PowerPoint and Presenting Stuff

Outstanding Presentations 2015: Conversation with Matt Gambino

Matt Gambino helps people make presentations that grow business. Early in his career in EdTech software sales, Matt faced a challenge that is shared by countless salespeople today: how to cut to the chase and present complex technical offerings clearly—without all the jargon—so that people get it, see the value, and want to buy. Through his unique blend of practical experience as a sales and marketing leader, college educator, and product champion—it is true, he once held the title of “champion!”—Matt has cracked the code for making presentations that inform, inspire, and best of all—sell.

In this conversation, Matt discusses his upcoming webinar tomorrow, which he will present as part of the Outstanding Presentations 2015 series.

Geetesh: Tell us more about what you do — and also about how can audience attention be retained while presenting?

Matt: It is a common tendency to deliver presentations—especially technical presentations—in a sequential manner. Unfortunately, audiences have far exceeded their tolerance level to this tired and traditional approach. In the course of my work, I teach presenters how to share problem-solving, aspiration-building VISION right up front with the audience. That vision looks so good, participants just have to stick around to see how easy it is to achieve it. Think of it like a cooking show on television. The smart host shows us the finished dish—with all the trimmings and a glass of wine—right up front.

Geetesh: What will you speak about in your session as part of the Outstanding Presentations series – and what would be the takeaway for attendees?

Matt: Poorly delivered technical presentations cost companies millions of dollars in time, travel expenses, and lost sales each year. The main reason? Presentations that convey technical information are notoriously long, awkward, convoluted, and boring. Throw in challenges like temperamental software, finicky web-based platforms, and unreliable network connections, and it is no wonder why tech presentations are often frustrating to audiences.

But solving this problem is easier than you might think. In my session, you will learn a predictable and repeatable process for delivering technical presentations that are relevant, crisp, and even exciting. You will see how to identify the most compelling output of what your technology produces and how to place that output in the first few minutes of the presentation. Along the way, you will discover surprisingly easy ways to stay on task, deal with difficult questions, and avoid technical snafus.