86.1% of presenters say presentation skills affect their career & income!

Distinction Communication Incs 2009 Presentation Impact Survey

101 Inside Tips for More Successful Presentations

Helping you make your next big presentation land with impact!
Gaininsightfromtopindustryexpertsandputtheircollectivewisdomto workinyournextbigpresentationopportunity! PlanningaPresentation TravelTips RehearsalIdeas PowerPointBestPractices UsingAnimation SalesPresentations BodyLanguage
Copyright

OvercomingAnxiety Handouts RoomSetup UsingSound&Video MessageShaping CrisisRecovery ProfessionalResources

CreatingInfluence DeliverySkills Storytelling Webinars Images&Artwork GettingFeedback andmuchmore

All rights reserved.

2010 Distinction Communication Inc. & TriMax Direct.

Did you know

peoplearegenerallymorepersuadedbywhattheymightlose,ratherthanbywhatthey mightgain?Orthatresearchclearlyindicatesthatawelltoldstorycanberememberedfor yearswhileyourbulletedPowerPointslidesareforgottenbythe timeyoureachtheendof yourpresentation? Thanksfordownloadingthisvaluablepresentationresource! DearColleague, Overthelastseveraldecades,presentershavebeeninundatedwithalluringadvertising messagespromisingpizzazz,dazzleandWOWfortheirnextbigpresentation.Wouldntitbe niceifthatwerepossible.Buttherealityis,despitethebreadthofnewtoolsandresources available,verylittlehaschanged.Presentersstillturnandreadslideafterslidewhiletheir audiencesdriftofftoLaLa Land.Bulletslidesarestillthedominantslideformatofchoice. Andpresenters messagesareoftentimesstillpainfullyselfserving,muchtothedistainof theiraudiences. Oneveryimportantcommodityseemstobelackingfromthepresentationequation wisdom.Insteadofgleaningsomeseasonedinsightfromthosewhohave pioneeredtheart ofpresentingbeforeus,mostseemtostrugglewiththesameold issues.Andfornew presenterstodaywhosecareerprogressisoftenafunctionofthequalityoftheirspeaking skills,therearetoofewvoicestocoachandmentortheminthisimportantlifeskillcalled presenting. ThiseResourceguiderepresentspracticalinsightfromtopindustryexpertsandputstheir collectivewisdomintoaneasytofollow,personalreferenceguidebrokendownbythe issuesthatseemtomeanthemosttopresenterstoday.
Tips PlanningaPresentation TravelTips OvercomingAnxiety Handouts Storytelling 16 711 1217 1822 2329 WebPresentations RoomSetup DeliverySkills&Resources UsingSound&Video PersonalInfluence BetterSalesPresentations RehearsingaPresentation ReadingRecommendations Tips 5059 6064 6570 7176 7784 8595 96101

PresentationMessageShaping 3036 GettingGoodFeedback PowerPointBestPractices 3740 4149

Sowhetheryourecrammingforamajorpresentation,partnerpitchorinternal meeting,wethinkyoullfindthese101tipstobeavaluableandtimelyresource. Makethemostofeverypresentationopportunity!

101 Inside Tips for More Successful Presentations

About the contributors

JimEndicott isanationallyrecognizedconsultant,executivecoachand
authorspecializinginprofessionalpresentationmessaging,advanceddesign anddeliveryskillscoaching.JimhasbeenaJesseH.Nealawardwinning columnistforPRESENTATIONSmagazineandhasalsocontributed presentationrelatedcontenttomagazineslikeBusinessWeek,Consulting, SellingPowerandthePortlandBusinessJournal.Jimandcoauthorand psychologistDr.ScottLeereleasedtheirfirstbookin2001,ThePresentation SurvivalSkillsGuide.(DistinctionPublishing). Distinction,Jimscompany,isaPortland,ORbasedorganizationthathelps theirclientcompaniescommunicatetheirhighstakespresentationmessages withgreatereffectandpersonalimpact. Distinctiondoesthatinthreekeyways:1)Theyworkwithanorganizations highprofilepresenterstohelpthemmoreeffectivelyexecuteon thepersonal communicationskillsneededtofosterdeeperlevelsoftrust,believabilityand credibility.2)Theycollaborateonstrategicmessagedevelopmentshapingit specificallyforthepresentationmedium.3)Andfinally,Distinctionsteamcan provideprofessionalpresentationdesignsupportsoimportantconceptsare actuallygraspedmorequickly.

JimEndicott,President Distinction www.distinctionservices.com jim@distinctionservices.com DistinctionCommunicationInc. 18340NERainbowLane Newberg,OR97132 503.554.1203

DaveZielinski istheeditorofPresentationXpertnewsletter,apublication
ofTriMax Directreadeachmonthby150,000salesandmarketing,human resourcesandcorporatecommunicationleadersseekingtoimprove their presentationdeliveryordevelopmentskills.Hesalsoacontributingeditor forTheToastmaster magazine,aswellasaformerawardwinningwriterfor Presentationsmagazine. DaveZielinski,Editor PresentationXpertNewsletter www.presentationxpert.com davez@presentationxpert.com ApublicationofTriMax Direct 106W.WaterStreet StPaul,MN55107 651.292.0165 www.trimaxdirect.com TriMax Direct,thepublisherofPresentationXpert,hasbeenmeetingthe needsofthebusinesstobusinessdirectmarketingmarketplaceforover20 yearsinlistmanagement,listprocessing,fulfillment,enhancements,and workingwiththebrokeragecommunitytosupplythebestandmost timely solutionstomeetcustomers'needs.TriMax pridesitselfonknowledgeof thebestpracticesindirectmarketing,qualitycustomerservice,integrityand accountability.

