A Jury Is the Toughest Audience You'll Ever Face

A jury is the toughest audience you'll ever face. They didn't ask to be there, they can't ask questions, and they decide everything.

That's why trial lawyers obsess over things most presenters skip. A few that transfer to any pitch, keynote, or team update:

• One idea per slide. If the jury needs you to explain a slide, redo the slide.
• Give them the theme early and repeat it. Repetition isn't boring when it's the frame people use to sort everything else.
• Show, don't describe. A good demonstrative beats ten minutes of testimony.
• Have a plan for when the tech dies, because it will. Printed backup, a second laptop, and a version that works with no screen at all.

The software should make your point land faster. If it's slowing you down, it's decoration.

Which of these do you most often see skipped?