steve jobs presentation structure

Presenting like Steve Jobs: Using 6 of His Proven Techniques – Here’s How It Works!

The art of presenting has gained transformative significance in today’s business world. A presentation is no longer just a sequence of slides; it’s a way to communicate ideas, establish connections, and inspire the audience.

When discussing inspiring presentations, the name Steve Jobs inevitably comes up. He elevated the art of presenting to a new level. Today, we’ll showcase the techniques Steve Jobs utilized and how you can apply them to your own presentations.

Who is Steve Jobs?

Born in 1955 in California, Steve Jobs is renowned as one of the co-founders of Apple. He is considered one of the m ost prominent figures in the computer industry.

Steve Jobs is equally renowned for his exceptional presentation skills . His presentations are enduringly memorable. They were not only informative but also captivating events that held the audience spellbound. His charismatic presence, persuasive rhetoric, and minimalist design fundamentally transformed the way we present.

Why Steve Jobs Is a Model for Successful Presentations

As the presenter of Apple’s products, Steve Jobs amassed a wealth of experience. Over time, he established a reputation as a master of presentation . Through specific techniques, he managed to do more than convey information; he left an impression, stirred emotions, and enthused the audience . His presentations were more than mere business demonstrations; they were powerful performances that captivated the audience.

Behind every “One more thing” by Steve Jobs lies an array of techniques with the potential to elevate presentations to a new level. His charismatic presence, storytelling prowess, and distinctive presentation style have set a benchmark for modern presenting. The way he engaged the audience and conveyed his messages has made him an exemplar from which presenters worldwide can learn.

The Impact of Steve Jobs’ Presentations on the Technology and Business World

The influence of Steve Jobs’ presentations extends far beyond the technology industry. The styles he used revolutionized entire presentation formats. His innovative approaches and techniques set standards that go well beyond the stage. His charisma, storytelling abilities, and captivating audience engagement transformed the understanding of what makes a compelling presentation, ushering in a new era of presenting.

Jobs’ presentation philosophy demonstrated that a well-crafted presentation is not just about conveying information; it’s an opportunity to captivate, inspire, and persuade the audience.

6 Techniques from Steve Jobs for Captivating and Convincing Presentations

Steve Jobs employed the following techniques to his advantage:

1. Simplicity and Clarity

Simplicity and clarity are crucial factors for all types of presentations. Nobody wants to hear complex content delivered in the most convoluted way. Steve Jobs had the ability to transcend complexity through simplicity.

He understood that cluttered slides and confusing information overwhelm the audience and blur the messages. Instead, Steve Jobs embraced minimalism and clarity by reducing his presentations to the essentials.

This minimalism was reflected in his slides, often composed of just a few words or an image that illustrated the central message . Focusing on the essentials also helps your audience understand your key points better and faster. Simplicity doesn’t equate to shallowness. Skillfully direct your listeners’ attention by operating in a minimalist manner and projecting only the most important messages to reinforce.

2. Storytelling

To keep your audience engaged, you should always use storytelling. Incorporating your content into a story using this technique helps maintain attention spans and convey your message more effectively. More in-depth tips can be found in the article “ Storytelling in Presentations .”

Steve Jobs also knew how to use storytelling. He was a true master of storytelling, taking his audience on an emotional journey . In his presentations, he built suspense by following a clear structure resembling a classic narrative: introduction, plot development, and a captivating conclusion . He also integrated personal stories, authentically conveying his passions and beliefs. This created a common ground with his audience and lent a human touch to his presentation.

He understood that compelling presentations should rely not only on facts and logic but also on emotions. Jobs appealed not only to the minds but also to the hearts of his audience.

If you also use storytelling, your audience is more likely to identify with the ideas you present . This means that you have a higher chance of generating sales or new customers. At the same time, storytelling creates an unforgettable presentation experience for your audience. And staying in their minds for a long time also leaves a good impression.

3. Visual Presentation Aids

Nobody enjoys reading text-heavy PowerPoint slides. Therefore, like Steve Jobs, you should always rely on supportive visual presentation aids. When used skillfully, these aids are not only visually appealing but also reinforce your messages and better reach your audience.

Such presentation aids can include images, videos, or graphics . Steve Jobs used these primarily to illustrate abstract concepts, demonstrate products in action, and evoke emotions. These visual presentation aids weren’t just for decoration; they were integral parts of the story he told.

4. The Art of Staging

Many presenters overlook this: a presentation is not just about compelling slides and a good delivery, but also about effective staging . One of the most captivating aspects of Steve Jobs’ presentation style was his masterful staging. Jobs understood that a presentation is not only about content but also about how it is presented.

His appearances were meticulously choreographed , from his stage entrance to the sequence of slides. Every step, movement, and pause was intentionally planned to captivate the audience and convey messages with maximum impact. He utilized silence and pauses to build tension, employed gestures and facial expressions to convey emotions, and mastered perfect timing to direct the audience’s attention.

You don’t necessarily need to be as meticulously planned as Steve Jobs, as that requires intense preparation and practice . Nonetheless, strive to be conscious of what you radiate, how you behave, and what reactions your actions evoke in your audience. A test audience is an excellent way to practice.

Tips for exuding confidence, appropriate body language, and conscious use of language can be found in the following articles:

• Body Language in Presentations
• Speech Techniques in Presentations

5. Innovation and “One More Thing”

You’ve probably heard of Steve Jobs’ “One More Thing.” It’s the hallmark of Steve Jobs’ presentation style. He managed to spice up his presentations with a touch of innovation and surprise . This distinctive technique, known as the “One More Thing,” was a masterpiece in building suspense and last-minute revelations.

Steve Jobs’ audience was familiar with this effect, and Jobs intentionally created expectations by leading his audience through the main presentation, only to deliver an unexpected bombshell at the end. In his case, the surprises were groundbreaking product announcements or innovative features that captivated the audience. With the “One More Thing” technique, Jobs adeptly engaged his audience and held their attention until the very end.

Like Steve Jobs, strategically place well-timed surprises to harness the potential to make a presentation unforgettable and leave a lasting impact.

6. The Right Conclusion

A convincing conclusion is crucial for any type of presentation. Avoid the usual “Thank you for your attention” phrase and aim for memorable presentation endings.

Steve Jobs’ conclusions were often powerful and unforgettable, leaving a lasting impression on the audience. He also employed the “One More Thing” technique to end with a surprising revelation that left the audience in awe. This technique not only generated excitement but also left the audience with a sense of wonder and enthusiasm.

Furthermore, Jobs’ conclusions always had a clear connection to his message or main theme . He summarized the key points of his presentation and emphasized the core messages once again. This technique helps your audience internalize and remember the most important key points as the presentation concludes.

For more helpful tips on a successful conclusion, refer to the article “ 20 Ideas for Your Presentation Ending .”

If you want to see a speech of Steve Jobs please have a look here . Use the english subtitles if needed.

Conclusion: Applying Steve Jobs’ Techniques Strategically and Convincingly

Follow the example of Steve Jobs and enhance your future presentations to be more engaging and persuasive. Apply the techniques we’ve presented and captivate your audience.

Do you have questions about this article? Feel free to reach out to us via email at [email protected] . We are here to assist you!

If you are looking for visually supportive and professionally designed slide templates, explore our shop. We offer a wide range of slides prepared for various (business) topics available for download. Visit our shop today! ► Shop

You might also find these articles interesting:

• Storytelling in Presentations
• Preparing Presentations: 11 Tips
• 20 Ideas for Your Presentation Ending
• Learning from Hitchcock: How to Deliver Captivating Presentations

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Presentation Guru

The 10 things steve jobs can teach every public speaker.

Steve Jobs was one of the greatest and most influential businessmen of his generation. He took an idea from a humble garage and turned it into Apple, one of the most recognizable and iconic brands in the world. He was a pioneer in the modern corporate world.

Much has been written about Steve Jobs’ presentation style. He was famous for his rigorous attention to every detail whenever he presented, from the style of the fonts on his slides to the colour of the stage background. When launching a new product, he would rehearse over and over until his delivery was fluid. The benefits of this preparation were seen in the quality of his presentations , which are widely regarded as a standard to which many companies aspire.

In this post, I don’t want to focus on Jobs’ presentation skills per se ; instead, I would like to draw on his wisdom and insights into business and life and see what lessons we can apply when it comes to speaking in public.

Steve Jobs’ memorable quotes

As part of his legacy, Jobs left a small trove of memorable quotes. Sometimes humorous, frequently trenchant, always thought provoking, they are worth reading and thinking about. Below are ten good ones for public speakers to ponder:

“Design is a funny word. Some people think design means how it looks. But of course, if you dig deeper, it’s really how it works. The design of the Mac wasn’t what it looked like, although that was part of it. Primarily, it was how it worked. To design something really well, you have to get it. You have to really grok [understand intuitively] what it’s all about. It takes a passionate commitment to really thoroughly understand something, chew it up, not just quickly swallow it. Most people don’t take the time to do that.”

