Brand Building Basics (Part 2)

The Presentation Secrets of Steve Jobs Part 2: Deliver the Experience
How Steve Jobs builds the Apple brand every time he presents.
(From Citrix Online Webinar presented by Carmine Gallo.)

“The ability to simplify means to eliminate the unnecessary so that the necessary may speak.” Hans Hoffman (Painter)

The brain does not pay attention to boring things. Artists, writers and designers have always known this.

Slides with too many words are boring. Never use bullet points. They are the least effective method to convey information. The average Power Point slide has 40 words. A typical Steve Jobs slide displays one image – a photo, with no words. Sometimes the image is one word.

This “less is more” style of presentation takes advantage of something researchers call the Picture Superiority Effect (PSE). Simply stated, images are remembered better than words. Individual words are remembered by 10% of research subjects while an image of the object described by the word is retained by 65% – a retention rate 6.5 times better. This effect is compounded when more than one word is used. Too much text is an incredibly inefficient use of the brain’s processing power.

When using words, use simple, less abstract words. They are easier to understand. Fewer, and simpler, words accompanied by visuals are much more effective.

Use metaphors to communicate your message and ideas. They are the simplest way to convey new meaning. Use something people already understand to describe something new (to educate).

Create some drama, by not revealing everything you intend to say all at once. Employ a theatrical sense of presentation and timing.

“People will forget what you said, what you did, but they will never forget how you made them feel.” Maya Angelou (Poet)

This emotional connection is the basis of every strong brand. People feel an allegiance to brands they prefer.

Simplifying your message, by eliminating the unnecessary, is a shortcut to creating an emotional connection and brand preference.