Storytelling in Presentations For Dummies

Title Page
Copyright Page
Table of Contents
Introduction
About This Book
Foolish Assumptions
Icons Used in This Book
Beyond the Book
Where to Go from Here
Part 1 Martians, Stories, and Heroes
Chapter 1 Sizzle Your Presentations with Stories
Storytelling Isn’t Just a Buzzword
Storytelling Is Your Axe; Sharpen It
Setting the Stage
Avoid Defaulting to Slides
Eliminating slidezillas
Visual storytelling can be exceedingly powerful
Firing Up Your Audience’s Imagination with Storyopia
Using the Story Arc
Pitting the Heroes Against the Villains
On to Storyboarding. . .
Chapter 2 Storyopia: Sharing Stories from What Is to What Can Be
Taking Your Audience on a Journey
Understanding why people respond to stories
Remembering that stories can be visual
Knowing that everyone has a story (Yes, even you!)
Mapping Out Your Storyopia Journey with Storyboards
Speaking in the first person, present tense
Learning from the All-Time Storytelling Greats
Aesop
Abe Lincoln
Jerry Seinfeld
(Mr.) Fred Rogers
Winston Churchill and Volodymyr Zelenskyy
Steve Jobs
Guests on TED Talks
Part 2 Nuts ’n’ Bolts
Chapter 3 Knowing Your Audience to Make Them Heroes
You Must See Your Target So You Know Where to Aim
Do You Aim at the Needs of Your Audience?
Using the Start-Up Brief to Target Your Audience
Audience
1. What’s the key issue — the one takeaway message I want my audience to remember?
2. Who’s my primary audience?
3. What does my audience need to know about the topic?
4. What’s in it for my audience?
5. Does my presentation need a special angle or point of view?
6. What will my audience’s reaction be toward the topic? Positive? Neutral? Negative?
Purpose
7. My purpose is to ________________ so my audience will _____________________________________________.
Questions
8. What who, what, when, where, why, and how questions will my audience want answered?
Chapter 4 Mining and Crafting Great Stories
Examining Ways to Mine Stories from Experiences
Becoming an active listener
Honing your skills of observation
Noticing when an experience sparks a reaction
Noting when you (or someone you know) beat the odds
Drawing upon what you’ve read
Avoiding Story Overload and Clutter
Morphing Stories from Data
Knowing the tools
Crafting the data story
Using data to inspire action
Crafting Your Own Repertoire of Stories
Starting with paper and pencil (or pen)
Making the connections and creating a list
Introducing the Four Pillars of Storytelling
Setting
Characters
Conflict
Resolution
Including a Call to Action
Embellishing your stories
Looking to others for inspiration
Refining Your Stories
Including sensory language for added depth
Replacing insensitivity with mindfulness
Revisiting the language of genders
Coining Your Own Word (Becoming a Neologist)
Learning from a modern-day expert
Rising to the challenge
Chapter 5 Starting Strong for a Groundswell Response
Grabbing the Audience’s Attention as They Enter
Opening your Presentation with a Story
Conveying a hero’s journey
Putting the backstory up front
Telling a future story
Sharing converging strategies
Crafting a case study
Delivering the story pitch
Using visuals to complement opening stories
Example 1: Enjoying early retirement with gusto
Example 2: Fostering the love of music at a young age
Other opening attention grabbers
Introducing Yourself and the Program
Appreciating the Power of the Pause
Taboo Openings
Avoiding Openings that Lack Confidence
Presenting an Opening Activity
Starting with a group activity
Previewing the Audience on Q&A Expectations
Chapter 6 Ending Memorably
Letting Them Know You’re Wrapping Up
Combining a Call to Action with a Story
Exploring Other Powerful Closings
Ending Gracefully and On Time
Curtailing if you need to
Thanking everyone for coming and relishing the applause
Giving Them Something to Remember You By
Staying in Touch to Build Your Network
Chapter 7 Storyboarding: Bringing Stories to Life Frame by Frame
Storyboarding in Business
Before You Start Storyboarding. . .
