Many times I sat in presentations that started with a lengthy introduction by the presenter. It feels as if they often need to justify why they are here, why they present the topic. They justify that by summarizing their CV to the audience even though this is not a job interview.
❌ You need to stop introducing yourself at the beginning of your presentation.
Here are 4️⃣ reasons why:
1️⃣ Your audience is not interested in who you are. They are interested in what you have to say. Your content needs to convince them, that you are the expert in the field. And that is usually never just because you have a degree in xyz or a certificate in abc. It is because of the plausibility of your arguments and power of persuasion in your statements.
2️⃣ It wastes valuable time: Depending on the length of the introduction, it can take up a significant portion of the presentation. In some cases, this time might be better spent on delivering the actual content.
3️⃣ It can come across as self-promotion: While it's important to establish credibility with your audience, an overly long or detailed introduction can come across as self-promoting or even arrogant. Instead, consider focusing on your credentials or accomplishments as they relate specifically to the topic you're presenting on.
4️⃣ It can be repetitive: If you're speaking at an event where other presenters are also introducing themselves, the audience may quickly become fatigued with hearing the same type of introduction over and over again. In this case, it might be better to simply state your name and any relevant credentials before diving into the meat of your presentation.
🙌🏻 How to do it right:
👉🏻 Place your (short!) introduction somewhere after the first disruptive insight that you deliver, or
👉🏻 end your presentation with it. This way it will also be remembered better. When you were able to convince with your presentation, people want to know who you are. That is the moment. But avoid lengthy explanations.
🎬 Thank you for your attention. My name is Friederike Oehlerking and with my mission is to free the world from poor powerpoint presentations.
#datastorytelling @Lückenkrach #dontbeboring #letthedataspeak
