Tag: Steve Jobs

3 Secrets to Making Numbers Interesting in Sales Presentations

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presenting data

Rick Enrico

sales pitch

Steve Jobs

May 13, 2015

It doesn’t matter how skilled a speaker is or how mathematically proficient listeners are. Numbers mean nothing unless you explain what they mean.

Pitches must back up claims, but you shouldn’t drone on with a string of unrelated numbers.

You can say that your company’s taken a 4% market share, or that your profit increased by 11% in the third quarter. You can boast that your bath soap can kill 99.9% of germs.

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The question your listeners will still ask is: what do the numbers mean to me?

According to brand communications expert Carmine Gallo, you can answer this by making your numbers specific, relevant, and contextual.

Specify who the numbers are for

When Steve Jobs presented the iPhone market share during Q3 2008, he used a pie chart to point out that while RIM commanded 39% of the overall US market share, the iPhone achieved a noteworthy 19.5%. Apple’s iPhone nearly equaled the combined market shares of Palm, Nokia, and Motorola (a total of 20.3%), as well as other competitors’ 21.2% share.

He confidently concluded that the iPhone can do even better in the future. This impressive information convinced Jobs’ prospects to invest in him.

Similarly, in sales presentations, show your audience two things:

  1. That your product can compete with major market players
  2. That your product shows potential for future investment

Make the data relevant

Make your facts and topics relevant to your audience.

For people to invest in your pitch, show them exactly what they’ll get out of it. The same goes for numbers you present in a sales presentation.

As one of Gallo’s examples, when SanDisk announced a new 12GB micro SD card for cell phones in 2008, they focused on the fact that it could store at least 6 hours’ worth of movies and enough songs to listen to while travelling to the moon and back. The brand simplified the specs and made it sound useful to its target market. Instead of throwing hard numbers at the audience, they made easy-to-understand comparisons to highlight the new memory card’s capabilities.

Put the numbers in context

Facts and statistics don’t exist in a vacuum. They indicate how a business performs in the present and in the future.

Going back to the iPhone example, Jobs used the most recent market share data that he could find. His crowd consisted of investors looking to see how well the then-current iPhone performed.

This is why Jobs used that pie chart. For the first 90 days of its shipping, the iPhone had 4 million worth of units sold, an average of 20,000 per day. It was a close second to RIM’s 39% market share (Gallo, 2010). That growth rate in the first 90 days established the high demand for the device. Jobs related his numbers to a specific event (the first 90 days of shipment), which put the achieved market share into a relatable context.

Relate your data in a palatable format. Choose the right way to visualize your information so that your audience can understand it too.

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Since numbers are hard to explain, help your audience understand them.

Apply these three secrets and use graphs to make the data more comprehensive to the average viewer. Know which types of graphs to use depending on the information you’ll be working with. Specify who you’ll be presenting these numbers to, why it’s relevant to them, and how the data makes sense in your client’s context. These are the keys to converting well-made pitches into additional sales.

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References:

Gallo, C. (2010). The Presentation Secrets of Steve Jobs: How to be Insanely Great in Front of Any Audience. New York. McGraw-Hill
Steve Jobs introduces original MacBook Air & Time Capsule – Macworld SF (2008). EverySteveJobsVideo. Accessed May 13, 2015.
“The Question to Answer for Effective Business Presentations.” SlideGenius, Inc. May 25, 2015.

Maximize the Rule of Three: Brand-Building for Presentations

great brands

Rick Enrico

Rule of Three

Steve Jobs

May 12, 2015

Effective business presenters limit their topics to three simple subjects because the human brain can only remember up to seven pieces of information.

The late Steve Jobs limited almost all of his presentations to three subjects for easier recall. This could be seen in his introduction of the iPhone in 2007 as Apple’s “third product category” (with the Macintosh and iPod as the first two).

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This rule goes beyond stating three facts and expounding on them. Think of your pitch as the brand you’ll advertise to your clients. According to InterBrand group chief executive Chuck Brymer, before you can even begin to establish the three subjects, you need to fulfill three requirements among the notable qualities of great brands:

A Compelling Idea

Successful brands capture a customer’s attention and loyalty because they fill a need that people struggle with.