101 Inside Tips for More Successful Presentations

Planning a Presentation
1
Takeamomentajotdownthedifferentjobtitlesthatmaybein youraudience.Planning arelevantpresentationmeansunderstandingthechallengesthatkeepthemawakeatnight. Addressthoseeffectivelyandsuccesswillfollow. Beginwiththeendinmind. Createyourclosingsummaryslidefirstandthenbuildyour PowerPointtodrivetowardsthosecrispconclusions.Thislaserfocuswillkeepyour presentationfromwanderingdownnoncriticalrabbitholes. Applythe70%rule! Onlycreateenoughcontenttofill70%ofthetimeyouvebeengiven. Youwillneverfinishearlyandwillfindyourpacetobelessrushed,whileyoufocusmore effortonhowyouredelivering yourmessage notjustthemessageitself.Itwillalsoforce youtothinkaboutwhatsreallyimportant. Teampresentationscreateauniqueplanningchallenge.Determinethesefourcriticalroles forcontentdevelopment,slideassemblyanddelivery: Whowillplayteamleader? (Someoneneedstoinsurecontinuityasdifferentcontributors submittheirslides) Whowillopenandclosethepresentation? (Yourmostpassionateandarticulatepresenters) Whowillprovidethemoregranularsolutiondetail? (Whocanbecrispwiththedetails withoutgettinglostinthewoods?) Whowillbethelook&feel gatekeeper? (Withoutthissupportrole,thepresentationwill appeartobeapatchworkquiltoflooks,styles,capitalizationandimageintegrationinstead ofone,cohesiveidentity.)

Peoplewillnotusuallyrememberwhatyousay,buttheyalwaysrememberhowyou madethemfeel. Presentationsareoftenaboutchangingormovinganaudiencesbelief system;beliefsaboutyourabilitytoimpactthem,createchange,meetagoal,leador redeemachallengingsituation.Beforeyougettoofarintoyour planning,writedownyour thoughtsaboutwhatyouwantaudiencememberstothinkandbelievedifferentlywhen theyleaveyourpresentation.Thenmakeaplantocreatethefeelingyouhopetoleave themwith. Timeyourpresentationsoyoufinishfiveminutesearly. Mostpresenterscram60minutes ofcontentintoa60minuteblockoftimeanditneverfits.Theaudiencesfinalimpression ofyoubecomesthatofapresenterclickingrapidlythoroughslides,speakingatabreakneck paceandbeingpreoccupiedwithyourwatch. Instead,takethepressureoffandplantofinishafewminutesearly.Ifamiraclehappens andyouactuallymanagetoconcludeearly,youhavetwowonderfuloptions.Givethattime backtoyouraudienceknowingtheywillrememberyoubecauseyou weretheonly presenterinrecentmemorywholetthemoutearlyorofferupafewmomentsforQ&A witharelaxedsummarizationandclose.
101 Inside Tips for More Successful Presentations

Travel Tips
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AlwaysbackupyourpresentationonaUSBdrive,keepingyourpresentationandmedia filesinthesamefolder.Thenifyouhavetoswitchlaptopsbecauseofanemergency,drag thefoldertotherootlevelonthetargetcomputerandallyour medialinkswillstayintact. Carryasetofannotated6or9uphandoutstohelprememberkeypresentationpoints. Thiswayyoucanrehearseinajamwithouttheneedforyourlaptop.Presenterswhove snatchedaudienceravesfromthejawsofpotentialdisasterwill tellyoualittlecontingency planninggoesalongway.Payspecialattentiontotransitionslidestomaintaincontinuity. Tapeyourbusinesscardtothetopofyourlaptop.Similarlaptopscangetinadvertently switchedwhilegoingthroughairportsecurity,asurpriseyoureallydontneedwhenyougo tobootupyourcomputermomentsbeforeabigpresentation. Ifyouregularlyuseaudioorvideoinyourpresentations,travelwithanemergencybagof patchcordsandconnectors.Thatway,incaseofafaultycableoranunderequippedhotel AVdepartment,youhaveabackupplan.(Includeministereo,phono,and1/4 jack adaptors.) Ifyourecheckingluggageanddonthaveanadequatetimebufferbeforeyoupresent, besuretotravelinasetofclothesyoucouldwearinapinch.Jeansmaybemore comfortabletotravelin,buttheimpressionwillbelessthanprofessionalifyourluggage doesnotarrivewhenyoudo!

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Overcoming Anxiety
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Knowyourpresentationmaterialinsideandoutandpracticeuntilyouown it. This defusesabigchunkoftheanxietyunpreparedpresentersoftenexperience.Forevery60 minute,highstakespresentation,besureyoupracticenolessthantwohours.Youllneed evenmorerehearsaltimeifyourepresentingasateam. Setupasearlyaspossibleforyourpresentation. Lastminuteemergenciesoftenoccur (screeninthewrongplace,noAV,chairssetupincorrectly,projectorissues).Ifyoure sweatingupastormatthemomentyouraudiencearrives,youwillhavenorecoverytime andyourharriedeffortswillbeyouraudiencesfirstimpressionofyou. Takeabriskwalk. Bottledupadrenalineoftenturnsintonervousordistracting presentationhabits.Burnoffthatexcessenergyandthenreturn totheroominsufficient timetocenteryourthoughts.Thiswillequipyouforamuchmoreconfidentstart. Presentersusuallyfindthefirstfiveminutesoftheirpresentationsmostdifficult.While audiencemembersarecomingin, strikeupapersonalconversationwithseveralsothey areknowntoyouwhenyoustart.Establishwarm,initialeyecontactwiththoseindividuals andthenspreadittothosearoundthemtohelpyoueaseintotheimportantopening momentsofyourpresentation.Besuretonotgetfixatedonjust afewfriendlyaudience members.
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101 Inside Tips for More Successful Presentations

Overcoming Anxiety
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(cont.)

