For years now people have been complaining about death by powerpoint. There is even a powerpoint, about death by powerpoint, on youtube.
- So how do you break the pattern?
- How do you get into the practice of not relying on powerpoint?
- How do you engage the audience and get rid of the crutch that is powerpoint? The crutch that actually gets in the way of your communication and message.
Simple: Tell a story…
Leave powerpoint off. Walk onto the stage. Smile at your audience and tell them a true story about an insight you had about your strategy.
Find a story that was a moment of realisation for you.
A story that illuminates how the customers think and where they are going.
A story that epitomises the new way of thinking, behaving and working: one that contrasts with the old way.
A story that explains how your products are actually used and what it means to the end customers.
In one of the best strategy presentations by a Director I have seen, he pulled up a chair, into the centre of the crowded room, sat down and started talking to the audience as if they were in a cafe across the table from him – except there were 150 in the room. He told stories and talked frankly about the situation. You felt he was just talking to you. (Read how he engaged people).
Starting with a story breaks the pattern of powerpoint. You can always switch it on later for those places where it is really necessary, but I would say “Throw away the crutch” You know the material – and if you don’t you should not be speaking about it. It is your strategy, you have thought about it, now tell its story to people.
Just imagine you have dropped by their office or cubicle and you are having a chat – a chat with a purpose that tells the story of your strategy.