Considering Different Storyboarding Formats
Using comic strip frames
Using sticky notes
Using “wall-paper” editing
Preparing Tell and Show columns in word processing software
Starting with the Tell column
Filling in the Show column
Using greeking when visuals drive the talk
Building Transitions and Breaks into Your Storyboard
Stepping Back and Looking at the Big Picture
Outsourcing to the Pros
Knowing your needs
Vetting vendors
Storyboarding for Sales Presentations
Making the audience the heroes of every sales presentation
Part 3 Adding Flourishes
Chapter 8 Slideware: Buying and Applying
Life Before Death (by PowerPoint)
Buying: Meeting the Cast of Presentation Players
Knowing your needs
Finding the app that fits
Using and Sharing Slideware During Virtual Meetings
Giving Your Presentation an Enticing Title
Not needing to reinvent the wheel
Knowing your audience’s inner monologue
Appreciating the Power of an Opening Slide
Understanding how not to open
Designing an engaging opening slide
Knowing How and When to Use Bullets and Numbers
Using bulleted lists
Using numbered lists
Using parallel structure
Punctuating a list
Avoiding laundry lists
Formatting Text
Formatting do’s for text
Formatting don’ts for text
Preparing graphs, charts, and tables
Adding transitions and animations
Incorporating videos
Adding Sizzle to Your Presentations
Finding popular platforms
Visualizing in the cloud
Creating Slide Accessibility for All
Checking out Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG)
Preparing slides for colorblind audience members
Proofreading Until Your Eyes Hurt
Chapter 9 Slide Sense: Using Slides Effectually
Don’t Lambaste Slides
Getting the Most from Your Slide Real Estate
Slides that are not effectual
Slides that are effectual
Showing Statistics to Your Advantage
Knowing the difference between manipulating and persuading
Remaining ethical
Incorporating Images
Using photos
Overlaying text
Applying the rule of thirds
Using clipart
Living in a Visual World
Using visuals to tell an entire story
Complementing visuals with a story
Turning data and tables to into a story
Chapter 10 Handouts and Workbooks: Kick ’Em Up a Notch
Preparing Handouts
Presenting handouts of your slides
Leaving room for notetaking
Knowing what to include
Making lists
Including content not in your presentation
Adding a list of references
Deciding when to distribute handouts
Crafting Workbooks
Giving step-by-step instructions
Including Before-and-After examples
Incorporating stories
Adding practice exercises
Remembering your bio and contact information
Writing the Copy
Printing and Binding
Printing options
Binding options
Stapling
Saddle stitching
Binding
Chapter 11 Your Bio: The Story of You
Showing You Have a Personality, Not Just a Pulse
Establishing bragging rights
Breaking from the pack
Choosing your voice
Creating Your Infomercial
Crafting a pithy elevator pitch
Creating a two-paragraph profile
Preparing for a self-introduction
Preparing for someone else to introduce you
Crafting a one-page bio
Developing Your Online Persona
Including keywords for SEO
Knowing your character-count limits
Responding to comments
Knowing What’s Out There About You
Checking for accuracy
Dealing with social media defamation
Chapter 12 Requesting Feedback: Evaluation Forms
Making On-the-Spot Visual Assessments of Your Audience
Audience Evaluation Forms
Asking closed-ended questions
Going for more detail with open-ended questions
Putting it together
Mirror, Mirror on the Wall
Doing a self-assessment
Part 4 It’s Showtime
Chapter 13 Poised to Present
Making a Great First Impression
Dressing for the occasion
Wearing a name badge
Wearing a mic
Practicing the Art of Practicing
Practicing in front of people and getting feedback
Using notecards
Making your audience the heroes
Knowing when to use positive or negative
Practicing strategic use of repetition
Avoiding unnecessary redundancies
Asking rhetorical questions
Practicing pauses and punctuating with your voice
Considering speech patterns and word choices
Getting in the Zone
Looking Them in the Eyes and “Listening”
Being Sensitive to Diversity and Inclusivity
Updating your terminology
Avoiding online barriers
Dealing with Technology Snafus
During face-to-face presentations
During virtual presentations
An Ounce of Prevention . . .
Embracing the Benefits of Public Speaking
Chapter 14 Collaborative Team Presentations
Meeting the Team
Knowing what makes a cohesive team
Understanding the role of the project manager
Dealing with shirkers
Completing the Start-Up Brief Together
Storyboarding as a Team
Delivering Formal or Informal Presentations
Using Technology to Aid Collaboration
Giving and Getting Peer Feedback
Scenario: Setting the Stage for a Purchase
Filling out the Start-Up Brief and preparing handouts
Storyboarding for this scenario
Making sure the Naugle team focuses on the visitors as the heroes
Shaping the scenario with storyopia
Rehearsing the choreography
Chapter 15 On the Spot: Fielding Difficult Questions and Delivering Bad News
Dealing with Grinches
Responding to a combative person
Defusing tension
Fielding Questions
Deciding when to take questions
Answering questions throughout
Saving questions until the end of each section
Leaving questions until near the end of the presentation
Handling difficult questions
Not having the answer