Oftentimesdisasters inourearlypresentationexperiencespredisposeusforfeelingsof inadequacy.Ourmentalprogramming oftenneedstoberewired. Ifthisisyou,takea fewminutestheeveningbeforeabigpresentation,closeyoureyesandmentallywalk through thefirstfewminutesofasuccessful presentationtobegintoreprogramyour oldthinking.IfitsgoodenoughforanOlympicathletewaitingatthetopofagiantslalomto mentallyskithecourse,itsgoodenoughforus! Getlostinyourmessage,notyourself. Ifyougetallwrappedupinwhetheranaudience willlikeyou,chancesaretheywont.Butifyouputallofyourfocusandnervousenergy insteadintoensuringyoudeliveramessagethatresonateswithaudiences,oddsareyour presentationwillsucceed.Bottomline:loseyourselfinyourcontentanddelivery,not whethereveryhairisinplaceoreveryverbalticeliminated,andyoullfindgestureswill naturallystarttofallinplace,therightwordswillcomeandyoullmakeapositive impressiononaudiences.

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Handouts
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Thebestpresentationvisualsmaketheworsthandouts. Presentersoftentrytosavetime bycreatingcomplexPowerPointfilesthatcanalsodoubleashandouts,butyouneedto thinkofyourprojected contentandyour printed orleavebehind contentastwodifferent animals.Thatsbecauseslidesaredesignedtobeskeletonoutlinesthatpromptthespoken word,nottellthewholestory,whilehandoutsnaturallyrequire moredetailandsupporting data. IfyouwillbeusingPowerPointasyourhandouts,createyourmorecomplexversionfor handoutsfirst,thendoaSaveAS versionwhereyoustripout80%ofthedetail,integrate moreimageelementsanddistilldowntextbasedinformationforyouractualpresentation.

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Besuretoincludeallyourcontactinformationonyourhandouts.Ifyouraudiencedidnt getabusinesscardfromyou,yourhandoutsmaybetheonlysourceofcontactinformation. Manyhandoutsendupbeingleftbehindbyaudiences.Tosaveafewtrees,createaPDFfile ofyourhandoutsandoffertoemailthem toanyoneprovidingyouabusinesscard.You mightalsoprovidethemasadownloadfromyourwebsiteandincludeaURLonyourfinal presentationslide. Provideabibliographyofwebresourcestosupportyourpresentationtopics.Todays audiencesactivelyutilizeInternetresourceslikearticles,blogs,slidesharingsites,Twitter accountsofsubjectmatterexpertsandothervaluableonlinetools. Formoreprofessionalleavebehinds,buildyourhandoutsinanMSWorddocument. Using theFile>SaveAsoptioninPowerPoint(andselecting.png fromthedropdownoptions), exportspecificslidesandpastethemintoyourworddocument.Thenaddmore comprehensivecommentary.ThePowerPointthumbnailgivestheman importantvisual reminderandtheWorddocumentenablesyoutoincludemorespokendetail.Theend result amuchmoreprofessionallookinghandout! 6
101 Inside Tips for More Successful Presentations

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Storytelling
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Heresasimplestorytellingformat forshapingstoriesthatlandwithimpact.
(FromDougStevensonsbookNeverBeBoringAgain)

SettheScene IntroducetheCharacters BegintheJourney EncounteranObstacle OvercometheObstacle(ornotobstaclesarentalwaysovercome) ResolvetheStory(Issuesdontalwaysresolve) MakethePoint(Yourstoriesneedone) Askthemakethemthink question

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Theresearchisin peoplewillforgetyourbulletslidesandrememberabrief,welltold story.Goodstoriesshouldbepracticeduntiltheycanbedeliveredintwominutesorless. (Evenifyouplanalongerstory,itwillbebetterwhenyouadheretothisdiscipline.)Without atimerestraint,storiesoftenmeanderandfailtogettotheir importantpoint.Also,avoid readingpersonalstoriesverbatim,sinceitsdifficulttomakethemfeelauthenticwhenread wordforword,evenforthemostaccomplishednotesusers. Thebeststoriescomefromourownpersonalexperiences,nottheretoldexperienceof others.Createapersonalstoryjournal ofyourlifeexperiencesandtheimportantlessons youlearned.Thenwhenyouneedagreatstorytotieinanimportanttopic,justpullastory fromyourpersonaljournal.Indexthembylessonslearned.(ie.GuysatBestBuy Makingthe
ComplexSimple.)

