Steve Jobs Introduces Macintosh in 1984

Enjoy this video from Steve Jobs introducing the Macintosh in 1984.

He demonstrates powerful presentation techniques that still apply to business presentations. I suggest that you watch this video, and then read the review below. Then watch the video again to notice the techniques.

Steve Jobs uses clear language. (I've underlined key words.)

“You’ve seen pictures…now I’d like to show you Macintosh in person.”

That phrase does two things: it builds anticipation and personifies Macintosh.

 Then Steve Jobs points out that everything on the big screen will be produced “by what’s in that bag.”

“That bag” emphasizes the compactness and portability of the MAC. It’s also a memorable phrase.

Then he’s silent while he calmly opens the bag and removes the MAC and places it on the table. He remains silent while pulling a diskette from his pocket with a bit of flourish. Then he inserts the diskette into the computer and allows the MAC to take the show.

During this time, Steve Jobs remains silent. That’s a powerful technique that presenters need to master. When you want people to pay attention to your props or slides allow them the curtesy of being quiet.

Steve Jobs delivers this as a team presentation. He introduces the other presenter then stays out of the way while the MAC presents. Then the MAC hands the presentation back to Steve Jobs.

The MAC demonstrates its strengths with music, fonts, (even script), graphics and voice. The MAC even displays a sense of humor.

Notice the stage presence of Steve Jobs as he gladly accepts the applause of the audience after the MAC introduces him with the phrase “a man who’s been like a father to me”.

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CEO Stumbles through a Sloppy Close to his Keynote Speech

The CEO of the advertising agency delivered the opening keynote speech at the marketing conference. He seemed like an appropriate choice. His career in the industry was impressive and the company he founded was enjoying industry buzz.

His presentation offered entertaining case reviews from the world of advertising. A few of those campaigns were produced by his company. Like many marketing speakers, he also included at least one Apple story. That felt like Deja vu. Still, his insights were noteworthy.

The close to his speech was disappointing. He ended with these four lines.

Enjoy your conference.

Thank you for your invitation to speak.

Any questions?

Am I supposed to take questions?

What a pathetic close!

Let’s examine those four lines.

“Enjoy your conference”

That’s a bland and uninspiring statement. That felt like the lackluster statements you hear from insincere retail clerks admonishing you to “Have a nice day.”

“Thank you for your invitation to speak”

More bland and meaningless words. Clearly he didn’t take time to think of something more helpful to say to the audience.

The person to thank for the invitation is the person who invited him. The place for that would have been a private conversation with that person. The audience didn’t invite him. They simply attended to hear his message.

“Any Questions?”

This was thrown out as an afterthought. Clearly he didn’t plan to take questions.  He looked confused at this point.

“Am I supposed to take questions?”

Now he definitely sounded confused. After he asked for questions he hesitated and posed this question to no one in particular. Clearly he didn’t talk with the conference organizers to confirm their expectation or the parameters of his presentation.  This question portrayed him as a fumbling presenter – not the leader they hoped he might portray.

The man had impressive credentials in the advertising industry and as CEO of his own firm. But, the audience might be thinking “How can a man with a successful career be so careless as a presenter? Was he simply lucky?”

This CEO didn’t know how to end his presentation. That was curious because as the head of an advertising firm he stressed the importance of telling stories. He emphasized the need to sculpt three components to your stories; opening, body and close. But he didn’t do that with his presentation. Both his opening and close were disasters. I wonder if he delivers a better close when pitching to prospects.

Ironic.

Apparently, this was a case of “don’t do what I do – do what I tell you to do”.

What can you learn from this keynote speaker?

If you are the invited speaker

·       Demonstrate the lessons you want the audience to learn

·       Recognize the importance of the opening and close to your presentation

·       Talk with the event organizers to be clear on the expectations and parameters

·       Assume that somebody important might be in the audience

·       Prepare and rehearse – don’t try to wing it

If you are the conference organizer

·       Don’t be celebrity-struck by the CEO – clarify your expectations

·       Don’t assume that every successful CEO makes an ideal keynote speaker

·       If you haven’t heard the person speak, you don’t know what you’re getting

·       Just because the CEO is speaking for free doesn’t make it a good deal

The close is important to the success of your presentation.  It’s the last words that the audience hears and when done well can leave them with a lasting impression. The close might summarize your key points, reinforce the message, offer them hope or encourage them to take the next steps.

People forget much of what you say but they tend to remember first or last impressions.

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Geoff Ramm Presenting With PowerPoint

I watched my good friend from the UK, Geoff Ramm present at a few conferences. We were fellow speakers on this speaking tour. Geoff is a marketing expert and specializes in Observational Marketing. That means he looks around and reports what he sees – especially what seems to be working.

In his presentations Geoff made the best use of PowerPoint that I’ve seen. Too many speakers use PowerPoint as a crutch or shield. You know those speakers who simply repeat the words on the slide or constantly check the slides so they are reminded of what to say next.

