Tips for Structuring a Keynote Presentation

One great presentation can do what multiple applications can't. Over the years, my presentations have earned awards, speaking invitations, and opportunities I never applied for. Most recently, at MAA MathFest 2024, someone from the audience approached me and said: "Your talk was so engaging. You made such a complex topic accessible." On the spot, he invited me to speak to high school students in Chicago. Full expenses paid + speaker fee. Here is the framework I use every single time... (You might want to save this.) 1. Know your audience before you make a single slide → Kids? Public? Policy makers? Academics? → Your job is to design your talk to suit them. → Picture one person in the audience, let's call them "Bola." 2. Map out the entire talk first → Write the takeaway from each slide in one sentence. → Connect each slide logically to the next. → Ask yourself: Will Bola digest this information? 3. Ditch the jargon → Would Bola understand this? → If not, go back to the drawing board. → Use simple, plain English. 4. Make it visual → One message per slide. Big font. Bullet points. → Use visuals or illustrations instead of text (if possible.)  → The moment your audience starts reading your slides, you've lost them. 5. Practice as you build each slide → After creating each slide, ask: What will I say here? → This reveals what to add, remove, or fix as you go. → Once done, practice the full presentation again. 6. Never read off your slides during delivery → Deliver like you're telling a story. → Everything on screen is just supporting visuals. → Know your slides inside out. Keep eye contact. 7. Use your body language intentionally → Don't stare at the ceiling, ground, or stand frozen. → Your movement and energy speak louder than words. → This automatically communicates confidence and authority. Great presentations aren’t about showing how smart you are. They’re about making your audience feel something... curiosity, clarity, and inspiration. That’s what makes you memorable. And that’s what opens doors. --- PS: What's ONE thing that's helped you improve your presentations? PPS: Want to see this framework in action? Link to the Chicago talk is in the comments. ♻️ REPOST if this was useful. Thanks!

What makes a keynote truly resonate with an audience? I was recently helping a colleague prepare for his first keynote presentation. He knows that I spend a lot of time on keynote stages and that I enjoy coaching others who do as well. Stepping onto a keynote stage can feel daunting, but managing that adrenaline and delivering a compelling message comes down to preparation. When preparing a keynote, many people focus on gathering information. I encourage them to think instead about building a bridge of comprehension so the audience can clearly follow and connect with the message. One framework I often share is what I call the 5 P’s of keynote preparation. 1️⃣ Purpose. Define your goal. What exactly do you want your audience to Know, Feel, and Do? A clear purpose acts as a filter for what makes it into your keynote and ensures the content is relevant and meaningful. 2️⃣ Prime. Your keynote actually begins before you step on stage. Think carefully about your talk’s title and how it is announced. When you prime your audience well, they arrive ready and eager to hear your message. 3️⃣ Plan. Our brains crave structure. Instead of a wandering list of ideas, package your keynote logically. One framework I often use is “What? So What? Now What?” It keeps ideas concise, establishes relevance, and makes them easier to remember. 4️⃣ Premise. Avoid starting with “I’m glad to be here.” Capture attention immediately with a thoughtful question, a compelling story, or a surprising insight. Make it clear where you are taking the audience. 5️⃣ Presence. How you deliver matters just as much as what you say. Keep your posture strong and balanced, gesture with intention, use the space around you, and vary your vocal tone and pacing. These 5 P’s can help strengthen your keynote and improve any high-stakes communication. Always happy to help in crafting your keynote or delivering one to your firm. A quick glimpse at my keynote address at TiEcon last year, where I used the 5 P’s to prepare my own presentation. 👇

Most keynote talks don’t fall flat on stage. They fall flat in the preparation. Here’s the exact 3-step process I use, from the first briefing call to walking on stage, without cluttered slides or last-minute panic. Step 1: Ask directive questions Before I write a single line, I use the briefing call to understand the room. Not just who’s attending, but what actually needs to change. I always get clarity on: • What do you want the audience to do differently afterwards? • Why does this matter to them right now? • What problem am I there to solve? • What level is the room at? If these answers aren’t clear, the talk won’t land, no matter how good the content is. Step 2: Write a high-level outline Once I understand the room, I map the journey. Beginning, middle, end. I order the ideas so they move the audience, make them easy to remember, and end with a clear action. This is also where I create a short title for each section, usually no more than five words, to sharpen the thinking and keep the talk focused. Step 3: Build visuals that carry the story Only then do I create slides. I avoid text as much as possible and use reference images that do the heavy lifting. Repeating visual motifs helps link ideas without overexplaining. By the time I walk on stage, I know exactly who I’m speaking to, what needs to shift, and how the story gets us there.

