Use The ‘Three Whats’ Technique To Structure Your Presentations

People retain structured information 40 per cent more reliably than random information. That’s an important point to consider when building your presentations.

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Matt Abrahams, writing for Inc., also suggests a structure for your presentations: What? So What? Now What?

My favourite structure is What?-So What?-Now What?, which can help you not only in planned presentations but also in spontaneous speaking situations such as job interviews. When using this structure, you start with your central claim (“I am qualified for this position because of my experience”) and then explain its significance (“This experience means I can start contributing to your firm immediately”) before concluding with a call to action (“When can I start?”).

The advice is meant to act as a guideline, but there’s no harm in memorising your script: just don’t write it down. Abrahams also advises practising the speech out loud, so that you are comfortable speaking in public.

2 Secrets Of Memorable Presentations [Inc.]