Geoff Ramm worked with his slides as if they were a tag team. One didn’t steal from the other. They handed off to each other. Geoff would set up the next slide before it appeared so the audience anticipated it and knew what to look for.

When the slide had delivered its message, the attention moved naturally back to Geoff. Like an accomplished comedy duo they worked seamlessly together.

The slides were real visuals – photographs. Not paragraphs or bullet lists. The only slides that had words on them were for his transitions. So the audience always knew what was coming next.

Nicely done Geoff Ramm and company.



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Presentation Train Wreck: Avoid These Mistakes

Have you ever cringed while watching a speaker and wondered “How is this speaker going to save this train wreck of a presentation?”

Most presenters make some mistakes. All speakers can get better. And then every once in a millennium you witness a presentation that defines awful. If you saw the movie “Apocalypse Now”, just imagine Marlon Brando, watching this presentation and muttering, “The horror, the horror”.

Be forewarned. This will be awful. Reach for the air sickness bag.

This speaker was the head of an international office for a major advertisement agency. You would think that people who make their living persuading people to buy would understand the principles and importance of communication skills. You would think that their leaders would be superb communicators and presenters. At least, that’s what I had thought.

Of all the speakers at this international marketing conference, this speaker was the only one who chose to plant himself firmly behind the lectern. With both hands desperately grasping the lectern he made it clear to his audience that:

1. He had no intention of getting close to his audience metaphorically and literally,
2. He would be lost without his notes,
3. He would not let the lectern fall over. 

He then showed his first slide while reading it word for word from his notes – never looking at the audience. Then, the next slide and so on…

I admit. I stopped paying attention for a while. Examining my finger nails and wondering if they were ready for cutting and filing – seemed more interesting at this point.

At some point during his presentation he started to display videos of TV advertisements that his agency had produced. I missed his introduction of the first video – wondering “Where did I leave that nail file?” But the videos did seem more interesting than he so I glanced at the videos on the screen. He played a few in a row – without commentary between. No setup and no debrief. I wondered: What was his point? What message was he trying to convey? Did his audience understand the message? Did he know the answers to those questions? Did he even care?

Then one video caught my attention. It was a short story about a teenage girl having communication problems with her handicapped father. They argued. They both seemed angry and frustrated. It was saddening to watch. Then, the daughter attempted suicide.

In the last scene of the video the daughter was recovering in the hospital while her father donated his blood to save her. It was an emotionally stabbing story.

I wondered, “How is this speaker going to bring the audience up after this emotional plummet into the abyss? Surely he understands that you never leave your audience with despair. You might take them to the depths for a brief visit. But you never abandon them there. You always leave them with hope.

I was intrigued at how he would perform this magical transition. I wanted to learn from this advertising agency CEO.

Then he said, “Well, that’s it. Thank you.”

Arrrrrggghhhhh.

He left his audience in the pit of despair. And then he failed to have a close to his presentation. That callous ending demonstrated a complete lack of understanding and empathy for the feelings of his audience.

Of course he also demonstrated an incredible lack of presentation ability. I believe that this man is an unconscious incompetent. He doesn’t know what he doesn’t know. And he clearly didn’t care. He was the only person who didn’t compare notes with the other speakers at this marketing conference.

The Lessons From This Disaster

• Know your presentation well enough that you don’t need to read it.
• Move away from the lectern to appear more open to your audience.
• Tell your audience what to notice when you use videos.
• You might even stop the video part way to draw attention to an important point.
• After the video review the message.
• If you take them to an emotional low – be sure to bring them up immediately after.
• Close your presentation. Don't just end it.
• Demonstrate that you care about your audience.

The best news for you as a speaker is that the standard for awful has been set. And you now know how to be better than awful.



Executive Speech Coach, Business presentation tips from George Torok, the Speech Coach for Executives.

Caroline "You Know" Kennedy

Is Caroline "you know" Kennedy leadership material?



If leaders in general and political leaders in particular need to be powerful speakers, then Caroline Kennedy is not ready to lead.

Listen to this interview with Caroline Kennedy. I dare you to subject yourself to listening more than once. I appears that the US has found it's new tool of torture - listening to Caroline "you know" Kennedy speak for two minutes.

Listen to this interview and try counting the "you knows". Before you start, write down a number of "you knows" that you think would be acceptable for the average person to use in a two minutes. Then compare this with the actual.




How many "you knows" did you count. I got 30 - plus at least 5 ahs.

And what about that voice. It sounds tired and detached.

Do you even remember what she said? Her words are disjointed. What was her message? What is she passionate about? Would you follow this speaker?

Now there is a challenge for some speaking coach - "How to teach Caroline to speak like a Kennedy?"

Apparently Guantanomo is being closed and the US will not engage in any form of inhumane torture. Sorry Caroline - there goes that gig too.


George Torok
Speech Coach for Executives



Executive Speech Coach, Business presentation tips from George Torok, the Speech Coach for Executives.