Executive Utterances — On Presenting The fastest way to lose a room is to start talking before you’ve said anything worth hearing. Whether you’re presenting to an audience of 1,000 or speaking to your own work group, the first words you choose determine whether your audience leans in or checks out. Over the years, I learned that fully scripted speeches kept me from connecting, reacting, and speaking with authenticity. What follows is the methodology I developed — a balance of structure, informality, and clarity that helped me become a more effective presenter. If there’s interest, I’m happy to expand on any of these in detail. For now, here are the principles that shaped my approach: * Grab from the Beginning Start with a powerful sentence or a question that sets an emotional stage the audience can’t turn away from. A recent example came from a presentation to law enforcement officers on child abduction: “At one of the most difficult moments in any parent’s life, they call you. You become their hope.” * Speak from the Inside Charles Dickens once wrote, “Make me see.” Facts and data are necessary, but they don’t move people on their own. Speak from inside the information — bring it to life, make it human, make it matter. Use slides or handouts for the heavier details but speak to the story behind those details. Americans love a story; give them one worth remembering. * Just Start When building your presentation, don’t obsess over the perfect beginning. Just start typing.Your first draft may look nothing like your final version — that’s a sign you’re refining your message, not a problem. * Read It Out Loud Read your notes out loud. Better yet, read them to someone you trust or have them read your notes back to you. You’ll hear clarity issues and pacing problems you won’t catch on a screen. * Block It Hand-draw two columns of blocks on a piece of paper: Column One: Break your presentation into sections, and label each with a few key words that will become your notes Column Two: Decide which supporting bullets, facts, or simple visuals that will become your slides or handouts and just note what will be in the slides. This creates flow and structure without forcing you into a script. Then start filling the blocks * Do Not Make the Slides Your Notes Slides support your presentation — they are not your presentation. Speak from your notes (large print, double-spaced), and let the slides reinforce what you’re saying. Never read from them; you can’t tell a meaningful story while narrating bullet points. A visual image such as a photograph, can be a great addition if it reinforces your opening theme or emotional hook. * Close Strong and Quick Tie your closing sentence directly back to your opening. Keep it short, powerful, and intentional — because once people sense you’re closing, their attention starts to drift. Start with something worth hearing, and you’ll keep the room until the very end.

Think about the last presentation you sat through. Do you remember anything from it? Probably not. Most presentations fail because they are: ❌ Overloaded with bullet points ❌ Devoid of emotion ❌ Data dumps with no clear story The good news? You can make your presentation unforgettable with these 7 simple shifts: 1. Start with a Hook, Not an Intro Most presenters begin with "I'm excited to be here today..." and lose the audience immediately. Fix: Grab attention from the start. Example: “Your company is losing $10M a year—and you don’t even know why.” 2. Tell a Story, Not Just Data People remember stories, not statistics. Instead of listing facts, wrap them in a compelling narrative. Fix: Use the “Problem → Struggle → Solution” technique. Example: "Before using our system, Sarah’s team spent 3 hours a day on reports. She tried different tools, but nothing worked—until she found our solution. Now? Just 15 minutes a day." 3. Use Contrast & Surprise The brain is wired for novelty. If your presentation sounds predictable, people will tune out. Fix: Vary your tone, pace, and visuals. Drop in an unexpected question, statistic, or pause to keep them engaged. 4. Say Less, Mean More Too much information overloads the audience. They’ll remember nothing. Fix: Cut the fluff. Stick to one core message per slide, per section, per speech. 5. Make It Visual Bullet points don’t inspire. Images and metaphors do. Fix: Instead of saying “Our product is faster,” show a race car next to a bicycle. 6. End with a Bang, Not a Fizzle Most presentations end with “Thank you” and no real impact. Fix: Leave them with one key idea and a clear next step. Example: “If you only take away one thing today, let it be this…” 7. Master the Pause Most speakers talk too fast and leave no room for ideas to sink in. Fix: Silence is power. Pause after key points to let them land. 💡 A great presentation isn’t about information—it’s about transformation. Make your next one impossible to forget. What’s the most memorable presentation you’ve ever seen? Drop a comment below! ⬇

