How to Make Your Presentation Unforgettable

Most presentations don't fail because of bad slides. They fail because no one feels a connection. Credits to Andrea Petrone. Follow them for valuable insights. Original post below: ====== Most presentations don't fail because of bad slides. They fail because no one feels a connection. They look like lectures. While the best presentations feel like stories. And stories aren’t just entertaining. They’re how humans connect, trust, and remember. Here’s how to make your next presentation unforgettable: 1️⃣ Introduce the Villain ↠ Start with the problem you’re solving ↠ Be specific—what pain points does your audience face? ↠ When they feel the problem, they’ll lean in 2️⃣ Position Your Solution as the Hero ↠ Show how your solution saves the day ↠ Make it aspirational, not just functional ↠ Think: “This could change everything for you.” 3️⃣ Add Personal Touches ↠ Share your “aha” moment: how did you solve this? ↠ Vulnerability creates trust ↠ Your story becomes theirs 4️⃣ Use the Power of Three ↠ People love patterns ↠ Give them three parts: ↠ The challenge, the breakthrough, the transformation 5️⃣ Create a Visual Journey ↠ Your slides should feel like a movie, not a spreadsheet ↠ Bold visuals + concise words = memorable ↠ The simpler, the better 6️⃣ End With a Mic Drop ↠ Leave them with ONE unforgettable message ↠ Tie it back to their pain—and what they can do next ↠ A powerful ending moves people to act 7️⃣ Rehearse Until It Feels Natural ↠ Practice your story—not your slides ↠ Your authenticity is your superpower ↠ The more natural you feel, the more they’ll believe you Great presentations don’t just share information. They spark emotion. Build trust. Inspire action. What strategy resonates most with you? ====== 🎤 Got a parent with stories worth sharing? Did you know you've already spent about 95% of the in-person time you'll ever have with them? We’re building something new — a storytelling tool that helps your parents tell their stories, in their own words and their own voice 🎬 Wanna be one of our early collaborators? Click here now 👉 bit.ly/parents-memories

5 presentations. 3 days. Different events. Different audiences. Different topics. Last week was one of those weeks when my calendar was stacked with back-to-back speaking engagements. While I love every opportunity to share ideas I’ve learned that the only way to consistently show up across so many different stages is to have a preparation system. Here are a few things that help me: 1. Get clear on the audience. Every presentation starts with one question: What do they need most from me? 2. Anchor to 2 to 3 key messages. No matter how broad the topic, having core takeaways keeps me grounded. 3. Practice presence, not perfection. Instead of rehearsing word-for-word, I focus on energy, tone, body language and connecting in the moment. 4. Prioritise recovery. Sleep, water, and quiet moments between sessions are not luxuries; they’re fuel. The truth is, stepping onto different stages multiple times in a week can feel like a marathon. But the ability to adapt, engage, and keep the message sharp is a skill every leader can build. For me, it’s never just about delivering a presentation. It’s about creating impact, whether that’s one room, five rooms, or fifty. I’d love to know: what’s your go-to ritual before a big presentation? PS. I also have a script writer, Victor Tran who often helps frame up, finesse and give me feedback when I rehearse!

🎤✨The Anatomy of a Presentation That Actually Moves People I used to think a great presentation was all about perfect slides and polished delivery. Then I bombed one. The mic squeaked. My opening joke fell flat. And halfway through, I could feel the energy in the room slipping away. That day taught me something: a presentation isn’t a performance—it’s a conversation with many hearts at once. Here’s what I now believe makes a presentation unforgettable: 💥 1. The Hook Not a gimmick. A moment. A story, a question, a truth that makes people lean in. It’s your handshake with their curiosity. 🧭 2. The Structure Clarity is kindness. Three points. One journey. A rhythm that feels like a well-told story, not a lecture. 🎭 3. The Delivery Your voice is your instrument. Play it. Pause. Emphasize. Let silence speak when words can’t. 🖼️ 4. The Visuals Slides should whisper, not shout. If they’re reading, they’re not feeling. Use images that evoke, not just inform. ❤️ 5. The Heart This is the soul. Vulnerability. Humor. Truth. The moment you stop trying to impress and start trying to connect—that’s when transformation begins. I’ve learned that the best presentations aren’t built in PowerPoint. They’re built in the quiet moments of reflection, in the stories we dare to share, and in the courage to be real. If you’re crafting one right now, don’t just ask: “What do I want to say?” Ask: “What do I want them to feel?” #PublicSpeaking #Toastmasters #Storytelling #Leadership