Giving a good presentation – a truly good presentation – takes time and effort. You must understand the material thoroughly; you must understand how it relates to your audience ; you must understand what is most important and why. And then you have to design the presentation –  with or without slides – so that it hangs together and conveys the message with impact.

“This is what customers pay us for – to sweat all these details so it’s easy and pleasant for them to use our computers. We’re supposed to be really good at this.”

You have to sweat all of the details so that it is easy for your audience to follow your presentation (and enjoy it). Don’t make your audience work to understand your points. You should do that work before you present so that the audience doesn’t have to.

“People think focus means saying yes to the thing you’ve got to focus on. But that’s not what it means at all. It means saying no to the hundred other good ideas that there are. You have to pick carefully. I’m actually as proud of the things we haven’t done as the things we have done. Innovation is saying no to 1,000 things.”

Too many presentations become bogged down when speakers try to do too much. You have a limited amount of time and your audience has a limited amount of attention. Choose your key points carefully and ruthlessly cut out everything else. If the subject matter is vast and there is more for your audience to know, prepare a detailed handout or direct people to where they can go for more information. War and Peace makes for a good novel but a lousy presentation.

“That’s been one of my mantras: Focus and simplicity. Simple can be harder than complex. You have to work hard to get your thinking clean to make it simple. But it’s worth it in the end because once you get there, you can move mountains.”

As a presenter you must cut through the details and complexity and distill your message to its essence . Taking the time to think carefully about your subject and your audience beforehand will help you design a simple, effective presentation. When you prepare a presentation , you have to think like a sculptor; the beauty of the statue is revealed by what is taken away.

“I would trade all of my technology for an afternoon with Socrates.”

Technology is great but it is not the most important thing. Far more important is being able to think clearly, strategically, creatively. Whatever your field, expand your horizons. Read widely and extensively. Read the classics, read modern fiction, read non-fiction, read industry periodicals that are not related to your industry. You will become a better thinker and more creative. Those qualities can only help when it comes to communicating ideas to others.

“Good artists copy; great artists steal.”

Jobs was very fond of this quote which, in fact, he got from Pablo Picasso . Good speakers never try to copy other speakers. Good speakers know that they can only be themselves. However, good speakers are willing to “steal” from others in the sense of trying out something that they have learned from another speaker or read in a book or learned in a course. Nobody knows everything and we should be open to learning from others. But we should never try to be like others.

“I think if you do something and it turns out pretty good, then you should go do something else wonderful, not dwell on it for too long. Just figure out what’s next.”

When a presentation goes well, don’t waste the opportunity to deconstruct it soon afterwards. Make notes. What worked well? Why? What could be improved? How? Take what you have learned and build on it for your next presentation. Don’t rest on your laurels, especially if you have to give the same presentation over and over. There is always room for improvement: better images; a better story; an exercise for the audience; cutting material; adding material. Figure out what’s next.

“I’m the only person I know who’s lost a quarter of a billion dollars in one year. It’s very character building.”

Things don’t always go well. Mistakes happen and if you give enough presentations or speeches, the odds are that you will stumble at some point. Don’t let the stumbles get you down. They are part of the process of all public speakers and very few of them are fatal. Learn from them and move on.

“We’re here to put a dent in the universe. Otherwise why else even be here?”

When you finish a speech or presentation, your audience should be changed in some way, even if that change is simply learning something new. If you do not change your audience, why bother speaking at all?

“Be a yardstick of quality. Some people aren’t used to an environment where excellence is expected.”

Many presentations are still, unfortunately, mediocre or worse. You might even be able to get away with a mediocre presentation yourself. Don’t. Hold yourself to a higher standard; your audience deserves it and the benefits that will come your way — personal and professional — will be well worth the effort.

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John Zimmer

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How Steve Jobs Made Presentations Look Effortless

Steve Jobs turned presentations into an art form because he approached keynote presentations like an artist. Musicians, actors, and designers master their crafts over many hours— 10,000 hours , according to writers like Malcolm Gladwell. Mastering public s peaking skills is no exception and Steve Jobs was an artist in the field.

In the new book, Becoming Steve Jobs , authors Brent Schlender and Rick Tetzeli reveal some new insights into the intense preparation that made Steve Jobs a master presenter. According to the authors, “Steve would rehearse endlessly and fa stidiously . ” The book contains e xclusive be hind-the- scenes photos of Jobs, alone on stage, reviewing scripts the day before a MacWorld keynote . In another photo Jobs is sitting off to one side of the stage watching Apple vice president Phil Schiller practice his portion of a presentation . “Rehearsals for product presentations were always intense.”

Apple CEO Steve Jobs delivers the keynote address at the 2011 Apple World Wide Developers ... [+] Conference. (Photo by Justin Sullivan/Getty Images)

Bill Gates appeared at some of the events along with Jobs. “I was never in his league,” Gates told the authors about Jobs’ presentation skills. “I mean, it was just amazing to see how precisely he would rehearse. And if he’s about to go onstage, and his support people don’t have the things right, you know, he is really, really tough on them. He’s even a bit nervous because it’s a big performance. But then he’s on, and it’s quite an amazing thing.”

Steve Jobs made presentations look effortless because he put in a lot of effort to get everything right.

“I mean, his whole thing of knowing exactly what he’s going to say, but up on stage saying it in such a way that he is trying to make you think he’s thinking it up right then… ” Gates said before he trailed off and laughed as he recalled the moment.

The authors reveal new information about Jobs’ 2005 Stanford Commencement address, one of the most quoted commencement speeches in modern history. Jobs wrote the speech himself and walked around the house for days, reciting it over and over. “The kids watching their dad spring past them in the same kind of trance he’d sometimes enter in the days before MacWorld. Several times he read it  to the whole family dinner.” On the morning of June 16, 2005, Steve Jobs woke up with butterflies in his stomach. “I’d almost never seen him more nervous” Jobs’ wife Laurene recalls. Jobs was nervous because the performance mattered to him and he wanted to get it right.

Laurene also told the authors the speech almost didn’t happen when Jobs couldn’t find the keys to the SUV and the family arrived late at the stadium. Once they arrived at the venue a guard didn't quite believe that the man riding shotgun—wearing “tattered jeans, Birkenstocks, and an old black T-Shirt”—was the commencement speaker.

When I first began researching Steve Jobs and his presentation skills, I didn't think anyone could rehearse more diligently than he did. That is, until I interviewed some of the most popular TED speakers. The speaker who has one of the most popular TED talk s of all time, Dr. Jill Bolte-Taylor , told me she rehearsed 200 times before she delivered it in front of a TED audience. Dr. Jill’s presentation seemed natural, authentic , animated, and conversational. Many people don’t realize that it takes practice to sound conversational.

You might assume that a particular speaker is naturally gifted, confident, and polished on stage. What you don’t see is that it took them years of practice to get there. When I interviewed astronaut Chris Hadfield who became a social media sensation with his weightless versio n of David Bowie’s Space Oddity , I complimented him  on his TED talk and the strength of his delivery. “ I’ve b een speaking for about 25 years,” he reminded me.

Steve Jobs wasn’t a natural speaker. He worked at it really, really hard. Although he had a n early flair for the dramatic — as anyone who has watched him pull the first Macinto sh out of a black bag can attes t— there’s no question his comfort level on stage improved over time. It improved because he cared intensely about the message, the aesthetic, and the look of his brand.

Your brand—especially your personal brand—should mean just as much to you as Apple meant to Steve Jobs. And if Jobs was “meticulous” about every aspect of his presentations, shouldn't you be?

Grab our webinar toolkit to transform your webinars from ordinary to extraordinary here

How to present like Steve Jobs during online webinars

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Very few brands are as recognisable as the Apple Brand. Since its inception, especially with the introduction of the iPhone, the company has firmly implanted itself into the fabric of popular culture. But Apple is not just a popular brand; it is also one of the biggest and most marketable brands on the planet, with customers and enthusiasts in every part of the world. The brand is so well-positioned that it now practically sells itself; there are people worldwide who would buy the next iPhone or Apple Watch, regardless of its features.

The success of Apple is not a fluke or a product of chance. On careful observation, you can trace a significant part of its initial success to the charisma and presentation prowess of its founder, Steve Jobs. Everyone old enough will surely remember when Jobs introduced the first iPhone during the 2007 Macworld Conference & Expo and how the audience went wild.

Today, despite the sad departure of Jobs, Apple continues the tradition of giving exceptional presentations—a tradition that has served them spectacularly well.

What makes Steve Jobs presentation skills spectacular

Good presentations do more than dish out information; the ultimate goal is to change how people view the subject or product you, and if possible, take the actions that you wish them to take, whether it be starting a healthy routine or purchasing your product. To do that, you need to captivate the audience with your body language and make an emotional connection; this is where Steve Jobs public speaking skills excels. This article will show you some tips to help you improve your online presentation by analyzing the presentation style of Steve Jobs.

Presentation secrets of Steve Jobs

Steve Jobs used many techniques to get his audience on the edge of their seats. His method stemmed from his belief that people didn't just buy what was valuable but also what they liked; he understood presentation makes all the difference. So he wanted to show them the importance and beauty of his product. Every presenter can learn valuable tips by considering some of these techniques. Here are some ways he went about it.

