How to make your short presentation: Super Clear, Super Interesting and Super Memorable?
Crack the Code!
There she was, Chenlai, a small Chinese woman with bright eyes. Ready to start her short 5 minute presentation. After her presentation she left me and the group in utter amazement. What a marvel this presentation: super clear, super interesting, super memorable. In all its ingenious simplicity, incredible powerful. This is not something you see happening every day.
What is it exactly that made this presentation and this presenter so great? Which 3 factors of success did Chenlai apply faultlessly? And what can you do to achieve the same?
Read down below the 3 factors of success that crack the code of this marvel and that you can also apply.
1) Make a choice in content!
Chenlai was free to speak about whatever she wanted to speak about. Early on she decided she wanted to speak about her culture shock. She was living in Maastricht for a year now and was surprised by many things. From the food, to drinking habits to how things are organized in the Netherlands.
Instead of dealing with all these subjects and mentioning them one after the other, thereby remaining on the surface. Chenlai realized that she had to make a choice for a 5 minute presentation.
A) to keep within the timelimit.
B) to make it interesting and memorable.
Mentioning a long list with items , will not be experienced as engaging by a public, nor will it be remembered.
She decided to choose 1 aspect: how hierarchy played an important role in Chinese society and how this has an effect on the way people communicate at work. She then juxtaposed this, to how people in the Netherlands communicate with each other at work, without this sense of hierarchy.
2) What is interesting for your public?
In choosing her subject, Chenlai also considered what might be interesting for her public. So, she could have chosen many topics, but she picked the topic, she thought could also be interesting and educational for her public. In short: she really put herself in her public’s footsteps and she even made that explicit in her presentation. “This information is interesting for you, for it makes you understand Chinese people better and understand where they come from”.
3) Do what you choose well.
Instead of doing things in a superficial way, Chenlai made a conscious choice. She picked one subject and really worked that one out well. She underpinned her topic with 3 really clear examples. The way people communicate at work in the Netherlands was juxtaposed in 3 different examples, with how this would be dealt with in China. The contrast and the examples that were really well worked out made her presentation crystal clear, humorous and memorable.
With ease and within her time limit, Chenlai delivered a strong example of how to make a short presentation, super clear, super interesting and super memorable.
“In presentations, narrow and deep is the most powerful and compelling structure. Why? Because it combines hard data with gentle simplicity”
Connie Dieken. Talk less, Say more.
Would you like to learn to present in a clear memorable manner?
Friday 15 september I organize an open training “Presenting with Impact”.
In one day you’ll learn all the basics of clear and engaging presentations. Small groups, “learning-by-doing” clear, easy applicable theory.
For more information see the link down below:
https://presentingwithimpact.nl/english-presentation-skills/
There are a few place left. If you book now, you pay 299,- instead of 349,-
If you are interested mail to: info@presentingwithimpact.nl
Good luck!
Mabel