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Present Like Steve Jobs

Apple CEO Steve Jobs is well known for his electrifying presentations. Communications coach Carmine Gallo discusses the various techniques Jobs uses to captivate and inspire his audience — techniques that can easily be applied to your next presentation. For more tips on presenting like Jobs, read our Crash Course.

Speaker: Carmine Gallo, communications skills coach and author

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Tags: Steve Jobs, Recruitment & Selection, Human Resources, Workforce Management

 
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  • 1

    dwhite1118

    09/10/08 | Report as spam

    RE: Present Like Steve Jobs

    Clear example of what makes good presentations great.

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  • 2

    asesh

    09/10/08 | Report as spam

    RE: Present Like Steve Jobs

    Captivating the listeners and spectators within a time capsule is the key. Steve's primary communication is through body language followed by the tone of the spoken words and least but important message through simple slides.
    Eye to eye contact with audiences and spectators for continuous spontaneous and hilarious feedback. Right amount of Humor is an essential parts and appropriately. Preferably start with a sense of humor that sets the entire ocassion. Follow continuity from the previous speaker and laced with earlier speakers with make a blend. Duration can not be more than 100 minutes at most beyond which the game must be over. A break of 10 minutes after 45 minutes is most desirable.
    Handout and file need not be given and stated right at the start. Speakers notes printed can be sold at a price and provide choice to the audiences. If any recording of voice and video is allowed, that must be charged. Avoidance is preferable. Mobile strictly not allowed in the room and create adequate safe environment for both speaker and audience.
    End with a small token for the patient listening.
    Q&A to be allowed as extra time, if needed. Lesser questions marks the quality of the speech and audiences. If no Questions share e-mail address for future. Avoid when asked through any questions including e-mail address.
    Above are few of my tips in addition to Mr Steve Jobs and Carmine Gallo's presentations.
    Regards
    Asesh Datta

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  • 3

    steve@...

    09/11/08 | Report as spam

    RE: Present Like Steve Jobs

    Great content and Gallo is an engaging speaker.

    The Flash player was choppy on my computer as it
    waited for the video to stream. It was smoother after
    letting it buffer. The experience also would have been
    better if the progress bar at the bottom would indicate
    how much of the video had been buffered -- a feature
    common to Quicktime videos.

    I'll be trying these What Would Steve Do techniques on
    my next presentation.

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  • 4

    tripallen

    01/01/09 | Report as spam

    RE: Present Like Steve Jobs

    The key to Steve Jobs' and anyone else's presentation is R E H E A R S E. How many of us take the time to really rehearse?
    Trip Allen, Team Egyii, Singapore

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  • 5

    djanna10

    01/16/09 | Report as spam

    RE: Present Like Steve Jobs

    Steve Jobs uses all the components in Business Presentation to the max - that's why is great at presenting

    -- DJ Arangote / Manila, Philippines

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  • 6

    willyth

    01/22/09 | Report as spam

    Let's be a little discerning...

    Okay, Steve Jobs is great at giving a product-sales presentation. No doubt about that. But let's not generalize this too far. In my field, the learning-and-performance field, many of the recommendations made here are spot on (for example, keep slides simple and relatively undecorated), BUT some are not relevant (for example, "and one more thing") and some important things are not mentioned (for example, provide people with practice opportunities, etc.).

    Jobs also has a big advantage that most of the rest of us don't have. He's a celebrity. For some reason, deep in human evolution, this gives him our loving attention.

    Presentation characteristics depend on the audience, purpose, etc. If you acted like Steve Jobs at a scientific convention, you would not be trusted. If you acted like Steve Jobs in training people, you would not create long-term remembering of key learning points.

    Again, I'm not criticizing Job's presentation skills. He's perfect for his audience and purpose. I've even used him as an example for some of my training-and-development clients. It's just that we have to be a little discerning in deciding what we can use of Jobs' repertoire for our particular purposes.

    And one more thing...

    --Will Thalheimer, Somerville, Massachusetts, US.

