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 course, presentations need compe... (more)

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 props. A... (more)

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 design your next prese... (more)

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 w... (more)

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 sell his or her... (more)

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 or undo-able.... (more)

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 ma... (more)

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 ... (more)

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 presen... (more)

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 ab... (more)

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 to... (more)

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 ... (more)

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 w... (more)

"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... (more)

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 to... (more)

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 sh... (more)

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, imag... (more)

"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 fea... (more)

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 pe... (more)

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 asked of CEOS in a ... (more)