Ever feel like your presentation fell flat? You knew your stuff, but your message just didn't land. The number one problem with most presentations isn't the content—it's how it's delivered. Being an expert is one thing; being a great communicator is another. Here are a few secrets from the consulting playbook to make your next presentation shine: 1. Stop Talking Process, Start Talking Results. No one cares about all the steps you took. They want to know the outcome and why it matters. Instead of: "We tracked website conversion percentage." Try: "Our conversion rate is costing us 25% of potential sales." Lead with the value, not the journey. 2. Ditch the Jargon. Simplify. Replace technical terms with plain language or a simple analogy. Your audience will thank you. 3. Cut, Cut, Cut. Most presentations have too much information. Trim at least 30% of your slides and text. Keep the core message strong and move the extra details to an appendix. Less is always more. 4. Tell Them What to Focus On. Use descriptive slide titles that act as headlines. For example, instead of "Website Conversion," use "Website conversion below industry average—costing us 25% of potential sales." This guides your audience and makes your point instantly clear. Great presentations aren't about showing how much you know; they're about making sure your audience knows exactly why your insights matter. Which of these tips will you use in your next presentation? #Presentations #Communication #PublicSpeaking #Leadership

The Presentation That Lost the Deal A few months ago, a client shared a story that stuck with me. They had spent weeks preparing for a high-stakes pitch. Slides polished. Data ready. Talking points rehearsed. Everything seemed perfect… until the presentation day. As the client walked into the room, something felt off. The slides were cluttered, inconsistent, and visually confusing. The message jumped from one point to another. Even the tone didn’t match their brand personality. By the end of the presentation, the decision-makers looked confused. Not because the product was bad. Not because the service lacked value. Because the visual and verbal story didn’t connect. They lost the deal. The lesson? Clear, consistent, and engaging storytelling in presentations isn’t optional it’s critical. We later revamped their presentation style: Aligned visuals, concise messaging, consistent tone. Every slide told the story the audience needed to hear. The result: next pitch? Closed successfully. Because trust, clarity, and professionalism were visible in every frame. The takeaway: Your ideas might be brilliant, but if your presentation fails to communicate them effectively, even the best product can get overlooked. 👉 Question: Have you ever lost or won a deal purely because of the presentation?

🎬 In many ways, speeches are like movies. Exciting movies 𝗼𝗽𝗲𝗻 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝗮 𝘁𝗵𝗿𝗶𝗹𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘀𝗰𝗲𝗻𝗲. Effective speeches 𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗿𝘁 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝗮 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗽𝗲𝗹𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗵𝗼𝗼𝗸. Great movies leave audiences moved by a 𝗺𝗲𝗺𝗼𝗿𝗮𝗯𝗹𝗲 𝗲𝗻𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴. Great speeches leave audiences pondering a 𝗽𝗼𝘄𝗲𝗿𝗳𝘂𝗹 𝗰𝗼𝗻𝗰𝗹𝘂𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻. But what about the content-heavy 𝘮𝘪𝘥𝘥𝘭𝘦? A movie's middle has the burden of sustaining interest and advancing the big idea. In a speech... same. So how do you keep that attention pilot light lit?🔥 Two moves will help (for presentations): 𝗕𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗸 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗣𝗮𝘁𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗻 (to win attention) and 𝗞𝗲𝗲𝗽 𝗶𝘁 𝗦𝗶𝗺𝗽𝗹𝗲 (to avoid losing it) 𝟭) 𝗪𝗮𝘆𝘀 𝘁𝗼 𝗕𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗸 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗣𝗮𝘁𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗻 𝗼𝗳 𝗦𝗮𝗺𝗲𝗻𝗲𝘀𝘀 🎇 Ask an open-ended question 🎇 Share a relevant, riveting story or case study 🎇 Show a stunning—or completely blank—slide that makes a point 🎇 Share a personal anecdote 🎇 Drop a well-placed joke 🎇 Shift your voice, volume, or pitch 🎇 Introduce a poll or quick exercise 🎇 Walk to a new spot in the room 🎇 Play a short video or audio clip 🎇 Pull out a prop 𝟮) 𝗪𝗮𝘆𝘀 𝘁𝗼 𝗞𝗲𝗲𝗽 𝗕𝗼𝘁𝗵 𝗦𝗽𝗲𝗲𝗰𝗵 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗦𝗹𝗶𝗱𝗲𝘀 𝗦𝗶𝗺𝗽𝗹𝗲 💡Use clear, everyday language 💡Limit data per slide—even if that requires more slides 💡Stick to one point per slide 💡Write slide titles as 𝗽𝗼𝗶𝗻𝘁𝘀, not vague categories Now look back at this post. Did the bullets, subheads, short paragraphs, and emojis break up what could have otherwise been a numbing wall of words? That’s the trick to keeping your audience with you—especially in the middle. 𝘌𝘹𝘤𝘦𝘳𝘱𝘵𝘦𝘥 𝘧𝘳𝘰𝘮 𝘮𝘺 𝘛𝘰𝘢𝘴𝘵𝘮𝘢𝘴𝘵𝘦𝘳 𝘔𝘢𝘨𝘢𝘻𝘪𝘯𝘦 𝘢𝘳𝘵𝘪𝘤𝘭𝘦, "𝘋𝘰𝘯’𝘵 𝘓𝘰𝘴𝘦 𝘠𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘈𝘶𝘥𝘪𝘦𝘯𝘤𝘦’𝘴 𝘈𝘵𝘵𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯" (𝘭𝘪𝘯𝘬 𝘪𝘯 𝘧𝘪𝘳𝘴𝘵 𝘤𝘰𝘮𝘮𝘦𝘯𝘵) ================================ 👉 Do you or your team struggle to communicate ideas with sustained clarity, efficiency, and impact? I'm Joel Schwartzberg, and I help professionals like you #GettothePoint and make your words matter with custom workplace communication and presentation coaching. DM me or visit my website to learn more. *All em dashes were generated by me and only me.

