How to Shorten a Talk

I’m not short, I’m fun-sized

Not many phrases strike fear in the heart of a presenter quite like, “We’re running behind, can you shorten your talk?”

Well, that was before.

Imagine being able to say, “Absolutely!” confidently.

Tip: Build a content map.

Design your presentation in bite-sized chunks, by making a list of your three to five key points. For every key point, link one story and one lesson.

If you get a last-minute request to shrink your speech, you can cut one section at a time. The show goes on, and no one’s the wiser...like a Rockstar!

Need to fun-size your presentation? Book a call, and we’ll review your content map.

Virtual Presentations = Less Content

1/2 as much is twice as good

You’ve got a lot to say, but how much can your audience hear?

Hint: It’s not as much as you think.

As an expert preparing your presentation you do your research, write your talk track, practice, practice, practice, shower, and hit the stage or screen.

 Hold on…

If you present what you’ve got, you might be wasting your brilliance and your breath.

Audiences today are busy and their brains are busy trying to process our current health and society challenges.  Audiences need you to make your presentation easier to absorb.

 Cut your content in half.  

 How?  Review your presentation and uncover your one big idea.  Write that in 10 words.

Now look at the rest of the deck and ask yourself 2 questions.

Do those slides amplify your idea or dilute it? 

Are you sharing that information for you or for them?

 Get into your audiences’ shoes (or slippers), say half as much and it will be twice as good.

 If you’d like help reviewing your content so that you can present what matters, email me and we’ll chat.

Nuff said, Ann

Deliberate Movement

What if I fidget, sway, use fillers or forget my talk track?

It happens to all of us. As soon as we get up to present, the nervous ticks we forgot we had come right back up to the surface! The best way to combat nerves? Deliberate movement.

When you finish an idea, pause, take a few steps, plant your feet, inhale, then start your next idea. Your audience will be better able to connect, your pace will automatically slow down, and you have time to remember your next point. Practice deliberate movement to get comfortable with the pause.

What should I do with my hands when I present?

What should you do with your hands? Use them.

When we use deliberate, open hand gestures during a presentation, our tone and pace actually change to sound more engaging to the audience. So add some! Start your presentation with an open welcoming gesture to get you started with the right energy. Then look for the most important words or phrases in your presentation, and punch them up with some purposeful gestures.

Practice in front of a mirror until the gestures don’t feel awkward, then go rock them on stage.
You got this!