Taking cues from Steve Job’s Presentations

Steve Jobs always attracted the listeners due to his astonishing presentation skills which not only inspired but entertained them too. Here are what we can learn from him…

1.     Let your passion be seen: Passion while making a presentation is very important and Steve Jobs demonstrated this more than often. While speaking on many occasions, he clearly conveyed that he is very passionate and enthusiastic about the product as well as the presentation at hand. He always believed that if one is not enthusiastic about his/her idea, then nobody else will be attracted and motivated through it.

2.     Let the presentation be simple with visual slides: You would be surprised to know Steve Jobs used only 19 words in total in the first three minutes of his iPhone presentation. These words too were distributed over about 12 slides. Well, Steve Jobs clearly showed that it is the simplicity and visuals that matter the most in a presentation.

3.     Telling stories is a must: Before talking about the new phone, Steve Jobs made it a point to tell the story of Apple and its journey. Then gradually he came to the main topic. This way, he was able to captivate the audience and give a build-up to the presentation.

4.     Preparing and practicing before the presentation is the key: Steve Jobs never took his presentations lightly. In fact, he used to make it a point to rehearse on stage for hours and days together before making any major presentation, so much so that, he knew every minute detail on every slide. Thus, his presentations were always flawless. Steve Jobs clearly teaches us that for effortless presentations, practicing and preparing rigorously is a must.

5.     Let it be a free speech: The introductory speech for iPhone lasted for about 80 minutes but not even once Steve Jobs looked into the notes as he was well-prepared and knew the content by heart. This clearly showed his confidence and preparation.

6.     Make it humorous: While making the iPhone presentation, at the time when he first announced that Apple is introducing a mobile phone, instead of showing the phone, he displayed on slide a photo of iPod with an old-fashioned rotary dial on it. This made the audience laugh out loud and made the moment lighter. Through this, Steve Jobs was further able to establish a connection with his audience.

7.     Concluding in a motivating manner and inspiring the audience: Steve Jobs always ended his presentation’s speech with something inspiring and interesting so as to transfer the same feelings into his audience too.

Thus, Steve Jobs clearly teaches us some of the important skills that need to be implied always while making any presentation.