“Most business professionals give presentations to deliver information. Not Jobs. A Steve Jobs presentation is intended to create an experience -‘a reality distortion field’- that leaves his audience inspired.”

-Carmine Gallo

If you have ever sat through even one of the lectures by Steve Jobs, you would be surprised at the way he commanded attention. Even a 60-minute talk seemed to be over soon. He was a profound storyteller leaving the audience enraptured. 

Apart from being a force to reckon with, his presentations vibe with everyone was his passion. He believed in every word he spoke, which made the audience believe in him. Would you buy a ride ticket from someone skeptical about the safety of the ride even though it was perfectly safe? 

His legacy continues, and if we could absorb even a percent of his presence on stage, it would be spectacular.

1. Movies, not books; Images, not texts.

We are a lazy bunch. Presentations are visual aids and are comparatively easier to deal with than boring lectures. Fill it up with images than text. Audiences tend to connect with pictures and videos more than with written text. If you have data to show, pie it in a way that people can relate directly! It is also easier to remember what you see rather than what you read or hear. Incorporate movie clips, videos, animations, and harness the right part of their brains. 

2. The take-off & landing. 

A brilliant start and a memorable ending is the key to a successful presentation. If you can pique curiosity at the beginning of the presentation, half your work is done. Even if you start boring the audience, they give you the leverage that something interesting might come. Tell them why they need to invest their time listening to you. Convince them that they have taken the right decision by being there. Always end with a bang. Leave the audience exhausted with the adrenaline rush. Do you remember the end of the film, Bahubali?

3. Blend the boundaries of audience and presenter

Make the audience a part of your presentation. Interacting throughout the presentation makes them feel that they are equally important to you. Remember how you love the teacher who can share your jokes and random comments? Make them feel you are one of them. Casually throw puns, jokes, anecdotes. Make them feel what you are feeling by reaching out to their realities. Communicate with words that are a part of their regular lingo. Share a story and appeal to their emotions. 

4. Give them a blueprint and create a masterpiece together.

Always start your presentations with clear goals and an outline. Let them know how long they have to control that itch before leaving the room (pun intended). Have a theme that defines your presentation. It is just a way to keep everything unified. Give precise headings that convey your meaning. 

5. Treat the audience like children.

No matter the level of the audience, people’s attention span is like that of a child. And impressing a child is one of the hardest things to do. You need to keep giving them goodies and candies to make them listen to you. Tell them stories with characters, climax, a thundering closure with a take away that appeals to every audience’s purpose. You usually have 10 minutes before they start losing interest in your enthusiasm. Come up with something mindblowing and reset their 10 minutes.

One more thing: Believe in yourself, to make them believe in you. Be the best of who you are. Flash your brightest smile. Dress your power attire. Glide your way through the audience.

“A person can have the greatest idea in the world— completely different and novel—but if that person can’t convince enough other people, it doesn’t matter.”

–Gregory Berns