Here's the problem: According to most studies, the number one fear for people is public speaking. Number two is death. In the words of Jerry Seinfeld, "This means to the average person, if you go to a funeral, you're better off in the casket than doing the eulogy." Here's the truth: No one is born a natural at public speaking. It scares the living daylights out of everyone. Mark Twain perhaps put it best, "There are two types of speakers in this world: those that are nervous and those that are liars.” Here's the solution: It takes discipline and practice to channel your nerves. This deck will provide guidelines to help you on that journey. 21 rules of thumb by the numbers. Simple and understandable rules of the road that you can immediately use to become a better presenter. Whether you are making a business pitch or getting ready to rock your next SXSW session, these rules will help sharpen your saw. Because nothing in life is more important than the ability to communicate. Ready to rock?

1. STAN PHELPS
@9inchmarketing
TO ROCK YOUR
NEXT PITCH OR
SXSW SESSION
RULES

2. T H E F E A R O F
P U B L I C S P E A K I N G
>
T H E F E A R O F
D Y I N G
T H E P R O B L E M

3. T H E T R U T H
“There are only
two types of speakers
in this world.
Those that get nervous
and … liars.”
- Mark Twain

4. R U L E S O F T H E R O A D B Y T H E N U M B E R S
T H E S O L U T I O N

5. G U N S D O N ’ T K I L L
P R E S E N T A T I O N S …
B U L L E T S D O
.
.
.
ZERO BULLETS
PLEASE

6. [CREDIT: WENDY GATES CORBETT]
K E E P K E Y T E X T
O N T H E T O P 1 / 3
O F T H E S L I D E
avoid this

7. S
I N G L E
T
H O U G H T
ON E
P
E R S O N
Deliver a single thought to
one person. You can’t deliver
your next thought until you
look at another person in the
room. Then you deliver your
next single thought. Repeat.
This one tip eliminates filler
words, promotes eye contact
and allows you to breathe.

8. S E C O N D S O F P A U S E
After you say something important or
relevant, shut the f*%k up. Zip your lip.
Allow at least two seconds of pause.
Let your audience take the thought in.

9. T H E P O W E R
O F 3 ’ S
People remember things in 3’s

10. U S E T H E P O W E R P O I N T S
1
2
3
4
Place key text or focus
images in these four points

11. F I N G E R S
Body language can
consist of up to 55%
of what’s conveyed.
Use your hands wisely.

12. S I X T H S E N S E
Plug into your audience.
It’s not about you, it’s about them.

13. O N L Y 7 % O F
T H E F E E L I N G S
Y O U C O M M U N I C A T E
A R E T H E W O R D S
T H A T Y O U U S E

14. S T E P S O F T H E
H E R O ’ S J O U R N E Y

15. D R E S S T O
T H E N I N E S
80% of the judgments about
you by the audience are
made in a split second.
Dress to impress.

16. T H E B R A I N C A N O N L Y C O N C E N T R A T E F O R
1 0 M I N U T E S B E F O R E
S H U T T I N G
O F F
Every 10 minutes, you need to reset the
audience. Play a video, ask a question
or do a group exercise.

17. “The length of a speech
should be like a woman’s
skirt. Long enough to
cover the subject, yet
short enough to keep
your interest.”
- Winston Churchill

18. T A O O F T U F N E L
Tone matters. Every
so often you need
to go “one louder”

19. B A D T H I N G S W I L L H A P P E N .
F I X I T , F E A T U R E I T O R F O R G E T I T

20. F O N T S Y O U S H O U L D C O N S I D E R
Baskerville
Impact
Hobo Std
Marker Felt

21. T H E M A X N U M B E R O F S L I D E S ( 1 5 ) F O R
E V E R Y 2 0 M I N U T E S O F P R E S E N T A T I O N
L E S S I S M O R E

22. T H E M A X I M U M
N U M B E R O F
W O R D S Y O U C A N
U S E O N A N Y
G I V E N S L I D E I N
Y O U R S L I D E D E C K

23. D O N ’ T P L A Y
2 0 Q U E S T I O N S ,
F I N I S H S T R O N G

24. M I N I M U M F O N T
Fonts must
FO T

25. V I S U A L S A I D R E C A L L B Y 5 5 %
$ 1 P E R P H O T O A T
D O L L A R P H O T O C L U B
O R C A N V A

26. WORD UP
VS.
“The difference between
a good word and a great
one is like the difference
between lightning and a
lightning bug.”
- Mark Twain

27. P R A C T I C E , P R A C T I C E , P R A C T I C E

28. L A S T R U L E
F I N I S H O N T I M E

29. T H A N K Y O U
STAN PHELPS
@9inchmarketing
www.9inchmarketing.com
stan@9inchmarketing.com