steve jobs last presentation

Watch the Last Video of Steve Jobs Before He Died

O ne of the last times the late Steve Jobs made a public appearance in front of a camera, he was trying to sell local officials on Apple’s vision of a massive spaceship-style corporate campus.

His June 7, 2011 presentation for the Cupertino, California project (now a work in progress ) is among the last footage recorded of Jobs before he died from pancreatic cancer that following October. In the video, Jobs describes the building’s futuristic design, which includes curved glass and sustainable energy sources — a physical embodiment of Apple’s (and Jobs’) forward-looking mentality.

The “Spaceship” campus presentation is worth watching this week because we’re about to get to see a never-before-seen video of Jobs. A video deposition Jobs taped months before his death is expected to be released publicly this week as Apple is fending off an old antitrust lawsuit . The footage will show Jobs addressing complaints that early iPods only played songs sold on the iTunes Store or from downloaded CDs, and not music from rival stores.

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Every “One More Thing” from Steve Jobs’ Keynotes

• October 25, 2023

Table of Contents

Apple Gazette proudly presents an exhaustive collection of every single “One more thing” moment from Steve Jobs’ many keynote speeches. More than thirty of them, in fact, and we’ve got embedded videos cued up to the exact moment, so you can watch them all on a single webpage.

A Few Things I Noticed…

• MacWorld almost always had a “One more thing.”
• WWDC almost never had one.
• Jobs employed a different transition effect almost every time those three words showed up on his presentation screen.

Steve Jobs was a master of the keynote presentation. If he was an artist, the keynote was his canvas. When he stood in front of an audience, be it the enthusiastic crowds at WWDC or a special press briefing, he had them eating out of his hand. (He could’ve pronounced himself the King of Whoopee and they would have given him a standing ovation with cheers and hollers.)

Jobs’ signature feature was to wrap things up, and then tack on “One more thing” at the end, complete with a giant slide bearing those words on the big screen behind him. The items promoted during this epilogue ranged from minor accessories to significant new product announcements. Over the years, Apple fans started watching for Steve’s “one more thing” in each presentation he gave. (Watch for their increasing swells of approval and excitement in the videos below.)

Jobs viewed his presentations as a form of storytelling, and his job as the storyteller was to wow his audience and get the buzz started. Anytime he put together a keynote that he feared might not have quite the level of pizzazz he was after, he pulled out the “one more thing” trick to top things off with an exclamation point. But not every presentation he ever gave included a “one more thing” moment. The unveiling of the original iPhone at MacWorld 2007, for example, didn’t need one because the iPhone was the biggest and arguably most important product launch Apple had done to date.

Among other things, it’s fascinating to watch Jobs’ evolution as a speaker and a CEO (he starts off below as Apple’s “interim” CEO). And then there’s his tragic physical deterioration in the last five years or so of his life; it’s sad to see, but amazing how it never dampens his skills at working a crowd. Jobs was at his best when he was on stage, presenting Apple’s latest and greatest devices to the world, and that remains true right up to the end.

Entries that don’t quite fit with the rest of this list, for one reason or another, are denoted in yellow .

Let’s get started.

January 8, 1998 MacWorld San Francisco

The very first “One more thing” Jobs gave was not the kind that Apple fans are used to today. Reportedly, he was walking off the stage at the end of his presentation when he stopped and offhandedly remarked to the crowd, “Oh yeah, we’re profitable.” After years of struggling through declining sales — and the media declaring Apple all but dead — Jobs returned to helm the company he co-founded, and quickly turned things around, putting Apple back on its feet. As you might imagine, the crowded room full of Apple fans were ecstatic. This is the only “One more thing” I was unable to find video footage of. There is some video of this keynote available to watch, but it cuts off before the end. [Image source]

https://youtu.be/sXhCxSmEsQc?t=3m56s

July 21, 1999 MacWorld New York

After showing off the first iBook, Jobs rolled out the first consumer-friendly wireless base station to go with it: the AirPort. The plug-and-play device’s data transfer speed topped out at 11Mbps (!), and it required that you pop an AirPort Card inside your iBook (via an easily accessible panel, natch) for the laptop to be able to access the wireless network. Unlike most other “One more thing”s, this one was not accompanied by a slide bearing those words.

https://youtu.be/jG-mVUzCvwY?hd=1&t=1h26m2s

August 31, 1999 Seybold San Francisco

Jobs announced the Apple Cinema Display to a room full of oohs and aahs. The 22″ LCD flat panel display was, to the best of my reckoning, Apple’s first-ever display with a widescreen ratio. (But I know I can count on you to correct me if I’m wrong about that, fanboys and girls.)

October 5, 1999 Special iMac Event

At one of the first “special events” Apple created, where the press were invited and it wasn’t the kick-off of a convention, Jobs wrapped things up with the iMac DV, a souped-up iMac made to handle desktop video editing. Among its video-friendly features were two Firewire ports instead of just one, and the launch of the very first version of iMovie.

After this was done, Jobs came back again for a second “One more thing”: iMac DV Special Edition. This one was the same as the DV, but tricked out even further with more space and faster components. The Special Edition came in a “special color” called Graphite made just for this computer.

January 5, 2000 MacWorld San Francisco

After a few years of serving as Apple’s interim CEO, following his return to the company, Jobs announced that the company had decided to drop the “interim” from his title, making him Apple’s full time head honcho.

July 19, 2000 MacWorld New York

The PowerMac G4 Cube was the subject of this “One more thing.” Did Jobs have a thing for cube-shaped devices? He’d also launched the “NeXTcube” computer in the early 90s during his time away from Apple. Neither one proved terribly popular among consumers.

January 9, 2001 MacWorld San Francisco

Jobs stunned the world with a sexy laptop that boasted a titanium casing, and was just one inch thick. The PowerBook G4 set a new standard at the time for thinness — and how much power could be squeezed into such a narrow frame. It redefined the entire notebook industry, and was one of the most lusted-after computers in the world.

https://youtu.be/XUd_yE1Ghrk?hd=1&t=1h34m21s

February 22, 2001 MacWorld Tokyo

Jobs showed off two new patterns — instead of colors — for Apple’s new lineup of iMacs with CD-RW drives. They bore the unfortunate-in-retrospect names of “Flower Power” and “Blue Dalmatian.”

https://youtu.be/LgMO9TYitso?hd=1&t=1h43m20s

July 16, 2002 MacWorld New York

The iMac G4 was Apple’s first major redesign of the popular consumer desktop, replacing the cathode ray tube shape of the original with a 15″ flatscreen on a swivel arm. For this “One more thing,” Jobs introduced a new version with a 17″ flatscreen. (Note: despite the YouTube title claiming this video is Jobs’ keynote from “WWDC 2002,” it is, in fact, his keynote from MacWorld New York 2002.)

https://youtu.be/13n98rSaYp4?hd=1&t=1h42m25s

January 8, 2003 MacWorld San Francisco

After introducing the first 17″ PowerBook, Jobs used his “One more thing” to mention that they decided to apply the same technology they used for the 17″ aluminum laptop to also build a petite 12″ PowerBook. Touting it as the world’s smallest full-featured laptop, it’s clear now that this tiny laptop fed Jobs’ obsession with “smaller and thinner is better.” As usual, the audience was enthusiastic about the new product’s features — except its 5-hour battery life.

https://youtu.be/_ItdjM32FK8?t=18m41s

April 23, 2003 iTunes Music Store Special Event

Stepping outside of tradition, Jobs put this “One more feature …” just 18 minutes into the hour-and-20-minute event. It was the announcement of a version of iTunes for Windows. Jobs boasted that it was “the best Windows app ever written.”