Build momentum before your online webinar or keynote

Many speakers make one mistake when they try to address a topic in the webinar session; they often deliver their speech at a straight, unchanging pace. While you may not necessarily be delivering your talk in a flat, monotonous drawl, this is still the worst way of presentation as you can still lose your audience.

This is because humans, especially now, can get increasingly bored if they are not excited about the presentation or feel the talk is going nowhere. One way of combating this problem is by building momentum. There are two ways you can do this:

• Set the theme
• Create a road map.
• Instil Anticipation

Steve Jobs did this perfectly when he unveiled the iPhone and even the macbook air. He did not allow his audience to wonder what the presentation would be about nor did he ramble on carelessly from one unrelated point to another. Rather, he structured his talk in a way that allowed him to link one point to another. He had a roadmap and it went something like this.

• He started with an announcement– he would launch three devices at the end of the day. Now, the audience was curious to see the devices.
• He went on to outline the logical and emotional value of these devices.
• Finally the big reveal. The three devices are, in fact, one device with multi-purpose value; it was a satisfying twist.

By giving his audience something to look forward to and ensuring he didn't spend much time discussing each of the most logically and emotionally appealing features, and by revealing something surprising, Jobs hooked the audience. From the beginning of the presentation, everyone was curious about the end, and he did not disappoint. You can use this technique to take your presentation to new, riveting levels. 

Dish out information in small bites and sell the benefit

People struggle to remember bulky information, and you will never be as influential as you wish if your audience doesn't remember the information in the first place. Steve Jobs understood this concept well, so he boiled down his presentations to their core details. He used a principle called The Rule of Three- a vital concept in communication theory.

The rule of three principle suggests that when a group of topics, products, or characters are three in number, it gives the audience the most psychological satisfaction while also helping them retain the information. You can apply this principle by arranging your presentation in three parts; do this in the following three ways:

• Break up your presentation into tiny chunks, preferably arranging them to fit three sessions. The length of each segment should ideally be 10-15 minutes because that is the limit of most people's attention span.
• Input suitable relief material in between each session. It should be something lighter than what you are presenting. If possible, you can play a video or interview a satisfied customer. Steve Jobs used this technique when he made his first call using an iPhone during one of his presentation intervals.
• Highlight only the core values of the product, this way you don't include details that distract your audience from the main points.

Use story techniques

Every human on earth is easily affected by stories; they are how we learn lessons about the world. Good stories are not only entertaining but also memorable. You probably remember the plot of your favourite movie or the lyrics of your favourite song. Conversely, arranging your presentation using a story format can make your presentation engaging, relatable, and unforgettable. Here are some ways you can do this:

Introduce an antagonist (or a bad guy)

The Bad guy could be anything from a rival product that is not fulfilling the audience's needs, a gap in the industry that is highly inconvenient, or a terrible habit that is preventing the audience from reaching their goals. Emphasise how terrible it is and how the bad guy reduces the quality of their life.

Show your concerns and efforts

Next, briefly recount your desire to provide a solution or weapon they can use to combat this enemy that seeks to make their lives miserable. This part will show you as emphatic to their plight and bind you to them. But be careful not to dwell too much on this segment so you don't start sounding too sanctimonious.

Reveal the hero

Show how your products succeed in addressing the problems that you have outlined earlier. Ensure you imprint the necessity of making changes as the only solution to the audience’s problems (which usually requires purchasing the product). This empowers them through using your product - it is important to make the customer the hero of the story.

Make the presentation people-centered

An important thing to remember when making your presentation is that it isn't all about you. Your audience is not listening to you out of compassion; it is because there is a problem that needs solving, and they are interested in knowing how beneficial your presentation will be. Hence, the presentation should be audience-focused, not speaker-focused. There are some unique ways you can do this:

Capture audience imagination

You will have better success engaging and possibly influencing your audience when you capture their imagination. For example, Steve Jobs did not say "we have built a better phone"; instead, he said "we are putting 1000 music tracks into your hands". The second statement was better because it instantly made the audience think of a specific need the phone would solve.

Make numbers and figures relatable

We often take for granted that many people are blind to measurable parameters. We may know what a kilometre or a pound is, but until we compare it to something else, we cannot really sense the impact. Use this principle when you make your presentation; if there is any raw data, make sure to present it in a way that your audience can feel. For example, instead of saying the company uses a 128-bit encryption network, try saying: We use the same security used by the National Bank. This way, your audience can relate to your data and picture it in a way that holds meaning to them.

Create a sense of higher purpose

This part is essential especially in sales because people often hesitate to make purchases, possibly feeling guilty or scared at having to indulge themselves. You can overcome this feeling by giving the thought of buying the product a sense of nobility. When Steve Jobs presented the iphone, he offered his future customers the chance to be part of the phone reinvention. Suddenly they were not mere consumers but part of something extraordinary. You can apply that principle during your presentation. Only be careful not to lay it too heavily, or else you risk coming off as pretentious! 

Keep the audience focused on you

You don't want the audience getting distracted by anything, not even the presenting aids you're using to get your points across. Some presenters often prepare such elaborate slides that they end up hugging all the audience's attention. Slides, pictures and audio-visual materials are a crucial part of your presentation. Still, you want to ensure you draw attention to yourself and what you're saying occasionally. Steve Jobs had an incredible stage presence, but he often included a blank slide that subconsciously made the audience focus back on him. Some presenters use a prop such as a laser pointer to grab attention. You have to look for effective but discreet ways to do this during your presentation.

Prepare properly

Although it often doesn't seem like it, Steve Jobs always knew to sweat the small stuff. He agonised over every product detail, ensuring he knew every facet of his story. When preparing for a presentation, Steve Jobs rehearsed and scripted every part of his presentation so as not to deviate from his outlined structure.

Even if scripting every word of your presentation isn't your style, you want to know what you're about to say. One way to do this is by writing your main points in a single sentence or as bullets, so that as you carry out your presentation, those points will remind you of what you should be talking about. This technique gives you the freedom of spontaneity while guiding you against derailing off-topic.

Finally, be sure to bring some humanity into your presentation. In todays world where AI is used in an increasing amount of communications, it's important to remember, as human beings we are capable of emotion and humour, engaging in our own unique way. You don't need to bring the house down with hilarious stories (although a good story always helps!), but in reality remembering to pause and smile at certain moments will bring warmth and help your audience build belief and trust in you and what you are presenting, even if it's not as exciting as a new iPhone! ‍

Frequently Asked Question

How do you make a presentation like Steve Jobs?

Craft a narrative with a clear structure, use minimalistic slides, and prioritize visuals over text. Practice and master your delivery, focus on audience engagement, and infuse passion and enthusiasm into your presentation for a compelling and impactful style, akin to Steve Jobs.

How can I be confident on a webinar?

Prepare thoroughly, practice your content, and familiarize yourself with the best webinar platform . Maintain a positive mindset, engage with your audience, and remember that expertise and enthusiasm will boost your confidence during the presentation.

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The Art of a Scientific Presentation: Tips from Steve Jobs

Horiuchi, Sakura B.S.; Nasser, Jacob S. B.S.; Chung, Kevin C. M.D., M.S.

Washington, D.C.; and Ann Arbor, Mich.

From the George Washington School of Medicine and Health Sciences; and Section of Plastic Surgery, University of Michigan Medical School.

Received for publication April 27, 2021; accepted October 13, 2021.

Disclosure: Dr. Chung receives funding from the National Institutes of Health and book royalties from Wolters Kluwer and Elsevier. The remaining authors have no financial interests to declare .

Kevin C. Chung, M.D., M.S., Comprehensive Hand Center, Michigan Medicine, 1500 East Medical Center Drive, 2130 Taubman Center, SPC 5340, Ann Arbor, Mich. 48109-5340, [email protected] , Twitter: @kecchung

Presentations are commonly used to share knowledge in all scientific fields, particularly in medicine, where they play an integral role in medical school and graduate medical education as well as in medical society conferences and continuing medical education activities. Though the use of presentations as learning tools has become universal, how often are they truly effective ? Virtually everyone has experienced the jaw-clenching cringe while suffering through a particularly bad presentation, just as everyone has, one hopes, appreciated the vitality, insight, and inspiration that accompany a carefully constructed, well-delivered presentation. Creating effective presentations is a skill, a form of art, and an engineering process that requires time and practice; it is not an intuitive process.

Effective presentations begin by establishing a clear objective and a rapport with the audience. To be a physician is to be a teacher, and one must diagnose the audience’s needs. It is often helpful to acknowledge the inherent authoritarian structure of presenting, in which the speaker serves as commander and the audience as subordinates receiving the instruction. However, the manner in which the speaker approaches this relationship ultimately impacts the course and effectiveness of the presentation. In and of itself, a presentation simply delivers information; however, an effective presentation goes above and beyond to inspire and empower the audience receiving the message. The late tech titan Steve Jobs, cofounder and former chief executive officer of Apple, Inc., was known for delivering dynamic presentations that ultimately reinforced the success of the company and its products. Though many linked the quality of his presentations to his charisma, Jobs consciously incorporated effective presentation skills throughout his lectures, as described in the book Presentation Secrets of Steve Jobs , 1 many of which are translatable to medical education and highlighted in this article.

