So now you have stories for each one of your message points.
What else can you do to really increase the odds,
that your audience will remember your message?
Another tool is to use visuals.
Now if you have good stories,
you're forcing people to visualize things when they hear you.
But if you actually give them something visual to look at, then they don't
have to do any creative thinking, they're just going to instantly see that.
Now, the most commonly used visual in presentations, is the PowerPoint slide.
Now I know some of you have instant reactions when you hear the phrase
PowerPoint, because they think all PowerPoint is awful, it's horrible, it's boring.
And yet, we have to use PowerPoint in our company.
Here's the thing, the problem is not PowerPoint, it's how people use it.
The number one way most people use PowerPoint, is just to throw lots, and
lots, and lots of bullet points, texts, their script.
They're thinking, wow, this is going to be easy, I don't have to know what I'm
saying, I don't have to practice, rehearse, memorize.
I can just follow the PowerPoint.
The problem of course is, if you're reading the script,
the audience can read it too.
So, why does anyone need you?
It's boring when you're reading a PowerPoint, and you're destroying your eye
contact, that you can no longer look at your audience members.
You're fixated on your slides in front of you, or
you're turning around and you're back, so, that's the real problem.
Now, there are a lot of different theories out there on PowerPoint.
My theories are based on having tested them in the real world,
in front of live audiences, and do the same thing.
I don't want you to take my word for anything to do with PowerPoint test.
But here's the test, prep your slide, give your presentation when you're done,
ask people what your slides were.
If they don't remember it, it didn't work, it's horrible.
Take it, tear it up, and throw it in the trash can.
If people did remember your slide and what was on it, and
what the messages, it did work.
That means you past, keep the slide, it's effective.
It really comes down to that if people remember your slides and
the message is from it, it works.
Now, here's the rule of thumb that I follow, and
that I get my clients to follow who really want to be effective speakers.
If you're using PowerPoint, don't use text.
I know I know I know you could tell me a little TJ, that's crazy,
talk in our corporate culture.
We have five bullet points and we have eight words per bullet point,
and it's done that way a lot of places.
Does it mean it's effective?
The most effective way to use PowerPoint,
is to put one image per slide, and to have that just convey one idea.
One pitch not four different pictures that convey the point,
just one picture per slide.
That's the most effective way to use PowerPoint,
someone should hear you talk about the concept.
See the image up on the slide,
instantly make the connection of what your point is, drives it home.
Now they can understand it better.
And remember it better, the rule of thumb for any slide is,
does it make your audience understand the idea more than you simply saying it?
And does it make your audience remember the message more than you just saying it?
If you can't say yes to both questions, it's not a good slide.
Now, what I recommend for most of my clients and what I do myself is,
when I'm creating a PowerPoint presentation, I use two powerful ones.
One is to traditional, lots of bullet points, lots of text,
lots of words, email it to people in advance.
Give it as a handout, post it on a website, but
do not project it when you're standing up speaking in front of people.
The second PowerPoint, is just for you to show when you're standing
in front of people, and you have something to project on a big screen.
That should consist of images, one image per slide, one idea per slide, not text.
I understand if that's not the way it's done in your company,
I understand if you haven't even seen it done that way.
I'm telling you as an expert who's worked with 10,000 clients around the country,
around the world, from six different continents.
This is what actually works.
Again, I don't want you to just blindly follow what I say,
I do want you to do one thing I asked for, and that is test.
You're giving a PowerPoint presentation to 40 colleagues, or
40 new business prospects on Thursday, find three colleagues, lunchtime Tuesday.
Maybe offer to buy him a sandwich, give them your presentation.
When you're done, ask them every slide they remember,
ask them every message they remember.
Any slide they remember, you now have empirical evidence it works,
keep it, good job.
But any slide they don't remember, exactly what it was,
exactly what the message was, exactly what was on that slide.
If they can't remember your slide, you now have empirical evidence,
that that slide was garbage, throw it away, or keep it as the handout.
Keep it as something that you're emailing to people in advance,
or handing out afterwards.