https://youtu.be/3S0HlCgfNeM?t=1h9m19s

June 23, 2003 WWDC

In the concluding moments of this event, the brand new Power Mac G5 rose up dramatically out of the stage floor. Jobs’ announcement followed a leak from the week before, when the specs for the G5 were accidentally posted early on the Apple Store website.

https://youtu.be/c_4hOJWAVmc?t=3m33s

September 16, 2003 Apple Expo Paris

Apple’s first wireless mouse & wireless keyboard were shown off at this one. The mouse was the direct precursor to the much-derided Mighty Mouse, sharing its same basic design. The main missing feature was the scroll ball.

https://youtu.be/6rkaumS8FQM?hd=1&t=1h56m20s

January 6, 2004 MacWorld San Francisco

After introducing the iPod Mini, Jobs used his “One more thing” to show that these anodized aluminum music players came in 5 colors. To this reporter’s eyes, this keynote marks the first visible signs of Jobs’ weight loss due to his cancer, though opinions on this issue will surely vary.

https://youtu.be/Dy7p2q7gj0s?hd=1&t=1h28m23s

August 31, 2004 Apple Expo Paris

I include this one apocryphally, since it was given by Apple’s Senior Vice President of Worldwide Marketing, Phil Schiller. Near the end of his presentation, Schiller remarked, “There’s one other thing I want to talk about today…” It was the new iMac G5, which featured the same design as today’s iMacs, but with a white plastic enclosure instead of metal.

https://youtu.be/1mNQIO4huS8?t=31m2s

October 26, 2004 Music Special Event

Jobs showed off a special edition “U2 iPod,” a departure from the standard white iPod. This one was black with a red click wheel, and the signatures of all four band members were laser-etched on the back. Following the announcement, Jobs introduced U2, who took the stage beside him.

https://youtu.be/0Y8J0S6hxC4?hd=1&t=1h34m22s

January 11, 2005 MacWorld San Francisco

While the iPhone was still in development , Jobs bided his time with smaller releases like the iPod Shuffle, the first iPod that had no display. It was a super-small device, with a similar design to Apple’s remote control for laptops, desktops, and Apple TV.

https://youtu.be/O023nGtNgdI?t=5m10s

September 7, 2005 Music Special Event

After announcing the iPod Nano, there’s a moment when Jobs  very casually says “there’s one other thing,” and then he shows off a black version of the Nano. The whole thing happens so fast — and there’s no slide behind him to echo it — that I don’t believe it follows the spirit of Jobs’ typical use of “one more thing.” But I include it here for completion’s sake. Interesting side note: this was the same event where Jobs launched the disastrous Motorola ROKR, aka the so-called “iPod Phone” that was critically panned and ended up a commercial flop.

https://youtu.be/ZIJtqQCkExk?t=1m49s

October 12, 2005 “One More Thing…” Special Event

TV show episodes came to iTunes for $1.99 an episode. Initially it was announced only with Disney/ABC shows, but other networks signed on not long after.

https://youtu.be/iMDTOBsFens?t=1h18m33s

January 10, 2006 MacWorld

Jobs introduced the first MacBook Pro, Apple’s first Intel-based laptop. It was also the first laptop with an iSight camera built in, the now-standard MagSafe power connector, and Front Row with a remote.

https://youtu.be/MJc9jMMuva8?t=33m50s

September 12, 2006 “It’s Showtime!” Special Event

Movie purchases arrived on iTunes with this one. But after a recap, Jobs announced another “One last thing”: a sneak peek of “iTV,” which later became “Apple TV.” A third “one more thing” was used to introduce John Legend, who performed on stage.

https://youtu.be/Shu6_lO1PW8?hd=1&t=1h5m39s

June 11, 2007 WWDC

A beta version of Safari for Windows was announced.

September 5, 2007 “The Beat Goes On” Music Special Event

At this post-iPhone event, after he introduced the iPod Touch (and new models of the other iPods), Jobs unveiled “iTunes Wi-Fi Music Store,” which allowed users to buy music straight from our iPhones and iPods for the first time. No more syncing to a computer necessary for music purchases. A second “One more thing” moment (sans slide) was the announcement of Apple’s partnership with Starbucks. Their deal allowed Starbucks customers to find out what music is currently playing in the store and immediately purchase it over Wi-Fi.

https://youtu.be/M63VCmsTIrI?t=2m35s

March 6, 2008 “iPhone Software Roadmap” Special Event

At the end of this event geared specifically toward iPhone app developers, Jobs introduced John Doerr of Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers to the crowd. Doerr announced “iFund,” a $100 million capital fund for new startups that want to build iPhone apps.

October 14, 2008 Notebooks Special Event

After introducing the new “unibody enclosure” for MacBook Pro, Jobs trotted out a “next-generation” MacBook that also featured a metal unibody. The unibody aluminum enclosure is one of Apple’s least-celebrated but most important innovations, I think.

January 6, 2009 MacWorld

Phil Schiller stood in again for an ailing Steve Jobs at this annual event, though listening to the presentation, it seems obvious that Jobs at least had a hand in writing the script, because his presentation style is on display throughout. Late in his speech, Schiller invoked “one last thing”: three new features for iTunes. 1) a 3-price tier of $.69, $.99, and $1.29 replaced the single-price structure for song purchases. 2) iTunes Plus: eight million songs became DRM-free. 3) iTunes Music Store for iPhone/iPod Touch was made 3G-enabled, so customers could buy songs that way in addition to the existing Wi-Fi.

https://youtu.be/5Ue0MB5J4co?t=6m40s

September 9, 2009 “It’s Only Rock & Roll” iPod Special Event

A video camera was added to the iPod Nano, in response to the popularity of Flash storage-based camcorders like the Flip. The best part of the presentation came at its beginning, when Jobs returned to the stage after his liver transplant and received a standing ovation that lasted a full minute.

June 7, 2010 WWDC

After introducing the iPhone 4, Jobs’ “One More thing” was FaceTime video calling. He unveiled it in the same manner that he’d showed off voice calling on the original iPhone: by calling Jonny Ive. (He also ranted about people in the audience not turning their Wi-Fi devices off, which caused the video quality on the call  to be jumpy.)

https://youtu.be/mtOkWjBrJ48?hd=1&t=5m25s

September 1, 2010 Apple Music Special Event

The second generation, much smaller Apple TV was revealed.

https://youtu.be/SHllK_hKFxY?hd=1&t=1h11m48s

October 20, 2010 “Back to the Mac” Special Event

Jobs introduced the second-generation MacBook Air, the first MacBook ever to use all Flash storage. While cuing up this product, he got a big laugh from the crowd when he said, “So we asked ourselves, ‘What would happen if a MacBook and an iPad hooked up ?”

June 6, 2011 WWDC

At Jobs’ very last keynote address, he mentioned that “there’s one more thing,” but there was no slide to go with it. The announcement, which followed the first details on iCloud, was iTunes Match. Even though his health had deteriorated to its worst point yet (he would pass away just four months later), he was as dynamic a showman on stage as ever.

Editor’s note: Presumably out of respect to Steve Jobs, Apple seems to have retired the “One more thing” moment from its presentations following his passing.

[Front page article image source ]

7 thoughts on “ Every “One More Thing” from Steve Jobs’ Keynotes ”

You couldn’t have made just one video of all the ‘Just one more thing’?

