Management Tip of the Day: How to Craft a Persuasive Presentation

Are you having trouble viewing this email? If so, click here to see it in a web browser. HOME   |   BLOGS   |   THE MAGAZINE   |   BOOKS   |   AUTHORS   |   STORE RSS   |   Mobile JUNE 29, 2010 How to Craft a Persuasive Presentation Most presentations are laden with unnecessary data, try to cover too much, and do little to change the audience's mind. Here are four steps to putting together a presentation that is focused, relevant, and persuasive: Figure out the question you're answering. Before you start, understand why you are giving the presentation and what your audience wants to know. Establish that question up front and then spend the majority of the speech answering it. Create the opener. Your opening should be a story or anecdote that establishes the topic of your talk and grabs the audience's interest. Draft the ending. Don't summarize. Instead, give your audience something to do with the information you just imparted. Put it together and edit down. Weave these three parts together and be ruthless about taking out anything that's not crucial to your points. Today's Management Tip was adapted from "Guide to Persuasive Presentations." Buy the guide and learn more about creating effective presentations » Share Today's Tip: RELATED PRODUCT Guide to Persuasive Presentations Special 11-Article Collection Does public speaking make your face flush and your heart race? Are you struggling to create a concise, powerful argument? Packed with practical advice on everything from structuring content to overcoming stage fright, this guide will give you the tools and confidence you need to master public speaking. ADVERTISEMENT Follow the Tip: PREVIOUS TIPS 3 Tips for Writing Reader-Friendly Memos 3 Things to Know About New Ventures 3 Tips for Getting Out of Your Boss' Shadow Don't Let Your Strategy Distract You How to Decipher (and Achieve) Success at Your Company 3 Ways to Start Your Overseas Job Transition 3 Ways to Motivate Your Board of Directors Managing Up As a Gen-Xer 3 Steps to Make Your New Hire Productive Prepare for the Next Defining Moment BEST SELLERS Guide to Persuasive Presentations HBR's 10 Must Reads: The Essentials Financial Intelligence Collection HBR's 10 Must Reads on Managing Yourself Guide to Better Business Writing PwC View Magazine Sign up for a complimentary subscription of PwC View 12 Magazine. Article topics include: Emerging-market strategies for an anticorruption era; Focusing on healthcare value; Business transformation through M&A; The Cleantech Revolution; Interview with economist Kenneth Rogoff. Sign up now » UNSUBSCRIBE   |   UPDATE YOUR PROFILE   |   MORE EMAIL NEWSLETTERS   |   PRIVACY POLICY Was this email forwarded to you? If so, sign up to start receiving your own copy. ABOUT THIS MAILING LIST You have received this message because you subscribed to the "Management Tip of the Day" email newsletter from Harvard Business Review. If at any point you wish to remove yourself from this list, change your email address, or sign up for other email newsletters and alerts, please visit the Harvard Business Review Email Newsletter Preference Center. ADVERTISE WITH HBR This enewsletter is read by thousands of decision makers every day. Learn more about connecting your brand with this audience. Copyright © 2010 Harvard Business School Publishing, an affiliate of Harvard Business School. All rights reserved. Harvard Business Publishing | 60 Harvard Way | Boston, MA 02163 Customer Service: 800-545-7685 (+1-617-783-7600 outside the U.S. and Canada)