In the 2007 iPhone introduction, Steve Jobs announced that his company was reinventing the phone. Putting the iPod with the dial-wheel image aside, it was a compelling idea that immediately hooked everyone. According to Jobs, all smartphones at that time had fixed keypads and relied on a stylus. The iPhone only needed a touch screen to operate and had the competitors’ enhanced capabilities.

This was the reinvention that he pitched and elaborated. From a presenter’s perspective, having this kind of idea will form a foundation for your three points to build themselves later on.

A Core Purpose and Supporting Points

What does your brand promise and how will it deliver? The Apple iPhone was made as a reinvention, but it was also supported by three distinct capabilities: those of the iPod, the phone, and an internet communicator, all with an easy-to-use interface.

Regardless of the product and the intended customers, this second attribute remains consistent. Once you establish these factors, use your supporting points as your information for the three-subject rule.

An Organizational Principle

How do you organize your PowerPoint to deliver your pitch? While brands use this attribute as levers for their business decisions, it allows presenters determine two things:

  1. If the presentation techniques are in line with their idea’s purpose or not
  2. If the presentation style will leave a positive impression on their audience

These will determine whether your pitch will sell or not. The trick is to maintain an appropriate speech tone and keep your PowerPoint’s content and design consistent.

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Planning your pitch can spell the difference between an approved proposal and a rejected one. Clients need to remember enough of your presentations to consider investing in it. Define what your idea is, what you want to do with it and how you want to show it. Use these three attributes to stay consistent with your topic.

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References:

“Applying the Rule of Three to Your Presentations.” SlideGenius, Inc. May 5, 2014. Accessed May 12, 2015.
Brymer, Chuck. “WHAT MAKES BRANDS GREAT?” Marketing Magazine. Accessed May 12, 2015.
Steve Jobs introduces iPhone in 2007. YouTube. Accessed May 12, 2015.

Steve Jobs: Use Heroes and Villains in Your Business Presentations

Apple Inc.

delivery

presentation storytelling

Steve Jobs

May 08, 2015

Credited as the most innovative leader in business even after his death, Jobs is still imitated by many of today’s entrepreneurs. The impact of Jobs’ legacy is greatly due to his ability to tell stories that not only inform the audience but also inspires and entertains them.

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According to Help Scout content strategist Gregory Ciotti, substance isn’t paid as much attention unless it’s structured as a story. Going through a thrilling plot alerts certain areas in the brain and lets a person experience the described scenes as if they were really there.

This must be why the technique worked out so much for Jobs, who transformed typical pitches into movie-like plots with heroes, villains, and comic stunners.

Take a look at how he incorporated this technique to his business presentations:

Introduce the Villain

When Macintosh was publicly launched, IBM had already established its position in the computer market. Jobs thought of introducing IBM as the villain to sell the Mac’s benefits.

According to brand specialist Carmine Gallo, this worked because it’s in line with the idea of a story needing heroes in villains. At the same time, it serves as a good trajectory to introduce his product.

“It appears IBM wants it all. Apple is perceived to be the only hope to offer IBM a run for its money. IBM wants it all and is aiming its guns on its last obstacle to industry control: Apple,” Jobs said. “Will Big Blue dominate the entire computer industry? The entire information age? Was George Orwell right?”

Reveal the Conquering Hero

A story isn’t complete without a hero. For his introduction, Jobs positioned Macintosh as an instrument to escape from the villain’s grip.

“You’ve just seen pictures of Macintosh. Now I’d like to show you Macintosh in person. All of the images you are about to see on the large screen are being generated by what’s in that bag.”

Cue the showstopper

Jobs provided genuine showstoppers to create memorable speeches. This one is our favorite:

“Hello, I am Macintosh. It sure is great to get out of that bag. Unaccustomed as I am to public speaking, I’d like to share with you a maxim I thought of the first time I met an IBM mainframe: Never trust a computer you can’t lift. Obviously, I can talk right now, but I’d like to sit back and listen. So, it is with considerable pride that I introduce a man who has been like a father to me: Steve Jobs.”

Conclusion

Jobs revolutionized the art of corporate storytelling. He brought life to dull and typical discussions by narrating events.

