How not to give a boring presentation...

There were a few comments lately about my approach. Seems like being told what "not to do" is not as useful as being told what to do. I apologize, but it was easier to just start this way. It is true that for some, to be told what not to do, is not helpful, because they simply do not do it. Also, some people catch quickly and when they see someone who is doing something "wrong" they learn not to do it. But, I don't think that ignoring the "bad" and just focusing on the "good" is the solution either. So let's aim for a balance of positive and negative lessons.

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Apple's Steve Jobs, arguable the best tech presenter today
One of the best way to learn from "the good" is to look at great presenters. Arguably, Apple's Steve Jobs is one of the best presenters in the technology world. There are plenty of people who follow and analyze Steve Jobs' presentations, not just for his ability to excite people, but also to learn from his style and skills. Let's look at an article from Business Week: How to Wow 'Em Like Steve Jobs(APRIL 6, 2006). It is one of many that talks about what Steve Jobs does in his presentations. They make five points:

• Sell the Benefit - Steve Jobs does not sell bits of metal; he sells an experience.
• Practice, Practice, and Practice Some More - Jobs takes nothing for granted during product launches.
• Keep It Visual - Speaking of slides, there are very few bullet points in a Jobs presentation.
• Exude Passion, Energy, and Enthusiasm - Jobs has an infectious enthusiasm.
• "And One More Thing..." - At the end of each presentation Jobs adds to the drama by saying, "and one more thing."

Well, these are a few top level tips, but the article makes a good point in terms of comparing Jobs to most technology presenters. This is crucial for us technology (geeks) to understand. Not many of our   C U S T O M E R S   want to know that inside the box is a chip with software and
wires with display and buttons with insulation... you get the point. The same applies to the very technical of presentations. Even (or I should say ESPECIALLY) technical audience want to know the benefit to them. While it's nice that a new version of the software made the work for the developers easier, customers really do not care about that. But if the product's quality and reliability has been enhanced by 150% due to better software development processes, and there are 80% less bugs on the initial release, and the incremental releases are going to be faster and more predictable (the next one in in 8 weeks) -- that makes sense to customers. This speaks about Jobs' selling the "benefit" not the "bits of metal".
Now for the "bad" list. After all, we still have to watch out what NOT to do and I still see lots of bad presenters. These are my top list of not to do:

• Do NOT put them to sleep: if you can't be enthusiastic, learn how to modulate your voice, move your body and hands, illustrate and point to the presentation, give short demos, etc.
• Do NOT assume that they know: Explain basic terms, diagram processes, illustrate construction (circuits, flow charts)
• Do NOT talk in generalities: Show demos, mock-ups, screen shots, output displays,
• Don't talk about "strategy" to operational techies, don't show screen shots to strategic managers: tailor presentations or parts of them
• Don't try to fake your way: don't be "a friend" if that is not you, don't be "the expert" if you are not: be yourself, be honest

Well, I think this is a start. Remember, there are many places today to find help on how to present, blogs with presentation articles, lots of books -- but the most important part if how you present yourself and how well you prepared the presentation. This is what was said about Steve Jobs as well. This includes the actual material but also your own ability to speak and feel confident in the material and your knowledge. The one thing that the Steve Jobs situation shows the result of lots of work and preparation. Steve Jobs goes on stage after Apple has done the work and has made a magnificent product. You may think that this puts you at a disadvantage. Maybe you don't see all the work that goes into your company's product. I would suggest that you do your homework and learn about how your product was designed, developed, tested, and packaged. Maybe even how it is supported and how customers are trained. Everything you do should prepare you to give a good presentation. And don't forget, test yourself in front of internal people or a few willing customers. This is the best way to really practice. Nothing is like the real thing, but standing up in front of people and giving the presentation over and over again is a good way to test yourself. OK, as they say... NOW IT'S YOUR TURN!     G O O D     L U C K !