Making Presentations Better

By Rand Fishkin, September 2011

Helpful pieces I’ve learned over the years giving several hundred

presentations to a wide variety of audiences.

http://bit.ly/randsprestips

Getting Good at PresentationsTakes Serious Time

Rand really sucked when he started out.

I was at least this scared

Rule #1:No Bullet Point Slides!

• Bullet• Points• Kill• Kittens

http:/googleblog.blogspot.com/2010/06/our-new-search-index-caffeine.htmlSo painful! Why do you hate kittens?

Look at this Lovely Slide. Amazing, right?

• Do this one thing

• Then do this other thing

• Now do thing #3

• And, finally, thing #4!

http:/googleblog.blogspot.com/2010/06/our-new-search-index-caffeine.htmlYou monster!

Actually, you just pulled this trigger

http:/googleblog.blogspot.com/2010/06/our-new-search-index-caffeine.html

Next time, go with 4 separate slides

like these next 4:

http:/googleblog.blogspot.com/2010/06/our-new-search-index-caffeine.htmlScreenshots of relevant tweets that illustrate your point are an easy way to add a visual

Do This One Thing:

http:/googleblog.blogspot.com/2010/06/our-new-search-index-caffeine.htmlComparing a “right” vs. “wrong” way on one slide (or two) is another great visual way to explain your points.

Then Do This Other Thing:

vs.

http:/googleblog.blogspot.com/2010/06/our-new-search-index-caffeine.htmlMarketers love charts and graphs, particularly if you’ve made them personally but EVEN IF you just use something off the web! Screenshots of Google Analytics, for example

Now Do Thing #3

Long tail of video sites get 50% of all online video

traffic/views!

http:/googleblog.blogspot.com/2010/06/our-new-search-index-caffeine.htmlUsing just the visuals of Powerpoint itself (boxes and arrows) still make for better, more informational slides than bullet points.

And, finally, do thing #4

This thing

This Other Thing

A Third Thing

Rule #2:Make It Actionable!

Give me something I can do after seeing your slide that will improve my site/rankings/traffic/marketing

http:/googleblog.blogspot.com/2010/06/our-new-search-index-caffeine.htmlThe action here is obvious – to find your mentions on Google+, you can follow the two arrows and get the list.

Who’s Mentioned You on Google+?

STEP 1: Click Notifications

STEP 2: Click Mentions

http:/googleblog.blogspot.com/2010/06/our-new-search-index-caffeine.htmlAgain, an obvious action – use the “reach (on average)” number as a KPI for tracking your feed’s success (or lack thereof)

True Reach of RSS Content via Feedburner

On average, this many people actually read a post via feed

Rule #3:Make the Content Fit the Audience

When in doubt, always go for too advanced over too basic (but make sure to research attendees before you make your outline).

http:/googleblog.blogspot.com/2010/06/our-new-search-index-caffeine.html

Beginner Audience? Walk Them Through Step by Step and Don’t Assume Knowledge:

Paid

Organic

http:/googleblog.blogspot.com/2010/06/our-new-search-index-caffeine.htmlMany social marketers won’t yet have seen http://www.findpeopleonplus.com/

Advanced Audience? Share Stuff They Haven’t Heard/Seen Before:

Rule #4:Craft a Narrative Arc

Loss → Journey → Test → Return.Just like middle school humanities class.

http:/googleblog.blogspot.com/2010/06/our-new-search-index-caffeine.htmlI like to make my outlines directly in Gmail, so I can access and edit anywhere.

The Outline is the Place to Start

Inbound Marketing Outline• How Things Used to Be Sold• How Things are Sold Today• Marketers Have Been Left Behind• Why Inbound Rocks• Inbound Tactics• How to Measure• Story of Inbound Combining to Work

Loss

Journey

Test

Return

Another Narrative Embedded by Way of an Example Story

Rule #5:Speak from the heart.

When you’re passionate about a topic, and have real emotion behind your data/tips, it shines through!

When you’re excited, they’re excited! (and no, you don’t need to wear a suit)

Rule #6:Making fun of the English = OK

Bollocks me Muggles Hogswollop

Proper Tailoring

Matching WaistCoat/Vest

Necktie w/ Windsor Knot

Appropriate Sleeve Length

Pasty white neck skin

Sewn by Fashion Philistines

Squishy Pinkness

Coatsleeves that ends mid-forearm

My Personal Presentation Hacks

Warning: These may not work for everyone

http:/googleblog.blogspot.com/2010/06/our-new-search-index-caffeine.htmlI can now access my outline anywhere, even on my phone, and edit anytime I have a good idea for a topic or slide.

Create Presentation Outline in Gmail:

http:/googleblog.blogspot.com/2010/06/our-new-search-index-caffeine.htmlThis gets the whole thing into Powerpoint, and then it’s merely a matter of finding the right images. Sometimes Geraldine even helps me find graphics!

Build Empty Slides w/ Titles Only, Then Add Images, Screenshots or Text-Based Visuals

Empty just like this!

My Slides Follow this Format:Branding

Large Title

Visuals

Callouts w/ Arrows(omg, this is so meta!)

Roger’s words of wisdom (or a link)

http:/googleblog.blogspot.com/2010/06/our-new-search-index-caffeine.htmlNow, the retweet amplification from audience members can help to get the slide deck to go “hot” on Slideshare and make the homepage.

Put My Slides on Slideshare and Tweet the Link Just Prior to Getting on Stage

http:/googleblog.blogspot.com/2010/06/our-new-search-index-caffeine.htmlThis way, the audience can easily get to the slide deck without having to search (and I have analytics about how many people clicked the link).

Create an easy-to-remember bit.ly link and put it on the front and last page of the slide deck.

Download this deck:http://bit.ly/randsprestips

http:/googleblog.blogspot.com/2010/06/our-new-search-index-caffeine.htmlIf it was good enough to present, it’s good enough to share. Plus, it keeps me disciplined to create useful, self-explanatory slides.

Re-use Presentation Content on the Blog

http:/googleblog.blogspot.com/2010/06/our-new-search-index-caffeine.htmlThis means my slides have to help carry me through the narrative arc and provide structure to the talk. It also eliminates any need for memorization.

Never, Ever Practice

Via http://www.markstivers.com/wordpress/?p=291

http:/googleblog.blogspot.com/2010/06/our-new-search-index-caffeine.htmlWeird? Maybe, but if I leave myself 6 hours to create a slide deck, the maximum time it takes me is… 6 hours! If I start 3 weeks early, it might take dozens of hours.

Wait Until the Last Minute to Make the Deck

11:26pm last night

Go Forth and Present!

And don’t worry if it takes you a

few years to get good at this stuff. Beep!

Download: http://bit.ly/randsprestips