By Loraine Antrim
Unlike the pure rhetoric in a
speech, today, presentations are visual events. No ifs ands or buts. Audiences
expect a performance and props, not just words. Thanks to great
showmen like Steve Jobs, the preso bar has been permanently raised.
Of cou... Apr. 6, 2012 02:52 PM EDT Reads: 257 |
By Loraine Antrim
Speech vs Presentation
There's a big difference between a speech and a presentation. We listen to speeches; we watch a presentation. These days, presentations are visual. A speech tends to be formal and for ears only. If you're giving a speech, you're naked. No PPT, no p... Mar. 4, 2012 07:01 PM EST Reads: 331 |
By Loraine Antrim
What does a great presentation have in common with a great
wine?
When you open a great wine, it impresses you right away. It
has structure and body, and a finish that lingers. Most of all, you remember it. The
same with a great presentation!
Opening: When you... Jan. 29, 2012 08:02 AM EST Reads: 246 |
By Loraine Antrim Presentations are not static, lifeless events.
They should be energetic, full of energy and keep the audience engaged at all times! How can you ensure that your next presentation isn't just a bunch of slides that you click through?
1. Clean up your deck. Don't have lots of slides wit... Jan. 17, 2012 12:41 PM EST |
By Loraine Antrim
PRESENTATIONS ARE...AN OPPORTUNITY TO SELL
When presenting, you're selling.
You're selling your ideas and messages. But we so often forget that, and get wrapped up in "our stuff."
How many times have you sat thru a presenation where the presenter had no idea how to sel... Jan. 8, 2012 11:11 PM EST Reads: 129 |
By Loraine Antrim
What are your 2012 New Year resolutions? Going to hit the gym more often? Eat more fruits and vegetables? Cut back on the wine? (Oh, no...let's get that one off the list!)
How about resolving to do five things better as you present in the year 2012? Nothing grand o... Dec. 27, 2011 05:48 PM EST Reads: 251 |
By Loraine Antrim Great presenters connect with their audience.
They establish that connection early and continue it throughout their speaking. Notice, I didn't say throughout their "presentation." If you are really connecting, you are having a conversation within your presentation. That's what makes f... Dec. 7, 2011 02:00 PM EST Reads: 103 |
By Loraine Antrim The best presentations are like great movies.
They have a logical beginning that draws you in, a plot that keeps you engaged, actors and actions, and some drama.
When you structure any talk or presentation, think like Steven Spielberg.
Even if you are presenting a business update or... Aug. 22, 2011 09:05 AM EDT Reads: 218 |
By Loraine Antrim We all speak with a unique voice.
That's an important point to remember when we create a presentation. Often, we are tempted to look to others for inspiration. We want to emulate colleagues who have aced presentation after presentation.
Or, we'll read the latest and greatest presenta... Aug. 8, 2011 08:44 PM EDT Reads: 287 |
By Loraine Antrim If you're not having fun when presenting, why bother?
How many presentations have you sat through that have bored you to death? Chances are, many. My guess is the presenter was bored as well.
One of the keys to a successful presentation is to honestly enjoy what you are talking... Jul. 23, 2011 08:10 AM EDT Reads: 324 |
By Loraine Antrim When you speak in public, your words and ideas should grab an audience.
One way to do that is to make your talk relevant and timely. If you are lucky, your topic will be of interest because it IS up-to-the-minute and highly relevant.
But many of us have topics that are not tied... Jul. 19, 2011 08:35 AM EDT Reads: 244 |
By Loraine Antrim We have more than one sense. So why do presenters only tap into one?
Most speakers rely almost exclusively on the sense of hearing. If you are using slides, you are adding a visual element. But think about novel ways to expand how your audience's other senses can work for you.
How a... Jul. 1, 2011 10:18 AM EDT Reads: 260 |
By Loraine Antrim The best presentations zero in on one main idea. That's it!
One focused, key take-away for the audience. Not three main ideas...not ten...ONE!
How many times have you sat through an hour long presentation and when you left, you scratched your head wondering what point the speaker was... Jun. 17, 2011 11:24 AM EDT Reads: 222 |
By Loraine Antrim "Did you hear the one about a doctor, a lawyer and a priest stranded on a raft?"
