Which one is it? The slide about your dream team? The problem statement? The one with your perfect solution? Your roadmap, or the financial projections? The killer opening slide maybe?
Actually, those could all be it. And they are at some point. If you’ve done your homework preparing this presentation (most of which is striking), every slide tells an essential part of your story. If it doesn’t, really, you should have tossed it out.
At any time, the most important slide is the one that’s on the screen.
Obvious? Yes of course. This is where your audience is right now and where you should be too. Nothing else matters at this moment.
It’s so easy to get ahead of yourself and get occupied with the next slide. The one with the solution you’re so excited to talk about. Or that shocking visual – how will they react? Or the one with the bold statement that’s sure to provoke a discussion.
Another pitfall is to keep dwelling on the previous slide, the one you just clicked away from. With that essential fact you forgot to mention. Or the question you weren’t able to answer. That witty remark you made that your boss is still grinning about.
If you are there, ahead or behind, or somewhere else all together, you will have lost us, your audience. You’ve just given us an excuse to shift our attention as well. Stare out the window, doodle, check our messages. Wondering why we came here in the first place.
We expect you to treat the current slide, this part of your presentation, as the most important thing in your life right now. Your focus, dedication and presence are crucial to engage us, to make the impact you’re after.
Like a jazz artist, you need to be in tune with what’s happening in this moment, able to improvise and connect to your audience. How is your story coming across, are they getting it? Do you need to elaborate or speed things up? Ask a challenging question?
Like a jazz artist, you’re forgiven a few mistakes, as long as you are fully into it. Make us feel your passion and the urgency of your message. Until the final note. Until the applause.
Thank you.