I considered that, but the question I came back to was where to cut it off. A collection of quick-cuts of Steve saying “But there is one more thing…” thirty times, would be fun. But a lot of our readers appreciate thoroughness, and I thought it would’ve left a lot of them wanting more. More details, more context, more of the videos they came from. So for the events where it was available, I used videos of the entire presentation for my embeds. That way, Apple Gazette readers would have the option to rewind and watch more if they want. (I confess I found myself watching other, equally compelling parts of some of these keynotes while putting the article together!)

But maybe we can attempt to do a compilation video like that in the near future. We’re open to requests. 😉

Steve Jobs died in 2011 – WTF?

My bad. Typo.

Really enjoying this post. After watching one or two, I was so intrigued that I went back and have been watching the full presentations. It’s fascinating to see the evolution of Apple.

Yeah, ditto that. Nicely done article. Thanks for the retrospect.

I thought maybe the press made too much of the “one more thing”, but looks like he really did use it a lot. Was curious as many Apple faithful were hoping for a “one more thing” today during the iPhone 5S and 5C keynote.

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Watch Steve Jobs Pitch the Cupertino City Council on Apple Park

Released on 05/16/2017

And as you know Cupertino

is very famous for Apple Computer

and we're very honored to have Mr. Steve Jobs

to come here tonight to give a special presentation.

[Narrator] On June seventh, 2011

Steve Jobs stood before Cupertino's City Council

to pitch them on one more thing.

Apple's grown like a weed

and as you know we've always been in Cupertino,

and it's clear that we need to build a new campus.

[Narrator] At the time, Apple was on the verge

of becoming the most valuable company on earth

but Jobs was in failing health.

Just a few months before

he'd taken a medical leave of absence

leaving Tim Cook in charge of Apple.

And so, we've got a plan

that let's us stay in Cupertino.

[Narrator] Nobody knew it at the time

but this would be Jobs' last public appearance.

And we've come up with a design

that puts 12,000 people in one building.

Think about that.

That's rather odd.

12,000 people in a building, in one building

but we've seen these office parks with lots of buildings

and they get pretty boring pretty fast,

so we'd like to do something better than that,

and I'd like to take you through

what we'd like to do.

[Narrator] On the left-hand side of the screen

is the site of Apple's old headquarters

at One Infinite Loop.

On the right is a plot of land

that Apple had recently purchased from HP.

The campus we'd like to build there

is one building that holds 12,000 people.

It's pretty amazing building.

Let me show it to you.

It's a little like a spaceship landed.

But there it is.

So, let's take a closer look at it.

It's a circle

and so it's curved all the way around.

As you know if you build things

this is not the cheapest way to build something.

There's not a straight piece of glass in this building.

It's all curved

and we've used our experience in making retail buildings

all over the world now,

and we know how to make the biggest pieces of glass

in the world for architectural use,

and we wanna make the glass,

specifically for this building here,

we can make it curved like this

all the way around the building,

and so that's what we're looking at.

[Narrator] For Jobs this building was more than an office,

it stood for the future of his company.

It was his last great obsession

and one of the most ambitious projects

Apple would ever undertake.

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Steve Jobs’ last speech

On June 7, the day after his final Worldwide Developers Conference keynote, Steve Jobs made a surprise appearance before the Cupertino City Council. He was seeking permission to build a new corporate headquarters for Apple (AAPL).

“We have a shot,” Jobs told the council, “at building the best office building in the world.”

121 days later, he was dead.

On Sept. 8 the city held a public hearing to discuss the environmental impact of the project. You can watch it here .

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This article was published on October 7, 2011

Steve Jobs’ Last Public Appearance [Video]

This is Steve Jobs’ last public appearance where he pitched the Cupertino City Council with the construction of a new ambitious space ship like campus for Apple, detailed here .

Without intending to blindingly look for positives in everything Jobs has done, or in this case attempted to do, it is wonderful that a man that most likely knew he was in the last year of his life was still so heavily involved in planning for the years ahead at Apple.

You can view renderings of the campus here . And in regard to whether Jobs’ plans will be completed, Cupertino’s Mayor, Gilbert Wong, has already confirmed “there is no chance that we’re saying no.”

http://youtu.be/A5Y5QblAfDk

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01-27-2020 TECH

Apple’s 2010 iPad launch was the last great Steve Jobs keynote

On the 10th anniversary of Apple’s tablet, an appreciation of a master at work.

Steve Jobs brandishes the first iPad at the Yerba Buena Gardens theater in San Francisco on January 27, 2010. [Photo: Kimberly White/Corbis via Getty Images]

BY  Harry McCracken 9 minute read

Ten years ago today, at a press event on January 27, 2010, Apple introduced a netbook competitor called the iSlate . Its starting price was an intimidating $999 . The sheer sticker shock—and lack of crucial features such as Adobe’s Flash —led to the iSlate becoming one of the company’s most ignominious flops .

Oh, fine—that only happened in the alternate universe in which pundits’ expectations about Apple’s new device panned out, rather than being hilariously inaccurate.

In our world, what Apple cofounder and CEO Steve Jobs unveiled was a $499 tablet called the iPad, which went on sale the following April 3. The device was more an anti-netbook than a rival to the stripped-down mini-laptops that were—briefly—a hot commodity in the Windows world. And even though it ran a custom version of the software then known as iPhone OS, it was much more than a humongous-screened iPhone.

In the best possible way, Apple had built a product that defied expectations and fulfilled needs people didn’t realize they had. Though the iPad has had its ups and downs over the years, it’s been an enormous, category-defining success by any measure. Apple sold over 400 million of them by late 2018 , which was when it stopped breaking out unit sales.

Like plenty of other tech writers who sat through the 2010 iPad event, I was more concerned with live-blogging the proceedings than luxuriating in them myself. So I had my eyes on my MacBook rather than the stage for much of the 90-minute event. That meant that when I recently watched the keynote on YouTube, it wasn’t a simple act of nostalgia. I was literally seeing some of it for the first time.

In case you’d like to reacquaint yourself with the keynote—or never saw it at all—here you go:

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Harry McCracken is the global technology editor for Fast Company , based in San Francisco. In past lives, he was editor at large for Time magazine, founder and editor of Technologizer , and editor of PC World   More

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Business & Marketing with Nika

 What made Steve Jobs' presentations so magnificent?

5 secrets behind steve jobs’ iconic keynote speeches..

Almost every skill can be mastered and public speaking is no exception.

Furthermore, effective speech is a gateway to persuading customers to purchase your product. And when you execute this part of marketing precisely, they will do that happily.

As a more introverted person, I sometimes find it difficult to speak in front of an audience, which is quite paradoxical. From a young age, I participated in recitation competitions, performed at dance events, and hosted various venues.

In marketing, you need to be seen and heard. Therefore, it’s important to learn from those whom others look up to.

And who do people look up to more in this regard than... Steve?

I’ve analyzed some of his speeches and here are the conclusions that I came to.

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Commercial break. 😀 Before we move on, I should say it. You can showcase your service or product to enthusiasts who love entrepreneurship. Just press the button!

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🗣️ The secrets of Steve Jobs's jaw-dropping presentations:

Demonstration Jobs showcased products ideally in use during his presentations. When you take some average presentations, people present only a draft in a PowerPoint slideshow. But when you pull out the notebook from the envelope , there is no other reaction than "wowing" people.