Incorporating stories in your business presentations sets them apart from unmemorable speeches because people remember stories more easily than they do technical details.

A story is the simplest means to get your audience on board with your projects and ideas.

Make it real. Make an impact. Tell a story.

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References:

Ciotti, Gregory. “The Psychology of Storytelling.” Sparring Mind. Accessed May 8, 2015.
“Craft Your Corporate Presentations into a Great Story.” SlideGenius, Inc. May 15, 2015.
Gallo, Carmine. “11 Presentation Lessons You Can Still Learn From Steve Jobs.” Forbes. October 4, 2012. Accessed May 8, 2015.
Paul, Annie Murphy. “Your Brain on Fiction.” The New York Times. March 17, 2012. Accessed May 8, 2015.

Featured Image from Business Leaders: Steve Jobs

Learning from Steve Jobs: Tips for Great Presentation Design

iPhone

presentation design tips

Steve Jobs

Jun 03, 2014

When Steve Jobs first introduced the iPhone at the Macworld Expo last 2007, he presented an idea that later revolutionized the use of mobile phones. Seven years later, the Internet is buzzing with anticipation over the iPhone 6.

One thing we can learn from Jobs is that your million dollar idea is only the first step to success. The next and most crucial step is getting others to listen to you.

A genius idea could fall flat if it hides behind a bland presentation riddled with endless bullet points and line graphs. Luckily, we can take notes from the success of Steve Jobs and the iPhone for tips to improve your presentation design:

Your Slides are Important

Steve Jobs was well-known for his minimalist presentations. Each slide contained only a single image or thought that echoed parts of his speech. He also made use of large white fonts that contrasted against dark gradient backgrounds. This allowed his audience more head space to follow what he was saying.

Remember that visuals are important for retaining new information, but too much could overwhelm your audience. Learn to strike a balance when creating your own presentation design.

Find the middle ground between flashy animations and repetitive bullet points that could lull your audience to sleep. Your presentation design should help the audience retain your amazing idea.

Tell a Well-structured Story

Your presentation design should also follow the structure of the story you’re trying to tell. And every story needs a good beginning, middle, and end. No part can function without the other. Each should complement each other to bring to life an overall good narrative.

The same is true for presenting an idea.

Jobs demonstrated the efficiency of the story technique by identifying specific sections in his presentations.

Take, for example, his keynote at the Apple Worldwide Developers Conference in 2010. He organized his presentation into the following main segments: updates on the iPad, information about the App Store and the apps available for download, updates about the iPhone, and the then-new iPhone 4.

The Key is in the Delivery

The worst thing you can do is hide behind your note cards or read directly from your slides.A winning deck isn’t a replacement for your presence as a speaker. Make sure to establish your presence with a powerful delivery that will hold the audience’s attentions.

Your audience is just as likely to fall asleep to your deadpan delivery as they would if you presented them with a generic design template.

Jobs’ presentations were effective because he was a charismatic and confident communicator. Practice your delivery long before you’re slated to give your presentation. A confident delivery is bound to result in a positive response.

Conclusion

Every presenter has their own specific style. But it would help boost your chances if you take a tip from tried and tested methods.

Steve Jobs put the efficiency of storytelling to the fore in his own well-received presentations. Similarly, you can tap into the potential of a good narrative in your own pitch. Let your deck tell a story, but don’t fall behind in terms of delivery.

Blow the audience away with an award-winning presentation, from deck to delivery.

Reference

“Steve Jobs Introduces IPhone 4 at WWDC (live Blog).” CNET. Accessed June 03, 2014.

Image: the very instant of announcement by Blake Patterson from flickr.com

Twitter: Lessons from Social Media

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Rick Enrico

SlideGenius

Steve Jobs

Twitter

Jan 23, 2014

If there is one social media platform that has changed the way we connect with the world around us, in only 140 characters or less, only one network comes to mind.

Twitter was founded all the way back in 2006, when social media started to take the tech world by storm. Like many young startups, Twitter’s popularity didn’t start growing until a few years later. It’s now one of the ten most visited sites on the Internet.