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Britishresearchhasshownthatpeoplewholiveout theirstorieswiththeirbody language andgestures are30%morememorable thanthosewhosimplystandandtell theirstory.Dontjusttellem astory,showem thestorytoberememberedlonger. Thebookendstoryprovidescontinuitytoapresentation. Startwithastorythatsetsthe contextforyourpresentation,butdontattempttoresolvetheissue.Deliveryour presentation.Thenclosewiththeopeningstoryandhowtheissue resolved.This approachtiesinyourpresentationelementsmuchmoreeffectivelyandinsuresyourfinal pointswillberemembered. Foragreatresourceontheuseofstoriestocommunicatevalue, cultureandother importantpoints,checkoutDavidArmstrongsclassicbook,ManagingByStorying Around: ANewMethodofLeadership.Itsahighlypracticalguideonhowtocreatestoriesthat makeimportantpoints. ConsiderusingthePhraseThatPays. DougStevenson,masterstoryteller,talksabout howgoodspeakersandstorytellerswilloftenintegratearecurringexpressionorphrase thatmayormaynotbeselfevidentduringthepresentation.Afterbeingusedfourorfive timesandbeinggivengreaterandgreatermeaning,itwillstick inaudiencesmindslong afteryourpresentationconcludes.Needagoodexample?PresidentBarackObamas speechfollowingthe2008NewHampshireDemocraticprimary Yeswecan!
101 Inside Tips for More Successful Presentations

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Presentation Message Shaping

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Thevastmajorityofpresentationmessagesintendedtopersuadeandinfluenceareoften presenterfocused.Savvyaudiencesquicklyseethepresentationforwhatitis more aboutthepresenterthanaboutthem.Heresaneasy7stepmodelforcreating presentationsthatconnectwithhearts&minds: 1)Identifythechallenge(Pain) 2)Quantifytheimpact(Morale,productivity,profits,turnover) 3)Specifytheneed(Need) 4)ProposetheSolution(Solution) 5)QuantifytheBenefits(Value) 6)Sellitsadvantage(Differentiation) 7)SubstantiateYourClaim(Validation)

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TheprincipleofRecencyPrimacysaysthatpeoplearemoreinclinedtorememberthe firstandlastfewminutesofapresentation.Forthatreasondontrushyouropening.Set expectationsquicklyandcreatemessagingcontextwithastory.Closewithawellpaced, singleslidesummaryandconcludingstoryrelatedtoyoursolutiontodrivehomeyour point.Spendatleasthalfyourrehearsaltimeontheopeningandclosingfiveminutes! Alterthenatureofyourpresentedmaterialeveryseventoeight minutes.Theprinciple ofhabituation meansourbrainsbegintocheckoutwhenthestimulusinfrontofus doesntchange.(Monotonevoice.Bulletslideafterbulletslide.Staticdelivery.)Using audienceinteraction,facts,audio,video,stories,propsandothermessagingvehiclesto constantlychangeupthestimuluswillkeepyouraudienceengagedandparticipative frombeginningtoend.Onesingleapproachguaranteesaudienceboredomandmessage detachment. Knowhowyourmessagingapproachimpactsyouraudienceandtheir responses: Factualmaterial (Text,data,charts).Usedtoprove,inform,justify.Generallyhasimpact onshorttermmemory,oftenengagesthedefensivepartofthebrainandhaslow persuasivevalue. Emotional/relationalmaterial (Stories,props,video,audiencediscussion...).Usedto move/restrainactionorbehavior.Impactslongtermmemoryandhashighpersuasive value.

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Onesizefitsallpresentationsrarelyconnectwithanaudiencebecauseofpeoples uniqueneedsandissues.Takethatcoreproductpresentationandusehyperlinkingto customizeyourapproachontheflytoyouraudience.Insteadofdraggingthemthrough 60minutesofpresentationmaterialthatonlytouchesonfiveminutesofrelevantneed, clickandjumpearlyontothematerialthatsimportanttothem.Youcanalsocharta numberofuniquepathsthroughthesamesetofslidesusingPowerPointsCustomShows option.Youraudiencewillthinkyoucreatedthepresentationjustforthem!

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Presentation Message Shaping

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(cont.)

Strivetomakethreepointsthatstickratherthan10pointsthatleavenolasting impression. TheRuleofThree isonethemostpowerfulconceptsincommunication,and holdsthatwecanonlyretainsmallchunksofinformationatatime.Presentershavea tendencytotrytowedgetoomanykeypointsintopresentations, makingthem unnecessarilylongorwordy.Identitythethreetopthingsyouwantyouraudiencetoknow. Then,asyoureshapingorrevisingyourpresentation,constantlyaskyourself,Isthisthe mostimportantissue,thebestexample,themostcompellingwaytomakemypoint? UseaLatitudeofAcceptance diagramduringplanningtolocatekeyaudiencebelief systemindicators.Forexample: Openminded____I_____I____I____I____I_____I____I____I_____Skeptical Itsunrealistictothinkyoullcreatemorethana1020%shiftinanaudiencescollective thinkingorcorebeliefsystems.Forexample,acompanythathasneveroffereda managementfeedbackmechanismbutsuddenlyofferspersonalluncheswiththepresident maybemetwithskepticism.Thebelief:managementisindifferent.Theapproach: incrementalmessagingovertimecreatesstepstowardsalongtermchangeinbeliefs.

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Getting Good Feedback

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InDistinctions2009PresentationImpactSurvey,69%indicatedtheyreceivedlittleorno constructivefeedbackontheirpresentations.Findsomeoneelseonyourteamtobea presentationfeedbackpartner.Honestandconstructiveinputiscriticaltobecominga betterpresenter.Hereshowtostructureyourobservations 3thingsyoudidwell.3 thingsthatwilltakeyoutothenextlevel! 86%ofbusinesspresentersbelievetheyareeffectivecommunicators.Only17%oftheir audiencesagreed. TheLeaderVoice.Selfawarenessisthekeytomeaningfulchange.

