23 principles to make your next presentation an outstanding success:
1. Watch videos of great speakers. Analysing the effect a presentation has on you is a fantastic way to learn what works and what doesn’t when it comes to public speaking.
2. If you don’t grab your audience’s attention within the first thirty seconds, your audience will mentally tune out of your presentation.
3. Don’t bore your audience with introductory remarks. Begin with a story.
4. Stories are powerful because people are hardwired to listen to stories.
5. Stories take your audience on a mental journey. Audiences cannot resist a well told story even if they try.
6. Share a personal story.
7. The surprising element that makes a story irresistible is conflict. The stronger the conflict, the more captivating your story will be.
8. Ask yourself, “Is the conflict in my story stng enough? Does it arouse my audience’s emotions?”
9. No conflict = no curiosity = no interest.
10. Bring your characters alive by providing details about their appearance.
11. Give your audience enough sensory information to construct a mental image of your main characters.
12. Show, don’t tell.
13. Turn your scenes into mental movies using the VAKOG. (Visual, auditory, kinesthetic, olfactory, gustatory.)
14. Pack in as many of the senses as possible but keep your descriptions short.
15. Provide specific detail because it helps your audience see what you’re saying.
16. Specificity adds internal credibility.
17. Positive message stories are inspiring. They allow you to share your message with your audience without lecturing them.
18. Leave your audience on an emotional high.
19. Use dialogue, not narration. Dialogue is shorter and more impactful than narration, and also allows you to use vocal variety in your delivery.
20. Your story should contain the spark that allowed your character to overcome the conflict.
21. Show the change in the character as a result of the conflict.
22. Wrap up your story by leaving your audience with a final takeaway message.
23. Make your takeaway message short so that your audience can remember and repeat it.
You can find more about Akash Karia here.
Seth Tan 