With over 500 million users and with over 400 million tweets sent daily, the platform has been noted as the “SMS” of the Internet. The application is simply designed to engage and connect users with hashtags and trending topics that spike during notable world events such as The Olympics. 
twitter follow me logo

Social media strategists now use Twitter to reinforce their client’s (or own brands) marketing efforts. They take advantage of the platform to boost their presence on the Internet. To successfully use Twitter there are a few rules and regulations one must follow. Some of these guidelines are also applicable in creating an effective PowerPoint presentation. 

If you pay attention, there are a few similarities between creating a well-rounded “tweet” and a successful presentation.

Step 1: Simplify Your Thoughts

A tweet can only be 140 characters or less. This means your information has to be condensed and minimized to fit this requirement. A great presentation is one that is simplified. It only has minimal bullets, text, images, and animation.

Overloading your audience with too much of these will distract them from understanding your content. Before you go ahead and add extreme fonts or a fancy template, think about how less is more and how this can positively affect your presentation.

Step 2: Get With What’s Trending

Twitter is known for staying on top of prominent world topics with phrases or words that are “trending” or being tweeted by many users. Try to apply this concept to your presentation ideas. Utilize culturally in tune twitter trendsgraphics, stories or videos within your presentation to better speak to your audience. Stay on top of the news and understand what’s going on in your audience’s culture. What do they know? What do they believe in? Knowing this ahead of time will allow you to connect with your audience at a higher level.

Step 3: Get Your Audience to Follow

Within the Twitter world, your “followers” are the equivalent to your friends on Facebook or connections on LinkedIn. You have to constantly engage and entertain your audience or followers if you want them to keep following. The same can be said for presentations.

You want to be constantly interacting with your audience the entire time. Ask them questions. Pause at the end of presentations to get feedback from them. You have to appeal to your audience over everything, if not you are basically speaking to an empty room.

 

References

“Keeping Your Audience in Mind : The 4 Essential Questions.” SlideGenius, Inc. December 11, 2013. Accessed January 23, 2014.
“Study Shows Simplicity Is Key When Creating a PowerPoint Presentation.” SlideGenius, Inc. July 24, 2013. Accessed January 23, 2014.
Twitter. Accessed January 23, 2014.

Why Your Presentation Needs to be These 3 Words

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Rick Enrico

SlideGenius

Steve Jobs

Twitter

Twitter Test

Jan 05, 2014

Regardless the topic of your presentation, regardless the audience in front of you, regardless time allotted to you, and regardless the goal you have in mind; every single one of your presentations should be about these three words: Understandable, Memorable & Emotional.

Shape your presentation to concurrently fit these three categories, and you will be able to make millions! Not really, but you will definitely have a very effective presentation, which will lead to more sales.

Here is a Forbes’ breakdown of these three categories and the significance of each one:

Understandable.

Without clear and understandable slides, your professional PowerPoint presentation is practically useless. Simplicity is key when it comes to design. In aims to make your content and CTA’s clear to your audience, aim to keep your deck to ten slides and at a very maximum of 4 points per slide.

Bullet points are probably the most widely used form of delivery, but they aren’t necessarily the best. “In 2001 the iPod was “1,000 songs in your pocket.” In 2008, the MacBook Air was “The world’s thinnest notebook.” Steve Jobs always described his products in one sentence.” Bullet points can be effective because they are simple and quick, which makes them easy to understand, but nothing beats delivering your point in a conversational, one-sentence structure. Saying your point as if you were telling it to your mom, friend, or a random stranger is a great way to think of your delivery during your presentation.

Another useful way of thinking of understandability is the “Twitter Test.” If you can express your point in 140 characters or less, you’ll make your point in its simplest form, which is always the best form.

Memorable.

Memory’s magic number is 3! “Neuroscientists generally agree that the human mind can only consume anywhere from three to seven points in short-term, or “working memory” (This is why the phone number is only seven digits. Long ago scientists discovered if you ask people to remember eight digits, they forget just about the entire sequence of numbers). Incorporate this concept of 3 in your presentations. This can be done in a handful of creative ways: describe concepts in three words, divide your whole presentation into three parts (and say that you’re doing that), give the “three next steps,” or use the idea however you see fit. Rule-3 packaging makes things easier to understand, which in turn is more memorable.

Emotional.

