Public Speaking: The Speaker Trumps the Slides

I hate it when speakers put together a slide deck and call it "their presentation." The slides don't do any presenting--they simply back up YOUR ideas.

People with knowledge, expertise and experience create slides. A presentation would be complete without slides, yet a slide deck cannot deliver a meaningful message to the audience without the presenter.

Information is widely, easily and cheaply available today. Visuals of great cleverness, ingenuity, and across the whole spectrum of creative endeavors are all around you. Your presentation cannot stand out if that's what you rely on when speaking to your audience.

Only you, the passionate expert with deep inner knowledge, can make the message stick. Sticky messages mean people remember specifics and they act upon them--they are motivated to do something after listening to you that they wouldn't have done before your speech. The greatest movie in history doesn't motivate you or make you act. You remember it as a wonderful experience outside of yourself.

Strike the thought that your slides equal your presentation-today!. Put your thoughts down first, be clear about your call-to-action and your attention-getting opening. Know your message and craft it as if you were going to deliver it without any media behind you. Only then is it time to put a few slides together that will serve to support your message.

Share your thoughts about how changing your thinking has made a difference in the results of your presentations.

Comments

[communication_experts]

great tips and a wonderful article for more information about public speaking you can refer to Princeton Public Speakin

[Terry Gault]

As the presenter, it is your job to create the best environment for your audience to have a good experience, so taking charge of the space is crucial. If you need to move something, move it. If you need to write something on the flip chart or white board, do so.

If you become too deferential, it can be seen as a lack of confidence , which will undermine your authority and thereby your presentation as a whole!

You're definitely right Susan...the power of the speaker is much more important than any slide-presentation