Kosslyn et al. conducted an empirical analysis of the psychological principles that underlie presentation flaws and failures, finding that communication principles were violated to a similar extent across different fields. 2 Furthermore, Garner and Alley, 3 and others, 4 , 5 have found that how a presentation is designed has the power to inhibit or support its effectiveness. Nonetheless, there is no recent research that examines the quality and effectiveness of presentations used in the field of medicine. Existing studies shed light on single presentation components, such as color themes or fonts, 6 , 7 but this research does not provide comprehensive guidance to help medical researchers and health care providers develop quality medical presentations.

A poorly constructed presentation detracts from its value. In this article, our goal is to identify strategies for creating effective scientific presentations for medical school lectures, resident lectures, surgical rounds, and medical conferences. We will provide examples specific to plastic surgery to better guide researchers and medical educators in the specialty in developing presentations. The strategies discussed come from the current literature on effective presentation strategies and the experiences of our research team. We aim to establish a comprehensive list to aid in creating a methodical approach for presenters to evaluate their own presentations to ensure a standard of quality and effectiveness.

PREPARATION

Constructing a story.

Creating an effective presentation is like taking a road trip, thus the first step is to create a clear map to your destination—and identify the landmarks you and your audience will pass along the way. A presenter must give clear instructions to the audience, which can be in the format of an outline or a story. Ultimately, one needs to know why this road trip will be worthwhile; in other words, the purpose and impact of the presentation should be clearly expressed.

Simple stories, whether in the form of a metaphor or case presentation, create an organizational framework that makes it easier for the audience to follow along. Creating a narrative—for surgeons, perhaps a story of a challenging case or difficult situation—will help the audience associate new information with preexisting mental representations. Graesser et al. examined whether text genre (i.e., narrative or expository prose) influenced recall of the information presented. 8 The authors found that information presented in the context of a narrative improves memory, as stories were remembered better than expository passages. A study by Wolfe and Mienko examined the effect of prior knowledge as a function of memory and learning in a narrative or expository text genre. 9 They found that prior knowledge related to greater recall of expository texts but not for narrative genre. Subjects with more prior knowledge had better recall of the expository text information and vice versa. 9 In other words, people with a preexisting level of understanding of a topic will remember a presentation better than someone without. Creating associations between a familiar narrative and a complex concept helps the audience learn, independent of their prior level of knowledge.

Identify the “So, What?”

It is necessary for presenters to build on a persuasive argument. The presenter has a duty to explain why the topic matters and why the learner should care. Adult audiences are more stimulated when the “why” is explicit and pertinent to them. An effective means of accomplishing this is to share a “passion statement.” A moment of being vulnerable and sharing the origin of your passion for a topic builds rapport with the audience while striving to inspire them to care about the topic as well. For example, in a presentation focused on global surgical efforts, the presenter may share some of his or her most rewarding and challenging experiences as well as the impact the operations have had on the children treated. Another way to build a persuasive argument is to frame it in a problem-solution model, in which the problem should relate to the audience for the information to be relevant and the presentation should offer a solution. For example, a medical school presentation on carpal tunnel syndrome may focus on teaching students about the pathophysiology and treatment that their parents or grandparents may experience. On the other hand, a presentation at a medical conference may focus on innovative surgical techniques and strategies to improve postoperative outcomes and averting complications. Identifying why the topic is pertinent to the audience early in the talk is one of the first steps in preparing an effective presentation.

CHARACTERISTICS OF AN EFFECTIVE PRESENTATION

Once preparation for a presentation is complete, the next step is to create it. We will focus on identifying strategies for an effective presentation for an audience; however, the skills mentioned can be translated to many other models of information sharing. Table 1 summarizes the various strategies that can be used to create an effective presentation. Microsoft PowerPoint (Microsoft Corp., Redmond, Wash.) is the most commonly used software to create presentations.

The presentation should include an outline at the introduction of the presentation. Throughout the presentation, the speaker should reference the outline to remind the audience where they are in the presentation narrative. For example, when presenting on a clinical research study, provide a recurrent slide that presents whether you are discussing the background of the project, methods, results, or conclusions. An outline of the presentation describes the general objectives of the talk while serving as a structure on which to build throughout the presentation.

Each presentation slide should have a headline that describes the topic discussed. A headline decreases the cognitive load placed on the audience by identifying the main point. Alley et al. compared the effects of a short phrase headline to a succinct sentence-structured headline on audience retention of a presentation. 10 The authors found that the average score for students viewing the succinct sentence-structured headline was significantly higher. 10 Specifically, a headline should be in a “subject-verb-object” structure using fewer than 140 characters. When presenting a graph or a table that contains a complex topic, the slide’s headline should summarize the take-home point. For example, when presenting a graph on the economic benefit of plastic and reconstructive global surgical trips, the headline could read “Substantial Economic Benefit for Global Surgery Interventions.” The actual economics may be a complex topic for the average audience if they are not economists themselves, but the main point resides in the simple headline.

Consistency

There should be consistency of formatting throughout the presentation and among the different mediums used to present the same information (e.g., slideshow, poster, oral presentation). One simple font should be used throughout the presentation. In addition, the presenter should keep the font size consistent across all headlines, bullet points, diagrams, and tables. Furthermore, background color and design elements, such as the color of the diagrams, should be the same throughout. 11 Color palettes found online can be used to create a theme in the design of the presentation. Margins to the slides should also be aesthetically consistent, as demonstrated in Figure 1 . If the titles or headlines are of varying sizes, an example of inconsistency, the reader may not recognize that sections are related or exhaust time connecting the key points. Consistency decreases distraction and polishes the delivery of the information.

Visual Appeal

Aspects that influence a presentation’s appeal include font, background color, contrast between color of content and background, symmetry, consistency, and more. Goodhand et al. studied the value of posters at medical meetings and found that audience perception of scientific merit correlates with visual appeal. 12 They found that factors increasing visual appeal included their scientific content, pictures/graphs, and limited use of words. 12 Visual appeal consists of many different aspects, which makes it difficult to discuss specifically each detail. Complex concepts can be simplified by creating visual representations, flow charts, and vector diagrams. Resources to consider may be graphics available in Microsoft Word (Microsoft Corp.), The Noun Project (The Noun Project, Inc., Los Angeles, Calif.), Lucidchart (Lucid Software, Inc., South Jordan, Utah), or FlatIcon (Freepik Company, Malaga, Spain). Figure 2 demonstrates the use of a SmartArt graphic in Microsoft Word to organize information. However, cartoons or videos could distract the audience from the main purpose of the slide and should be weighed carefully. Spending extra time on aesthetic details such as font, background, symmetry, and consistency will improve the slideshow’s visual appeal and professional tone.

Four Main Points

A presenter should limit each major concept to no more than four main ideas. In 2001, Cowan studied the mental storage capacity for short-term memory and found that humans are able to remember approximately four main points. 13 If there are more than four key ideas, the presenter should separate the information, so it is not all included on the same slides. For example, when introducing a research study, the four main points may consist of briefly naming the author(s), methods, findings, and the study’s impact on the current topic. Other noteworthy aspects of the study could be expanded upon in the next slide(s). Keeping within four main points aims to maximize the efficiency and overall effectiveness of each slide for the presenter and audience.

CONSTRUCTION AND DELIVERY

Word choice.

Word choice is the specific vocabulary used by the speaker to convey a message. Text in the presentation should be kept simple, using as few words as possible. Using complicated, lofty words increases lexical density and inflicts a strain on the audience to decipher the meaning of the message while requiring additional work to follow along. Sainsbury examined the effect of lexical density and visual clarity of slides on presentation interpretations. 14 The study found that the presentations with less lexical density, despite worse visual clarity, led to greater audience fluency. 14 Considering word choice and using less dense language is a strategy to improve audience comprehension.

In 2007, Todd Bishop, a reporter for the Seattle Post Intelligencer , compared word choice between Apple’s Steve Jobs and Microsoft’s Bill Gates by running their presentation transcripts through UsingEnglish.com, a language analyzer. 15 The tool examines the average number of words per sentence, lexical density, average number of words with more than three syllables, and the level of education theoretically needed to understand the text. It was found that across all four categories, Jobs scored better than Gates. 15 He spoke more simply, was less abstract, and used fewer words per sentence. For example, where Jobs would say “improved quality,” Gates would say “discoverability of the richness.” If a message is confusing, abstract, or convoluted, the presenter will lose an opportunity to share his or her knowledge. Similar language analyzers are offered online and through Microsoft Word. Specifically, Microsoft Word will provide readability statistics, a feature found within its Spelling and Grammar tool. Based on readability statistics, a presenter can adjust his or her language to ensure it resonates better with the audience.

