Think of Your Next Presentation as a Performance

Whether you’re giving a presentation in a conference room or telling jokes in a comedy club, storytelling is the best way to keep your audience hooked. Keep these tips in mind to make your next presentation more engaging:

— Take a bar exam. Imagine you’re in a noisy bar with only napkin drawings to tell your story. If you can make it work there, you can make it work anywhere.

— Be immediately interesting. Your first line or two sets the tone for the whole presentation.

— Simplify and exaggerate. Your audience can only remember a few details, so streamline your delivery and exaggerate the main points.

— Close strong. People instinctually crave strong, simple resolutions. Refer back to your opening lines to bring the story full circle.

(Adapted from “Your Presentation Needs a Punch Line,” by Annette Ferrara.)