AI can now help build a presentation in minutes. It can sharpen an argument, structure a deck and even anticipate the curly questions that might come next. But as technology takes on more of the work behind presenting, executive public speaking coach Miriam Chancellor believes the human skills at the front of the room are becoming more important, not less.
It’s a tension Logitech and Naked Audience are putting some real weight behind, launching a $5,500 Presentation Mastery Masterclass Scholarship for one New Zealand professional. The successful applicant will receive a fully funded place at Chancellor’s two-day intensive masterclass, focused on sharpening not only what people say, but how they deliver it, from shaping a clear message to landing it with confidence and influence.
The scholarship launches alongside Logitech’s new Spotlight 2 advanced presenter, with both grounded in the simple idea that technology can make presenting easier, but it can’t replace the person doing it.
Chancellor, the founder of specialist presentation and communication practice Naked Audience, works with senior professionals and leadership teams across board presentations, high-stakes pitches, conference talks and difficult Q&As. Her advice is surprisingly practical – spend less time trying to sound impressive and more time making sure people understand, remember and act on what you have to say.
So, what does it take to hold a room and make your message stick? Chancellor shares her advice.
- Identify the one sentence you want your audience to remember
Most executive presentations have a subject where they need a position. “The Australia expansion” is a subject. Everyone can sit through it and leave with nothing to do. “We should delay Australia by six months and put the money into retention” is a position. It can be agreed with, argued against or acted on.
Work out what someone who heard you would say to their colleague afterwards in a ten-second version, write it down, and keep it handy while you develop everything else. If an idea doesn’t support your position, leave it out.
- Say the thing everyone is thinking
Many rooms have an elephant in them. Presenters tiptoe around it and hope their argument is good enough to distract the audience, but then someone raises it in Q&A, so you end up addressing it anyway, only now it is on their terms rather than yours.
Call it out early and openly. You get credit for the candour, and you get to frame it yourself.
- Speak plainly and share the “so what” at the end of every key point
Many speakers expect the audience to work out why their points matter. Don’t rely on them to connect the dots.
Speak plainly and tell your audience why the point is important: “This is important because…” “What I want you to take away from this is…” “The key here is…”
- Build the slides last
Speakers who start with the slides often end up with a message that lacks structure and focus, and they end up reading what’s on the screen.
Nail your message on paper and only then ask what the audience actually needs to see. Spoiler alert: it’s less than you think!
- Let examples and stories do the explaining
Abstractions are forgettable. Examples give your audience something they can picture. Every key point should have an example or a story attached to it. These beat a longer explanation every time.
- Write your first 30 seconds as speech and learn it word for word
The opening of a talk is when nerves and adrenaline are at their highest. If you don’t have your opening down pat, you’re more likely to let how you feel dictate how you open: filler words, long-winded thank yous and unnecessary context.
- Identify your billboard phrases and use vocal variety to make them land
A billboard phrase is an important passage or line that you want your audience to remember. Slow down as you deliver it, then pause. That change in delivery helps signal that this is something worth remembering.
- Pause longer than feels comfortable
The difference between a good speaker and a great one often comes down to how comfortable they are in silence. Deliver the sentence, stop and count to three.
Silence gives ideas breathing room, creates constructive tension and adds emphasis.
- Don’t let the last question be the last thing said in the room
Otherwise you finish on whatever that person wanted to raise. Once you’ve given your final answer, come back and reiterate your call to action. Avoid finishing on thank you.
- Make your close explicit
If you want your audience to respond, act or decide something, say so. Otherwise, you risk people leaving without knowing what was being asked of them.
Be explicit about the decision, the number, the date and the person. If you can’t easily write your final sentence down, it’s not strong enough.
Applications for the Logitech x Naked Audience Presentation Mastery Masterclass Scholarship are open until 30 September 2026, with the successful applicant attending the two-day masterclass on 15–16 October. For more information and to apply, follow the competition page here.