Delivering and Owning Bad News
Owning the news
Making a bad news sandwich
Using a direct approach
Looking ahead when delivering bad news
Chapter 16 Adding a Splash of Humor
Invigorating a “Bored” Room
Giving a Little Giggle
Sliding in Lightheartedly
Fashioning a Funny File
Popping Out a Prop
Ferreting Out Punchlines or Quotes
When in Hesitation, Skip the Citation
What to Do if Your Audience Left Their Funny Bones at Home
Trying 30 Days of Chuckling
Chapter 17 Vive la Différence: Diversity and Inclusion
Presenting Skillfully to a Diverse Audience
Speaking with clarity
Paying attention to your body language
Being content sensitive
Pronouncing names correctly
Presenting in a Foreign Country
Knowing Conversions
Storytelling Across Multiple Generations
Being non-judgmental
Understanding generational dynamics
Blending the generations creates a rich exchange of ideas
Accessibility for All
Making accommodations
Delivering your presentation
Chapter 18 Journeying from In-Person to Virtual
Storytelling to the Rescue
Getting to Know You
Sending electronic invites and follow-ups
Sending pre-work
Being Ready for Your Close-Up
Creating seated energy
Being ready with an understudy
Choosing a background
Creating a Culture of Inclusivity
Conducting an Interactive (Synchronous) Presentation
Knowing the maximum number of participants
Finding ways to be interactive
Being Savvy On Screen
Following Up with Your Audience
Part 5 Specialized Presentations
Chapter 19 Structuring a Training Session or Workshop
Understanding Your Audience and Making Them Heroes
Performing a Training Needs Assessment (TNA)
Determining areas where hard and soft skill training may be needed
Assessing hard skills
Assessing soft skills
Getting a ROI
Arranging and Organizing Your Session
Personalizing the session
Incorporating engaging activities
Mining Session-Related Stories
Understanding why people attend
Tapping into past victories and flubs
Crafting a Storyopia Journey
Including characters, settings, conflicts and resolutions
Sharing a cautionary story
Accommodating Different Learning Styles
Evaluating the Success of Your Session
Training, AI, and the Big Bang
Understanding how AI is reshaping training
Adding value or replacing people?
Using AI for its good
Being aware of AI’s drawbacks
Chapter 20 Nailing an Executive Briefing
KISS-ing the Message (Keeping it Short and Sweet)
Executive Beef-ings
Welcoming the Chance to Shine
Learning your audience’s persona
Finding an ally beforehand
BLUF-fing your opening
Adding supporting data
Phrasing skillfully
Showing if-then scenarios
Applying the 10/30 rule and being ready to pivot
Fortifying a robust conclusion
Rehearse. Rehearse. Rehearse.
Executive Sales Briefings
Finding their pain, needs, and desired outcome
Including testimonials to shout your praises
Creating a storyboard
Questioning that can lead to sealing the deal
Chapter 21 Presenting a Paper at a Conference
Presenting at a Conference
Stories, Science, and Conferences
Storytelling is the soul of science communication
Knowing where to find stories
Developing an Abstract
Getting Ready for the Conference
Structuring your message
Preparing and delivering your presentation
Making your presentation interactive
Checking out the room
Anticipating questions
Preventing parchedness
Avoiding Boos and Taboos
Taking Center Stage as a Keynote Speaker
Becoming a keynote speaker
Being the opening keynote speaker
Making the lasting impression
Networking at a Conference
Evaluating the Results
Chapter 22 Presenting Someone Else’s Content
Making This Your Time to Shine
A Nip Here, a Tuck There
Making the Presentation Your Own with a Story
Don’t Catch ’Em by Surprise
Dealing with the Elephant in the Room
Don’t Try to Wing It!
Amending the slides
Including the audience
Taking a tip from artisans
Adapting a Presentation from the Corporate Office
Preparing as You Would for a Substitute Teacher
Part 6 The Part of Tens
Chapter 23 Ten Hints for Combatting Stage Fright
Think of Elvis
Greet People As They Enter the Room
Remember You’re the Star
Build a Memory Palace
Practice — Practice — Practice
Make a List of Specific Worries
Visualize Your Success
Say Bye-Bye to Butterflies
Use Notecards
Join a Group
Chapter 24 Ten Tips for Telling a Relatable Story
Keep a “Resource” File
Don’t Open with a Slide Unless . . .
Start with a Compelling Story or Hook
Take Your Audience on an Adventure
Embellish the Story
Personalize the Story
Start with One of the Five Questions
Make Sure Your Story Is On Point
Circle Back to the Original Story
End with a Call to Action
Chapter 25 Ten-Plus Ways to Make Your Presentation Interactive
Ask Questions
Move Around the Room
Get the Audience Moving
Gamify the Presentation
Do a Host-Guest Interview
Give Your Audience the Steering Wheel
Get a Debate Going
Group for Scenario-Solving
Create a Human Barometer
Initiate Lightning Talks
Speed Network
Incorporate Technology
Chapter 26 Ten Reasons Presentations Can Fail
Opening
Audience
Verbal language
Body language
Technology
Slides
Storytelling
Questioning
Closing
Feedback
Part 7 Appendixes
Appendix A Presentation Checklist
What to Bring
Stories, Slides, and Props
My Appearance
On the Morning of the Presentation
Other Speakers
At the Event
After the Event
Additional Checklist for Virtual Presentations
Miscellany
Appendix B Glossary
Index
EULA