Keynote writing tip I use to stand out. (Not just storytelling) Most people follow this timeline: 1. Begin 2. Middle 3. End Try this instead: 1. Before-we-begin-story → Gets the audience ready 2. Introduce a problem → Make us care about this 3. Build the challenge → Now we want you to win 4. Show the solution → Build it out step by step 5. Power-ending → Short summary for impact 6. CTA time → Make us take action NOW This framework does three things: It shows a transformation. It makes us care deeply. It creates urgency. All of that is needed for a successful keynote. Good keynotes are 20% about content. And 80% about psychology. Your listeners don't owe you anything. But you owe it to them to make them want to listen. Peak their interest. Make them care. Make them win. That will have your listeners wanting more. PS: What step is the hardest for you?

Presenting with Confidence: My 3-Step Prep for Collaborative Sessions As someone who has delivered countless keynotes, webinars, and workshops, I’ve learned that great presentations don’t happen by accident—they’re built on purposeful preparation. Over the years, I’ve developed a three-step method that makes collaborative presentations feel seamless, well-paced, and engaging:   1. Align on the Outline: In a first meeting, we define our key messages, agree on what the title and abstract have promised, allocate time equitably, and choose a slide template to ensure a cohesive visual experience.   2. Share Drafts and Storylines: Next, we meet to present and review one another’s slides and talking points. This allows us to refine flow, avoid duplication, and align our messages to amplify each other’s contributions.   3. Rehearse Together: A dress rehearsal brings everything together. We practice as if it’s live, offering feedback, making final adjustments, and ensuring the overall presentation feels polished and connected. A tech check or second rehearsal may follow if needed. This week at NACCHO #PrepSummit25, I had the pleasure of co-presenting with Dr. Danielle Eiseman from Cornell University. She graciously accepted my presentation prep approach and I found her to be smart, proactive, communicative, and a total professional—making this collaboration a true joy. What are your favorite tips for delivering a great presentation? Let’s share ideas in the comments and keep learning from each other! #PresentationTips #Collaboration #PublicSpeaking #HealthGIS #Teamwork #PublicHealthPreparedness #LocationIntelligence #ClimateResilience #HealthEquity #PresentationSkills #ConferencePrep

"Death by PowerPoint" is real—here’s how to avoid it. Too many slides overwhelm. Too few bore.   The solution? Make every slide tell a story. “A good speech is like a pencil; it needs a clear point.”   — Unknown Here’s how to create presentations people remember: --- 1️⃣ Use Minto’s Pyramid   - Start with the End: Lead with your main message.   - Support with Logic: Back it up with key facts. --- 2️⃣ Make Every Slide a Mini-Story   Think of each slide as part of a bigger narrative:  - Title/Header:      Grab attention with a headline that sparks interest.   - Subtitle:      Tease what’s next to keep the audience curious.   - Content and Visuals:      Use words and images together to drive your point home.   - Kicker:      End with impact—leave them thinking. --- 3️⃣ Build Flow Like a Comic Strip   Slides are more than placeholders; they’re steps in a journey.  - Use headers to guide.   - Use kickers to leave an impression.   - Ensure each slide builds on the last. --- The Goal?   Your presentation isn’t just slides—it’s a journey your audience wants to take. Lead with clarity. Build with structure. End with impact. --- What’s your go-to presentation tip?   Let’s share strategies in the comments. If this helped you, pass it along to someone preparing their next big talk.   Follow Jay Mount for more insights on presentations and storytelling.