INNOVATION NAVIGATOR

Deep innovation knowledge and insights from experts of the verrocchio Institute 

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Present ideas in a memorable way

I often find that exciting ideas are rejected because the audience was not convinced by the presentation. There are usually two reasons for this:

  • As an idea generator, I am so enthusiastic about my idea that I underestimate the fact that other people are skeptical at first when it comes to something new.
  • I try to convince the audience with figures, data and facts, forgetting that conviction is achieved in a completely different way.

In their book “Made to Stick – Why some ideas survice and others die”, the two brothers Dan and Chip Heath have written some great inspiration for successful presentations. They describe 6 principles for effective idea presentations that I like to use in my workshops:

Principle: Simple

A simple message is important. Reduce the complexity of your presentation. Leave out redundant information.

Principle: Unexpected

Attention to information becomes particularly effective when the expectation is broken. People become curious when something unexpected happens. Why, for example, does PowerPoint always have to be used for presentations? Which media can perhaps show your idea much more effectively?

Principle: Concrete

Use concrete words and statements. Example: Grief or love are abstract, but tears or a kiss are concrete. Concrete messages stick much better than abstract statements. Many business presentations remain superficial in their statements and are then surprised at the lack of attention.

Principle: Credible

Credibility is an important factor for the impact of the presentation. Otherwise the message will not be accepted. I create credibility, for example, through my personal story or references. Perhaps there is even a well-known person in your organization that you can use as a testimonial.

Principle: Emotional

We see it every day in advertising: without emotional involvement, we hardly notice messages, much less remember them. We have to “feel” something in order for processing to work. Feelings touch either positively through joy or happiness or negatively through shock or disgust. This also works for business presentations.

Principle: Stories

Storytelling has a very long tradition. Good stories stick in the memory and are often told to others. It’s not for nothing that storytelling is a basic principle for investor pitches in Silicon Valley. Remember the story of Hewlett-Packard: “It started in a garage …”

Handwritten by Christian Buchholz