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What an M60 Nut Has to Do with a Strong Presentation – Using Props Cleverly!

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Props are not just for duds.

😴 The US Navy wanted to know: How long can people follow a presentation before mentally checking out?

The answer:
In the video: https://youtu.be/DVv6g-OJORk or below:

⏱️ After 22 minutes at the latest a change of media is needed – otherwise, it gets critical.

🎤 No wonder then that TED Talks are limited to 18 minutes.

And what happens in many companies?
➡️ 45 minutes of slides
➡️ A presentation like a sleeping pill – completely without side effects 😵‍💤

👉 The consequence:
If you really want to make an impact, you need variety!

A proven method: Use props 🎁


A participant in my training once said:
👷‍♂️ “I’m an engineer in turbine construction. I can’t drag a gas turbine onto the stage.”
My answer:
🔩 “Take an M60 nut with you!”

💡 Why?

  • An M60 nut, for example, stands for stability in economically turbulent times 🌪️.

  • It creates a moment of surprise.

  • And: The audience remembers your message better and longer.

Important:
📏 Choose a prop that is clearly visible.
🎬 And: Practice using it – otherwise, it will look awkward.

What was the most original prop you’ve ever seen or used in a presentation?
Share your experiences in the comments! 👇💬

Here’s to attractive presentations!

 

Thomas Skipwith

Mr. TNT for PNP (Tips and Tricks for Presentations and Pitches)

 

P.S.: Further tips and tricks from the series “100 Seconds for More Engaging Presentations” can be found at www.52redetipps.ch.

Vize Europameister Thomas Skipwith

Vice European Champion Evaluation Speech! 🥈🌍

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Ohne Call-to-action geht nichts!

Why aren’t they doing what I say?

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Nothing works without a call-to-action!✨ “This is a medication. Read the package insert or ask your pharmacist!” — Does that ring a bell? 🎯 Exactly! That’s the legendary final sentence of every medication advertisement.

But what does this have to do with presentations? 📊 A lot!

👉 Why a call-to-action is important:

Your audience needs clarity. Without clear instructions? 🧟‍♂️ Zombie mode activated.

With a clear call to action, you show: “I know what you should do now.” And yes, this builds trust! 🤝

🚀 How to smartly end your presentation:

“Visit my website and get the free e-book!” 📚

“Connect with me on LinkedIn!” 🔗

“Sign up for my newsletter!” ✉️

❌ No Thanks, that’s all without added value.

✅ Always a next step for your audience.

 

💡 What’s your best call-to-action? Let’s exchange ideas in the comments! 👇

Here’s the link to the video: https://youtu.be/s_0rEBHDjz0

You can find more tips and tricks from the series “100 Seconds for More Attractive Presentations” at www.52redetipps.ch.

 

Thomas Skipwith

Mr. TNT for PNP (Tips and Tricks for Presentations and Pitches)

Score with a strong first sentence!

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The first sentence counts.💡 Did you know that people spend more time taking selfies than reading books? 🎯 Boom! Attention secured.

A strong opening line is like a perfect selfie – it sticks in your memory. 📸 But how do you achieve this in your presentations, speeches, or pitches?

Here are 3 simple tips to make you a master of attention:

🔹 Start with a bang: A provocative question or surprising fact immediately draws your audience in. No room for clichés like “Ladies and gentlemen…” 🚫

🔹 Memorize your opening: Your first sentence must flow smoothly and confidently. Practice makes perfect – and ensures you appear poised. 💪

🔹 Make an impression in the first 7 seconds: First impressions count. Make sure it’s unforgettable! A clear message + strong voice = wow effect. ✨ 🤔

Here’s the link to the video: https://youtu.be/U-z7RC_tNW0

What was the best opening line you’ve ever heard – or said yourself?

Share it in the comments! 👇

Let’s learn from each other and improve together! 🚀

 

You can find more tips and tricks from the series “100 Seconds for More Attractive Presentations” at www.52redetipps.ch.

 

Thomas Skipwith

Mr. TNT for PNP (Tips and Tricks for Presentations and Pitches)

Führungskraft hält eine Weihnachtsansprache

Five golden rules for an impressive Christmas speech for executives

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Executive giving a Christmas addressThe Christmas season is a special opportunity to share your appreciation and your vision for the coming year with your team. A successful Christmas speech is more than just words – it’s a moment that stays in memory. To help you shine in your company’s internal Christmas speech, I have compiled five proven tips for you: ________________________________________

  1. Start with a personal touch

Greet your team warmly and begin with a brief, authentic story from the past year. Personal insights create closeness and show that you’re speaking not just as a boss, but as a person. ________________________________________

  1. Express heartfelt thanks

The Christmas season is the perfect time to express gratitude. Acknowledge the achievements of your team and individual departments. Be specific – it comes across as sincere and motivating. ________________________________________

  1. Look optimistically to the future

After looking back on 2024, turn your gaze to 2025. Share your vision for the coming year and inspire your team with a clear, positive message. ________________________________________

  1. Short and sweet

A Christmas address should touch the team, but not tire them. Keep it brief (maximum 5-7 minutes), speak in clear sentences, and avoid technical jargon. The core message should be easy to understand and memorable. ________________________________________

  1. End with an emotional high point

Conclude your speech with a wish, a quote, or a heartfelt greeting that captures the Christmas spirit. A sentence like ‘I look forward to writing the next chapter of our shared journey with all of you’ leaves a lasting impression.