Relevancy in Numbers

Effective scientific presentations show the topic’s relevance to the audience. In surgical and medical education, numbers are often used to describe the efficacy of a treatment or epidemiology of a condition. In breaking down the meaning of data and placing it into a familiar context, greater meaning is provided to the audience. For example, when conducting an economic analysis of plastic and reconstructive surgical efforts in the developing world, Nasser et al. found that the lose of approximately 1720 disability-adjusted life years was averted. 16 However, they went further to explain that 1720 disability-adjusted life years were equal to a total economic benefit of $9,795,384, the same as $12,957 per patient. 16 As a listener, it may be difficult to comprehend the impact of 1720 disability-adjusted life years without further context, but each audience member can visualize what an extra $13,000 could amount to in their own lives. People are more familiar with the concept of currency than disability-adjusted life years; therefore, placing the numbers in a tangible context enhances understanding and creates a greater impact on the audience.

10-Minute Rule

The 10-Minute Rule states that after 10 minutes, the audience will begin to mentally “check out” or naturally lose focus and interest. Thus, every 10 minutes the presenter should change the pace, welcome questions, or add an energizing moment. This can be in the form of sharing a joke or anecdote (these should be relevant, brief, and appropriate), posing a question to the audience, playing a video (which should always be embedded within the presentation to avoid wasting time and creating distractions), or introducing a demonstration. Tanveer et al. studied how narrative trajectories influence audience perception by analyzing the transcripts of more than 2000 TED talks. 17 They found that variations in the narratives were important to hold the motivation and attention of the audience, and presentations without variations were more likely to receive lower ratings. 17 It is common for a presenter to begin and end a presentation without a break or change in pace, but the 10-minute rule is an objective marker presenters can use to avoid delivering a monologue presentation.

Demonstrations/Props

Using demonstrations and props, such as sharing a video of an operative technique, using an anatomical model to discuss specific physiology, or bringing a tool or technology relevant to the topic, is a way to increase engagement in a presentation. For example, Atherton et al. described the use of the Aurasma application, formerly available in the iTunes App Store and Google Play Store, which connected anyone with the app to three-dimensional medical models via QR code. 18 The presenter could create a demonstration of a surgical technique via Aurasma, and the audience was able to view the demonstration from a presentation on their personal smart devices. 18 Demonstrations and props are strategies to keep in mind for the 10-minute rule. Scientific presentations rely heavily on auditory and visual learning, so props offer an alternative way of learning, kinesthetic learning. Although it may be difficult to incorporate props into every presentation, especially as online-based presentations become more popular, apps such as Aurasma may be a useful tool.

Video Clips

Procedures in surgical education can be described through text and pictures, but utilizing a short video clip to demonstrate a procedure enhances the presentation and further reinforces the prior information. Vara et al. described their experiences using the GoPro HERO systems (GoPro, Inc., San Mateo, Calif.) to record video of hand and upper extremity procedures as a technique to capture, analyze, and share surgical experiences. 19 Video clips incorporate motion into a presentation and may help convey complex visual-spatial topics while offering the presenter a moment to share the spotlight and an opportunity to take a break. Nonetheless, it is important to ensure that videos are of reasonable length, as this can influence likability of a video or presentation. 20 Embedding the video into your presentation, rather than switching applications, may save time and make the transition more comfortable for the audience.

Sharing the Spotlight

Sharing the spotlight means incorporating others into a presentation rather than a speaker delivering a monologue. Sharing the spotlight can take the form of simply acknowledging and thanking other team members, or presenters may include guest speakers or specialists in a lecture to share their knowledge. Steve Jobs would often share the spotlight by inviting famous people, such as musician John Mayer, or even a doppelgänger to lead a demonstration. 1 A benefit of online meeting platforms, such as Zoom (Zoom Video Communications, San Jose, Calif.) or Webex (Cisco Systems, Inc., Milpitas, Calif.), is that they make it is easier for special guest speakers to join remotely for a portion of the talk. In addition, testimonials from experts or patients are a way of sharing the spotlight in scientific presentations and offer an engaging opportunity to create a memorable moment.

REFINING THE PRESENTATION

After the presentation has been physically created, rehearsal is critical. As in a theatre rehearsal, there should be a script, costume, and many practices. A script should direct the presenter in how to discuss the information on the slide. Ultimately, with practice, the presenter should not rely on the script during the presentation but should keep a copy in a pocket only to use as a last resort. The comfort of having this security blanket invariably puts the speaker at rest. A presenter should not read every single word on the slide verbatim, but rather explain and verbally bring the information to life. It is essential that the presenter practice the entire presentation, preferably recording the rehearsal to assess body language, verbal fillers, and subconscious nervous habits. Feelings of nervousness and anxiety about public speaking are common.

Hansen et al. provide information on techniques for delivering effective lectures to ensure that surgeons speak as well as they operate. 21 The authors describe the importance of understanding and acknowledging that everyone experiences a level of anxiety when presenting. 21 Physicians are taught to anticipate complications related to a procedure or condition, thus an effective presenter will also learn to anticipate certain traits, such as speaking too fast, anxiety, and nervousness. Acknowledging the humanity in those emotions and practicing using the techniques described will decrease nervousness, boost confidence, and enhance the effectiveness of the presentation.

The presenter should dress to match the expected professional role he or she is representing. Some say dress for success, but perhaps a better takeaway is to never be underdressed. This is not to say that every presenter should wear the most formal attire, but rather to consider the conscious and subconscious effect a speaker’s outfit may have on the audience’s perception of the presenter. As in scientific posters, those who look sharp are taken more seriously. Feeling confident in an outfit may also translate to greater self-assuredness on the stage. Ruetzler et al. performed a conjoint analysis of personal presentation attributes and found that grooming and professional attire were most notable in shaping favorable perceptions. 22 Furthermore, Keegan and Bannister studied the effect of color-coordinated attire with poster presentation popularity. 23 They found a significantly higher number of visitors for posters of presenters with coordinated rather than clashing attire. 23 The two studies suggest that there are benefits to dressing professionally, and that attire does affect how the presentation is received.

CONCLUSIONS

After the hard work of preparing, constructing, and refining a presentation, the final ingredient for delivering an effective presentation is personality: sprinkle in jokes and anecdotes while demonstrating both confidence and humility throughout to make the presentation representative of the presenter. Creating the presentation should be fun; if the presenter does not enjoy the presentation, there is no way the audience will either. Humor and stories should be kept professional relative to the level of the presentation but should still aim to keep the audience engaged with light and relatable moments. The skills highlighted in this article will help presenters create effective scientific presentations. Furthermore, future research identifying the strengths and weaknesses in plastic surgery presentations can help improve the quality of the presentations in the field.

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Learning from Steve Jobs: Tips for Great Presentation Design

June 3, 2014 / Blog iPhone, presentation design tips, Steve Jobs

When Steve Jobs first introduced the iPhone at the Macworld Expo last 2007, he presented an idea that later revolutionized the use of mobile phones. Seven years later, the Internet is buzzing with anticipation over the iPhone 6.

One thing we can learn from Jobs is that your million dollar idea is only the first step to success. The next and most crucial step is getting others to listen to you.

A genius idea could fall flat if it hides behind a bland presentation riddled with endless bullet points and line graphs. Luckily, we can take notes from the success of Steve Jobs and the iPhone for tips to improve your presentation design:

Your Slides are Important

Steve Jobs was well-known for his minimalist presentations. Each slide contained only a single image or thought that echoed parts of his speech. He also made use of large white fonts that contrasted against dark gradient backgrounds. This allowed his audience more head space to follow what he was saying.

Remember that visuals are important for retaining new information, but too much could overwhelm your audience. Learn to strike a balance when creating your own presentation design.

Find the middle ground between flashy animations and repetitive bullet points that could lull your audience to sleep. Your presentation design should help the audience retain your amazing idea.

Tell a Well-structured Story

Your presentation design should also follow the structure of the story you’re trying to tell. And every story needs a good beginning, middle, and end. No part can function without the other. Each should complement each other to bring to life an overall good narrative.

The same is true for presenting an idea.

Jobs demonstrated the efficiency of the story technique by identifying specific sections in his presentations.

Take, for example, his keynote at the Apple Worldwide Developers Conference in 2010. He organized his presentation into the following main segments: updates on the iPad, information about the App Store and the apps available for download, updates about the iPhone, and the then-new iPhone 4.

The Key is in the Delivery

The worst thing you can do is hide behind your note cards or read directly from your slides.A winning deck isn’t a replacement for your presence as a speaker. Make sure to establish your presence with a powerful delivery that will hold the audience’s attentions.

Your audience is just as likely to fall asleep to your deadpan delivery as they would if you presented them with a generic design template.

Jobs’ presentations were effective because he was a charismatic and confident communicator. Practice your delivery long before you’re slated to give your presentation. A confident delivery is bound to result in a positive response.

Every presenter has their own specific style. But it would help boost your chances if you take a tip from tried and tested methods.

Steve Jobs put the efficiency of storytelling to the fore in his own well-received presentations. Similarly, you can tap into the potential of a good narrative in your own pitch. Let your deck tell a story, but don’t fall behind in terms of delivery.

Blow the audience away with an award-winning presentation, from deck to delivery.