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  • 7

    nicevans

    02/11/09 | Report as spam

    RE: Present Like Steve Jobs

    And of course the other big advantage that Jobs has when presenting an inspiring presentation is that he is preaching to the converted. Everyone at MacWorld is there because they want to be wowed by him. He gets a whoop from the audience just by saying "welcome to Macworld 2008".
    However the technology world will be much more boring without him and we wish him a speedy recovery.

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  • 8

    Jade Amolat

    02/11/09 | Report as spam

    RE: Present Like Steve Jobs

    great inputs. just in time for my need.Thanks bnet. You saved my day!!!

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  • 9

    Rob Dodds

    02/11/09 | Report as spam

    RE: Present Like Steve Jobs

    Who presents better? Steve does a wonderful job (no pun), but are there others people remember as powerful. extraordinary, amazing presenters?

    Great video. Thank you.

    Robert Dodds
    President & Creative Director
    www.primalcommunications.com

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  • 10

    phochsprung

    03/08/09 | Report as spam

    RE: Present Like Steve Jobs

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  • 11

    phochsprung

    03/09/09 | Report as spam

    RE: Present Like Steve Jobs

    Great information to use for future presentations.

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  • 12

    whatname

    03/11/09 | Report as spam

    RE: Present Like Steve Jobs

    Good points on an effective presentation. I miss Jobs, wish him a speedy recovery!

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  • 13

    deonbasson1

    04/21/09 | Report as spam

    RE: Present Like Steve Jobs

    This is a great video with great tips. I would like to point out 1 tactic he uses very well..... he speaks to all types of communication preferences (or thinking preferences) people have.

    Some people enjoy blasting facts, while others think it is boring; some people want to hear about the big picture, while others think it is too vague; some need variety while others need to specialize; some need to emotionally feel it while others think it is too soft.
    We all have our own thinking preference and would like to be communicated with in that style.
    Steve masterly speaks to all types and in that way grips the audience.

    The 4 types of thinking preferences are :
    Visionary people are opportunistic, risk takers and enjoy new ideas. When talking to them talk about the future and the bigger picture, but don't be inflexible and don't play it too safe.
    Connected people focus on people and are emotional. When talking to them talk about people and family, be supportive and keep eye contact, but don't be insensitive or impersonal.
    Analytical people want all the facts and like to analyse. When talking to them talk with logic and prepare your facts, but don?t be too informal or unprepared on facts and don't create answers.
    Methodical people want order and get things done. When talking to them talk each point to conclusion and stick to an agenda, but don't be disorganised or introduce too much change.

    SPEAK THE LANGUAGE OF THE ALL THE DIFFERENT THINKING STYLES AND SEE YOUR PERSUASION AND SUCCESS IMPROVING DRAMATICALLY.

    To do your own free profile and get more information on improving your communication go to www.2interact.com and follow the big blue arrow.

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  • 14

    klion2000@...

    04/22/09 | Report as spam

    RE: Present Like Steve Jobs

    Ya, this is good!

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Present Like Steve Jobs

Apple CEO Steve Jobs is well known for his electrifying presentations. Communications coach Carmine Gallo discusses the various techniques Jobs uses to captivate and inspire his audience — techniques that can easily be applied to your next presentation. For more tips on presenting like Jobs, read our Crash Course.

Carmine Gallo: Anyone who has watched the Steve Jobs' Keynote will tell you he is one of the most extraordinary speakers in corporate America.

Steve Jobs: Who does the best job of that in the world?

Carmine Gallo: While most presenters simply convey information, Jobs inspires.

Carmine Gallo: I'm Carmine Gallo and today I'll walk you through several key techniques that Steve Jobs uses to electrify his audience. There are elements you can adopt in your very next presentation.

Steve Jobs: Welcome to Macworld 2008. We've got some great stuff for you. There's clearly something in the air today.

Carmine Gallo: With those words Jobs opened Macworld 2008 setting the theme for his presentation and hinting at the major announcement of the day, the launch of the Ultrathin MacBook Air. Whether it's a new notebook or the iPhone, Jobs unveils a single headline that sets the theme.

Steve Jobs: Today Apple is going to reinvent the phone.