 

With these five tips, your Christmas address will become a highlight that not only impresses your team but also inspires them. I wish you much success with your speech and a peaceful Christmas season! Best regards

 

Thomas Skipwith

Mr. TNT for PNP (Tips and Tricks for Presentations and Pitches)

Auto mit Lego-Motor

Spice up presentations: 5 AI tools for professional images in seconds

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Attention is the be-all and end-all of successful presentations. And what could captivate the audience more than really strong visual impressions? But let’s be honest, finding the perfect images and graphics for your next pitch in a stressful working day is really not easy, is it?

That’s where the AI comes in! With the right AI tools, you can conjure up impressive visual content in no time at all that will really take your presentations to the next level.

Whether you work in sales, product development or marketing – these AI applications have the right AI images for every industry:

  1. Copilot (as part of the Edge browser) – the thing for really chic graphics and illustrations. Simply enter a few key points and voilà, Copilot spits out 4 design suggestions. The best thing about it? It’s even free to use! Examples: A technician repairs the dishwasher. A Lego car. An exploded view of a motor.

Technician repairs dishwasher Car with Lego motor Exploded view of motor

2 Canva – the all-rounder for quick images and layouts. Canva is perfect for creating social media posts, storyboards and presentation slides in no time at all. Example: A billboard.

52 Speaking tips Billboard

3. NightCafé – also free of charge, but you have to collect credits. The app uses various AI models, including Dall-E 3. Example: A managing director.

Managing Director

4. adobe firefly – the cool thing about it is that you can move or simply delete elements from a photo. Here is an example: There was a car in the parking lot. Adobe Firefly removed the car in a few seconds at my request. This is much better and easier than it used to be with Adobe Photoshop.

Parking lot car removed with Firefly

5. midjourney – the creative booster par excellence for captivating metaphors and concepts. Midjourney transforms your ideas into impressive visual worlds. Just the right thing to inspire your audience. However, you first have to open an account with Discord for Midjourney. Then you have to decide on a subscription.

With these 5 AI tools for image creation, there are no more limits to your imagination. Surprise your audience with original visual concepts and increase the impact of your message. Just try it out at your next presentation!

Good luck!

 

Thomas Skipwith

Book recommendation

Book: To catch fish, use the right baitIn the following book, you will find the tools, systems, and tips that will make you a persuasive speaker. So that you need less time for preparation, present more understandably and with more confidence.

Reto B. Rüegger, Thomas Skipwith: To catch fish, use the right bait. Scoring as a speaker with Power Presentations

If you want support for a speech or presentation, please let me know (+41 41 630 39 90).

If you would like to have tips and tricks regularly by e-mail (in German), then sign up to the Trainingletter – but it’s confidential:-).
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Mädchen trägt Weihnachtsgedicht vor

Language magic at Christmas time: Your guide to an unforgettable Christmas poem!

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It’s the time of year for Christmas poems. Anyone who recites their poem well will make the eyes of young and old light up.

This is a particularly successful way to recite your Christmas poem:

  1. Emphasis and expression: Make sure you recite the words of your Christmas poem with appropriate emphasis and expression. Don’t just rattle off the text of the poem. Emphasize important passages to underline emotions and capture your audience’s attention.
  1. Speak slowly and clearly: Avoid speaking too quickly. Take your time with each line so that the listener can grasp the beauty of the words. Clear pronunciation helps to ensure that every word is understood and that the atmosphere of the poem comes across better.
  1. Maintain eye contact: Make eye contact with your audience during your presentation. The easiest way to do this is to memorize the poem. Eye contact creates a personal connection and allows you to feel the reactions of your audience. Eye contact also conveys self-confidence and authenticity.
  1. Set appropriate pauses: Deliberately use short pauses between the sections of your poem. This allows the audience to process what they have heard and reinforces the emotional impact of certain passages. Pauses give the performance a rhythmic structure.
  1. Create the right atmosphere: Make sure you create the right atmosphere for your Christmas poem. Dim the lights, maybe light a candle and create a cozy environment. An atmospheric setting enhances the emotional resonance of your words.