“ Steve Jobs Introduces IPhone 4 at WWDC (live Blog) .” CNET . Accessed June 03, 2014.

Image:  the very instant of announcement  by Blake Patterson from flickr.com

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Learning Presentation Skills From Steve Jobs Speech and Keynotes

Theme meant a lot to Jobs.He always started with a headline which can be easily remembered and is short and comprehensive. The headings were short enough to be posted on twitter. In iPhone 2007 launch, one heading was “Your life in your pocket”. This meant that iPhone has so many features that it almost covers all aspects of your social requirements. But instead of putting up never ending slides. He just put up “Your life in your pocket”.

2. Interesting stories

Jobs always did that. He knew how to interact with audience. He presented himself from audience point of view. He told stories that are commonly experienced by users regarding Apple’s products. Once he said in a presentation “I was sitting in this cafe using iPad and noticed this girl totally checking me out”. His slide consisted of just these few words. While he explained the story himself about Apple’s products getting you girls and absolutely had everyone laughing.

3. His style Was Fewer Words

No matter how long the topic was. Jobs always managed to cover in fewer words.

“Music, calls and internet.” – introducing iPhone

“Thousand songs in your pocket.” – introducing iPod.

“Touch your music.” – introducing iPod touch.

“The world’s thinnest notebook.” – introducing MacBook Air.

He summed up the product in few minimal words and had the audience completely persuaded.

“Music, calls and internet.” – Jobs introducing iPhone

4. Give The Remember-able Statistics

He always had the numbers simplified. In his presentation when he wanted to tell the progress of iTunes, instead of saying that 25 billion songs have been downloaded from iTunes. He said that 15,000 songs are downloaded from iTunes every minute and that’s pretty huge and memorable.

He had incredible images in his presentation. There wasn’t too much media. It was just focused on one or two images which were enough and represented the whole point.

6. Fewer Text

The Steve Jobs presentation didn’t had too much text. Every point contained minimum 1 and maximum 4 words.

His whole presentation was kind of joy because he always continued smiling the whole time. Just have a look at the headshot photo of Steve Jobs.

8. Put on a show

Steve got an envelope from his team during presentation. He showed it to audience and pulled out a sleek Macintosh . The audience were engaged, interested and entertained.

How Jobs Gave Incredible Presentation?

That’s the kind of presentation you’d want to give. Don’t you wonder how someone can give such a presentation? Steve jobs was a pro at presentation. Following points will help you understand how he pulled off such an amazing presentation.

• Steve Jobs was passionate about Apple.
• He loved his brand and had total confidence in it.
• People who worked along him said that Jobs used to rehearse his presentation 200 times before presenting them.
• He used to be up all night with butterflies in his stomach, excited and nervous about his presentation.
• Steve Jobs presentation skills were result of constant effort and passion.

Quick tips to presentation skills

Presentation skills are developed with experience and practice but there are few tips which can help you polish your presentation skills.

1. Show Enthusiasm

It is very important aspect of presentation. Your presentation must reflect your passion. Enthusiastic presentations have the ability to reflect well on audience. When you are enthusiastic about your presentation, audience is likely to share that enthusiasm.

2. Follow Other Presenters

It is quite important to polish your own skills. You can judge better when you are in the audience. You’ll be able to identify the techniques used by others and learn new trends. You can identify what engages audience and what interests them.

3. Get Comfortable With Surroundings

It is quite important that you familiarize yourself with the surroundings. You can do that by arriving early. Get to know the environment so you don’t discover new things while presenting. You know where to step at what time. You would also know if there are any distractions like noisy road nearby so you can take additional measures.

4. Give Exceptional Start

For a successful presentation it is important that you give a rocking start. It’ll influence the audience to listen through the whole presentation. Never tell other people that this part is quite easy or you are going to skip this one. Just do it because you have to and let people listen through it.

5. Stress On Important Points

You can do all the required formatting but it is also important that you repeat and stress on important points by explaining. If you want audience to understand something it is important that you stress on it.

6. Plan Your Body Language Beforehand

It is highly dissatisfying if your body language and your words don’t get along. Therefore, plan beforehand and polish it via practice. Hand movements along with other gestures are quite important for effective presentation. People are more impressed when your body language communicates what you are communicating.

7. Interact With Audience

There is no specific way to do so. You can do it in multiple ways. You can do it via asking questions during or after presentation. You can simply arrange a meet and greet at start or end of a presentation. It gives you all the required confidence and you’ll be able to deliver it more effectively.

8. Use Little Humor

Humor is a great tool when presenting. Use little jokes when presenting as they enhance your confidence and engage more audience.

Never let go of confidence, enthusiasm and positive energy.

Was he always this good at presentations? , question people ask about oneself when getting ready for a presentation, pitch or a public appearance.

What made Steve Jobs best in not only presentation but anything else he did was the consistency and never settling on anything but perfect.

It’s been 32 years since the first best presentation of Steve Jobs in 1984, and after that what follows, people are still writing books and articles about it.

Since then each of his presentation is better than other. His skill became more mature over time. Hours and hours of practice made Jobs look polished, casual, and effortless.

Jobs and his team work on weeks on the presentation before the keynote. Steve often asked managers and employees and other team members their feedback and changed the presentation. He actually spent full two days before the presentation just to practice. That was what made him look cool and his presentations look effortless.

The people who are crazy enough to think they can change the world are the ones who do. — Steve Jobs

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5 Presentation lessons you can learn from Steve Jobs

Become a storyteller.

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Steve Jobs was a master of public speaking, and although it may seem like he had all the secrets to a successful presentation, he used some rather basic ideas about how to do it that… ... read more Steve Jobs was a master of public speaking, and although it may seem like he had all the secrets to a successful presentation, he used some rather basic ideas about how to do it that you can use today. Here are five presentations from his keynote speeches that you can learn from. close

Steve Jobs was one of the most innovative leaders of our time. Among other things, there is a lot that can be learned from him when it comes to presentation design and what aspects of his presentations made them so memorable and entertaining. Some would argue that he was the one person who completely changed our minds about what makes a presentation great—in a world of long, boring, and unimaginative slides, he used presentation techniques that followed a completely different approach.

In this piece, we thought it would be a good idea to go over the five principles that Steve Jobs followed when it came to presentation design and delivery. So let’s jump right into it.

How did Jobs give incredible presentations? 

Steve Jobs was known for the friendly and open demeanor he had while presenting. He avoided technical vernacular and kept his ideas straightforward with quick, memorable titles. Jobs was a showman. He was enthusiastic and told stories, he had confident body language and told jokes, which made him appear more approachable. What can we learn from him as we practice and prepare our own presentations?

01 Use a compelling theme & title

Come up with a headline and general theme for your presentation that run through the entire deck as an underlying message. This headline should be short enough to be easily memorable and tweetable. Think back to Steve Jobs’ iPhone launch in 2007, when his headline was “Your life in Your Pocket.” This quick slogan summed up his whole message and was memorable enough for the audience to carry with them even after the presentation. Think about the theme of your presentation. What do you want the audience to walk away remembering? Now simplify it into one, all-encompassing catchphrase.

02 Engage the audience by telling a story

Tell a story that hits people at an emotional level. It’s a well-known fact that stories are one of the most powerful tools that leaders use to inspire, motivate, and educate. This is because stories are far easier to remember than facts and figures. And research, according to psychologist J erome Bruner, points to the fact that facts are 20 times more likely to be remembered if they are embedded in or contextualized with a story .

Like Steve Jobs, you could frame your narrative around defeating an antagonist—the problem at hand. Introduce yourself or your company as the hero. Paint a picture of how your product or service defeated this problem and emerged victorious.

03 Simplify bigger numbers

Simplify large numbers. This ensures that people can grasp the facts better. For instance, Steve Jobs would say, “We sold 2 million iPods in the first 59 days.” And then he would give context by adding, “That’s nearly 34 thousand iPods sold every single day.” In February 2013, Apple reached 25 billion songs downloaded from iTunes, and he simplified the number so it was easier to understand. For instance, he’d say, “On average, that’s 15,000 songs every minute.” His whole approach was about simplifying big ideas. Don’t leave the audience confused, connect the dots and explain the relevance these numbers have to them.

04 Use compelling visuals

Studies find that using images boosts information retention. Since most people are visual learners, they can pick up on the information shared in a presentation when shared as an image.

Jobs used big, bold, and clear pictures and rarely used more than two images on a presentation slide. In the 2007 launch of the iPhone, he used three images to highlight that the iPhone could do all three things—be a phone, a music player, and give you internet access. Then he quickly moved on to his normal procedure of using one striking image.

05 When it comes to words, less is more

Use fewer words. If you want a presentation like Steve’s, you will have to edit and re-edit your words. Leave only the most important phrases and cut out everything else. The idea is to communicate your message in the most impactful and memorable way possible, rather than having your audience read slides full of text. So he would use words like “magic” instead of the full, grammatically correct sentence “it works like magic,” and similarly, he would use “no stylus” instead of “it has no stylus.” You get the idea!

