Thanks for your appreciation of the post. I totally agree with you that it’s useful to have a clear understanding about what a presentation is good for, and what it isn’t. I also explored this point in my post about information overload.

Olivia

Great post. We work with a lot of authors who have to condense their often complex books into simpler speeches. I begin by explaining to them that books and speeches are two different genres. Speaking is not a great genre for detail (specificity, yes, but not oodles of detail); it is a great genre for persuasion. So we ask, what is it that you want your audience to do differently as a result of the speech? Put that in one sentence, and you know what you’re talking about.

I enjoyed your post on “Less is more”.

If you’re not Richard – go and check out the clever visual he’s created demonstrating “Less is more”. http://joyfulpublicspeaking.blogspot.com/2010/03/why-less-is-more-or-even-less.html

Olivia

Excellent explanation. I said something similar more briefly in this post about Why Less is More – or even less: http://joyfulpublicspeaking.blogspot.com/2010/03/why-less-is-more-or-even-less.html Kiwi Red also used to fly Skyhawks.

Cheers,
Ken

I like your verbiage, “Strip away the unnecessary.”

How true.

Just like powerpoint slides, your words should be clean and simple.

Buzz words, jargon and long endless explanations don’t impress your audience. These words lose them!

Thanks!

Cheers,
Ken De Loreto