating TED talk by David JP Philips called ‘The Magical Science of Storytelling’, where he explains how certain chemicals in your brain are triggered when we hear a great story. He refers to these chemicals - oxytocin, dopamine and endorphins as ‘The Angel’s Cocktail’, the emotions we all crave when we hear a great story. With practice we can all trigger these emotions when writing or delivering presentations. Here’s how.