Make your next presentation more compelling by focusing on its three main actors: the villain, the victim, and the hero. In software, the villain might be slow or unreliable programs, the victims are frustrated users, and the hero is new or updated technology that works correctly and efficiently. In manufacturing, the villain might be expensive or defective products, the victims are the consumers paying for them, and the hero is safe merchandise that performs as promised. When you’re telling a story, paint a colorful picture of your customers’ difficulties while displaying ample sympathy for their plight. If you depict the consumer’s predicament in gritty, sympathetic terms, then the “virtue” of your company should resonate with customers, colleagues, and media alike.
Adapted from "For Better Presentations, Start with a Villain," by Greg Stone
