When it comes to preparing a presentation, most people spend most of their preparation time putting together their PowerPoint slides. But think about the last presentation you attended and tell me what you remember. The slideshows? Nah. The presenter? Correct. The best slide show in the world can’t make up for a bad presentation, but a good presenter can maintain an audience without using a single slide.
In an increasingly commodified market, a memorable presentation gives you an edge over your competitors. So forget about Powerpoint for a while and let’s look at 5 rhetorical techniques that can help you make presentations that are memorable, enjoyable, and persuasive.
1. Onomatopoeia
A long word, but a simple concept. Words like BANG! WHAM! Whoosh! POW! KER-CHING! etc. they are great for emphasizing key points and also for waking up a sleepy audience after lunch.
Examples:
o Our sales figures were pretty flat in 2005, but in 2006 we implemented a CRM solution and ¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡ ¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡… they really took off!
o As soon as we start advertising online, KER-CHING! The money started to flow!
2. Rhetorical questions
Asking questions that you already know the answer to is a more engaging way to present simple statements, as it engages the audience and makes them think. Compare these two ways to deliver the same information:
o Our software can save you up to $ 50,000 in just one year.
o How much money can our software save you? Up to $ 50,000 in one year!
A pause after the question builds anticipation and ensures that people hear the answer.
3. The rule of 3
Seasoned public speakers, whether they are lecturers, teachers, politicians or comedians, all know the power of the Rule of 3 (how many jokes start with three people, an Englishman, an Irishman and a Scotsman, for example, walking into a bar? ). Lists of 3 are more memorable than Lists of 4 or more.
Examples:
o Our service is fast, efficient and professional.
o How do we achieve our goals? Building new factories, employing more workers and reducing production costs.
o A good presentation should be concise, informative, and memorable.
4. Firearm
The machine gun is the opposite of the Rule of 3, in which you quickly eliminate a long list of items; You don’t care how many the audience remembers, you just want to impress them with the number of things on your list!
Examples:
o Our product is cheaper, newer, faster, bigger, cleaner, safer and better than anything else on the market.
o We can supply software to manage accounts, reports, POS, hospitality, web design, ERP, CRM and e-commerce.
5. We are all in the same boat
… or ‘creating sympathy’. This technique creates a bridge between you and your audience. Using words like “we”, “us” or “all of us” (instead of “you”) shows that you understand the pain points of your audience, as you have experienced them yourself.
Examples:
o And we all know what problems it can cause, right?
o The importance of global marketing is clear to everyone.
o We need to ask ourselves what we can do about it.
o Like me, I am sure that you are often too busy to reply to all the emails you receive.
6. Shut down / Shut up
Do you want the audience to pay attention to you? Turn off your slides! Mute the projector or press ‘B’ on your keyboard, and the screen will go black, leaving the audience with nothing to look at other than you. Put aside the Powerpoint crutch and learn to be alone!
When you want the audience to watch a slide, shut up! Silence is too rare in presentations and will signal to the audience that you want them to pay special attention to what is on the screen.
So you don’t have to be a rock star, actor, or comedian to present yourself well; Just use a few of these techniques during your next presentation and you’ll engage your audience, hold their attention, and make sure they remember you. And as with any technical presentation, practice makes perfect!