Are you about to give a presentation to colleagues, an unknown audience, company management or subordinates? You may be thinking about how to ensure you do your best so that your presentation has the desired effect. A good start would be to follow the so-called "rule of three", which will be explained in this article.
The rule, as explained by PresentationMagazine, is divided into three sub-rules.
Beginning, middle and end
It sounds trivial but, when telling a story, you should stick to the ancient, time-proven structure used by people for thousands of years. It consists of three parts: a beginning, a middle and an end. You need to start by describing a conflict that will grab people's attention (such as a shocking statistical fact); next comes the middle (road towards a solution), and finally the end (a catharsis during which the situation is solved). Following this familiar format will definitely engage an audience, no matter what your topic.
Three main points
At best the audience will remember only three thoughts from your presentation. Therefore, offering several different concepts, numbers and stats is not only unnecessary but even counterproductive: overloading the audience with information may only distract their attention away from the main ideas you wish to convey. So focus on just three main points and communicate these as clearly as possible.
Using lists of three
The number three has a magical quality and is ideal for conveying ideas. This is why it is often used in jokes or fairy tales. So you too should use lists of three items in your presentation. When giving specific examples, offer three. If you are trying to emphasise a certain word, say it three times. Three is a number that naturally helps the audience understand what it is you are trying to tell them.
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