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Discretelysetupavideocamerainthebackofyournextpresentationandletitrun. Whenyouplayitbackduringaquietmoment,lookfordistractingbehaviorslikenervous hands,happyfeet,pacingorlookingbackatyourslideswhentalking.Simplybeingawareof theseissuesallowsyoutoworkononeortwooftheminyournextpresentation. Providinggoodinputtoothersisoftenadifficulttask becauseweoftenlackan understandingofafewfundamentalsthatdramaticallyimpacthow weareperceivedas presenters.Ifthatdescribesyouandyourteam,itmaybetimetoseekoutsomeoutside professionalassistance.Forideasonhowtofindagoodcoach, checkouttheDeliverySkills andResourcessectionofthistipsguide. Manycompaniestodayaremakingpresentationskillsapartoftheirannualemployee evaluationprocessbutdonthaveanyformalmeasurementtools. Checkoutthislinkfora PDFfilethatcanprovidesomehelpfulmeasurementquestionsfor aninternalemployee presentationskillsassessmentprocess.www.distinctionservices.com/assesspres.php
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101 Inside Tips for More Successful Presentations

PowerPoint Best Practices

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Goodpresentationvisualsaremostoftenstrikinglysimple andrequirethepresenterto addmostofthevalueandmeaning.Applythe7secondruletoyourslides.Itshouldtake youraudiencenolongerthan78secondstoscantheslideandreturntheirattentionto you,thepresenter.Morecomplexslidescanbeaccommodatedwith animationaslongas youbuildyourscreencontentin78secondsofscannable material. Animationissimplyanobjectinaction,buttheactingobjectshouldneverbetext. Objectscanmoveinyourpresentations,buttextshouldremainstationary.Consider selectingasimplenonmovinganimation(fadeinfast)fornearlyallobjectandtext animationelements.Keepinmindthisgoldenruleofusingmultimedia:Ifanactiononly servesitself,itisuselessbecausetheaudienceonlytakesinterestintheaction,andnotin theinformation. Considerhowmanytextslidesyoumightreplacewithamorevisuallystimulatingimage. BreakingawayfromanumbingparadeoftextonlyPowerPointslideshelpstokeepand sustainaudienceinterest.Oneslidewithapictureshowingtheimpactofatornadoona Kansashomewillcommunicateinfinitelymorethanadozenbullet slides.Showthepicture thenaddthespokencommentary.Thewindsassociatedwithalevel3tornadocandrive strawthrougha4inchpost.Anditcantossatwothousandpoundcaraquarterofamile. Thelessonhere:moreimages fewerwords. Bulletedtextslidesshouldbetalkingpointsonly,notusedasateleprompter Makeno mistake heavytextslidescanmakeeventhebestpresenterabulletreader. Hereare severalwaystoknowifyouruseofbulletedslideinformationhasrunamok. Areyourbulletswrappingaroundtoasecondline?Youreprobablytryingtosaytoomuch. Disciplineyourselftoedittextcontentdowntoaonelinetalkingpoint. Areyouusingsubbulletsorsubsubbullets?Thesearemostoftensimplyadditionaltalking pointsandshouldntbepartofyourvisual.Addingthiskindofdensetextcauses audience tocheckoutfast!Doyoutrytotalktoeverybulletontheslide?Cultivatetheartoftalking totheessenceoftheslide.Speakgenerallyabouttheprimaryfocusoftheslideandonlycall outabulletortwotomakeyourpoint. Doyourbulletsrundownthelengthoftheslide?Dontexceedfivetosixsinglelinesof bulletedinformation.Ifitsnecessarytotalktothemall,considersplittingthemupover severalslides,thenaugmentingwithrelevantimages.

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Rapidslidelayoutcanoftenbefacilitatedbyworkingfromhigh levelthoughtstomore granularpresentationslidedetail. Spendingalotoftimecreatingoneslideafteranotheris likemowingthelawnwhileonlylookingthreefeetinfrontofthemower.Thepathyoucut willmeanderjustlikepresentationmessagingoftenwanders.

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101 Inside Tips for More Successful Presentations

PowerPoint Best Practices

(cont.)

Createyourinitialtitlesideandyourconcludingsummaryslide first.Thenusingtheseven stepmodelintheMessagingsection,layoutonlyslidetitlesfortherestofthepresentation. (Nobodycontentatthattime.)Askyourself,doesthemessageflowwelltowardsthe conclusion?Thenoncetheflowisvalidatedwithtitles,begintoaddimagesordetailthat supportstheslidetitlebutkeepinmindthe7secondrule!Yourpresentationwillcome togethermuchmorequickly!