Consistency in style When you look at Apple’s founder over time it seems like he didn't have anything else in the wardrobe other than a black turtleneck by Issey Miyake, Levi's 501 jeans and a pair of New Balance sneakers. He established a specific signature style this way. If people are already used to your usual (and at the same time simple) look, the product will stand out all the more.

The power of silence Many people underestimate silence, feeling that they must fill every single second when they have the floor on stage. This is a mistake. Silence is what makes storytelling exciting. Lowering your voice can make people listen more and increase their attention, as they await the breakthrough information that follows the pause. Steve Jobs used breaks as well. Speech is silver, silence is golden.

It is a game of words

Although the presentation slides were more visual and words were spared, the words had to be all the more "hitting". Jobs used metaphors, worked with words playfully ( “1000 Songs in your Pocket” ) and wasn’t afraid to name competitors . Things had a sequence. The combination of visuals and Steve's storytelling created an unforgettable experience.

Practice, practice, practice “The reporter pointed out that Jobs had begun preparing the presentation weeks in advance. Jobs spent two full days of dress rehearsal before the big day.” [ Inc.com ]

And as always, it's about mastering. In the speeches of Steve Jobs, you hardly hear word fluff (um, hmm, well and the like). Walking across the stage, gestures, choice of words, timing when to interact with the audience – it's all a matter of constant repetition.

“If you want me to speak for an hour, I am ready today. If you want me to speak for just a few minutes, it will take me a few weeks to prepare.” – Mark Twain

I feel like these thoughts could be explored and elaborated further, but for now, we'll wrap up this section.

Wishing you a successful start to both the new week and the new month.

Enjoy your weekend!

Do you want to be seen? It is time to claim the spot here. 👇

Also, I want to thank my Affiliate partner Ugly Duckling who has helped me grow my Twitter (X). 🐤 If you want to be more interactive there too, look at it.

Ensure you follow me on X (Twitter) , Product Hunt , LinkedIn , and YouTube .

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Steve jobs: the world's most inspiring communicator.

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Image by Getty Images via @daylife

Thank goodness for YouTube.  If YouTube didn’t exist, business professionals around the world might never get Steve Jobs to see Steve Jobs in action, the corporate world’s most exciting and gifted communicator.  Steve Jobs raised the bar when it came to presentations.  They were simply astonishing. You cannot watch Steve Jobs unveil the iPhone in 2007 without wanting to blow up your standard PowerPoint (for the record Jobs uses Apple Keynote software but his presentation techniques apply to both PowerPoint and Keynote).

A Steve Jobs presentation doesn’t just deliver information.  It informs, educates and entertains.  When is the last time you had fun watching or delivering a presentation?  Steve Jobs has fun every time.  His funniest moments are too many to detail here (like the time when he crank-called Starbucks), but one moment stands out for me.  During his Macworld keynote in 2007, the slides would not advance.  They were stuck.  As the problem was being fixed, Jobs told the audience a funny story of a prank that his boyhood pal and co-founder, Steve Wozniak, would play when Jobs was still in high school.  It had the audience in stitches and reflected just how cool Jobs performs even when a presentation doesn’t go according to plan.

There are many components of a Steve Jobs presentation, which is why I wrote an entire book just on his presentation skills.  These are elements that I believe anyone can replicate to improve his or her own presentation.  But if you want to know why Jobs is considered the world’s most extraordinary and gifted presenter, watch the last two minutes of his presentation 1997.  Jobs had just returned to Apple after a 12-year absence.  Apple was close to bankruptcy and Jobs had just unveiled some strategic plans to get Apple healthy again.  Jobs paused near the end of his presentation and ended this personal and heart-felt observation.

“You always had to be a little different to buy an Apple computer.  When we shipped the Apple II, you had to think differently about computers.  Computers were these things you saw in movies, they occupied giant rooms.  They weren’t these things you had on your desktop.  You had to think differently because there wasn’t any software at the beginning.  I think you had to think differently when you bought a Mac.  It was a totally different computer and used a totally different part of your brain… I think you still have to think differently to buy an Apple computer.  I think the people who buy them do  think differently; they are the creative spirits in the world.  They are the people who are not just out to get a job done, they are out to change the world and they are out to change the world using whatever great tools they can get.  And we make tools for those kind of people.  I hope what you’ve seen today are some beginning steps that give you confidence that we, too, are going to think differently and serve the people who have been buying our products since the beginning.  Because a lot of times people think they’re crazy; but in that craziness we see genius and those are the people we’re making tools for.”

I get goose bumps every time I watch this segment and it’s the reason I’ll miss Steve Jobs the most.  I hope in his new role as Apple Chairman that he’ll continue to provide strategic vision for the company, but I can’t imagine that we’ll see as much of him during his new product launches as we did in the past.  A blogger recently asked me, “Why are you so obsessed with Steve Jobs?”  It’s true that I wrote two books on Steve Jobs and have written countless articles on his leadership skills, so it’s natural to assume that I’m “obsessed” with him.  But the truth is I’m not as obsessed with Steve Jobs as I’m obsessed with the communication of ideas and I have yet to find someone who can light up a stage like Jobs.

Steve Jobs was an extraordinary presenter because he didn’t sell products—he sold dreams instead and he inspired the best in all of us.

I recently gave a talk to UC Berkeley MBA students entitled The New Rules of Persuasive Presentations .  The information shared is based largely on principles I learned from Steve Jobs and others like him.  There is no doubt these principles will help you with your next presentation.  Here is a 20 minute excerpt taken from that talk.

Carmine Gallo is the communications coach for the world’s most admired brands. He is a popular keynote speaker and author of several books including the bestsellers, The Presentation Secrets of Steve Jobs and The Innovation Secrets of Steve Jobs . His new book, The Power of Foursquare , will be released by McGraw-Hill in October, 2011 Follow him on Twitter: carminegallo

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Steve Jobs' 3 Public Speaking Power Moves Remain Just as Relevant Today, 13 Years After His Final Keynote at the Apple Developers Conference The co-founder and former CEO of Apple knew how to get big ideas across to consumers and investors.

By Amanda Breen Edited by Jessica Thomas Jun 10, 2024

Key Takeaways

• Many people aren't confident in their presentation skills, but they're often essential for career success.
• In his last "Stevenote" in 2011, Jobs used several tactics that anyone can borrow to become a better speaker.

Although the thought of public speaking fills as much as 77% of the population with dread , it's often an inevitable fact of building a successful career, especially for high-profile executives who act as the go-between for their company or product and the rest of the world.

So it's perhaps not surprising that some of the most admired business leaders aren't just acknowledged for their visionary minds, problem-solving ability or decision-making skills — but for their presentation prowess.

Apple co-founder and former CEO Steve Jobs was one of them. Over the course of his leadership at the now trillion-dollar technology company , Jobs had to communicate effectively with an audience of consumers and investors — sometimes about ideas or products they'd never encountered before.

Related: I Attended an Ivy League University's Most Popular MBA Leadership Class and Learned How Steve Jobs Became a Better Leader in 10 Minutes

Thirteen years ago, on June 6, 2011, Jobs did just that when he gave his final keynote, colloquially referred to as a "Stevenote," at Apple's Worldwide Developers Conference . He took the stage to introduce iCloud, the service allowing users to store and sync data across Apple devices, to the general public for the first time.

Jobs used three public speaking power moves to make an impact with his last presentation, and anyone who hopes to improve their own communication skills — regardless of audience or subject matter — can learn from them.