Not all people are logical, but I can assure you that everyone is emotional. An emotional story will be more likely to reel in sales than a scientific finding. Ethical, unethical, right or wrong, it seems hearts and guts prove to be better salesmen than brains! Emotion can be presented in a multitude of useful venues. These include, but are not limited to photographs, videos, songs, colors schemes, the way you dress, the way you talk, and even the lighting in the room you present in. Everything around us can sway the way we feel in some way; large and small.  Knowing your audience well enough to the point that you can identify what will make them cry, laugh, scream, or sing can be the single most useful tool at your disposal. Be emotional in the way you talk; if you want your audience to be excited, talk as if you were excited!

To sum up, when you’re designing your next corporate presentation, or investor pitch, or just any PowerPoint presentation, make sure you can describe the deck as understandable, memorable, and emotional, and you will find yourself accomplishing whatever the deck was created to accomplish.

 

Reference:

Gallo, Carmine. “The Three Basic Secrets of All Successful Presentations.” Forbes. February 22, 2013.

The Top 3 Ways to Win Over Your Boss with PowerPoint

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Steve Jobs

The Office

Use Metrics

Dec 02, 2013

Presenting to your boss, in any situation, can be a very nerve racking and stressful process. Of course some of the steps you can take to win them over would be to do your homework and prepare adequately, and dealing with bosses with extreme expectations, say for example The Office’s Michael Scott can be tricky. So how do you exactly ‘wow’ your boss with a great powerpoint presentation? Follow these specific steps for a presentation  that will leave your boss impressed.

michael_scott_office_steve-carrel

Keep A Specific Slide Maximum

You should plan on having no more than 15 slides- maximum! Too lengthy of a presentation will cause your boss to lose interest-fast and as Leonardo da Vinci once said, “Simplicity is the ultimate sophistication”.

Use Metrics

Utilizing the appropriate data while encompassing this information with graphs and charts is essential in broadcasting your knowledge on the particular subject. Double check your facts in research with other sources before presenting. Showing your analytical skills through graphics and visuals will allow for you as the presenter to elaborate on these ideas within your presentation.

Leave Behind

Always come with the essential materials, make sure you have a printable copy of your presentation and or a downloadable PDF for your boss to further review, this will also show them you are prepared. Professionally printed executive brochures will place you a step ahead of the rest.

Though everyone knows Michael Scott may be the most irrational boss that ever came across national television, he does encompass some ordinary superior traits we can all relate too. The more advanced your presentation skills are, the better impression you will leave on your boss, showing your technical, marketing and basic research skills.

Comment below and let us know what your favorite Michael Scott moments are!

What You Need to Learn From Lion Tamers

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Work Cited

zoo

Nov 20, 2013

Any lion tamer will have three tools to control their majestic beast: a whip, a stool, and a fistful of enticing snacks. Which of these tools is most useful?

Most would say it’s the whip, but they would be wrong. It’s the stool. When the lion tamer raises the stool to face his roaring counterpart, the lion sees all four stool legs and doesn’t know which one to focus on. Consequently, they stand frozen, enabling the tamer to keep them under control.

As interesting as this may be, we as humans are not impervious to this same manipulation. When you try focus on too many things in your work, you become incapable of taking effective action on any of them. Lack of focus significantly impairs your ability to lead and stick to your plan, especially when giving a presentation.

In order to prevent what I like to call the very appropriately named “tamed-lion syndrome” you should follow these rules:

Set goals.

Know what you do, how you do it, why you do it, and where you want to take it. Know all of that, and the goal-making process will be a piece of cake. Go to the first day of class and what does the professor do? He goes over the syllabus and talks about his goals for you as his student. Join a gym your instructor will immediately talk about your goals and what exactly you hope to achieve with your body. Both the college professor and the gym instructor are following the same trend, they’re highlighting end results. They’re trying to lure you in by showing you the potential the service can offer you.

 It is useful to set goals at all levels, daily, weekly, monthly, annual, and long term. Expressing your short and long term goals in your presentation are great for transparency for your audience. Giving a clear message and ultimate goal to your audience will allow them to empathize with you and genuinely understand your passion. It’s a universal fact that empathy, or really just emotion, is the single most powerful tool for selling. All in all, it’s pretty simple; set goals, explain them, and sell more.

