The secret structure of great talks

The immersive multimedia version of my book Resonate allows readers to interact with the material I presented in my TEDx Talk. It includes in-depth speech analyses of Steve Jobs and Martin Luther King, Jr., plus other persuasive speakers of our time. There are great examples of so-called 'STAR moments' — 'Something They’ll Always Remember.' (Many of the greatest TED talks have a moment that you will just never forget.) There’s also a Director’s cut where you’ll see behind-the-scenes insights into how I discovered the persuasive story pattern in the talk — along with other personal insights into my book-writing journey.

Many people do brilliant thinking in PowerPoint, but project dense slides. Instead, presenters should use a 'slidedoc' for their dense data. A slidedoc is a document created using presentation software, where visuals and words unite to illustrate one clear point per page. They’re meant to be printed or distributed instead of presented. The result is a medium that can be read more quickly than a document. Use cinematic slides to present to your audience, and use slidedocs as pre-read or follow-up material.

Your presentation will be boring if it lacks emotional contrast. This piece offers practical ways to incorporate emotional contrast into your next presentation.

Senior executives are one of the toughest crowds you’ll face as a presenter. This article tells you how you can earn their attention and support.