Catalyst 2016: Practical Tips for Powerful Presentations

Chris HeinzDirector of CatalystEnergyCAP, [email protected] - @csheinz

©2016 EnergyCAP, Inc. ▪ @energycap ▪ www.EnergyCAP.com

Sooner or Later You’ll Have To Present: Practical Tips for Powerful Presentations

Energy Managers are called upon to give presentations, but their effectiveness can be limited by a number of factors:

Inexperience

Fear

Lack of preparation

By preparing in five ways, you can deliver powerful presentations that move the audience to embrace your idea.

Different Meaningful Valuable

Although understanding the audience is the starting place for creating a presentation, the audience is often overlooked.

Likeable hero

Encounters obstacles

Emerges transformed

Image source: https://fanart.tv/movie/380/rain-man/


“As presenters, our goal is simple: To help others see what we see.”

Dan Roam

By understanding the audience, you can deliver a presentation that speaks to them so they care about what you care about.

Identify the audience

Build profiles

What is their background?

What distinguishes them?

What are their goals?

What are their challenges?

How does your idea help?

What will be their objections?

Build Profiles

Believe now Behave now

Believe then Behave then

Plan the Change

By understanding the audience, you can deliver a presentation that speaks to them so they care about what you care about.

Identify the audience

Build profiles

Plan the change

Find common ground

Mediocre presentations often suffer from an unclear, undeveloped, or inaccessible message.

By developing and presenting a clear Big Idea and a compelling Call-to-Action, your audience will know what is at stake if they don’t act.

Big Idea

Energy management software makes it easy for organizations to reduce energy use, save money, and simplify work processes.


Big Idea = Point of View + Stakes

Tied to the Big Idea is the Call-to-Action, which will be:

Clear and easy

Actionable and barrier-free

Presented after you’ve made your case

Simple

When presentations only dump information, they don’t inspire, change, or call to action.


By utilizing storytelling for structure and substance, you will connect with your audience, introduce intrigue, and prove your idea.


Storytelling for Structure

Abraham Lincoln

Mahatma Gandi

Martin Luther King, Jr.

John Ortberg

Steve Jobs

Angelina Jolie



Storytelling for Structure

Source: http://cdn.www.duarte.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/LinkedIn_ND_164.jpg



“When we tell a story in a presentation, three great things happen: We make complex concepts clear, we make ideas unforgettable, and we include everyone.”

Dan Roam

Storytelling for Substance


Brainstorm personal stories from your life

Use stories of people you know

Tell popular stories from books, movies, plays, or real life

Consider emotions



Poorly designed slides hurt—not help—your idea.

Slides are not your:

Presenter notes

Soapbox

Art canvas


By following four rules of slide design, you can make your idea shine…and you don’t have to be a graphic designer.


Complex vs. Simple

Source: http://www.greatspeech.co/article-512/powerpoint-the-5-primary-principles-of-powerpoint-presentations.html


“More of your brain is dedicated to vision than to any other thing that we do.”

Dan Roam

Text vs. Illustration


“I’m good at what I do.”

“I’m responsiblefor what I do.”

“What I/we dois important.”






Cliché vs. Fresh: Teamwork or Partnership


Target or Goal


Leaving A Legacy


How can you select fresh photos for your presentation?

Avoid standalone images

Throw out your first impression

Brainstorm related concepts

Plan time for creativity


Title slide Navigation slideWalk-in Slide

Chance vs. Purpose


Chance vs. Purpose

Big-word slide Quote slideBullet slide


Chance vs. Purpose

Diagram slide Walk-out slideData slide



The credibility of a grand idea can be lost with poor delivery.


You can create an inspiring experience for your audience by nailing the delivery.



Practice in front of others

Practice in same place

Arrive early

Recruit help



Dress plus to match audience

Use appropriate speech

Make eye contact

Find a friendly face



Plan gestures

Avoid pacing

Use black screen



Incorporate supporting object

Use powerful metaphor

Include video or audio

Invite other people



Hand out paper

Create slidedoc

Plan the call-to-action

Provide memorable giveaway

Send email follow-up



Different Meaningful Valuable




Software

Catalyst 2016: Practical Tips for Powerful Presentations