At some point in your career, you’ll probably be expected to make a presentation to your colleagues or clients. A well designed and delivered presentation is sure to impress, while a poor one may tarnish even the strongest reputation. It’s not surprising that many people dread the prospect of taking centre stage to showcase their ideas.
 
This illustration shows a formula for success for effective presentations.

Great presentations depend the presenter. As Graham Staplehurst, Global Strategy Director at the consultancy Kantar, put it: “When you present, you need to be yourself, only more so.” This is 'You’ in the illustration above: it’s you, but turbo-charged. In other words, presenters need to make a powerful connection with the audience, using the force of their personality. However, the impact of the message also depends on how relevant and compelling the story is, and how well it’s brought to life through illustration (see Chapter 7). Even if the top half of the equation looks strong, a presentation’s impact will be a fraction of what it could have been if the presenter loses the audience’s attention by using jargon or starting to waffle.
 
The secret to a great presentation, therefore, is to:
- Find a way to establish trust and rapport with the audience, as early as possible
- Have a clear, well-structured story that includes convincing evidence and memorable illustrations
- Avoid using jargon and waffling at all costs