1. Content.
Here’s one way you can think about structuring your
content to engage an audience.*
Content roadmap Rule of Three
First, you want to ramp up your audience. This is We see the power of threes quite often in
your opportunity to set the stage and really get them storytelling. The three part outline is common from
engaged. If all else fails, start with the word “you.” folk tales (Goldilocks and the Three Bears: too hot,
Once you have their attention, be specific with too cold, just right) to our favorite films (pick any
where you’re taking them. Give them a roadmap that romantic comedy: boy meets girl, boy loses girl, boy
foreshadows the rest of your talk, before you jump in gets girl in the end).
to your main points. Leave time to open the floor up
for a Q&A session. And don’t forget to leave your Using a three part structure makes your
audience with dessert! You want to end on a high presentation more familiar and understandable to
note: think about including a fact, anecdote, or an your audience. Try to distill your content down to
example as a take-away. three main points. For longer speeches each point
can be supported by three sub-points.
* Thanks to Dan Klein and Stand and Deliver.
Here is a book about it: http://standanddeliver/book

2. Audience Focused Performance.
How to design a presentation with your audience in
mind.*
Who is your audience?
Ask yourself: why does the audience care about
what I have to say? What matters to them? If you’re
having trouble, start with what you believe in about
Too often presentations are entirely focused on the you idea and why and then take it from there.
presenter. You’ll hear things like,“I am... I had this
idea... I need...” etc. When you’re putting together
your next presentation, step back for a moment and
think about the audience.
We vs.You
Think about beginning your presentation with your
Imagine who your audience is: college students, VC audience in mind. If all else fails, start with the word
funders, your significant other? Think about the “you.” Don’t shy away from it or feel like you’re
outcome you want from them at the end of your talk: assuming too much. Beginning with the word “we”
do you want people in the audience to sign up, may feel like a safer choice because it invokes
donate money, tell their friends? For that outcome commonality, but it also runs the risk of feeling
to happen what do they need to know? What do disingenuous and can dilute your message. Either
they need to feel? way, if you can speak to an audience’s need and
you’re right, they’ll listen.
* Thanks to Dan Klein and Stand and Deliver.
Here is a book about it: http://standanddeliver/book

3. Adding Details.
Bring your story to life by adding details from one of
these four “languages.”*
How to: use details Activity: designing dessert
Consider the following examples: An anecdote can be a great way to leave a lasting
impression at the end of a presentation. For this
A man walks down the street carrying a box. activity, you’ll need a partner and about 10 minutes:
A young man strolls leisurely down the street,
carrying two small packages wrapped in yellow Partner One: Tell a 90 second story to your partner
paper. He whistles as he walks, as if he had all the about a time you were moved.
time in the world. Partner Two: Sum up the story you just heard
Which one reads more authentically? An important including the key elements. Bestow meaning on the
aspect of performance and storytelling is conveying story and share your thoughts with your partner.
authenticity. Try adding details to really bring your Partner One: Add details from one of the four
story to life with the following activity. languages above and retell your 90 second story.
Switch.
* Thanks to Dan Klein and Stand and Deliver.
Here is a book about it: http://standanddeliver/book

4. Delivery.
A quick outline of how you can use body, voice, and
eyes to connect with an audience.
How to: use your voice Body language
Your voice is the principal mechanism for conveying Your body conveys your status through your
your content and keeping your audience’s interest. physical posture. Do you want to address your
audience while you’re seated, with legs together and
Modulate your pitch, tone, and volume to create your arms folded around you? Are you leaned back,
variety, keep your audience’s attention, and convey arms out, one leg kicked in the air? These two
authenticity. If your voice is too monotone, that can postures convey different credibility and intent.
make your audience bored; if it’s too consistently
excited, it’s easy to tune you out. Raise your sternum before you speak. Physically lift
up your body to change your status.
Thanks to Dan Klein and Stand and Deliver.
Here is a book about it: http://standanddeliver/book

5. State.
Your state speaks louder than anything during a
performance. Use these tips on physiology, focus, and
beliefs to get in the right state before you go on stage.*
Change your physiology
One of the quickest ways to change your state is to
change your body. Try this exercise before your next
meeting or presentation: jump up and down and
laugh hysterically for 10 seconds. Actually go ahead
and try it right now. How do you feel? Lighter? More
relaxed? Are you smiling?
Empower your beliefs
A belief is a feeling of certainty about something. It is
an interpretation of facts that is true if we believe it
to be true. There are two types of beliefs that can
affect your state: empowering and limiting.
Focus your thoughts
Try the following exercise: Scan the room for 10
seconds and take note of all the black things you see.
Find them... find them. Now, close your eyes.
Visualize the room and identify all the BLUE things.
Not so easy, is it? We tend to see what we’re looking
for and have a harder time seeing what’s beyond
that.
You can change your mental focus by asking and
answering new questions. Try this: while walking or Empowering beliefs are ones that are going to help
jogging as yourself these questions: What am I you along; you want to burnish these and make them
grateful for? Answer it. Then ask it again and answer stronger. Limiting beliefs will hinder you; these are
with something new. Continue with the following the ones you want to tone down or flip them to be
questions: What am I proud of? What am I looking empowering beliefs.
forward to? Each time you do this, lift your sternum
and make your posture more upright. Try this exercise: on your own or with a partner (it’s
nice to have a little support), think of a limiting belief.
Next time you find yourself thinking about For example: my voice sounds weird on audio. Then
everything you need to do that day, or what didn’t think of ways that it can be changed to an
get done, try shifting your focus to the questions empowering belief. You could reinterpret the
above. example: my voice is unique or my voice is part of my
character on camera.
* Thanks to Dan Klein and Stand and Deliver.
Here is a book about it: http://standanddeliver/book