With these tips, you can ensure that your Christmas poem leaves a lasting impression not only in terms of content, but also in terms of its presentation. Good luck with your presentation! And Merry Christmas.

Book recommendation

Book: To catch fish, use the right baitIn the following book, you will find the tools, systems, and tips that will make you a persuasive speaker. So that you need less time for preparation, present more understandably and with more confidence.

Reto B. Rüegger, Thomas Skipwith: To catch fish, use the right bait. Scoring as a speaker with Power Presentations

If you want support for a speech or presentation, please let me know (+41 41 630 39 90).

If you would like to have tips and tricks regularly by e-mail (in German), then sign up to the Trainingletter – but it’s confidential:-).

Jahresabschlussrede

Master your year-end speech: 5 tips for managers

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As the end of the year approaches, so does the time for the end-of-year speech. To ensure that your speech is particularly effective, you should consider one or more specific points in addition to general tips:

1: Review of the year with gratitude

Take time for a brief review of the past year. Emphasize not only the successes, but also the challenges and the hurdles that were overcome together. Show gratitude for the efforts and successes of your team.

2: Outlook for the future

Take this opportunity to provide a brief outlook for the coming year. Share the company’s goals and plans to motivate your employees and get them in the mood for the common future.

3: Incorporate personal points of contact

Make the speech personal by sharing personal experiences or anecdotes from the past year. This creates an emotional connection to your team and strengthens the sense of community.

4: Express appreciation

Use the end-of-year speech to explicitly recognize the achievements and commitment of your employees. Sincere appreciation strengthens motivation and a sense of togetherness.

5: Strengthen a sense of community

Emphasize team spirit and cooperation. Emphasize how important the joint effort is for the success of the company and motivate your team to achieve great things together in the coming year.

With these tips, your year-end speech will not only be effective, but also tailored to the special requirements of this special occasion.

Book recommendation

Book: To catch fish, use the right baitIn the following book, you will find the tools, systems, and tips that will make you a persuasive speaker. So that you need less time for preparation, present more understandably and with more confidence.

Reto B. Rüegger, Thomas Skipwith: To catch fish, use the right bait. Scoring as a speaker with Power Presentations

 

 

 

If you want support for a speech or presentation, please let me know (+41 41 630 39 90).

If you would like to have tips and tricks regularly by e-mail (in German), then sign up to the Trainingletter – but it’s confidential:-).

Herausforderungen für MINT-Fachleute

What are the 5 biggest challenges for STEM professionals?

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Question: What are the 5 biggest challenges for STEM professionals when presenting?*

Answer: It depends :-). It varies from person to person. But what I see over and over again in my training and coaching practice are the following challenges:

Adapt to the audience.

STEM professionals often find it difficult to present in a way that is generally understandable and tailored to the audience. Technical details often do not interest laymen. Therefore, do the grandparent test: If you give your presentation in such a way that even your grandparents understand what it’s about, you’re on the safe side.

Present in a structured way.

Those with training in one of the STEM subjects take a chronological rather than a dramaturgical approach. A clear outline with introduction, main part (body) and conclusion helps the audience to follow the presentation. This outline can also be found in movies, e.g. James Bond. The film starts with an exciting scene, increases the tension in the main part and ends with the resolution.

(In the book“To catch fish, use the right bait” you will learn how to structure a presentation using the Power Presentation Model PPM).

Use visualizations.

It is bad when you hear the sentence: “As you can see here”, but I as a listener can see little or nothing because of the large amount of numbers and/or text.

Complex relationships should be illustrated with graphics, diagrams or examples. It is easy to overwhelm the audience with text and numbers only.

Speak freely.

Many presenters with STEM backgrounds read off their slides. This is boring. Instead, you should speak freely and with eye contact to the audience. Especially online, this is not clear to many. Online, the mnemonic phrase of a colleague from the USA, Terry Brock, is: “Love your lens”.

Pay attention to body language.

An open attitude, gestures and facial expressions help to captivate the audience. Anyone who hides behind his laptop quickly loses the interest of the audience. Use the lectern exclusively as a repository for your notes. Move freely on the stage.

 

What are your challenges?

 

Here’s to attractive presentations!

Your

Thomas Skipwith

 

* STEM: science, technology, engineering and mathematics

Book recommendation

Book: To catch fish, use the right baitIn the following book, you will find the tools, systems, and tips that will make you a persuasive speaker. So that you need less time for preparation, present more understandably and with more confidence.

Reto B. Rüegger, Thomas Skipwith: To catch fish, use the right bait. Scoring as a speaker with Power Presentations

If you want support for a speech or presentation, please let me know (+41 41 630 39 90).

If you would like to have tips and tricks regularly by e-mail (in German), then sign up to the Trainingletter – but it’s confidential:-).