This Element is an excerpt from The Truth About Confident Presenting (9780132161602) by James O’Rourke. Available in print and digital formats. Expert techniques for making sure people pay attention to your presentation, from one of the world’s leading business communications experts. If a presentation is a learning occasion for the audience, it’s also a listening occasion: an opportunity to hear, tune into, and make sense of what’s being said. But, listening is hard work. It involves intellectual and physical effort. Unless properly motivated, it’s something most people would rather not do. So, how do you get an audience to listen?

In a busy world of noise, how do you get your message across? Everyone knows how vital good communication is in any business. But what’s the point if no-one’s listening to you? How to Speak so People Listen shows you how to make sure that what you’re saying is being listened to and making a difference. Using proven techniques from the world’s most successful communicators, debaters and conversationalists, you’ll discover how to: • Always be heard by speaking in a compelling, persuasive and powerful way • Seize attention, make an impact and leave a memorable first impression • Think fast and quickly adapt your message to suit your audience • Stand out at meetings, conferences, networking events and chance encounters • Be confident at public speaking – someone people really want to listen to Effective tools, strategies, tips and tricks will make sure you’re able to command attention and know that, whenever you speak, people will want to hear what you have to say.

Called the Bible of Public speaking, Knockout Presentations is a “seminar in a book” that reduces fear and gives speakers the steps to craft and deliver a talk that will make them a knockout on the platform! It’s the next best thing to having Diane DiResta there to teach in person. DiResta provides all the fundamentals without the fluff. Speakers learn what confidence looks like, sounds like, and how to speak the language of confidence, reduce preparation time, craft a compelling talk, size up an audience, overcome fear, and master questions and answers. The Dos and Don’ts at the end of each chapter help speakers review and remember the principles even after putting them into practice. Speaking is the new competitive advantage and Knockout Presentations gives speakers tools and techniques, templates, and resources to improve their skills.

Every day around the world millions of presentations are given, with millions of decisions hanging in the balance as a result. Do you know the science behind giving a powerful and persuasive presentation? This book reveals what you need to know about how people listen, how people decide, and how people react so that you can learn to create more engaging presentations. No matter what your current skill level, whether beginner or polished, this book will guide you to the next level, teaching you how to improve your delivery, stance, eye contact, voice, materials, media, message, and call to action. Learn to increase the effectiveness of your own presentations by finding the answers to questions like these: What grabs and holds attention during a presentation? How do you choose the best media to use? What makes the content of a presentation stick? How do people react to your voice, posture, and gestures? How do people respond to the flow of your message? How do you motivate people to take action? These are just a few of the questions that the book answers in its deep-dive exploration of what you need to know about people to create a compelling presentation.

FOREWORD BY GUY KAWASAKI Presentation designer and internationally acclaimed communications expert Garr Reynolds, creator of the most popular Web site on presentation design and delivery on the Net — presentationzen.com — shares his experience in a provocative mix of illumination, inspiration, education, and guidance that will change the way you think about making presentations with PowerPoint or Keynote. Presentation Zen challenges the conventional wisdom of making "slide presentations" in today’s world and encourages you to think differently and more creatively about the preparation, design, and delivery of your presentations. Garr shares lessons and perspectives that draw upon practical advice from the fields of communication and business. Combining solid principles of design with the tenets of Zen simplicity, this book will help you along the path to simpler, more effective presentations.

Rule the Room is the product of Jason Teteak’s twenty-year experience as a trainer and coach. His thoroughly tested advice covers every presenter’s concerns, from hooking the audience immediately to entertaining them, and from overcoming your fears to handling questions. He covers every base—content creation, delivery, audience management— with an overview plus step-by-step instructions, review exercises, and scores of specific and practical tips. Whether you want to persuade, motivate, teach, or inspire, Rule the Room can be your guide.