Free Ebook Teaches You to Ace Every Presentation

You already know how to punch up your PowerPoint slide decks, but what about punching up yourself? Do you have the skills to really inspire your audience, to make your presentation not only valuable but memorable? Most importantly, can you use it to close the deal?

There’s an ebook for that. In Presenting to Win: The Art of Telling Your Story, presentation consultant Jerry Weissman teaches you to move beyond the slide deck and really engage with your audience.

The book normally sells for $26.99, but for a limited time, Amazon is offering the Kindle edition free of charge. (How limited? I’m not sure, but these freebies rarely last more than a few days. If you’re interested in this title, grab it now.)

Don’t have a Kindle? No problem: You can read the ebook on your PC, smartphone, tablet, or just about any other device.

So, what kind of information can you hope to glean from Presenting to Win? Weissman starts off by noting that most presenters fail to tell a story, which is the key ingredient in a persuasive presentation:

“The overwhelming majority of business presentations merely serve to convey data, not to persuade,” he says, adding: “In business, when the point is not crystal clear, and when the benefit to the audience is not vividly evident, the investment is declined, the sale is not made, the approval is not granted; the presentation fails.”

That reminds me of my days in sales, when a very smart boss taught me the importance of stressing benefits over features. I think the same can apply to presentations: It’s critical to let the audience know how this information will benefit them, using real-world examples.

Presenting to Win is itself chock-full of benefits, so I’d say it’s a must-read for anyone who spends time in front of groups. Even if you miss out on the giveaway, it’s $27 very well spent.

Have you found a better resource for presentation advice? Or do you have your own tips to share? Let’s hear them in the comments.