This mistake is COSTLY when your presentation has high stakes. But it’s very common. Putting more than ONE idea on each slide. This confuses your audience, and they lose track of your key points. You’ve experienced it before in presentations... The presenter is really smart and tries to cover a lot of ground. So, they LOAD their slides. They not only have slides with tons of bullets (a big mistake in and of itself), but they also make several big points on each slide. As you listen, your eyes start to glaze over. You get overwhelmed by the sheer amount of information getting dumped on you. Each slide is like a textbook. Even if what they’re saying is actually helpful, you leave without being motivated to do anything. It’s easy enough to spot in someone else’s presentation…but far less easy to spot in your own. Pleeeeease resist the temptation to include more than one main idea on each slide…even if you have a lot to cover. My rule of thumb is that you can have as many slides as you want, but you should never have more than a single idea on each slide. I’ve delivered 40-minute presentations with 150 clicks in them! I was sharing one idea or building out the main point in multiple steps. It works! That means never have more than ONE clear thought and ONE clear takeaway on your slides. You can have 50+ slides for a 30-minute presentation if that means your slides are clear and easy to understand. I recommend taking the Glance Test on your slides before you present. Simply go through each of your slides and ask this question: “Can my audience understand the meaning of this slide within 3 seconds?” If not, you’ve already lost them. Tweak your slides. Look at every element on the slides until you can confidently say “Yes, it’d take 3 seconds” to this question. Your presentation is only as effective as the action it inspires. The greatest presenters don’t try to say everything; they say the right things. This is one of six techniques to help you captivate your audience. I recently made a detailed training on YouTube revealing six other top techniques to inspire your audience to act (whether they’re executives or potential clients). I’ve dropped the link in the comments below.

Nancy Duarte nailed it 👏. Your slides are not your story—YOU ARE. The best presentations don’t overload the audience with multiple ideas on a single slide. Instead, they weave a story that captivates, while slides serve as visuals that enhance and reinforce the message. ✨ A presentation should feel like a journey. The slides are the scenery. Your words are the imagery. The story is what keeps people engaged and inspired. I couldn’t agree more: one idea per slide. Keep it clear, keep it simple, and keep it focused on the story you want your audience to walk away remembering. Because in the end, your presentation is only as powerful as the action it inspires. #Leadership #Storytelling #Presentations #PublicSpeaking #Communication #Engagement #ProfessionalGrowth

Nancy Duarte is a genius. This post is the the core of a great playbook. Here is the sentence I love the most: You can have 50+ slides for a 30-minute presentation if that means your slides are clear and easy to understand.

I teach this to all of my MBA students and private clients. Slides don’t cost anything. One idea per slide. Keep control of your audience’s attention. Nancy Duarte is the GOAT when it comes to presentation design.