5 Steps to Presenting Like a Rock Star! Part II

The second step to presenting like a Rock Star is to write the appropriate verses for your speech.

The verses are the proof of your refrain.

Think of it this way - at the end of a verse, you should be able to write, "And that's why I say..." and then say your core message or refrain.

So, if Bruce Springsteen wants us to sing "Tramps like us, baby we were born to run", he'd better convince us, right?

I mean, I don't run (at all) unless there's something worth running from (or to).

So, let's look at Bruce's proof:

In the day we sweat it out on the streets of a runaway American dream
At night we ride through the mansions of glory in suicide machines
Sprung from cages out on highway 9,
Chrome wheeled, fuel injected,and steppin' out over the line
Oh, Baby this town rips the bones from your back
It's a death trap, it's a suicide rap
We gotta get out while we're young
`Cause tramps like us, baby we were born to run

Hmmm... I don't want the bones ripped from my back, so I'd agree, I'm born to run.

If your refrain is, "My project needs more money", then your verse one better say, "this project is important". Or, better yet, this project rips the bones from your back! Try that your next project review...

And verse two better say better say, "more money will make this project successful". 

Right?

But most presentations don't make this much logical (or emotional) sense. 

Because of that, your audience isn't singing along.

They're saying, "Why should I run?"

Nobody asks Bruce why they should run, because he tells them. In fact, he implores them.

That's rock and roll.

Look at this:

The highway's jammed with broken heroes on a last chance power drive
Everybody's out on the run tonight
but there's no place left to hide
Together Wendy we can live with the sadness
I'll love you with all the madness in my soul
Oh, Someday girl I don't know when
we're gonna get to that place
Where we really wanna go
and we'll walk in the sun
But till then tramps like us
baby we were born to run

Damn... if you're not ready to run now, you're going to get run over...

Bruce provides the WIIFM or "what's in it for me" (in this case, Wendy).

So, we're ready to sing along, or even run.

Just in case you think I'm being esoteric, watch this great video by Lawrence Lessig, who uses - literally - the verse/refrain structure in a technical/business presentation.

So, your assignment today is to write your verses (try 2-3 of them) that prove your refrain. Tomorrow, we'll look at your introduction.