Presentation Secrets: Do What You Never Thought Possible with Your Presentations

Do What You Never Thought Possible with Your Presentations

When you open this book, you′ll feel as though you′re sitting down with an expert who is disclosing rare information about the art of making a unique presentation. World–renowned presentation expert Alexei Kapterev shares knowledge garnered from his years of experience so that you can benefit from his tactics, strategies, and secrets for planning, creating, and delivering a memorable presentation. Covering all aspects of what defines a great presentation in an easy–to–follow format, this book reveals helpful and advanced insight on preparation, storytelling, visual aids, and much more.

The Insider′s Guide to:

Understanding the "how" and "why" behind a noteworthy presentation

Developing strong storytelling and speechwriting skills

Establishing key points and setting goals

Choosing the right slides for your project and knowing what visual formats are successful and why

Learning the best way to present yourself, pace yourself, and keep people interested

Finessing the verbal and nonverbal aspects of a presentation

Solving presentation–related problems andchallenges

The Secrets series reveals:

Authoritative information in highlighted areas

Exceptional advice in the margin notes

Unique insight from years of author experience

Rarely revealed tips and techniques

Invaluable shortcuts and workarounds

Insider TipsExpert advice to help you structure your presentation, build clear and attractive slides, and deliver with passion

Valuable InsightsEye–opening descriptions of storytelling techniques employed by the pros

Unbeatable AdviceReal–world examples of scripts and slides and little–known tips on design and delivery

Chapter 1 3 What Is Presentation? 1

What Are Presentations? 2

Story 4

Slides 7

Delivery 13

The Three Principles of Presenting 14

Summary 22

Part I 3 Story 23

Chapter 2 3 The Story’s Focus 25

Not All Stories Are Created Equal 26

Focusing on One Idea 26

Setting the Goal 27

The Customer Isn’t Always Right 35

Gathering the Material 39

Inventing the Truth 47

Can You Sell Without Lying? 47

Summary 48

Chapter 3 3 The Story’s Contrast  51

Problems and Solutions 52

Hero and Villain 63

Summary 73

Chapter 4 3 The Story’s Unity 75

Making Your Story Unified 76

Case Study: The Story of Tomato Sauce 80

The Problem of Balance 82

Case Study: A Company Introduction 99

Summary 101

Part I I 3 Slides 103

Chapter 5 3 The Slides’ Focus  105

Producing Your Slides 106

Zen and Vajrayana 107

Designing Zen Slides 113

Summary 131

Chapter 6 3 The Slides’ Contrast 133

Energizing Lifeless Diagrams 134

Using Comparisons 136

Data Visualization 144

Lies, Damned Lies, and Statistics 155

A Word on Animation 159

Where to Go Next?—Visualization Resources 161

Summary 162

Chapter 7 3 The Slides’ Unity 163

Avoiding Ugly Slides 164

Slide Design for Non–Designers 165

Working with Pictures 188

United World in a Slide Deck 191

Summary 195

Part I I I 3 Delivery 197

Chapter 8 3 Focus in Delivery  199

What Should You Focus on During Delivery? 200

Clarity 202

Pace 205

Voice 207

Engaging with Your Audience 208

Making Eye Contact 212

Addressing Any Questions 218

Using Humor (or Not?) 218

Summary 220

Chapter 9 3 Contrast in Delivery 221

The Opposite of Monotony 222

Being Perfect Versus Being Passionate 223

Don’t Avoid Confrontation 226

Learning from Other People 232

Summary 241

Chapter 10 3 Unity in Delivery 243

Going with the Flow 244

The Pros and Cons of Improvisation 247

Relaxing Control 251

Summary 263

Chapter 11 3 Where to Go Next  265

Presentation Checklist 266

Taking Further Steps 269

General Presentation Resources 269

Storytelling Resources 270

Slide Resources 273

Delivery Resources 275

Presentations Transform 277

Index 279

Alexei Kapterev is the author of "Death by PowerPoint," the world′s most popular presentation on presentations, with over a million views to date. He runs a consulting practice in addition to working with Mercator, Russia′s leading business graphics company. He also teaches visual communication at the Graduate School of Business Administration, Moscow State University.