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Steve Jobs as the cofounder of Apple, completely changed the way we use computers and technology.
But, besides being a genius entrepreneur, he was also known as a master presenter.
Steve Jobs’ speech at Stanford Commencement Address is one of the most watched speeches on the internet.
People would wait for the presentation from Steve Jobs as much as for a new product from Apple.
In this blog, you’ll learn 05 techniques and practices Steve Jobs used to deliver memorable presentations. We'll be looking at the things he did to make his talks engaging, interesting, and persuasive.
So, let's jump right in and learn how to present like Steve Jobs!
Contents:
In 2001, when Apple launched iPod, Steve Jobs did not begin with its technical specifications, storage capacity, or battery life in his presentation.
Instead, he conveyed a simple message, “A thousand songs in your pocket.”
Steve Jobs had a great ability to simplify complex messages.
He used straightforward language to break down complex ideas into bite-sized pieces, making them more accessible to the audience.
Your audience will tune out of your presentation if they find your ideas difficult to follow.
Clarity is the most important aspect of any effective presentation.
Now, simplifying your core message may take many iterations.
For example, let's say you're delivering a presentation to your company's executives about the importance of cybersecurity.
The message you want to convey is that cybersecurity is critical for protecting the company's sensitive information and reputation.
You could phrase it like, “Our company's security and reputation are at risk without strong cybersecurity measures in place.”
When you distill your message down to its essence, you will communicate what’s most important to the audience. So your speech becomes clear, concise, and memorable.
Steve Jobs was a master at using visuals to enhance his message. His keynotes always included clever slides that grabbed his audience's attention.
To create powerful visuals for your own presentations, start by focusing on simplicity.
Avoid cluttering your slides with too much text or unnecessary details.
Remember that your visuals should complement your message, not detract from it.
Jobs understood that the average PowerPoint slide has too much text. He always used minimal text and instead relied on images and diagrams.
For example, in his iPhone presentation, Steve Jobs’ PPT used a total of nineteen words in the first three minutes.
These words were spread across about twelve slides, each of which had a single image or a simple diagram.
During the presentation of Apple's new phone, Steve Jobs declared with great enthusiasm,
"Today, we are going to reinvent the phone."
This statement was highlighted in a slide with the headline, "Apple reinvents the phone."
Additionally, in his famous iPod launch presentation, he used a series of slides that showed the evolution of music players over time, leading up to the unveiling of the iPod.
Overall, the use of clever slides was a key factor in Jobs' success as a presenter.
By keeping your slides simple, visual, and engaging, you will capture the audience's attention.
Steve Jobs always worked hard on how he would convey the content in his presentation.
He was a master storyteller. Jobs often used elements of storytelling to keep his audience engaged.
In every great story, there is a hero and a villain.
Steve Jobs' 2007 presentation had both. Jobs explained why the world needed another mobile phone from Apple.
He first introduced a villain — the problem of regular cell phones being hard to use.
Then, Jobs explained the iPhone would be super easy to use. The hero was the new multi-touch user interface that worked like magic. It was super smart, and users could perform multi-finger gestures.
All Steve Job presentations would have a narrative arc with a distinct beginning, middle, and end. This approach helped him keep his audience hooked.
To tell a compelling story in your own presentation,
Remember, telling a compelling story is all about making a connection with your audience. So, be yourself, have fun, and let your personality shine through!
Steve Jobs was a master at engaging his audience. He knew how to use humor, suspense, and surprise to make his presentations memorable.
Steve Jobs would engage the audience in three ways.
Before revealing a product, Jobs would create immense curiosity among the audience right from the opening statement.
For example, he started his 2007 iPhone launch with,
“This is a day I have been looking forward to for two and a half years.”
Just before revealing the product, he piqued the curiosity with his humor. He teased the audience by showing a picture of an iPod with a rotary dial attached. This created excitement and anticipation among the audience.
Humor can help you connect with your audience and break the ice. Use it strategically to lighten the mood and keep your audience engaged.
And at the end, he shared a quote to leave the audience uplifted and inspired. He said, “I skate to where the puck is going to be, not where it has been.”
Remember that your audience is there to hear what you have to say but also to be entertained and informed. Make sure you have their attention and keep it throughout your presentation.
What is the secret of good presentation?
Practice, practice, and practice!
Steve Jobs was known for his intense preparation for keynotes.
He would spend weeks rehearsing and refining his presentations. He knew every detail of every demo and slide, which helped him deliver a flawless presentation.
People might think Jobs was naturally smooth. It was his hours of practice that made him look polished, casual, and effortless.
During a presentation, Steve Jobs’ clicker stopped working. Even after a couple of attempts, it didn’t work. Jobs did not panic or show any awkwardness.
In fact, Steve Jobs laughed at it and quickly shared a small anecdote about his friend Steve Wozniak.
He recalled how Steve and he used to pull a prank with the TV jammer that they invented.
The problem was fixed, and he smoothly got back to the presentation.
Now, such confidence comes from intense preparation.
To practice effectively for your own presentations,
By putting in the time and effort to perfect your presentation, you will be better equipped to deliver a powerful and memorable message to your audience.
One effective way to improve your presentation is to practice with a personal coach. If you are looking to learn from a communication expert, BBR English is the right place.
We offer live 1:1 sessions on public speaking with an expert. In these interactive sessions, you’ll discover techniques to improve your delivery, body language, vocal variety, structure, and much more. With feedback from corporate experts, you’ll master your presentation skills in no time.
Book a counseling session now and start becoming a better presenter today
Steve Jobs’ leadership and presentation style left an indelible mark on the world of business. By studying his techniques, you will become a more effective communicator.
Remember, the ability to communicate effectively is a valuable skill that can make all the difference in your career.
Whether you're giving a sales pitch, a TED talk, or a job interview, the principles of presentation mastery that Steve Jobs embodied will help you succeed.
If you want to be a great presenter like Steve Jobs, you have to put in the work.
According to Ken Kocienda's book Creative Selection, there is an anecdote about how Jobs readied himself for the MacWorld 2003 keynote, which marked the debut of the Safari Web browser by Apple.
I will leave you with an anecdote to inspire you.
“Three weeks or a month before the keynote itself, Steve would start rehearsing with portions of his slide deck in some venue at Apple, often in Town Hall, the auditorium on the Infinite Loop campus. Slowly, day by day, he would build the show by stepping through it as he wanted to present it at the keynote. This was one of Steve's great secrets of success as a presenter. He practiced. A lot. He went over and over the material until he had the presentation honed, and he knew it was cold.
When Steve spoke to a slide, he went fully into his keynote persona. His tone of voice, his stance, his gestures, everything was exactly as if he were presenting to a packed house. For as long as everything proceeded to his satisfaction, he kept going. As needed, he stopped, stepped out of character, reduced the volume of his voice, and asked executives seated in the front row, like Phil Schiller, the company's senior vice president of Worldwide Marketing, what they thought of some turn of phrase or whether they believed ideas flowed together smoothly.
Feedback received, Steve would pause quite deliberately for a second or two, go back into character, and resume his keynote persona.”
Thank you for reading!
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