The document provides 10 rules for effective presentations: 1) Have a passion for your material or the audience won't care, 2) An audience's attention is limited, so captivate them from the start, 3) PowerPoint is optional and won't improve a bad speech, 4) Avoid overusing bullet points, clip art, and animations, 5) The fewer words per slide, the more attention the audience will pay, 6) Slides should help the audience understand the content not serve as a script, 7) Never read your slides as it insults the audience's ability to read, 8) Great speakers ensure everyone remembers the same 3 key points, 9) The presentation must tell a compelling story or the audience won

1. 10 RULES for PRESENTATIONS
by Matthew Homann
the [non]billable hour
© Matthew Homann 2009 All Rights Reserved

2. The greatest gift you can give your
audience is a passion for your
1
material. If you don't care for it, they
won't care for you.
© Matthew Homann 2009 All Rights Reserved

3. Your audience’s attention is a lot like
2 your virginity. You only get to lose it
once.
© Matthew Homann 2009 All Rights Reserved

4. PowerPoint is always optional. A
bad speech doesn't improve when
3
accompanied by slides in a dark
room.
© Matthew Homann 2009 All Rights Reserved

5. If PowerPoint makes it easy to do,
you probably shouldn’t do it. Avoid
4
bullet points, clip art and cheesy
animated transitions at all cost.
© Matthew Homann 2009 All Rights Reserved

6. The number of words on a slide is
inversely proportional to the
5
attention your audience will pay to
them.
© Matthew Homann 2009 All Rights Reserved

7. Your slides are not your script. The
purpose of PowerPoint is to help
6
others understand your material,
not to help you remember it.
© Matthew Homann 2009 All Rights Reserved

8. Never read your slides. When you
do, it suggests to your audience you
7
think they’re incapable of doing so
themselves.
© Matthew Homann 2009 All Rights Reserved

9. The average person remembers just
three things from your presentation.
8 Great speakers make certain
everyone remembers the same
three things.
© Matthew Homann 2009 All Rights Reserved

10. Unless your presentation tells a
story, the audience won't care
9
about the ending. They’ll just pray
for it.
© Matthew Homann 2009 All Rights Reserved

11. Never underestimate the impact a
great presentation can have on
10 your audience or your career.
Being well prepared serves both
of them well.
© Matthew Homann 2009 All Rights Reserved

12. Matthew Homann is the founder of LexThink
and the author of the [non]billable hour blog.
He’s been called an “innovational speaker” and
helps lawyers and law firms find creative ways
to serve clients better and make more money.
You can reach him at Matt @ LexThink.com
or follow him on Twitter @MattHomann.
© Matthew Homann 2009 All Rights Reserved