1. Jobs always came prepared and understood that practice was the key to success

As Jobs started his presentation on iCloud , it was clear that he knew exactly what he wanted to say to his audience — yet was well-versed in it to the extent that it appeared almost off-the-cuff and effortlessly smooth. Of course, Jobs was the ultimate evangelist for Apple products, and that passion also helped convince listeners who were eager to hear what he had to say next.

Practicing the delivery of material under the same conditions you'll experience on the day of helps you "mimic" the feeling of the high-pressure moment and better prepare for success, cognitive scientist and president of Dartmouth College Sian Beilock told Entrepreneur in 2022. Accounts from people close to Jobs reveal he used that strategy.

Ken Kocienda, who served as a principal software engineer at Apple for 15 years and worked on the original iPhone, told Inc . in 2018 that Jobs wouldn't even wait for the presentation to be finished before he began rehearsing it in the auditorium on the Apple campus. Then, on the Saturday and Sunday prior to the event, he would do an on-location "dress rehearsal," clad in his trademark black mock turtleneck and jeans, and run through the whole presentation twice each day.

Related: How Steve Jobs Misled a Room Full of Tech Media and Changed the World

2. Jobs knew the story he wanted to tell — and didn't rely on overloaded slides to tell it

Jobs didn't just hop on stage and start throwing technical jargon at his audience. Instead, he told a story that allowed people to connect to what he was saying and better understand the product's implications. Studies show that if you share a story, listeners are often more likely to be persuaded, as you take them from one perspective to another, per the VMware Women's Leadership Innovation Lab at Stanford University .

During his final keynote, Jobs established the need for iCloud by first describing a relatable problem: the arduous process of moving photos, files and more across various Apple devices. Then, he unveiled the solution. With iCloud, people don't have to worry about moving photos from their phones to their iPads or laptops because the technology does it all automatically.

Throughout the speech, the slides behind Jobs only displayed simple images and minimal text. To demonstrate the simplicity of iCloud, the cloud symbol flashed at the top of the screen, with iPhones belonging to "Mom" and "Dad" below it; lines sparked from one phone to the cloud to the other phone, and vice versa, highlighting how the technology made a calendar event move seamlessly from one device to the next — to the crowd's applause.

Related: These 5 Steve Jobs Keynotes Will Inspire You to Better Sell Your Ideas

3. He didn't take himself too seriously, which adds an element of humor and builds trust

Jobs wasn't afraid to make jokes at his (and Apple's) expense. Before iCloud, the company rolled out MobileMe, a $99-a-year subscription-based collection of online services and software that launched in 2000 and was discontinued in 2011. It was one of Apple 's "rare product flops," with a difficult sign-up process, an initial delay that prevented people from accessing their data, and several outages, CNET reported.

So Jobs used it as fodder for his presentation . After giving an overview of iCloud, which read as a more sophisticated version of its flawed predecessor, Jobs quipped, "You might ask, 'Why should I believe them? They're the ones who brought me MobileMe." Cue uproarious laughter and applause.

Related: Steve Jobs' Most Famous Speech Is Totally Overrated. Here's Why.

Not only did Jobs' injection of humor lighten the mood and entertain the audience , but it also served a practical purpose: We know we messed up with MobileMe and that you're probably drawing parallels between it and our new product , Jobs essentially said — and that self-deprecating admission helped people trust that Apple really had done better this time.

These days, anyone remotely familiar with Apple products knows the company delivered on that promise — it might be hard to recall a time when the now ubiquitous iCloud didn't keep all of a user's devices in sync.

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Thank you for your submission., 9 sales presentation lessons from steve jobs’ iphone keynote.

Jonathan Costet

Written by Jonathan Costet

“Every once in a while, a revolutionary product comes along that changes everything …” 

Those were the now-iconic words spoken by then-Apple CEO Steve Jobs in his 2007 MacWorld keynote. 

This talk — well worth the 80-minute watch — was Jobs’ introduction (cough cough SALES PITCH) for the OG iPhone (aka, iPhone … aka iPhone 1).

It’s arguably the best sales presentation of all time, the GOAT if you will.

Hyperbole? Maybe, but Steve Jobs (and Apple) – no matter your feeling towards him or the company — have kinda sorta earned the right to hyperbole.

If you are an SDR/BDR or account executive (or anyone who does sales for a living), Jobs’ talk is something you must watch — and rewatch. It’s textbook for presentations, specifically ones that are sales in nature.

As you watch this Steve Jobs keynote (dare I say, Masterclass), be on the lookout for these 9 sales presentation lessons.

Sales Presentation Lesson #1: Demolish the status quo

“The most advanced phones are called smartphones (so they say).”

The problem, according to Steve Jobs? Smartphones are not so smart, and they’re not so easy to use.

He discusses this point around the 4-minute mark of his talk.

He says the current “smart” phones fall into one of the three categories: 

• not so smart
• hard to use, or 
• not so smart AND hard to use

It’s hard to imagine a pre-iPhone world, but the Treo, Moto Q, E62, and other cell phones were quite advanced for their time. They were pretty awesome.

But Jobs challenges that point. He shatters the status quo with a strong statement + powerful visual.

How this translates to sales: Instinct tells us to focus on the product’s benefits — (hopefully) positive and (relatively) easy to talk about.

But … focusing your message on the pain of the status quo is more persuasive than focusing on benefits.

If the status quo is no longer an option (iPhone > “smartphones”), your buyer is more likely to invest in the “new” option.

Accomplish this mindset change through the behavioral economics principle of loss aversion — humans will go to more extraordinary lengths to avoid loss than they will to gain benefits.

Loss aversion tugs on human nature. We will undergo 2x more effort to avoid a loss than to incur a gain . 

Example #1: It’s easier to convince someone to move away from a fire (loss aversion) than to move from a chair to a comfy sofa.

Example #2: People are more motivated to NOT lose $25,000 (loss aversion) than they are to earn $25,000.

Use this psychological bias to your advantage. Your close rates will bump up if you do it right.

Start by showing why the current situation is bad (see “Business School 101” graph above) and demolish the status quo.

Sales Presentation Lesson #2: THEN show the gain

You’ve talked about how the status quo is no more. You’ve got your buyer leaning in (captivated?), on the edge of their seat.

It’s time to show the gain your product or service offers.

Steve Jobs started every demo with some version of the following: “Now what if I wanted to do X? Here’s what that looks like…”

The “I” Jobs was referring to was him in the shoes of the customer. The “what that looks like” is the gain realized from the product/service offered.

Good sales presentations show what the product can do. Great sales presentations show what the customer can do (with the product).

To accomplish this, you must answer these three questions:

• What OUTCOME did the customer achieve?
• What ACTION did the customer take to accomplish this?
• What PRODUCT BENEFIT or INSIGHT made that action possible?

Here’s a sales template to get you started:

But you are not done after showing the gain. Not quite!

Sales Presentation Lesson #3: Keep switching between status quo and gain

Sales Tip #1 (status quo), then Sales Tip #2 (gain). 

Keep going back and forth between the status quo and the gain customers realize with your solution.

“Not the crippled stuff you find on most phones — these are the real, desktop-class applications.” About 9.5 minutes into his talk, Jobs comes back to the status quo, the “crippled stuff” … the industry-standard stuff yet is broken.

And then he hits the audience with the gain iPhone offers.

Status quo.

Back and forth. Back and forth.

Steve Jobs repeats this technique throughout the next hour+ of his talk. He keeps coming back to what he hates about the status quo over and over again to better tee up what he’s showing next.