Sounds like the start of a very bad joke. Yet people will tell a joke like this again and again and get dead silence. Jimmy Fallon or Tina Fey might be able to pull it off, but for most of us, humor... May. 31, 2011 07:09 AM EDT Reads: 227 |
By Loraine Antrim Don't you just hate to be around boring people? They're a turn-off. We all prefer to be in the company of exciting, alive individuals who love life and show it.
Presentations are no different. If you can't get excited about your presentation, how can you expect your listeners t... May. 19, 2011 07:25 AM EDT Reads: 307 |
By Loraine Antrim Most leaders are groomed for success and strive for it. Not necessarily the best move, according to Oscar-winning actor Denzel Washington.
Washington spoke to the University of Pennsylvania's graduates today, and his advice on failure is one that CEOs and executives of any level shoul... May. 16, 2011 05:07 PM EDT Reads: 313 |
By Loraine Antrim No one likes to be lectured to, or "talked at."
But that's how thousands of business people deliver presentations. They are shoveling information at their listeners, not even aware if their audience hears, cares or understands. Data dumps.
If you rely on the "shovel" approach, imagin... May. 10, 2011 04:46 PM EDT Reads: 178 |
By Loraine Antrim "Is it better to be feared or loved?" That is a classic question that Machiavelli asked leaders in his seminal work, The Prince.
COMMAND & CONTROL
Some business leaders lead with a heavy hand: it's all about command and control. What they say, goes. It's the equivalent of being fe... May. 10, 2011 04:33 PM EDT Reads: 432 |
By Loraine Antrim Every time you speak in public, you are putting your personal brand on the line. This is especially true when you deliver a presentation using PowerPoint.
Those slides become a reflection of how you think...how you see the world...how you organize. In essence, they mirror your persona... May. 1, 2011 06:55 PM EDT Reads: 154 |
By Loraine Antrim
Look at your typical day:Are you a Blackberry or iPhone addict? Constantly in meetings? Hours of emails and PPTs? Spending too much time on Twitter? Or on the golf course talking to clients?Bottom line: Where do you spend most of your time?
That question was as... Apr. 25, 2011 10:24 AM EDT Reads: 423 |
By Loraine Antrim Structure is king. That means how you order ideas can make or break your presentation.
In your mind, of course YOU have an order, a logic to how ideas connect. But, not all your listeners think like you do. Some are visual learners, some are analytical, some dig numbers and some... Apr. 22, 2011 03:49 PM EDT Reads: 132 |
By Loraine Antrim Really effective leaders "get" the idea of short. No, not the kind of short as in a Napoleon complex.
Rather, effective leaders deeply understand that time is in short supply for everyone.
In an age of Twitter, few people have the time or mindset to read lengthy emails or list... Apr. 13, 2011 05:13 PM EDT Reads: 271 |
By Loraine Antrim How many times have you sat through a really awful slide presentation that had as many words as the entire Wikipedia?
Sadly, for many of us, far too often.
Slides can be designed a number of ways that range from a single image to a few bullet points to inserted video and to the worst... Apr. 13, 2011 02:05 PM EDT Reads: 122 |
By Loraine Antrim Leaders who can touch hearts as well as minds have a lasting impact. Better yet, their messages resonate...they're memorable.
Want to see one of the best examples of how you can communicate and make an emotional connection?
Take a look at Apple's new iPad 2 ad. Not only is Appl... Apr. 4, 2011 06:54 AM EDT Reads: 252 |
By Loraine Antrim We all want inspiration.
As individuals we look for it in a number of ways, but in business organizations, we look to our leaders for inspiration.
No matter if you are a CEO or a leader of a small team, inspiring your followers is what great leadership is all about.
So how do you li... Mar. 29, 2011 03:22 PM EDT Reads: 315 |
By Loraine Antrim Your presentation is not a set of slides.
It's you talking with the audience, not jockeying a bunch of PPTs.
Slides have their place, but the less cluttered they are, the better. The less complex they are, the better. The less distracting they are, the better.
Of course, if you are... Mar. 29, 2011 04:56 AM EDT |
By Loraine Antrim "He's a great guy, but not a great leader."
How many times have you heard that in your organization? It might be directed to a team leader or, unfortunately at the executive suite.
So how do you go break away from being a "great gal" to a great leader?
In the next few posts, we'll lo... Mar. 26, 2011 08:11 AM EDT Reads: 386 |
By Loraine Antrim In the age of Vaudeville, when a performer went on far too long, management would literally pull them off stage with a long giant hook.