Carmine Gallo: Once you identify a theme make sure it's clear and consistent throughout the presentation. Think of a staff meeting as a presentation. So let's say you're a sales manager introducing a new software tool to help your team generate track and share sales leads. You might kick off your meeting this way, "Good morning thanks for coming. I know you'll be really excited about this. Today we make it easier for you to make your quota." That's the headline, "easier to make quota." It's memorable and it sets the direction for the rest of your meeting. It gives your audience a reason to listen.

Steve Jobs: So I've got four things I'd like to talk about with you today. So let's get started.

Carmine Gallo: Steve Jobs always provides an outline for his presentation and then verbally opens and closes each section with a clear transition in between. Here's an example.

Steve Jobs: So that's Time Capsule, a perfect companion to Leopard and that's the first thing I wanted to share with you this morning.

Carmine Gallo: The point is, make it easy for your listeners to follow your story. Your outline will serve as guidepost along the way.

You'll also notice that during his presentations Jobs uses words like extraordinary, amazing and cool. He is passionate enthusiastic and it shows.

Steve Jobs: Incredible. Unbelievable. Amazing. Awesome. Extraordinary year for Apple.

Carmine Gallo: You know your audience wants to be wild, not put to sleep. Too many people fall in to this presentation mode. It's stiff, it's formal, it lacks pizzazz.

We, your listeners are given you permission to have fun and to be exited about your company, your product or your service. If you're not passionate about it, we're not going to be.

Remember Jobs isn't selling hardware. He's selling an experience. If you offer numbers and statistics make them meaningful.

Steve Jobs: We have sold 4 million iPhones to date. You divide 4 million by 200 days that's 20,000 iPhones everyday on average.

Carmine Gallo: Numbers don't mean much unless they're placed in context. Managers, connect the dots for your listeners. Recently I worked with a company that launched a 12-gigabyte memory card -- 12-gigabytes. That number doesn't mean much to most people, so we put in the context. We said that's enough memory to listen to your music while travelling to the moon and back. Now, 12-gigs mean's something to me. Make numbers meaningful.

One of the most effective elements of the Steve Jobs presentation is that they are easy on the eyes. His presentations are visual and simple.

While most speakers fill their slide with mind-numbing data and text and charts, Jobs does just the opposite. He uses very little text and usually one maybe two images per slide. You see you want to paint a picture for your audience without overwhelming them. Inspiring presentation are a short on bullet points and big on visuals.

If you really want your presentation to pop, treat them like a show with ebbs and flows, themes and transitions. Jobs includes video clips, demonstrations and guess, he also has a knack for dramatic flare -- that's very effective. For example, when introducing the MacBook Air, Jobs drew cheers by opening a manila interoffice envelope and holding the laptop out for everyone to see.

Steve Jobs: This is the new MacBook Air and you can get a feel for how thin it is.

Carmine Gallo: What is the one memorable moment of your presentation? Identify ahead of time then build up to it.

Steve Jobs: With a little help from our friends everything will work today.

Carmine Gallo: And finally rehearse, rehearse and rehearse some more.

Steve Jobs: Let me show you how easy that is now.

Carmine Gallo: Steve Jobs makes it look easy because he spends hours rehearsing. He cannot pull off an intricate presentation with video clips and demonstrations and outside speakers without practice. The result, a presentation that is perfectly synchronized and looks -- yes, effortless. Now, the average business person does not have the resources to create a Steve Jobs extravaganza. But you do have time to rehearse. The greatest presenters do it and so should you.

Oh, and one more thing, at the end of most presentations Jobs adds to the drama by saying "And one more thing."

Steve Jobs: One last thing.

Carmine Gallo: He then adds a new product or a feature, sometimes just introduces a band. This not only heightens the excitement, it also leaves your audience feeling they've been given an added bonus. The point is, Steve Jobs approaches each presentation as an event. A production with a strong opening, product demonstrations in the middle and a strong conclusion and yes, even an encore, that "One more thing." I wish you a dazzling presentation.

Male Announcer: For more information go to BNET.com.