I have little use for most pop culture television, but I admit an addiction to the 2013 Emmy award winning show “The Voice.” Its success formula combines talent, positive energy, and appealing personalities, which draws me (and obviously millions of others) back to the show each week–which leads to the point of this week’s blog. After sitting through two days of presentations from senior executives at Microsoft, Google, Yahoo! and others at a digital media conference this week, I would suggest that there is a three part formula for winning presentations as well.
The Winning Formula
Strong Content + Passionate Delivery + Effective Visuals = Success! 
If one of these is off, then like a show that does not quite make it, your presentation won’t quite work either. You may not be “thrown off the air,” or asked to leave someone’s office, but it is unlikely you will win any Emmys, i.e., get you what you want.
The Effects on Listeners of Different “Content/Delivery/Visuals” Combinations
Weak Content + Passionate Delivery + Strong Visuals = Unpersuasive!
If you have passionate delivery and wonderful visuals, but your content is either irrelevant, not engaging, or both, then people will love what you did (“You were terrific!”), but they won’t buy or act on your advice because you were all style and no substance.
Weak Delivery + Strong Content + Strong Visuals = Boring!
When you are deadly dull or appear disinterested, your audience will find it difficult to pay attention for any length of time and, worse, they will begin to suspect the veracity of what you are saying. (In fact, surprisingly, one of the speakers from a digital giant company was guilty of that.)
Weak Visuals + Strong Content + Passionate Delivery = Overwhelming!
When visuals are weak, people stop listening to what you are saying because they can’t process what they are seeing and they tune out.
Get It Just Right!
Strong Content + Passionate Delivery + Strong Visuals = Success!
It does not matter what field you are in. When you work this formula effectively, you will delight your listeners and achieve your goals. When you are even slightly off on any of the factors in this formula, the opposite will happen.
How strong are your presentations in each of these areas?
Anne Miller
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