Jeff Black, the founder of the leadership development company Black Sheep, says that Steve’s presentations boiled down to three key factors: powerful storytelling, emotional connection, and obsessive preparation. Black says the late Steve Jobs was a masterful storyteller. “He was the messenger, he was the star of the show — not the PowerPoint slide.”

And one more thing… the average PowerPoint slide has on average forty words. Steve Jobs would use an average of nineteen words across 10–12 slides. That’s the presentation zen.

If you are interested in learning more about designing a presentation like Steve Jobs, we recommend the book “The Presentation Secrets of Steve Jobs: How to Be Insanely Great in Front of Any Audience.” Or you can just reach out to   professional presentation design services in Dubai and across the GCC—we specialize in not only delivering your message but also helping you tell your story and push your brand forward.

Let us design your presentation!

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The Presentation Secrets of Steve Jobs: How to Be Insanely Great in Front of Any Audience Prologue—How to Be Insanely Great in Front of Any Audience

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Steve Jobs – Public Speaking, Preparation & Practice

by Matt Eventoff

The speed at which information travels has rendered most news dated within hours; days if a story really has “legs.”  To last through multiple news cycles is very rare.  The passing of Steve Jobs has done just that, and for good reason.  Over the past decade, very few (if any) executives  have had the impact on the way we communicate the way that Steve Jobs has.

What made Steve Jobs an effective communicator was not innovation or new technology.   His public speaking skills had everything to do with fundamentals – an example being one that is crucial yet often ignored – extensive preparation.  The preparation and practice that went into a product launch or public presentation was evident, and each presentation became an event itself – not very common in the corporate world today (unless it is bad news).

Two of my favorite Steve Jobs presentations:

The launch of the original iPhone

Some Key Takeaways:

1. Very limited use of slides (no “Death by PPT”);

2. Limited content on each slide;

3. Effective use of movement;

4. Use of the “Power Pause”;

5. Effective gesturing;

6.  Simple, conversational language (I am convinced one of the reasons Apple is the market leader is not only the ease of use of the product line, but the ease of explanation as to how the products work.)

Stanford Commencement – 2005

This is one of the most moving speeches I have seen in the past decade, and moves me every time I watch it.  From a delivery standpoint, I can only imagine how powerful this would have been had Jobs given it in 2010, as his evolution as a public speaker over the past six years was evident.  Two key takeaways:

1. The use of story – amazing storytelling;

2. The use of repetition;

3. Use of summation – every story is neatly summarized with a memorable takeaway;

4. Chronological Speech Structure – not the conventional use of structure, and very, very effective.

“Almost everything–all external expectations, all pride, all fear of embarrassment or failure–these things just fall away in the face of death, leaving only what is truly important. Remembering that you are going to die is the best way I know to avoid the trap of thinking you have something to lose. You are already naked. There is no reason not to follow your heart.”

– Steve Jobs

3 thoughts on “ Steve Jobs – Public Speaking, Preparation & Practice ”

• Pingback: Steve Jobs: Greatest Presenter of Our Generation

hi, is there any way you could send me the videos so i can download them to my computer? thanks ana ortiz

very good ideas from a great legend

Comments are closed.

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5 Presentation Techniques From Steve Jobs

March 28, 2018 by Muhammad Noer

Jobs’ performance on a presentation is always expected and waited by many people. Through the world-class exclusive presentation technique, he performs how to deliver a presentation in a unique way, like an attractive show, successfully. Here are some techniques used by Jobs that lead him to be a successful presenter.

1. Create stories as a background to your presentation

The first secret is how you create a story behind a presentation. Everyone loves story. The presentation that has a story in it will always be remembered by the audiences.

The reason is very simple, stories are easily remembered. That is why you will always remember your childhood’s stories told by your parents. The audiences will remember your stories and forget anything else.

Steve jobs masters this technique properly. In every presentation he always delivers a story. When he introduced iPod in 2001, he did not explain iPod as a merely MP3 player. He chose to tell a story about iPod as 1000 songs in your pocket.

2. Create simple but visually strong slides

A good slide is usually not a complicated one. A good slide is a simple one, accurate, and helping the audiences to grasp quickly the idea that the presenter wants to deliver.

In every presentation, Steve Jobs always uses very simple slides. Sometimes, they contain just pictures with no words. In another time, they contain numbers, typed with big font size.

Through the appropriate pictures, he wants to evoke the audience’s imagination to imagine what he is explaining.

3. Use three parts rule

In the process of making a speech, we know a term three parts rule. It is done because people are used to understanding many things through three parts.

Jobs knows very well the strength behind this rule so that he uses this trick in many occasions. When he explained about iPhone, Jobs did not tell too many things that can lead people into confusion.

He summarized it as a revolutionary cell phone that has three function: (a) as an entertaining iPod, (b) as a smart phone, and (c) as a great internet communication media. Through these three things, the audiences could easily remember what iPhone is and they could summarize all other features.

The audiences can hardly remember more than three things. On the other side, less than 3 things are too little that makes presentation uninteresting. Use three parts of information to create strength to your presentation.

4. Help the audiences understand the statistics and data

Sometimes a presentation needs statistics and data to deliver important information to the audiences. Unfortunately, statistics and data sometimes are boring.

The question is how to make statistics and data more interesting? Remember! The audiences don’t care about the number you show in your presentation. They do pay attention to the story behind those numbers.

When he explained about the amount of songs that had been downloaded through iTunes, he delivered simple data by saying that 2 billion songs have been downloaded. It means 5 million songs have been downloaded per day.

It also means in a second, there are 58 songs downloaded. To make the audiences easy to imagine, he added, “This happens every minute in every hour every day.”

Now, notice how he could deliver an interesting story behind numbers and statistics. If the audiences were just given data that 2 billion songs had been sold or 5 million songs were sold per day, the audiences would hardly imagine the meaning of the statistics.

When Jobs helped the audiences by telling an analogy that there were 58 thousand songs were sold per second, the audiences could easily imagine that that was a huge amount of songs that had been downloaded.

5. Create extraordinary surprise momentum

A great presentation has something that surprises the audiences. If you want to perform greatly, create a surprise momentum to the audiences. This was what Jobs did in his presentation in 2008: he told that apple had made the thinnest notebook in the world. He showed a picture that showed how thin and light the notebook was.

When the audiences tried to imagine how thin this was, Jobs suddenly took an envelope and take a MacBook Air out of the envelope and showed it to the audiences. They were shocked and mesmerized. He created a surprise momentum in his presentation successfully. Actually, he could just explain about the product monotonously, but it would not give strength and emotional aspect to his presentation.

By taking out a MacBook out of the envelope, the explanation about the thinnest notebook was perfectly delivered. There was no technical explanation needed.

For you who want to be an extraordinary presenter, think and create the surprise momentum that summarized the whole presentation that will be remembered by the whole audiences.

Those are some techniques used by Jobs that make him famous and loved by many people. If you use and apply these techniques, every chance you have will be the mesmerizing presentation to the audiences.

If you want further understanding about these techniques, you can read book entitled “The Presentation Secrets of Steve Jobs – How to Be Insanely Great in Front of Any Audience” written by Carmine Gallo, a columnist in Businessweek.com.

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Steve Jobs’ Fascinating Presentation Style: How to Create It Smoothly

• Published on December 1, 2021

Table of Contents

Steve Jobs’ fascinating presentation style to create

Did you notice how brilliant Steve Jobs optimizes every stage presence? Here’s how you can copy Steve Jobs’ engaging presentation style!

Almost no one does not know about Steve Jobs in this digital age. Steve Jobs was notably one of the most successful entrepreneurs in the last few decades with his well-known brand, Apple, which has grown into a giant tech company and dominated the related market.

You can find his product in your hands, next to you, on your nightstand, and almost everywhere. According to JakartaPost , Apple Inc on Monday became the first company to hit a US$3 trillion stock market value, before ending the day a hair below that milestone, as investors bet the iPhone maker will keep launching best-selling products as it explores new markets such as automated cars and virtual reality.

Steve Jobs became indistinguishable from the product he has been working on to the point where they symbolize each other.

For example, when someone mentions Steve Jobs, one must think “that must be Apple’s Steve Jobs,” and vice versa. 

Of course, becoming the face of his own company had become one of the proofs of the dedication and persona he presented to the public. 

Steve Jobs’ stage presence

Steve Jobs had one particular iconic image every time he came up to the people to introduce the newest update about his gadget. He showed up and immediately sparked up charisma like a tech rock star.

Standing in front of a big screen with the Apple logo on it, wearing a black long-sleeve turtleneck and blue jeans had become Steve Jobs’ trademark outfit. 

Apple is famous for its exciting and genius product presentation. According to The Daily Egg , with stripped-down content and simple advertising, they’ve gone on to sell more than 1.5 billion products .

The whole agenda and the main theme are presented almost seamlessly, making it entertaining, natural, and effective. But, more importantly, Steve Jobs’ brilliant presence on the stage made a significant impact on his company as well. 

Possessing the mentioned presentation skills, Steve Jobs could easily convince the audience of almost anything possible. His communication style even drew public press attention which also granted him free advertisement.

