There’s a political party in New York called, “The Rent is Too D*** High.”
I think there should be another party called “Your Presentation is Too Dang Long.”
With that in mind, one of the best things you can do to make your presentation more exciting is to shorten it.
So what to do? Cut it in half! Half as long is twice as good.
Most business presentations can be delivered in 10 minutes with another 10 reserved for Q&A.
And the Weenies say, “That’s ridiculous. How am I supposed to cut this presentation in half?”
My usual response is not particularly sympathetic. “I don’t know. It’s your presentation. Just cut it in half. I promise it will be better. And I promise that if the CEO of your company told you to do it, you wouldn’t have a problem doing it.”
And Weenies respond, “But I’m going to have to leave important stuff out.”
If it’s so important, then why are people sending emails throughout the presentation? If it is so important, wouldn’t they be riveted? It may be important to you. But it’s obviously not important to your listeners.
The fact is that your listeners won’t remember most of what you’re going to say. So cut it short. Focus on the most important key messages. Support your points and stop.
If your audience wants to know more, let them ask questions.
Joey Asher
Joey Asher has worked with thousands of business people helping them learn how to communicate in a way that connects with clients. His new book 15 Minutes Including Q&A: a Plan to Save the World from Lousy Presentations” is available now. He is also the author three previous books including “How to Win a Pitch: The Five Fundamentals That Will Distinguish You from the Competition”, “Selling and Communication Skills for Lawyers” and “Even A Geek Can Speak.”