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Ratherthanastandardbluebackground,considerwhiteinstead.ManyWebsitesare designedwithwhitebackgroundstohelptext,graphicsandother designelementsstand out,andthesameapproachcanbeeffectiveforpresentations.Simple,unornamented backgroundshelpotherelementsofyourpresentationreallypop. Inaddition,as projectorshavebecomebrighter,itsnolongernecessarytoturnoffthelightsinrooms, avoidingtheproblemofhavingglaringwhitebackdropsindarkrooms. Badpackagingdestroysgoodmessaging. Whenwasthelasttimeyouboughtacaroran expensiveproductbasedonaflyerthatwascoveredwithdistortedpictures,typosand playfulclipart?Probablynever.Inthesameway,yourPowerPointpresentationneedsto exhibitthesameprofessionalstandardsfordesignthatareexpectedfromotherimportant toolsinyourorganization.(Thinkprint,website).Youcanputgreatmessagingintoavery amateurlookingtemplatesurroundedbypixilatedandblurryimagesandcompletely destroythepresentationsimpact.Youcantseparatemessageviabilityfromthequalityof thecontaineritsputin. Dontgetfontstylecrazy. Youmayhavecorporatestandardsthatincludesomeartsy fonts,butinthepresentationmediumthereareonlytwoconsiderations:readabilityand portability.Themostartisticcorporateseriffontsareoftenthemostdifficulttoreadona presentationscreen.EvenatraditionalTimesRomancancauseeyestostrain.Theother challengeisthatspecialtyfontsdontalwaysstayembeddedandstrangelinewrappingcan mysteriouslyappear.SticktothebasicslikeArial andspendyourtimeandenergyshapinga crispmessagesurroundedbycleanandrelevantimagery. TospeedPowerPointdesign,avoidtheblankslide syndrome. Oneofthebiggest challengestimestarvedpresentersfaceisfindingenoughtimetodedicatetoslidedesign. Soratherthanstartfromscratch,chooseaslidedesignthatalreadyworksandtailoritto meetyourspecificneeds.Thisworksbestwhenyouhavealibraryofgraphicscommonly usedinyourorganizationspresentations.Itseasiertostartwithanexisting,successful graphicandcustomizeitthantostartwithablankpieceofpaper.Ifnothingelse,your libraryofimageswillgetyouthinkingvisually.

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Web-based Presentations
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Dontusepollsjustforpollingsake. Makesurethosemultiplechoiceortrue/false questionsareintegratedwithyourtopic.Youmightpolltolead intodiscussionofanew topic,forexample,thenusetheresultstoguidetheensuingconversation.

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101 Inside Tips for More Successful Presentations

Web-based Presentations
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(cont.)

Visualsinwebinarsneedtobeevensimplerthanintraditionalpresentations.Audience multitaskingisyourbiggestobstacleinwebbasedpresenting,sokeepyourslidesvisually richandmoving(orbuilding)onamuchmoreaggressivetimeline.Neverspendmorethana minuteonasinglevisual.Ifyoufindyourselftalkingforthreetofourminutesormoreona singleslide,thatemailwindowonparticipants desktopswillbegintocalltheirnames! Vocalmechanicstakeongreaterimportanceinwebpresentations, sinceyourvoiceisthe primaryconduitofcommunication. Assuch,vocalimperfectionswilljumpoutandcall attentiontothemselves.Amonotonevoiceissimplytooeasyto tuneout,andspeakingtoo quickly,tooslowlyorarticulatingpoorlyareothercommonverbalviruses toavoid.Puton thatwirelessheadsetandstandandgestureasyoudeliverthepresentation.Youraudience willheartheaddedenergyinyourvoiceandmakeitjustthatmuchmoredifficulttoget distracted.Vocallyspeaking,youneedtobeanenhancedversion ofyourselfandthat meansemphasizingenthusiasm,clarityandwarmth. Tokeepyouraudienceengaged,changeuppresentationstimuluseverysixtoseven minutes. Movingbetweenelementslikepersonalstories,compellingstatistics,co presenters,highqualityimages,audioelements,linkstowebresourcesorbriefonline demosarejustsomeofthewaystokeepthingsinteresting.Also,webpresentationsshould bemuchshorterandmoreconcisethantheirfacetofacecounterparts.A60minuteface tofacepresentationshouldbecomea3540minutevirtualone! Trialrunsarevitalwithwebinars. Presentingplatformsvarysoitsimportanttodetermine theircapabilitiesupfront.Doesthewebinarplatformallowpresenterstousedual monitors?Howarepollingquestionsenteredintothesystem?How clearistheheadset sound?Makesureyouusethesameconnection,computerandheadsetinyourtrialrun thatyouwillusethedayofthepresentation. Nomatterhowzippyyourwebconnectionorthatofeachparticipant,thereisalmost alwaysaslightdelaybetweenwhenyoushowthenextslideandwhenparticipantsseethe slideontheirscreens.Thechallengeisyoudontknowwhenparticipantsareseeingthe newslideunlessyousetupasecondPConyourdeskandconnectthatPCasaparticipant. Thatway,youcanadvancetothenextslideandkeeptransitioningwithwhatyouresaying untilyouseethenewslideontheparticipantPC. Nowyoureexperiencingwhattheyare. Buildvirtualrelationshipsquickly. Putapictureofyourselfonyourtitleslideandleadoff withapersonalstorythatgivesthemsomeinsightintowhatmakesyoutickandwhyyoure passionateaboutyourtopic.Trustisalwaysabyproductofpersonalinsight. ConsiderusingWebcamsharingfeaturesbeforeandafterapresentation,soparticipants canconnectyourfacetothecontent,orduringthosetimeswhen youaskquestions.Consult yourwebhostingconsultantaboutthisuse.Youllwanttoavoidstreaminglivevideoduring thebodyofyourwebinarsinceitcannegativelyimpactthequalityofyourpresentation.

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Web-based Presentations
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(cont.)