In Nancy Duarte’s 2011 TEDxEast talk, The Secret Structure of Great Talks , she mentions this technique 6 minutes or so into her presentation (bold is mine): 

“At the beginning of any presentation, you need to establish what is. You know, here’s the status quo, here’s what’s going on. And then you need to compare that to what could be. You need to make that gap as big as possible because there is this commonplace of the status quo, and you need to contrast that with the loftiness of your idea. So it’s like, you know, here’s the past, here’s the present, but look at our future. Here’s a problem, but look at that problem removed. Here’s a roadblock; let’s annihilate the roadblock. You need to really amplify that gap. This would be like the inciting incident in a movie. That’s when suddenly the audience has to contend with what you just put out there: ‘Wow, do I want to agree with this and align with it or not?’ And in the rest of your presentation should support that.

“So the middle goes back and forth; it traverses between what is and what could be, what is and what could be. Because what you are trying to do is make the status quo and the normal unappealing, and you’re wanting to draw them towards what could be in the future with your idea adopted.”

The last sentence is the key. That’s your goal: “…make the status quo and the normal unappealing … what could be in the future with your idea…”

Sales Presentation Lesson #4: Lead with the “Oh S$#T” moment

There is no massive build-up, no long lead into the punchline. 

3 minutes into an 80-minute talk (3.75% of the way through!) Steve Jobs drops the iPhone name for the first time.

Too often, in sales pitches, there is a long lead-in, a huge build-up. We talk about our storied company history, our amazing customers, and so on.

Instead, flip your sales product demo upside down.

In this blog post , we share an example of a sales rep pitching a politician on building a new city on top of an empty plot of land in South Dakota. The example shows a typical sales demo.

The problem? It takes 20 minutes to get to the juicy stuff — what the city (in this case) will look like. 

Flipping the demo to lead with the result (a fabulous new city in South Dakota, a revolutionary smartphone called the iPhone) takes the guesswork out.

If done effectively, you’ve now piqued interest. It’s your job to maintain that interest throughout the remainder of your pitch.

Start with the outcome and allow the conversation to unfold from there naturally .

In the 3 million web-based sales product demos we analyzed using AI, we found winning product demonstrations mirror the same priorities raised during discovery calls, in priority order.

Start your sales product demo with the problem you spent the most time on during discovery, and go forward from there.

This is called “solution mapping” — helping guide you and your buyers by getting to the stuff that matters most first .

Sales Presentation Lesson #5: Obey the 9-minute rule

9.1 minutes.

For winning deals, 9.1 minutes is the average time to go through an introductory sales meeting presentation deck. 

This number is backed not only by Gong data, but also by science.

Humans are complex creatures, but we are also easily distracted. SQUIRREL!

A recent study showed the average human brain now has an attention span shorter than a goldfish . What? Every time I read that study … Mind. Blown.

In some instances, this 8-second attention span serves as an advantage , but it can be tricky when selling!

While our attention starts to wander after 8 seconds or so, as we mention here , neuroscientists have proven that our brains have a built-in stopwatch that stops around 9-10 minutes.

Notice how every 9-minutes or so, Steve Jobs introduces something in his talk to “perk up” the brain … to change the pace.

To command your customer’s attention, you must introduce a “brain-perking” change of pace, such as a new speaker, a video/live demo, or a dramatic story.

The first significant shift in the Jobs keynote is when he shows a video of the new iPhone in action. Notice he’s gone from talking with images only to sharing a live video.

Brain switch. Powerful stuff.

Jobs continues this “every 9 minutes” switch: Story to demo to story to demo. Jobs talking followed by (then) Google CEO Eric Schmidt talking.

This constant switching throughout the entire 80-minute presentation keeps the audience engaged.

Sales Presentation Lesson #6: Simplify your slides

We’ve all seen ‘em.

We’ve all been on the other side of a slide presentation that is full of words — words the seller reads VERBATIM from the slide.

It’s painful. It’s cringeworthy. It’s a colossal waste of (everyone’s) time.

Yet “busy slides” are still an issue for many-a-sales presentations.

Notice most of Steve Jobs’ slides (from more than a decade ago, mind you): 

• No lists with 17+ bullet points
• No paragraphs of words
• No fancy animations or wild things flying on and off the screen

Steve Jobs’ slides are — for the most part — a short headline + a single image. Each slide = one big idea.

P.S. We have a brand new Sales Presentation Template — for you, for free. Grab this fill-in-the-blanks template to create knockout sales presentations.

Sales Presentation Lesson #7: Load up on pronouns

a word that can function by itself as a noun phrase and that refers either to the participants in the discourse (e.g., I, you ) or to someone or something mentioned elsewhere in the discourse (e.g., she, it, this ). — Oxford Languages

Pronouns make things personal.

I. We. You. 

Jobs leans heavily on the use of pronouns. You can hear them peppered throughout all of his presentations. 

“Well, how do you solve this? Hmm. It turns out we have solved it. We solved it in computers 20 years ago. We solved it with a bit-mapped screen that could display anything we want. Put any user interface up. And a pointing device. We solved it with the mouse. We solved this problem. So how are we going to take this to a mobile device? What we’re going to do is get rid of all these buttons and just make a giant screen. A giant screen.”

7 “we’s” in a single paragraph!

He does the same with the pronouns “you” and “I.”

Gong has done some research on words and phrases top sellers use .

The best sales reps speak directly to buyers using the pronouns you, your, and your team 29% more often than their average and underperforming peers. 

A: “Users maximize their time with this workflow.”

B: “You’ll be more efficient with this workflow.”

Can you guess which seller closes more deals?

Users vs. You. A single word can have a significant impact.

Pronouns make the person (or team) on the other end feel more part of the conversation. Pronouns flip the script from generic, vague, and indirect to personal.

Pronouns allow buyers to visualize the product or the experience. It puts them in control.

Sales Presentation Lesson #8: Give signposts at the start

Step 1: Tell them what you are going to tell them. 

Step 2: Tell them. 

Step 3: Tell them what you told them.

Said another way …

Step 1: Preview your key points (“give pointers at the start”). Tease out the main idea.

Step 2: Share your key points and main idea — the meat of each section.

Step 3: Summarize (Sales presentation lesson #9).

Jobs spends a lot of time on Step 2, as any good speaker should.

However, he never misses the opportunity to preview each part of his presentation. He always starts by listing what he’s going to cover before just diving in.

30 or so minutes in, Jobs introduces the SMS section: “Now what I want to do is show you SMS texting” (Step 1).

Yeah, I know. The current smartphone has come a long way with SMS texting!

And then he does it (Step 2)— shows how texting works on the new iPhone.

Previewing upcoming content accomplishes two things: 

• It alerts the buyer “your question will be answered soon.” This allows them to focus on what is being shown instead of guessing what comes next.
• It creates a clear structure — a roadmap if you will. This section is focused; we aren’t just aimlessly meandering.

Note: It’s okay to be direct, “In this next section, I’m going to tell you about XYX.” It may sound a bit robotic, but better to err on the side of directness versus ambiguity and vagueness.

Sales Presentation Lesson #9: Get back to them at the end

When moving through a long presentation, it’s crucial to break things up every 9 minutes (see: Sales presentation lesson # 5) AND summarize what you covered.

Notice how when Steve Jobs wraps up a section, he often leads with, “So again …” This type of language signals, “I’m about to change chapters. Any questions before I move on?” 

He reviews and recaps what he’s just covered.

