aaronvanston Presentation Notes
Generate speaker notes designed for natural, conversational delivery — not scripts to read verbatim.
Philosophy
- Riff from headlines — the slide is the prompt, not the script
- Add context verbally — explain the "why" that isn't on screen
- Tell stories — concrete examples land better than abstractions
- Acknowledge the room — react to the audience, don't just broadcast
- Land the key point — each slide has ONE thing to remember
Note Format
Speaker notes should be scannable prompts, not paragraphs.
Per-slide structure:
## Slide: [Headline]
**Key point:** [The ONE thing they must remember]
**Open with:** [First sentence or hook]
**Talk track:**
- [Bullet prompt 1]
- [Bullet prompt 2]
- [Bullet prompt 3]
**Transition:** [Bridge to next slide]
Example:
## Slide: Speed is a feature
**Key point:** Being fast isn't just nice — it's a competitive advantage.
**Open with:** "This slide captures something we keep rediscovering..."
**Talk track:**
- Every time we ship faster, customers notice and tell us
- Our competitors take months for changes we do in days
- Speed compounds — fast shipping builds momentum and morale
**Transition:** "So how do we protect that speed as we scale? That's what this next section is about..."
Notes by Slide Type
Statement slides — Focus on the story behind the statement: what led to this conclusion, what's the implication, why does it matter?
Question slides — Pause and let it land. Don't rush to answer your own question. Acknowledge the tension, then bridge to your answer.
Data slides — Contextualize the numbers: what story does the data tell? What surprised you? What would be concerning if different?
Section dividers — Keep it brief: quick framing of what's coming and how it connects to what came before.
Recap slides — Don't re-present. Touch each point quickly, add one synthesis insight, set up the "so what."
Delivery Cues
When relevant, include delivery notes:
**Delivery:**
- [PAUSE] after the question, let it land
- Scan the room before transitioning
- Good moment for: "Questions so far?"
Context Adjustments
Internal (team/company): More informal, reference shared history, challenge directly, be candid about what's hard.
External (investors/customers): Build credibility first, prove before concluding, leave room for questions.
Recorded/async: Tighter, less tangential, stronger signposting and transitions.