Exercisecautionwhenusinganimationandhyperlinks. Animationsthatworkwellinone webinarplatformmightnotworkinothers.Andwhilehyperlinksmightworkinanormal presentation,theymaynotbeclickable incertainwebinarplatforms.Toavoidthelatter problem,considerplacingyourlinksintextchatwindows. LetyouraudienceknowupfrontyouwillbeprovidingaQ&Aopportunityattheend. Also,encouragethemtosendtheirquestionsviaemailforapostpresentationresponse.If questionspileupattheendofyourpresentationandarenotanswered,attendeeswillfeel theyreceivedlessvaluefortheirtime.

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Room Set-up
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Thepresenterisconsideredthemostimportantelementofapresentation,butthelocation ofthepresentationscreenoftensendsaverydifferentmessage.Thescreenisoftenplaced inthecentermiddleoftheroomforcingthepresenterintoacornerandsettingupanunfair competitionforyouraudiencesattention.Wheneverpossible,movethescreenintothe upperrightfrontcorneroftheroomtosendthemessageyouarethefocusofthe presentation,notyourvisuals.Theaddedspaceupfrontwillalsoallowyoutomovemore comfortablyandbetterengagewithyouraudience. Withoutavisualreferencetoseeyourslidesandconfirmslidemovement,itisalmost impossiblenottoturnyourattentionfrequentlybacktothebig screen.Thisconstant engagementdisengagementwithyouraudienceisoneofthemostcommoncomplaints audienceshaveforpresenters.Placeyourlaptoponachairortableinthefrontrowsoa briefglanceisallittakestogetyourbearings.Youwillappearmuchmoreincontrol. Themostdifficultroomsetupforconnectingeffectivelywithyouraudienceoccurswhen youaretrappedbehindanimpersonallecternorpodium.Importantbodylanguageis effectivelynegatedandyoureyeswillspendmoretimestaringdownatyournotesthan lookingatyouraudience.AlthoughmostAVdepartmentsdefaulttothisroomsetup, theyremorethanhappytoaccommodateapresenterwhowouldlikeawirelesslapel microphoneandthepodiummovedoffstage.Thebiggestreasontheyarenotavailable? Thepresenterdoesntask. Getsetupandreadytogoatleast30minutesbeforeyoupresent. Thenwalkthe availablepresenterspacetogetcomfortablewiththeroom,learnwherenottostandso youdontgetbetweenaudiencemembersandthescreenandmarkthesqueakyplaceson thestage.Nothingismoreirritatingthanarecurring,noisydistractionforyouraudience. Roomlightingcanoftenwashthecolorandcontrastfromyourpresentationvisuals. Cannedorflorescentlightingaboveyourpresentationscreenwillwashoutyourprotected images,leavingthemlessappealing,flatandwithmoremutedcolors.Youwillfindmost supportstaffhelpfulinsimplydisconnectingthatspecificfixturetomakeyourvisualspop onscreen.
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Delivery Skills and Resources

Beinganeffectivepresentertodayisnotaboutexecutingonabunchofhighlevelskills flawlessly,ratheritisaboutdoingjustafewsimplethingsconsistentlywell.Herearefour areastofocusontorefineyourskills:

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EYES Mostpresentersscantheiraudienceandrarelymakesustained, purposefuland individualeyecontact.Turnyourpresentationintoaseriesof oneonconversationsand youraudiencewillsenseamuchmorepersonalconnection. HANDS Nervousnessoftenexhibitsitselfinhandsfindingveryanxious thingstodo. (Clasping,wringing,clutching).Betweengoodgestures,developthedisciplineoflettingyour handsreturncomfortablytoyoursides.Itmayfeeluncomfortablebutwilllooklessnervous. Remember,youraudienceseyestraveltowhereverthehandsgo.Trynottoletyourhands getstuck formorethanafewsecondsandavoidkeepingyourarmslockedatyoursides asifyourelbowswerenailedtoyourribcage.Makegesturesbigandmeaningful. MOVEMENT Presentersoftenwillsaytheywanttobeperceivedaspassionate,energetic andenthusiastic.Unfortunately,mostdolittletomoveinwaysthatcreatethatimpression. Andiftheydomove,itoftenappearsasnervouspacinginstead. Practicecomfortable, relaxedmovementsbetweenthreespots center,leftandright.Thekeyisstayinglong enoughineachspotthatyouappeartobewellanchored.Considermovingwithslide transitions. VOICE Astrong,confidentvisualpresenceneedstobereinforcedbyastrong,articulate andvarieddelivery.Presentersareoftenthelastonestohearthenervousuhms and ahhs thatcreepintotheirconversation.Theseawkwardfillerscanbecomevery distracting.Recordyournextpresentationandsimplylisten,dontwatchit.Thebrainwill ofteninsertthesenervousplaceholders asitattemptstobuysometimetoaccess information. Trytobemoredeliberateinyourdeliveryandinsertnaturalpauseswhereyouretempted toinsertanuhmm.Striveforconversationalbehaviorandtoneinamonologuesetting. Dialoguebehaviorfeelsliketwopeopletalkingacrossakitchen table natural,comfortable andopen.

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Audienceswilloftenreflectbacktheenergylevelofthepresenterinfrontofthem.Ifyou arealowenergypresenter,youwillcreatelowenergyaudiences (andinteraction).Forthis reason,practicebringingamuchhigherlevelofenthusiasmtoyourpresentations.Itmay feelalittleuncomfortable,butthisenhancedleveloffocus,energyandconfidencewillhelp youappearmoreprofessionalandincontrol.Theaddedpassionwillnotbeviewedas phony,ratheranenthusiasmtheywillfindrefreshing.Theywill getenergyfromyou! Sometimespeertopeercoachingfailstoidentifyandresolvepresentationbehaviors.There willbetimeswhenyousimplyneedtoseekoutprofessionalpresentationskillscoaches. Theynotonlywillhelpyouidentifykeyissuesbutalsooffersomeseasonedinsightonhow toaddressthem.Lookforthesethingsinaprofessionalpresentationskillscoaching organization:
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(cont.)

