Public speaking is an art form. The best public speakers speak with confidence, clarity and conviction — but this is a talent that comes with time and practice.
There is a lot that can be learned from the speakers who command a stage and convey their ideas in a way that is engaging and leaves a lasting impression.
Public speakers take the time to perfect their delivery – which you can too, if you enlist the help of a PowerPoint agency to take care of the visual aspects of your presentation.
There is a lot you can learn from watching these speakers deliver speeches:
Oprah: Have a Clear Message
Oprah is such a masterful speaker that she’s even given a masterclass in public speaking! One note
everyone can take from the legendary talk show host is to speak concisely — your speech should have a consistent message that doesn’t get lost in translation.
The importance of clarity in a presentation also rings true for your physical slides. If you find your slides are getting convoluted, check out these helpful tips to revert to an original template and improve your presentation’s organization.In her speeches, Oprah repeats her main point to get it across clearly. In her Golden Globe speech accepting the Cecil B. de Mille Award, Oprah expresses her vision that men need to fight together for a world that provides opportunity for women. She does this by making various concise statements that all lend to her main message.
Barak Obama: Make it Personal
A personal presentation will resonate and tether your audience to you, and the best example of this is Barak Obama’s approach to public speaking. In his Back To School speech in 2010, Obama led with his personal struggles as a teenager.
He expressed, “When I was in my teens, I was wrestling with all sorts of questions about who I was. I had a white mother and a black father, and my father wasn’t around; he had left when I was two.”
Obama’s Director of Speechwriting, Jon Favreau, shared with GQ that he often advised the former POTUS to get personal with his speeches. This is because it provides context for why you are doing what you are doing. He suggests, “If you’re telling a personal story, make it authentic — talk about tough times.”
Tony Robbins: Don’t Rely on Your Slides
Slides are a presentation tool — they need to add something to your speech, but also shouldn’t take away from it. In an interview with Business Insider, he shared, “If you’re just giving some frickin’ talk you’ve memorized over and over again, you’re going to have a flat effect…If you’ve just got a bunch of visuals on the screen that are leading your talk, hang up your shoes and get the hell out of there.”
Work with a presentation design company to ensure that your slides enhance your speech, and don’t pose as a distraction.
Steve Jobs: The Rule of Three
Historically, Steve Jobs always split his presentations into three acts: a set-up, confrontation and resolution.
For example, he divided his iPad launch speech into three sections: the arrival of a new iPod, phone, and internet communications device. Spoiler: All these devices were one thing — the iPad.
Mark Zuckerberg, for one, elevated his presentation skills by taking this note from Steve Jobs and applying it to his Harvard Commencement Speech. This was the speech he gave after receiving an honorary degree from the school — he did not get one when he first attended, as he dropped out.
The rule of three is essential as organization is, after all, one of the most important elements of a presentation. Most use templated slides for this exact reason.
Work with a PowerPoint design agency to storyboard your presentation and design custom templates for organization and cohesion.