Jobs does this brilliantly while finishing the “iPod feature” section of his talk:

Note: While this slide appears to be counter to Sales presentation lesson #6 (Simplify Your Slides), it’s okay that he includes more words on this particular slide. After all, it’s a summary — a  takeaway slide — one that may be printed (or have someone take a picture of).

This summary slide check-in is essential.

Why? Gong data show that superstar sales reps are bombarded with questions during their demos compared to their peers .

In fact, top reps get 28% more questions from their buyers during product demos and technology-related discussions than “average” sales reps.

Pausing in between sections, summarizing what you’ve just covered, and allowing time for questions is essential to your success as a salesperson.

Our gift to you: Sales Presentation Template

Steve Jobs — love him or not — was one of the most talented business presenters of all time.

He balanced confidence and hyperbole with killer content and a style that kept his audience’s attention … for more than 8 seconds.

Take the 9 sales presentation tips from his 2007 iPhone keynote and incorporate them into your next sales presentation. 

Download our fill-in-the-blank Sales Presentation Template for some added flex, and start prepping your next product demo today.

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Presenting like Steve Jobs: Using 6 of His Proven Techniques – Here’s How It Works!

The art of presenting has gained transformative significance in today’s business world. A presentation is no longer just a sequence of slides; it’s a way to communicate ideas, establish connections, and inspire the audience.

When discussing inspiring presentations, the name Steve Jobs inevitably comes up. He elevated the art of presenting to a new level. Today, we’ll showcase the techniques Steve Jobs utilized and how you can apply them to your own presentations.

Who is Steve Jobs?

Born in 1955 in California, Steve Jobs is renowned as one of the co-founders of Apple. He is considered one of the m ost prominent figures in the computer industry.

Steve Jobs is equally renowned for his exceptional presentation skills . His presentations are enduringly memorable. They were not only informative but also captivating events that held the audience spellbound. His charismatic presence, persuasive rhetoric, and minimalist design fundamentally transformed the way we present.

Why Steve Jobs Is a Model for Successful Presentations

As the presenter of Apple’s products, Steve Jobs amassed a wealth of experience. Over time, he established a reputation as a master of presentation . Through specific techniques, he managed to do more than convey information; he left an impression, stirred emotions, and enthused the audience . His presentations were more than mere business demonstrations; they were powerful performances that captivated the audience.

Behind every “One more thing” by Steve Jobs lies an array of techniques with the potential to elevate presentations to a new level. His charismatic presence, storytelling prowess, and distinctive presentation style have set a benchmark for modern presenting. The way he engaged the audience and conveyed his messages has made him an exemplar from which presenters worldwide can learn.

The Impact of Steve Jobs’ Presentations on the Technology and Business World

The influence of Steve Jobs’ presentations extends far beyond the technology industry. The styles he used revolutionized entire presentation formats. His innovative approaches and techniques set standards that go well beyond the stage. His charisma, storytelling abilities, and captivating audience engagement transformed the understanding of what makes a compelling presentation, ushering in a new era of presenting.

Jobs’ presentation philosophy demonstrated that a well-crafted presentation is not just about conveying information; it’s an opportunity to captivate, inspire, and persuade the audience.

6 Techniques from Steve Jobs for Captivating and Convincing Presentations

Steve Jobs employed the following techniques to his advantage:

1. Simplicity and Clarity

Simplicity and clarity are crucial factors for all types of presentations. Nobody wants to hear complex content delivered in the most convoluted way. Steve Jobs had the ability to transcend complexity through simplicity.

He understood that cluttered slides and confusing information overwhelm the audience and blur the messages. Instead, Steve Jobs embraced minimalism and clarity by reducing his presentations to the essentials.

This minimalism was reflected in his slides, often composed of just a few words or an image that illustrated the central message . Focusing on the essentials also helps your audience understand your key points better and faster. Simplicity doesn’t equate to shallowness. Skillfully direct your listeners’ attention by operating in a minimalist manner and projecting only the most important messages to reinforce.

2. Storytelling

To keep your audience engaged, you should always use storytelling. Incorporating your content into a story using this technique helps maintain attention spans and convey your message more effectively. More in-depth tips can be found in the article “ Storytelling in Presentations .”

Steve Jobs also knew how to use storytelling. He was a true master of storytelling, taking his audience on an emotional journey . In his presentations, he built suspense by following a clear structure resembling a classic narrative: introduction, plot development, and a captivating conclusion . He also integrated personal stories, authentically conveying his passions and beliefs. This created a common ground with his audience and lent a human touch to his presentation.

He understood that compelling presentations should rely not only on facts and logic but also on emotions. Jobs appealed not only to the minds but also to the hearts of his audience.

If you also use storytelling, your audience is more likely to identify with the ideas you present . This means that you have a higher chance of generating sales or new customers. At the same time, storytelling creates an unforgettable presentation experience for your audience. And staying in their minds for a long time also leaves a good impression.

3. Visual Presentation Aids

Nobody enjoys reading text-heavy PowerPoint slides. Therefore, like Steve Jobs, you should always rely on supportive visual presentation aids. When used skillfully, these aids are not only visually appealing but also reinforce your messages and better reach your audience.

Such presentation aids can include images, videos, or graphics . Steve Jobs used these primarily to illustrate abstract concepts, demonstrate products in action, and evoke emotions. These visual presentation aids weren’t just for decoration; they were integral parts of the story he told.

4. The Art of Staging

Many presenters overlook this: a presentation is not just about compelling slides and a good delivery, but also about effective staging . One of the most captivating aspects of Steve Jobs’ presentation style was his masterful staging. Jobs understood that a presentation is not only about content but also about how it is presented.

His appearances were meticulously choreographed , from his stage entrance to the sequence of slides. Every step, movement, and pause was intentionally planned to captivate the audience and convey messages with maximum impact. He utilized silence and pauses to build tension, employed gestures and facial expressions to convey emotions, and mastered perfect timing to direct the audience’s attention.

You don’t necessarily need to be as meticulously planned as Steve Jobs, as that requires intense preparation and practice . Nonetheless, strive to be conscious of what you radiate, how you behave, and what reactions your actions evoke in your audience. A test audience is an excellent way to practice.

Tips for exuding confidence, appropriate body language, and conscious use of language can be found in the following articles:

• Body Language in Presentations
• Speech Techniques in Presentations

5. Innovation and “One More Thing”

You’ve probably heard of Steve Jobs’ “One More Thing.” It’s the hallmark of Steve Jobs’ presentation style. He managed to spice up his presentations with a touch of innovation and surprise . This distinctive technique, known as the “One More Thing,” was a masterpiece in building suspense and last-minute revelations.

Steve Jobs’ audience was familiar with this effect, and Jobs intentionally created expectations by leading his audience through the main presentation, only to deliver an unexpected bombshell at the end. In his case, the surprises were groundbreaking product announcements or innovative features that captivated the audience. With the “One More Thing” technique, Jobs adeptly engaged his audience and held their attention until the very end.

Like Steve Jobs, strategically place well-timed surprises to harness the potential to make a presentation unforgettable and leave a lasting impact.

6. The Right Conclusion

A convincing conclusion is crucial for any type of presentation. Avoid the usual “Thank you for your attention” phrase and aim for memorable presentation endings.

Steve Jobs’ conclusions were often powerful and unforgettable, leaving a lasting impression on the audience. He also employed the “One More Thing” technique to end with a surprising revelation that left the audience in awe. This technique not only generated excitement but also left the audience with a sense of wonder and enthusiasm.

