Whether you love him or not, whether you are a fan of Apple like me or not, whether you’ve read his biography or not, you can’t deny the power of Steve Jobs’ presentations. You can’t ignore the anticipation he created in the world until he appeared on stage, and you can’t deny his unique presence. So, I’ll take you on a journey through 10 key points from Steve Jobs’ presentations.
01- The Plan
Steve Jobs left a unique mark in the world of technology and computers through bits and bytes, but before that, he crafted his presentations using paper and pencil, on whiteboards—just like film directors do. Even with the evolution of technology and the availability of presentation software, he started with sketches and general ideas on boards. Remember, in the end, you’re telling a story to your audience.
02- One Simple Sentence
Steve Jobs created a simple sentence for each product. For example, when he introduced the MacBook Air in 2008, he simply said: “The world’s thinnest laptop.” He would explain the other details through the presentation or on Apple’s website, but in the end, the audience needs to see the big picture before hearing the small details and specifications.
03- Introduce Your Competitor
In classic stories, heroes fight villains. Just like in Steve Jobs’ real-life speeches, where he presented IBM, which he called “BIG BLUE,” as Apple’s rival, creating a dramatic story around it. Remember, introducing the competitor or the “villain” as you portray them makes the story revolve around the hero, who is “you and your product.”
04- Present the Benefits
Your listeners are asking themselves: Why should I care? Steve Jobs sold benefits from every product or service he presented. He was very keen on this point: Why should I buy the iPhone 4S? Because it’s faster and has a high-resolution camera. Remember, no one cares about your product; what the audience really cares about is what the product or service offers for their lives.
05- Use the Rule of Three
When Steve Jobs introduced the iPhone, he started his speech by saying: “Today, I’m going to talk about three things (iPod - Phone - iTunes).” He said three, not two because “that’s too few” and not four because “three has a bigger impact on the ear” and is easier to remember. Even if you have twenty points, try to group them as much as possible, then distribute them into sub-points to ensure the audience remembers what you say.
06- Sell a Dream, Not a Product
Steve Jobs didn’t sell computers; he sold promises to change the world. When he introduced the iPod in 2001, he said: “In our simple way, we’re going to make the world a better place.” Do something great, and make your product rest on something magical and unique, and picture it that way.
07- Visual Interaction
Whether through the slides he displayed to clarify something or his unique way of speaking and gestures, down to some simple additions he made (like bringing the MacBook Air in an envelope), notice in his presentations, all elements harmonize to create a unique presentation.
08- Let the Numbers Speak
At the beginning of each presentation, he presented a set of statistics and numbers that spoke for themselves, “220 million iPods sold.” These numbers made you stop, feel astonished, and anticipate. They made you feel the power of the information and the importance of being there to listen to what he was presenting.
09- Use Elegant Words
Despite the language of numbers mentioned in the previous step, Steve used simple, entertaining, and catchy words (for example, when he described the iPhone 3GS, he called it: “sleek and stunning”). He didn’t use complicated words that made you feel sleepy or nauseous. Simplify the information, and add a smile.
10- Create a Memorable Moment
All of Steve Jobs’ presentations carried many dramatic moments that made you hold your breath sometimes, stand to applaud, or laugh out loud. In other words, the harmony of all the previous points makes any presentation unforgettable… literally unforgettable.
And One More Thing…
Don’t tell them everything. Leave them expecting more from you. Keep them in suspense until the end of the presentation. Make them eager for your product. This is the definition of “one more thing” that Steve Jobs used to say in his presentations.
This blog post is adapted from the site: issuu.com