Hey go-getter!
‘Harvard just discovered that PowerPoint is worse than useless. Intuitively, anecdotally, and scientifically, PowerPoint may be the worst business tool ever created.’
I’m not kidding. That’s the title of an article published in Inc. in 2019. 👆
I won’t bore you with the details of the study, because intuitively I believe that you already know this is true.
And yet . . . my old friend ChatGPT estimates 10 million NEW powerpoints are created every day. Though it’s cagey about specifics.
“It is difficult to estimate how many PowerPoints are built daily” yadda yadda yadda “However, it is estimated that over 10 million PowerPoints are created every day.”
Ouch.
Here’s the problem IMHO. It’s not Powerpoint – powerpoint is just a container. The real problem is all the damn bullets! So many bullets. Pages and pages of bullets.
- Bullets suck.
But, what can you do when you need to ask for another $5 million to fund that innovation, to upgrade your tech stack, or to bring that new biomedical product to market?
An email doesn’t seem sufficient.
A long doc seems too much. Too dry.
You put together a slide deck, that’s what you do!
OK, full disclosure. The reason this is on my mind is because I’m prepping a Get To The Point workshop for a new client. It’s really about injecting storytelling into business case presentations..
Over the course of a single day, I will pull a rabbit out of a hat and persuade some very smart people with advanced degrees – who work in SCIENCE (gulp) – to bottom line it for me and swap bullets for storytelling.
Me: What does JM397x9.2 do?
Them: Salicylic acid binds to cyclooxygenase (COX) enzymes in the body, preventing the formation of prostaglandins, which are inflammatory molecules.
Me: Umm, can you tell me like I’m a 3rd grader?
Them: It’s an aspirin. It reduces inflammation, which reduces pain.
Me: Ohhhhhh. Thank you! Why didn’t you say that in the first place?
Next time you open up your slideware, do yourself a favor. Shut it down – for just a few minutes – and ask yourself a few questions:
- What question does your audience need an answer to? Ex. If I give you the $5 million, do we have a reasonable chance of getting a 3x return in the next 2 years given our competition?
- What is your answer? Ex. Yes, we do!
- What are 3 support points that will backup your answer? You’re going to have to fill these in. I have no idea.
(👆- proper use of bullets).
My point is, get clear about what you’re communicating before you start banging the keys so you can tell the story you really want to tell.
The answers to those questions above help you build a story because they build a narrative that says “You are here right now. You want to go there. Here’s how you get there”. That’s a story arc, and it puts your audience center stage.
Then, use your slideware for its original intention – visual storytelling. (That’s why the thing is horizontal for chrissake! It was designed to mimic a photograph’s dimensions).
Visuals make an impression that sticks. Show your audience why they should believe you.
Oh, and if you’re wondering why I’m talking about presentations and not marketing, it’s because presentations are marketing! Presentations market your ideas, and require the same skills any good piece of marketing needs.
If you want a little brushup, join me for the (free) quickie version of the workshop on Feb 16!
Three things I’m loving this week:
- Apple’s new ad. Genius! Brings a smile to my face every time I see it.
- Making room for real writing. Sorry ChatGPT.
- This podcast about
Thanks for reading this. Seriously.
See ya next time.
Ginger Zumaeta