Even one of his colleagues claimed that he fascinatingly communicated his product. He neatly tends to alter reality and make it somewhat flexible.

Hence, he could introduce the versatility of his innovations. Most corporates must learn and adapt from Steve Jobs’ engaging presentation style which provides him and the company more benefits because the public presentation is all that matters when it comes to selling products.

See also: The Easiest Ways to Improve Your Classroom Presentation Skill

Why presentation matters

It’s because it fundamentally matters and has always been. And Steve Jobs’ fascinating presentation style is still on top of everything.

Presentation is vital for publishing a product, idea, or service to the audience. The essence of promotion itself will grant you a significant change, regardless of the variant of the purposes.

It will be the one that decides whether it builds up or lowers people’s impressions and expectations. 

On the other side, presentation is also a routine in an organization’s daily activities.

Still similar, it serves as an essential agenda where progress is reported. So, a presentation always takes a key role in day-to-day business activities.

It is as essential to deliver a proper presentation in a professional environment as a personal branding that somehow displays your qualities. How? Let me break it down for you.

1. Conveying your brand identity

As mentioned before, the presentation is one central aspect that represents either personal or a company. It concisely brings the whole image, approach, and identity of your company to the public in a way it can be seen with their eyes.

The reaction and impression they generated will follow as necessary feedback. Building a good image and decently introducing your company to your audience or your target audience is the primary goal of the presentation.

According to Havard Business Review , our ability to remember images is one of our greatest strengths. “We are incredible at remembering pictures.” Hear a piece of information, and three days later you’ll remember 10% of it. Add a picture and you’ll remember 65%.” 

2. Spreading awareness and motivation

It is also very often to be applied inside the culture of an organizational work environment, as well.

Distributing the information, connecting the colleagues, or merely displaying motivational quotes to keep your employee’s spirit on point is one of the uses we could optimize from a presentation. 

3. More engagement

The next topic to note is that presentation assists you to get or increase more audience engagement about your company.

A proper and effective presentation could balance your delivery by giving the imagery elements that complement the auditory to make the audience engaged in the process.

4. More flexible and accessible

You may view, customize, or display presentations on your laptop, tablet, or phone at any time and anywhere.

A presentation is flexible, meaning you can easily modify the substance component to various situations, audiences, or purposes.

How Steve Jobs optimizes his fascinating presentation style

Steve Jobs is known as one of the greatest storytellers in the world. This label is given to him because of his outstanding ability to present a story through presentation.

Every product launch that he has done was brilliantly performed. Every move, demo, image, and slide seems adequately calculated and perfectly executed.

Many people have been observing and analyzing how Steve Jobs did his presentation to gain information or tricks behind his successful performance.

During his presentation, Steve Jobs gave out accurate information to the audience and tried to inspire and entertain them. That is why he could capture the audience’s undivided attention.

Besides what has been mentioned above, there are still several presentation techniques you can learn and copy from Steve Jobs’ fascinating presentation style. Let’s get deeper into it.

1. Be passionate

He also never failed to show his enthusiasm for his new product.

He often used words such as “cool,” “amazing,” or “gorgeous” to describe them. He also did not hold back to show his excitement in front of the audience.

He believed that if you are not excited about your idea, then nobody else will be.

2. Solve the problem

A presentation always has or proposes a particular purpose. Be it to launch a product, advertise, or deliver some new ideas.

But, before you show the primary purpose of your presentation, you must first introduce the common problem faced by most audiences. Steve Jobs did this when he first introduced the iPhone to the public.

He did a presentation about how smartphones are hard to use. So, as a solution, he offers the iPhone, which he claimed is way more innovative and intelligent than any mobile device and super easy to use.

3. Less wordy

In the first iPhone launch presentation, Steve Jobs used a total of nineteen words that were distributed across twelve slides. This shows that to have a successful presentation.

You do not have to put many words into your slides. This might also help your audience focus on what you are trying to say rather than get distracted by your slides.

See also: Why Animated UI/UX Concept in Virtual Presentations Matters

4. Tell stories

Before revealing the new update about the brand, Steve Jobs spent a moment reviewing the story about Apple. From their first establishment to the present time.

This opened a way to introduce Apple further and release a new product. In his presentation, Steve Jobs also often told many entertaining stories and jokes to keep his audience’s attention.

5. Be natural

In the introduction of the iPhone, the presentation lasted about 80 minutes. During the 80 minutes of the presentation, not once did Steve Jobs read from a prompter or notecards.

He fluently presented the content so well. This leads to the amount of rehearsal needed to have a successful presentation.

According to several sources, Steve Jobs practiced and rehearsed his presentation for several days before the actual presentation. In conclusion, it takes a lot of time to practice and prepare yourself to be fluent during the presentation.

See also: What Is a Pitch Deck Presentation?

Present it on PowerPoint!

PowerPoint is an easy program to use and a powerful tool for presenting. It helps to create an attractive visual for your presentation.

The abundance of tools and menus on PowerPoint helps the user make their presentation more attractive. The multimedia added to the slide would also help to improve the audience’s focus.

However, using PowerPoint is tricky because you can get overboard and overly use creative tools. As a result, your presentation could be too distracting and might not deliver your message correctly.

So, Steve Jobs’ fascinating presentation style is a good start for you to impersonate.

Make sure you do not perform a boring presentation to your audience because delivery is as important as the substance!

Steve Jobs, it is better to make a simple slide and not put too many words and decorations into it. That way, your audience will focus on the message you deliver and not get distracted by the visual.

Let’s visit RRSlide to download free PowerPoint templates . But wait, don’t go anywhere and stay here with our RRGraph Design Blog to keep up-to-date on all the best pitch deck template collections and design advice from our PowerPoint experts .

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Steve Jobs's Masterful Presentation Ability Came Down to 1 Underrated Thing. Anyone Can Do It

It's not charisma..

People think of Steve Jobs as a masterful public speaker . That's largely because, well, he was. Jobs was good at telling stories in a way that many tech CEOs just aren't.  

I think you could argue that it's one of the reasons Apple has become as successful as it has today. Jobs had what seemed like a unique ability to captivate an audience and convince them that whatever he was talking about would change their lives.

What's interesting to me is that the thing that made Jobs so great at presenting in public wasn't just that he was charismatic. There are a lot of charismatic people, but that doesn't mean they have something worth saying, or that they are good at communicating it to an audience. The key to a great presentation isn't charisma.

The key to a great presentation is that all of the pieces fit together to tell a story. Jobs did that better than anyone. Watch any of his old keynotes, and the thing that will impress you isn't the fancy set -- most of them took place on a black stage with a single screen behind him.

It also wasn't the fancy videos or slides. All of that was fine, but the real magic is how they all fit together. That leads us to the reason Jobs was so good at getting in front of an audience and making them care about whatever it was he had to say: practice. 

Practice, by the way, is incredibly underrated. Most people think that the best communicators are so talented they can get in front of any audience and make them laugh, cry, or, well, care. That's a myth. The real talent is in rehearsing enough that you don't seem rehearsed at all. 

In his book, Creative Selection , Ken Kocienda tells a story about how Jobs prepared for the MacWorld 2003 keynote, where Apple introduced the Safari Web browser for the first time:

Three weeks or a month before the keynote itself, Steve would start rehearsing with portions of his slide deck in some venue at Apple, often in Town Hall, the auditorium on the Infinite Loop campus. Slowly, day by day, he would build the show by stepping through it as he wanted to present it at the keynote. This was one of Steve's great secrets of success as a presenter. He practiced. A lot. He went over and over the material until he had the presentation honed, and he knew it cold.

Once he "knew it cold," the practice didn't stop. He continued to practice exactly like he intended to present. Kocienda continues:

When Steve spoke to a slide, he went fully into his key-note persona. His tone of voice, his stance, his gestures, everything was exactly as if he were presenting to a packed house. For as long as everything proceeded to his satisfaction, he kept going. As needed, he stopped, stepped out of character, reduced the volume of his voice, and asked executives seated in the front row, like Phil Schiller, the company's senior vice president of Worldwide Marketing, what they thought of some turn of phrase or whether they believed ideas flowed together smoothly. Feedback received, Steve would pause quite deliberately for a second or two, go back into character, and resume his keynote persona.

Jobs cared deeply about how each word he would say fit with every other part of the presentation. Most people simply don't care that much, and it shows. Jobs was a master at public speaking because he practiced in private exactly the way he presented in public.

The thing is, most of the people you think about as being great at seeming as though they are speaking off the cuff are often the most practiced of all. There's a certain irony that when you get really good at practicing, you don't come across as rehearsed at all.

There's another benefit, which is that when you're extremely well-practiced, you don't panic when something goes wrong. You know exactly where you're headed, and you can get there even if your slides stop working. You've practiced enough that you know how to make your point, which gives you a sense of freedom when you need to improvise. 

The good news is, anyone can practice more. If you have to give a speech or present to a meeting, the simplest way to be more effective is to practice. It helps, by the way, to practice in front of someone you trust who can give you feedback and help you make your presentation better. 

The point is, if you want people to care about what you have to say, you have to care enough to practice saying it. 

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