Presenting to Win: The Art of Telling Your Story

In Presenting to Persuading Your Audience Every Time , the world’s #1 presentation consultant shows how to connect with even the toughest, most high-level audiences–and move them to action. Jerry Weissman shows presenters of all kinds how to dump those PowerPoint templates once and for all–and learn to tell compelling stories that focus on what’s in it for their listeners. Drawing on dozens of practical examples and real case studies, Weissman shows presenters how to identify their real goals and messages before they even open PowerPoint; how to stay focused on what their listeners really care about; and how to capture their audiences in the first crucial 90 seconds. From bullets and graphics to the effective, sparing use of special effects, Weissman covers all the practical mechanics of effective presentation–and walks readers through every step of building a Power Presentation, from brainstorming through delivery. Unlike the techniques in other presentation books, this book’s easy, step-by-step approach has been proven with billions of dollars on the line, in hundreds of IPO road shows before the world’s most jaded investors. Foreword to the Paperback Edition xxiii What’s Past Is Prologue xxvii The Wizard of Aaaahs xxix Chapter You and Your Audience 3 Chapter The Power of the WIIFY 15 Chapter Getting The Expansive Art of Brainstorming 27 Chapter Finding Your Flow 51 Chapter Capturing Your AudienceImmediately 83 Chapter Communicating Visually 109 Chapter Making the Text Talk 123 Chapter Making the Numbers Sing 143 Chapter Using Graphics to Help Your Story Flow 157 Chapter Bringing Your Story to Life 189 Chapter Customizing Your Presentation 215 Chapter Pitching in the Majors 231 Chapter Animating Your Graphics 237 Chapter The Virtual Presentation 257 Appendix Tools of the Trade 273 Appendix Presentation Checklists 277 Acknowledgments 283 Index 287