HBR Guide to Persuasive Presentations (Nancy Duarte)

Another day, another book on public speaking.  This time, it's the Harvard Business Review Guide to Persuasive Presentations.  Some cogent points:

Remember that it's about the audience.  "The people in your audience came to see what you can do for them, not what they must do for you."  "It's your job to determine the best way to connect with your audience."  How do people prefer to process information?  Give them insights to improve their lives, business, etc.  Show the audience that you value their time and care about their needs.  Knowing people "makes it easier to influence them."  Questions to ask getting to know your audience:

- why are they here?
- what keeps them up at night?
- how can you solve their problems?
- what do you want them to do?
- how might they resist?
- how can you best reach them?

There are four types of audiences: doers, suppliers, influencers, innovators.  Each can help you- if you help them.  "Never deliver a presentation you wouldn't want to sit through."

Briefing is powerful because it is so influential.  "When you present, you're asking people in the room to change their behavior or beliefs in some way, big or small."  So make it simple- don't make people work hard to identify what matters.  Don't assume everyone will understand jargon.  If it's necessary to include, define it.  Your words must be both clear and memorable.

Use stories where you can.  Personal stories told with passion are the most effective.  Stories are "the most compelling platform we have for managing imaginations."  Why?  Because they point to what is and what could be.  The result: "all good presentations convey and resolve some kind of conflict or imbalance."  You can create conflict by looking at what is and what could be.  "Begin by describing life as the audience knows it . . . this creates a bond . . . and opens them up to hear your ideas for change."  And "your ending should leave people with a heightened sense of what could be- and willingness to believe or do something new."  Speakers must appeal to people's minds and hearts.  So you need both analytical and emotional content.

Use metaphors.  Statistics, too, if they're impressive. 

When presenting, think about what (if any) supplemental content you need.  If using slides, use them well.  Slides split attention (between you and the slides).  Therefore, make data clear and simply presented.  People should 'get' your slide in 3 seconds, then resume paying attention to you..  Beware: "If your content can be distributed and clearly understood without a presenter, you've created a document- not a presentation."
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This book is pretty good.  It's clear, concise, and comprehensive.  It's almost too concise, which is a rarity.  It's written with the assumption that you had an idea you want someone to adopt . . . but it's a decent reference.

Rating: A-