I love this book. I have read it through several times and keep getting great ideas. There are plenty of books on the market about making presentations but this is one of the best. Weissman breaks down the preparation stage to a step by step process that will help anyone create a better presentation.

Weissman doesn't spend much time on the actual practicing and delivery of the presentation. In fact, he writes about two pages at the end about practicing. Nonetheless, I believe that with the instruction presented in this book, anyone will have a better presentation, even if they are very nervous or have few speaking skills.

This is an excellent guide to improving your presentation content and style. I highly recommend it to anyone who has to present ideas - and isn't that most of us?

I am a Silicon Valley CEO who has done an IPO road show, so I am Weismann's target audience. A few comments:

-- the content of the book is somewhere between fine and excellent. Some of it is unique. Weissman focuses on understanding audience goals and getting the story right not on speaking technique. His organization tips are good and not unusual. Jerry emphasizes the need to practice again and again. Much of this is lacking from other books like this and is worth repeating.

-- Weissman is a jargon freak. A goal becomes a "Point B". A benefit becomes a "WIFFY". A central theme is now a "Roman Column". This is not wrong of course -- just tedious.

-- this should have been an article, not a book. Appendix B (search it) comes close, but it's mainly a list. An article would be worth more, not less, because a reader would not have to labor through turgid, repetitive prose written by a guy with a major name-dropping habit.

-- Weissman shills for Microsoft. He never mentions Keynote, which does a better job of the kind of presentations he prefers. He is entranced with Windows Live and PowerPoint animations. Not a crime, but it has nothing at all to do with effective presentations.

The irony is that Jerry Weissman needs a Jerry Weissman -- someone who can help him reduce his book to an article. It would be worth five stars.

As a professional speaker, I know all too well, that one little shift in my delivery can make a world of difference in the outcome. Weissman holds nothing back. There is certainly material you may have seen presented in a different format- as there should be. Repetition is the mother of learning, and any good idea is worth seeing from as many perspectives as you can gain access to.

But what makes this book stand out is the new material; the material that is based on research so recent, and so state of the art, that any speaker willing to incorporate and use these ideas will move to the front of the line. And, if you weren't already, you'll also be on the "favorites" list of any meeting planner you work with.

Get it!

This book is literally an eye opening experience to anyone who communicates to people -verbal or written -on a daily manner; which in my book is EVERYONE. Weissman shares many years of wisdom and insight through various proven corporate methods for your professional and personal life. From meeting people, formal presentations, job interviews, to construction of reports: strategic and tactical planning, budgets, etc.
This is not a book for a person who wants a reader digest version -quick. It takes time to read, re-read and understand and apply his skill sets