Not a bad idea for today's presenters.
That's a great image to keep in your mind the next time you give a speech or presentation.
No matter ... Mar. 20, 2011 05:56 PM EDT |
By Loraine Antrim
@font-face {
font-family: "Arial";
}@font-face {
font-family: "Cambria";
}p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal { margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Times New Roman"; }div.Section1 { page: Section1; }
“People want leadership…they’re thirsty for it…”
... Mar. 20, 2011 05:44 PM EDT Reads: 666 |
By Loraine Antrim If you can't something that matters to your listeners, don't say anything at all.
When you speak in public, the audience wants to hear ideas that will mean something to them, not just to you.
So when brainstorming for ideas, you might consider:
"What's top of mind for my listeners r... Mar. 9, 2011 05:17 PM EST |
By Loraine Antrim
@font-face {
font-family: "Arial";
}@font-face {
font-family: "Cambria";
}p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal { margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Times New Roman"; }p.MsoListParagraph, li.MsoListParagraph, div.MsoListParagraph { margin: 0in 0... Mar. 2, 2011 12:50 PM EST Reads: 322 |
By Loraine Antrim How many times have you sat in a presentation and looked at your watch or played with your Blackberry?
Do you know why?
No magic.
Perhaps you were listening to a nervous presenter going through the paces or an official spokesperson who was forced into presenting.
Presentation... Feb. 22, 2011 06:52 PM EST |
By Loraine Antrim
@font-face {
font-family: "Arial";
}@font-face {
font-family: "Times";
}@font-face {
font-family: "Cambria";
}p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal { margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Times New Roman"; }div.Section1 { page: Section1; }
Spe... Feb. 22, 2011 06:33 PM EST |
By Loraine Antrim Imagine a strong wind; a hurricane force gale. Now think of the trees around your house. You watch them sway and rock, hoping one does not fall on your roof.
If one does topple, it will probably be an oak.
Oak is a very rigid tree that is famously strong. But, it's that rigidi... Feb. 22, 2011 06:16 PM EST Reads: 412 |
By Loraine Antrim Real leaders talk about their vision. That was the focus of our last post.
Any leader can show vision: leaders of a team or project...leaders of a business unit...or a leader of an organization. It's about letting your team know where you see them in the foreseeable future.
But what ... Feb. 19, 2011 01:13 PM EST Reads: 322 |
By Loraine Antrim If you know what someone is going to say, why bother to listen?
An effective presentation is no different. If your audience pretty much knows what you will be saying, there is no incentive to really listen or be moved to action.
A great presentation is about surprising the audi... Feb. 16, 2011 10:47 AM EST |
By Loraine Antrim Can you see into the future? Get a glimpse of what your company, organization or business unit will be like in three years? How about five?
It's the vision thing.
Some of the world's greatest leaders know the power of vision. Take Jack Welch. His thoughts on v... Feb. 16, 2011 09:23 AM EST Reads: 189 |
By Loraine Antrim Executive Building BlocksMany executives have great ideas, but when they speak, those ideas sometimes get buried in too many words.
Whether you're addressing colleagues, speaking in a company meeting, or talking to customers, if you communicate and few listeners "get... Feb. 10, 2011 09:40 AM EST Reads: 190 |
By Loraine Antrim Few speakers are spontaneously brilliant.
The best of the best presenters rehearse many many times...that's how they got to be the best.
Yes, Steve Jobs rehearses...again and again and again.
If you look at your presentation once or twice on the plane ride to the speaking venue, yo... Feb. 10, 2011 08:31 AM EST Reads: 262 |
By Loraine Antrim
People talking WITH people.
If you are presenting well, you create a dialogue with your audience.
If it's a monologue, you might want to rethink your strategy. You might not be ready for prime time presenters.
Come back with a collaborative attitude and talk with the audience... Feb. 9, 2011 12:35 PM EST |
Loraine Antrim is co-founder of Core Ideas Communication, a communications consulting agency focused on presentation development and media training for C-suite executives. Core Ideas enables executives to package and communicate relevant and compelling messages in their presentations and interviews. Loraine's expertise is killing butterflies. You know, butterflies: the feeling in your stomach before you have to present or speak in public. Loraine works with executives to create a powerful story, memorable messages and an authentic delivery style. Confidence kicks in, and butterflies scatter. Nice work killing butterflies! You can contact Loraine at: manager at coreideas.com