“That’s been one of my mantras – focus and simplicity. Simple can be harder than complex: You have to work hard to get your thinking clean to make it simple. But it’s worth it in the end because once you get there, you can move mountains.”

-Steve Jobs

Get your priorities straight.

This is arguably the most important and useful factor when it comes to focusing. Knowing your long term goal is the best way to start. That in itself takes a while to figure out. But once you take that step, highlight, circle, star, check, enumerate, or do whatever it is you have to do to prioritize your tasks to get you to your goal. The more detailed, the more effective it’ll be. Priorities should be outlined along with your goals in your presentation. This comes back to transparency; the more your audience can understand you and your company, the more comfortable they will feel with you.

 

References:

Colan, Lee. “What Lion Tamers Know About Focus.“ Inc.com. July 19, 2013. 
Jarrett, Christian. “How Goals and Good Intentions Can Hold Us Back.” 99u. July 10, 2012.

Our Five Favorite Books on Presenting with PowerPoint

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Presentation Zen

Steve Jobs

Aug 29, 2013

When it comes to improving your PowerPoint presentation skills, nothing beats learning from the experts. There are countless books available that offer valuable insights on creating impactful presentations, but a few stand out as must-reads. Here are our five favorite books on presenting with PowerPoint that will help you elevate your presentation game.

1. “Presentation Zen” by Garr Reynolds

Garr Reynolds’ “Presentation Zen” is a classic for a reason. It focuses on simplifying slide design and using visuals to enhance your message, rather than overwhelming the audience with text.

Why It’s a Favorite:

  • Focuses on Minimalism: Reynolds advocates for clean, uncluttered slides that keep the focus on the presenter.
  • Promotes Visual Storytelling: The book emphasizes the importance of visuals in conveying your message.

Key Takeaway: Less is more. Create slides that support your narrative without distracting from it.

2. “Slide

” by Nancy Duarte

Nancy Duarte’s “Slide

” dives deep into the art of visual thinking and design. Duarte offers practical advice on how to make your slides visually compelling while staying true to your core message.

Why It’s a Favorite:

  • Design-Centric: The book offers a masterclass in slide design, with real-world examples and tips.
  • Visual Thinking: Duarte teaches how to use design to communicate ideas more effectively.

Key Takeaway: Good design isn’t just about aesthetics—it’s about communicating your ideas clearly and effectively.

3. “The Naked Presenter” by Garr Reynolds

Another gem from Garr Reynolds, “The Naked Presenter” focuses on the art of live presentation delivery. It covers how to connect with your audience and engage them through storytelling and authenticity.

Why It’s a Favorite:

  • Focuses on Delivery: This book goes beyond slide design and delves into how to effectively deliver a presentation.
  • Encourages Authenticity: Reynolds emphasizes the importance of being genuine and open when presenting.

Key Takeaway: Engaging your audience requires more than good slides—it’s about connecting with them on a personal level.

4. “Resonate” by Nancy Duarte

“Resonate” is all about the power of storytelling in presentations. Duarte breaks down how to craft a narrative that captivates your audience and drives home your key points.

Why It’s a Favorite:

  • Narrative Focused: The book teaches how to structure your presentation like a compelling story.
  • Emotional Connection: Duarte explains how to use emotional appeal to connect with your audience.

Key Takeaway: A strong narrative is the foundation of a memorable presentation.

5. “Beyond Bullet Points” by Cliff Atkinson

In “Beyond Bullet Points,” Cliff Atkinson offers a practical framework for creating presentations that go beyond the typical bullet-point format. The book introduces a three-step method to help structure your presentation effectively.

Why It’s a Favorite:

  • Actionable Framework: Atkinson provides a clear, step-by-step approach to creating more engaging presentations.
  • Breaks the Mold: The book encourages presenters to move away from the conventional bullet-point format.

Key Takeaway: Presentations should tell a story, not just list information. Structure your content to guide the audience through a narrative.

Final Thoughts

These five books offer invaluable insights into both the design and delivery of PowerPoint presentations. Whether you’re looking to improve your slide design, craft a compelling narrative, or connect more effectively with your audience, these books will provide the tools you need to succeed. Incorporate their lessons into your next presentation, and watch your PowerPoint skills soar.

