Why Bad Presentations Happen to Good Causes (and How to Ensure They Won't Happen to Yours)

"We recognize that you do important work, often with limited resources and against long odds. Every time you talk about that work, you have an opportunity to inspire people who can help you in some way. This book is about seeing those opportunities for what they are, taking full advantage of them, and setting a new standard across our sector where our presentations are consistently as good as our causes"

Based on quantitative and qualitative research with over 2,500 public interest professionals, as well as interviews and a literature review, this resource offers guidance to representatives of non-governmental organisations (NGOs) who are making presentations.

The e-book starts by identifying what can go wrong when presenting: reading the slides; making it too long/providing too much information; failing to generate interaction; acting lifeless; and coping with room/technical problems. The things that make presentations excellent, according to the author, include: interaction, clarity, and enthusiasm. From here, the book takes the reader systematically through the process of preparing or building a good presentation, covering topics such as how to improve delivery, use PowerPoint effectively, and arrange the logistics around a presentation. The book includes a checklist tool to make sure that you are incorporating everything you have learned when preparing a presentation. For example, the author suggests this strategy: "When I talk to audiences about storytelling, I always remind them that telling stories is not enough to make your case. Stories are a terrific way to bring large issues down to ground level where people can get their minds (and hearts) around them. But after you have told your story, you must back it up with the numbers that prove you have more than one story to tell."