Lessons from Steve Jobs on giving an unforgettable speech

Steve Jobs turned product launches into an art form. These five speeches in particular provide valuable lessons every speaker should heed.

Ragan Insider Premium Content
Ragan Insider Content

A Steve Jobs keynote was a tightly choreographed and relentlessly prepared presentation, according to the new book “Becoming Steve Jobs” by Brent Schlender.

Jobs turned the product launch into an art form. He also leaves a legacy by which entrepreneurs can learn to dazzle their audiences. The following five keynotes will help anyone give the presentation of a lifetime.

1. The Mac launch

Every Steve Jobs presentation had one moment that people would be talking about the next day. These “moments” were tightly scripted and relentlessly rehearsed. Remarkably, Jobs’ flair for the dramatic started before PowerPoint or Apple Keynote were available as slide design tools, which proves you don’t need slides to leave your audience breathless.

Related: Former Apple CEO John Sculley: This Is What Made Steve Jobs a Genius

To read the full story, log in.
Become a Ragan Insider member to read this article and all other archived content.
Sign up today

Already a member? Log in here.
Learn more about Ragan Insider.