4 Rules for Boosting Creativity for Your Presentation

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VALUABLE

VALUEBLE

Aug 12, 2013

It’s one thing to show a few slides with some bullet points, pictures and graphs; it’s another to give a presentation. Weird, right? That kinda’ sounds like the same thing… wrong.

Presentations are meant to inform, engage, and inspire audiences- the former does none of these things. With that, I’ll amend my original statement to this: It’s one thing to show a few slides with some bullet points, pictures and graphs, but it’s another to give a VALUABLE presentation.

Valuable presentations, like most aspects of business, stem from creativity. Unfortunately there is a strong misconception about creativity in today’s society as it is commonly believed that it only comes to select group of people. The truth is that everyone has the capacity to be creative, which means everyone has the ability to create a valuable presentation. The key to being creative in your professional PowerPoint presentation comes before the actual construction of the presentation. 

To improve one’s conditions for innovation, one must create the appropriate setting. Here are the 4 rules to boost your creativity within your presentations:

1. You must create a space for yourself to be uninterrupted for a specific amount of time.

This is called “creative block”-  A specific starting and finishing time is necessary to effectively cultivate a “creative space.” If you have trouble focusing on getting your presentation up to the level it should be, creative blocks are the answer. Without defined times and spaces, it is too easy to drift back into dealing with the everyday stress and problems, something that will prevent you from advancing creatively and effectively. 

2. Surround yourself with soothing senses.

The sight, hearing, taste, smell, and touch in your environment will dictate your state of mind. In light of that, placing yourself in a peaceful setting, with plants, light, or soothing scent will help stir up your creative mind. In fact, studies show that the more senses your body feels at any given time, the harder your brain will work to react. The harder your brain works, the more creative your actual work becomes.

“Creativity is not a talent. It is a way of operating.”

-John Cleese

3. Cut your fat every time.

Dr. Seuss wrote Green Eggs & Ham after betting that he couldn’t produce a story using less than 50 words. The research shows that Seuss was on to something. Most people naturally take the path of “least resistance” and build off of older or existing concepts when brainstorming, which can lead to less creative ideas.

Cutting the fat, or raising the bar in what you do, will allow you to produce more creative work. Follow Dr. Seuss and place restrictions on yourself while creating whatever it is you create. If you usually write two page posts, go for one page!

Even Steve Jobs practiced this fat cutting principle. When the first official prototype of the iPhone 3 was created, he brought it into an engineers meeting, and dropped it into a clear box of water. He stood there and watched the bubbles from inside the device float up. He then proved to his designers that the phone could be trimmed in size based off the amount of air it released. He had the prototype made smaller and thinner, which in turn made a more appealing product. The limiting nature of any given task can bring out one’s most creative side.

4. Rethink and Renew.

Einstein once said, “If I had an hour to solve a problem, I’d spend 55 minutes thinking about the problem and five minutes thinking about solutions.” Instead of rushing into creating your presentation, it is better to visualize the problem you are working on in several angles. Most presenters think they know what their work is and how it needs to be done, but the fact of the matter is that few people actually take the time to analyze what they’re doing as being the most effective or efficient.

Clearly, there is always the issue of time constraints, but just because you take longer to plan doesn’t mean you’ll take longer to finish. In fact, it is quite possible, that in taking time to thoroughly think you will find that you need less work done than you previously thought, or that the work can actually be done in more efficient ways.

You don’t need to be a professional PowerPoint designer to find the best approach for your presentation. Oftentimes, the best approach is to picture the intended audience of your next presentation. Think of what inspires them. What angers them? What problems do they face? What market are they a part of?

Instead of rushing to start your presentation design, spend more time thinking of what you’re even doing, why you’re doing it and what can be made better?

einstein thoughts

References:

Ciotti, Gregory. “7 Ways to Boost Your Creativity.” 99u. May 29, 2013.

“Presentation Resolutions: 3 Tips to Help You Progress in 2014.” SlideGenius. January 2, 2014.

Reynolds, Garr. “Tips on How to Be More Creative by John Cleese.” Presentation Zen. July 27, 2012.

“Steve Jobs: Creating an Engaging Presentation.” SlideGenius. July 23, 2013.