Furthermore, Jobs’ conclusions always had a clear connection to his message or main theme . He summarized the key points of his presentation and emphasized the core messages once again. This technique helps your audience internalize and remember the most important key points as the presentation concludes.

For more helpful tips on a successful conclusion, refer to the article “ 20 Ideas for Your Presentation Ending .”

If you want to see a speech of Steve Jobs please have a look here . Use the english subtitles if needed.

Conclusion: Applying Steve Jobs’ Techniques Strategically and Convincingly

Follow the example of Steve Jobs and enhance your future presentations to be more engaging and persuasive. Apply the techniques we’ve presented and captivate your audience.

Do you have questions about this article? Feel free to reach out to us via email at [email protected] . We are here to assist you!

If you are looking for visually supportive and professionally designed slide templates, explore our shop. We offer a wide range of slides prepared for various (business) topics available for download. Visit our shop today! ► Shop

You might also find these articles interesting:

• Storytelling in Presentations
• Preparing Presentations: 11 Tips
• 20 Ideas for Your Presentation Ending
• Learning from Hitchcock: How to Deliver Captivating Presentations

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Before His Death, Steve Jobs Alluded to What Makes a Great Leader. It Comes Down to 1 Word

Steve jobs's awareness of his own mortality allowed him to inspire those around him..

As Steve Jobs once said, "Remembering that I'll be dead soon is the most important tool I've ever encountered to help me make the big choices in life." Jobs's awareness of his own mortality created clarity and allowed him to prioritize effectively and inspire those around him.

His reflection also called on leaders to embrace a virtue to make impactful and smart leadership decisions:  vulnerability.

It's difficult to feel like you must always be perfect or have all the answers. Today's leaders are dealing with so much complexity because of how quickly technology is advancing, all the shifts in geopolitics, and how connected the global economies are. 

Dana Maor, Hans-Werner Kaas, Kurt Strovink, and Ramesh Srinivasan, the authors of McKinsey's latest book, The Journey of Leadership , write that one of the answers lies within the simplicity of being yourself. They offer a refreshing perspective: Authentic leadership thrives on vulnerability. Steve Jobs would agree.

Getting in touch with your emotions

According to the authors, vulnerability lets leaders access their feelings and identify the often unrecognized patterns established earlier in their lives. By getting in touch with their emotions, leaders can recognize their triggers to skillfully manage periods of adversity and respond in a positive way.

Here are three practical ways today's leaders can embrace vulnerability:

1. Share personal stories

One of the most effective ways to demonstrate vulnerability is by sharing personal stories. Offering experiences--especially failures--can humanize leaders and make them more relatable. This approach helps to break down barriers and build a connection with team members. It takes courage to discuss personal failures, as one of the authors, Dana Maor, points out.

"By sharing personal failures and what they've learned from them, leaders show that it's OK to make mistakes," says Maor.

A prime example of this comes from Reeta Roy, the CEO of the Mastercard Foundation. Since 2008, she has headed one of the largest philanthropic organizations in the world, with about $40 billion in assets. By understanding who she is and having empathy for others, Roy has found the right balance between speaking the hard truth and being self-effacing. She is direct, clearly defines what needs to happen, and can deeply connect with people through personal stories.

2. Admit when you don't have all the answers

Trying to be perfect and constantly proving oneself as a superhuman leader can undermine teamwork and push people away. To build strong connections with others, it's important to be authentic and genuine in every situation.

"In our interactions with CEOs, we emphasize the importance of spending time on personal growth over managing others' perceptions," notes Ramesh Srinivasan, another of the book's authors. "Leaders who can say 'I don't know' foster an environment where team members feel safe to express their uncertainties as well."

In The Journey of Leadership , there is a compelling story about a CEO who often corrected a member of the company's board of directors during meetings. After reflecting on this common occurrence, the CEO realized that the problem was that she felt she had to be seen as being right all the time. It had nothing to do with that director. Once she realized this, she was able to identify this trigger during meetings and set it aside for the good of the company.

3. Seek feedback and act on it

Being vulnerable allows leaders to invite valuable insights from colleagues, advisers, and friends. By putting up defensive barriers and acting secretively, it becomes difficult for others to connect with leadership.

"When leaders ask for feedback and make visible changes based on it, they show that they value their team's perspectives," says book author Kurt Strovink.

One action Strovink recommends is making a "to be" list, described in the book as a reminder of who one is and how they want to behave when they show up at work. A "to be" list identifies the human characteristics a leader desires to embody, and should also reflect feedback received from colleagues.

Steve Jobs's contemplation of mortality reminds us of the importance of vulnerability in helping leaders connect with their teams, build trust, and deliver good work. As The Journey of Leadership aptly demonstrates, vulnerability is not a weakness, but an everyday component of effective leadership. 

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Before his death, Steve Jobs told Bob Iger to retire from Disney and try to enjoy the good things in life: report

• The late Steve Jobs told Bob Iger not to stay too long at Disney before he passed away in 2011.
• Jobs said that Iger should retire so that he would still have time to enjoy the good things in life.
• Iger briefly stepped down as Disney's CEO in 2020 but returned to the top job in 2022.

Before dying of pancreatic cancer in October 2011, the late Apple CEO Steve Jobs told his counterpart at Disney, Bob Iger to start planning his retirement.

Jobs told Iger not to stay too long at Disney so that he would still have time to enjoy the good things in life, The New York Times reported in a wide-ranging story on Disney's troubled leadership succession.

The story, which was published Sunday, delved into the circumstances behind Iger's decision to step down as CEO in February 2020 and his eventual return in November 2022.

Representatives for Iger at Disney didn't immediately respond to requests for comment sent outside regular business hours.

In his 2019 memoir "The Ride of a Lifetime: Lessons Learned from 15 years as CEO of the Walt Disney Company," Iger said that he became good friends with Jobs after the latter sold his animation studio Pixar to Disney.

Besides joining the company's board of directors in 2006, Jobs was also at one point, the largest individual shareholder in Disney. Jobs, Iger wrote in his memoir, played a critical role in Disney's acquisition of Marvel in 2009.

"I asked him if he'd be willing to reach out to Ike Perlmutter, Marvel's CEO and controlling shareholder, and vouch for me," Iger said of Jobs' involvement in the Marvel deal .

"Later, after we'd closed the deal, Ike told me that he'd still had his doubts and the call from Steve made a big difference," Iger recounted. "'He said you were true to your word,' Ike said. I was grateful that Steve was willing to do it as a friend, really, more than as the most influential member of our board. "

However, Iger will likely not be taking Jobs' advice on retirement anytime soon.

In July 2023, Disney said that Iger's tenure as Disney CEO will run through 2026. Iger's contract was originally set to expire at the end of 2024 before it was extended for an additional two years.

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Notably, Iger said that his return to Disney was inspired by Jobs' own homecoming at Apple .

Jobs was fired from Apple in 1985 but made an unexpected return as CEO after Apple had acquired his computer company, NeXT .

"The person that I think most of, that I was fortunate enough to have observed very closely, is Steve Jobs," Iger said of Jobs in an interview with Time magazine published in April 2023.

Jobs, Iger told the magazine, had returned to Apple under "very different circumstances" than when he'd founded it. Iger said he'd "taken a lot" from Jobs' experience.

"One is when you are brought back, and you agree to come back, you have to do so with unbelievable enthusiasm, and not an ounce of hesitation," Iger said.

"And then you have to know very quickly what it is you're expected to accomplish and what it is you can accomplish. And then go at it with incredible resolve, incredible zeal, and incredible energy."

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