Contrast is Key

Whether Presenting or Selling

Moving Your Audience From "What Is" ... to "What Could Be"

Nancy Duarte's TED Talk is a "must watch" for anyone interested in persuasion. And wouldn't that be all of us? In a world where we are all trying to find shelf space in the marketplace of ideas, according to Duarte, the most effective presenters are those who help their audience envision ... from what exists today ("what is") to a hopeful future ("what could be").

Martin Luther King's "I Have a Dream" speech is regarded as one of the most impactful speeches of all time. Many people have studied its design and delivery. Duarte – who runs one of the world's top presentation design firms – actually deconstructs King's speech and shows us, using an ultra cool presentations analysis tool, how he consistently moves the Washington Mall audience from the current state of race relations in America to a vision where we are judged "by the content of our character."

Duarte also deconstructs Steve Jobs' iconic iPhone launch presentation. Here again, Jobs creates a gap between a current state that is unappealing to a blissful state lofty enough to encompass his magical vision of what could be.

If you are selling an idea, service, or product (who isn't?), this framework applies equally well. Even if you don't possess rhetorical mastery, a solid narrative structure, the right tools, and a bit of Grit (see previous post) can propel your presentation to a new level.

To view Duarte's TED Talk, CLICK HERE