The 10 presentation tips of Steve Jobs

Each year, clients come to us in need of upgrading their PowerPoint presentations. Like it or not, these slide decks have become the de facto presentation tool of the corporate world. Everybody uses them, despite their penchant for plunging most audiences into a deep slumber. Recently I read an article in Business Week that discussed the techniques Apple CEO Steve Jobs uses to create his legendary presentations. I thought it might be interesting to explore his methods. The following paraphrases the article’s main points:

1. Plan your presentation with pen and paper. Storyboard the presentation first. Jobs initially prepares by brainstorming and white boarding ideas.
2. Create a single sentence description for every service/idea. As an example, for the introduction of the MacBook Air computer, Jobs said that it is simply, “The world’s thinnest notebook.”
3. Create a villain that allows the audience to rally around the hero—you and your product/service. A “villain” doesn’t necessarily have to be a direct competitor. It can be a problem in need of a solution.
4. Focus on benefits. Your audience only cares about how your product or service enhances their lives. Make that connection.
5. Stick to the rule of three. Almost every Jobs presentation is divided into three major parts. You might have 20 points to make in your presentation, but your audience will only remember three or four.
6. Sell dreams, not your products or services. Jobs doesn’t sell computers, he sells the promise of a better world. When he introduced the iPod, he said, “In our own small way we’re going to make the world a better place.”
7. Create visual slides. Jobs doesn’t use bullet points. Instead, he relies on photographs and images. When he unveiled the MacBook Air, he showed an image of the computer fitting inside a manila inter-office envelope.
8. Make numbers meaningful. Jobs always puts large numbers into a context to make them relevant to his audience. The bigger the number, the more important to find an analogy or comparison that adds clarity.
9. Use plain English. Jobs’ language is exceptionally simple. He rarely uses jargon that complicates most presentations.
10. Practice, practice, practice. Jobs spends hours rehearsing each part of his presentation. Every slide is written like a piece of poetry, every presentation staged like a theatrical experience.

While Jobs makes a presentation look like an impromptu performance, his success is based on planning, rehearsal, and the willingness to break out of the corporate presentation paradigm. Consider these tips the next time you fire up PowerPoint on your computer.