Don’t even think it. Stop with the killer presentations talk. Killer presentation is a mindless and insensitive phrase to address presentation skills.
Have you noticed articles and videos that promise you “How to deliver a killer presentation”? Why would you want to kill your presentation? What might that mean?
Words matter and mostly importantly, so does your mindset.
Murderer, assassin, mercenary, criminal. Why would you want to deliver a killer presentation? Who do you want your presentation to kill?
Killer doesn’t mean good or great. Kill and killer are negative words. Why would anyone suggest that you kill your presentation or deliver a killer presentation? Who and what do you want to kill? Imagine if you substitute the word murder for the word killer. Would you want to deliver a murder presentation? Would you murder your audience???
What are they thinking?
Did they mean successful presentation? Did they mean effective presentation? Did they mean confident presentation? Killer doesn’t mean successful, effective or confident unless you are a hired gun, a person who kills for money.
How can that be compared to delivering a presentation?
You killed it. What does that mean? It’s dead, a corpse.
Who wants to deliver a killer presentation? A soldier. A hit man. A gladiator.
These people need to kill their opponent so they can survive. It’s the kill or be killed scenario. Clear and simple.
Why would anyone compare this life and death struggle to speaking to your team, prospect or clients? Why would you want to kill the presentation or the people in the room?
Words matter especially in a conversation or presentation. I want to kill you. I want to kill this presentation. Those are bad words and convey the wrong message.
Imagine if you started your presentation with the words “This presentation will kill you”. I’m going to kill this presentation. At the end of this presentation, you will be dead, because I killed it.
Would you say those vile words? So why think it?
Please don’t intend your presentation to kill, main or harm your audience. Instead use your presentation to engage, inspire and enhance your audience.
Charles Mason, Carlos the Jackal, Jack the Ripper. Did you know that Vlad the Impaler was a notorious mass murderer who delivered a killer presentation? He had his enemies decapitated and their heads stuck on poles along the road to his castle. How’s that for a killer presentation?
Sarin gas, cancer, Ebola, The Black Plague. Nuclear war.
Why would anyone associate the word “killer” with presentations? What were they thinking? Why were they insensitive to the negative association with the work killer? Why would they post articles or videos about delivering a killer presentation?
Perhaps they believe that offensive word is click bait and they might attract curious views.
Perhaps they really believe that killer is a good word to describe a presentation. And that suggests how destructive their tips, ideas and perspective are. They simply want to kill you, kill the audience and the kill the presentation.
That would make you a killer. That mindset portrays your audience as victims. Innocents who are slayed by your presentation.
Do you want to kill, slay or torture your audience. Instead, connect, convince and compliment. Intrigue, question and persuade them.
Don’t kill your audience. Don’t try to deliver a killer presentation. Don’t be an assassin.
Instead connect with your audience. Speak with them – not at them. Treat them with respect. Because they don’t want to be killed and you don’t want to be known as a killer.
Do you really want your audience thinking “Kill me now because I can’t stand this killer presentation”?
Can we agree that we don’t need a killer presentation? Instead let’s deliver effective, successful and winning presentations. Instead of killing your presentation, breathe life and energy into it. Inject life and energy into the presentation to wow your audience.
Instead, Imagine delivering a superior presentation. Inject life and energy into your presentation. Connect with your audience. Celebrate your message. Enhance the condition of your audience. Make their life and opportunity better.
Life you can celebrate with joy.