​PowerSpeaking Blog: Tips and strategies for crafting presentations

We live in a world of immediate gratification, constant engagement and the never-ending pursuit of comfort. From our abiding attachment to the smartphones we collectively check nearly 8 billion times a day to the streaming music and video services that provide us 24/7 access to the media we love on demand, effective presentation skills rely on pulling people's focus from these distractions and getting them to actively listen. If it is a topic built around data knowledge and subject matter expertise, this can be a significant challenge.

End of year means holiday time, and also the arrival of Oscar film season, too. Consider your favorite films, and you know that movies use great openings to hook in viewers. So too, stand out presenters craft talk openings to engage audiences and hook them in.

Whether you are prepping a quick project update to your group, for an all hands meeting or conference talk, here are 5 tips to hook ‘em in and keep them listening:

Did you just find out that you need to give a presentation in 90 minutes? Here are a few easy and effective tips to help organize and present that next mission-critical presentation.