This week I was at a conference in the wonderful city of Barcelona. There were a lot of presentations, I even gave one myself. One presentation stood out for me, it was the final one of the conference. This presentation was high energy, used lots of full screen images, and it finished noticeably early. The presenters used humor and had a definite theme (I like themes). They designed their presentation to deliver a message (they called it a journey), rather than just presenting a large amount of information. These elements made it different from other presentations during the week, and I believe because it was different it was more memorable.… Read More
Continue ReadingHow to avoid “Presentation Dry”
I had an interesting conversation with a physician this week about how to present a data-rich topic, like a complex research study for example. Presenting this type of information in a 20-30 minute time slot (or even an hour), can be a real challenge. He explained that he modifies his presentation based on the audience. He said that he simplifies his material for general practitioners who may need a general overview, but presents a more detailed report to colleagues in his specialty because they often require the information at a deeper level. He also mentioned that data-rich information can be dry to present. I certainly agree. Here are a few… Read More
Continue ReadingHow is your storytelling?
I just returned from a 3 day meeting in Orlando. Over 3000 people attended and, as you would expect, there were lots of presentations. The presentations were like most presentations, but I noticed something interesting. Many of the presentations contained a story, and the stories had a noticeable effect on the audience. Whenever a presenter started a story, the audience got quiet and were more focused on the presenter. Everyone was more engaged. The stories that were most engaging had common elements; they were about a specific person and a specific place and time. The best stories had a direct emotional link to the presenter’s message and were brief and concise. The basic elements of this “springboard” type… Read More
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