Selfawarenessiscriticaltopersonalchange. Videotapingmustplayacentralroleinanycoachingexperience. Findacompanywithasolidtrackhistoryandcheckitsreferences. Anyonecanfillascreenwithclientlogos. Customizationforyourteamsneedsshouldbeastrongconsideration. Findsomeonewhounderstandsyourindustryandcantune trainingforyou. Trainingisneveracheckinabox itsanoutcome. Berealisticaboutthetimeitwilltaketocreaterealbehavioralchangeinindividuals. Knowhowtheywillprovideposttrainingsupport. Skillswillatrophywhenthereisnoreinforcementandnoaccountability.

Using Sound & Video

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Asmuchastodayspresentationtechnologieshaveevolved,technicalissuescanstillpopup. Whenusingintegratedmediaelements,understandthataudiofilesgenerallylinkor embed intopresentationsandvideofilesgenerallyonlylink. Alllinkedfilesmustalways accompanythePowerPointfileanditsalwayswisetokeeptheminthesamefoldersoPPT (orothersoftware)canfindthemmoreeasilyincaseofanemergencytransfer. Embeddedmediafilesarecontainedwithinthefilebutalsoincreasethenativefilesize accordingly.DontinsertaCDqualityaudiofilewhenalowerqualityaudioelementwilldo.

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Alwaystestvideolinksbeforeeachpresentation.PowerPointwantstocreatetriggers for embeddedvideobutitlimitsyouroptions.(Playwhenyouenter slideorplaywhenyou clickon thevideo)Toplayonanymouseclick(morepractical),deletethetriggerfrom CustomAnimationandADDEFFECT>MOVIEACTIONS>PLAY(onaclick.) Makesureyouknowhowaudioclipswillbeplayedfromyourlaptopduring presentations.(Yourownspeakersorhousespeakers?)Ifyourlaptopaudiois maxedout, youwillnothaveanoptiontoadjustvolumelevelsyourselfduringthepresentation.When testing,setyourlaptopaudiolevelat70%andletthesoundtechadjusttheexternalmixer forthehouse.Thenyoustillhavesomelaptopcontrolofhouse soundlevels. Tominimizehavingtomakemanyindividualvolumechangesfromyourlaptop,adjustaudio levelsforsoundandvideofilesinyourpresentationwithinPowerPointsotheyarethe same.ClickonthemediaelementinyourCustomAnimationmenuandselectasettingstab untilyouseeasmallspeakericon.Thegoalshouldbetosetallyouraudiolevelssothey soundtoyourearasbeingthesamelevel.
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Using Sound & Video

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(cont.)

Whenyoureplayingavideo,watchitwithyouraudiencelikeitsthefirsttimeyouve seentheclip. Ifyouappearboredordistractedbecauseyouveseenitamilliontimes before,itwilldevaluetheclipsimportanceforviewers. ManypresenterstodayplayexcerptsfromHollywoodmoviesduring presentationstomake points.Beawarethatthistypeofpublicviewing mayrequireasmalllicensing agreementtoavoidviolatingcopyrightlaw. Visitmplc.com tolearnwhenandwhereyou mustobtainaninexpensivelicensetokeepyououtoftroublewiththemoviemakers!

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Personal Influence
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Textanddataisrarelyinfluential.Makingalastingimpactonaudiencesrequiresalso appealingtotherightsideofthebrainwherelongtermmemoryresides.Thingslike personalstories,theuseofprops,audio&videointegrationor interactivegroupdiscussion arealltoolsforfosteringmessagesthatwillberememberedlongafteryourpresentation ends.Rememberthatwhatbringsdatatolifeistheemotionandrelationshipbehindthe information. Landmarkresearch(Iyengar &Lepper,2000)foundthatwhenweofferpeopletoomany choicesoroptions,itactuallymakesitmoredifficultforthem todecide.Inapresentation, ifweprovidetoobroadarangeofvariationsinourproducts,services,budgetsorother areas,decisionmakingbecomesmoredifficultforaudiences,not easier.Choiceisnot alwaysagoodthing.Limittheoptionsyouwantyouraudienceto consider! Areyoubetteratpointingoutaudiencepain thanarticulatingacrispsolution? Researchshowsthatunlessweofferupaclearandwelldefinedpathtoresolvetensionfor theissuesweveraised,wemayactuallybeparalyzing ouraudiencesdesiretotakeaction! Besuretoconcludewithsomeveryspecificthingstheycandotoresolvetheirpain. Psychologistscallittheprincipleofinoculation.Whenthereisapreexistingissuethatis knowntoyouraudiencethatthreatenstoderailyourpresentationmessage,tackleithead onearlytodefuseitsimpact.Forexample,Lastquarterwemissedanimportantproduct introductiondeadline.Butbecausewedelayedintroduction,wewereabletocreateabetter productthathasseveralimportantfeaturesourcustomersdesperatelywanted Ifyou donttakethisapproach,youcanbesuresomeonewillaskanembarrassingquestionduring Q&Athatwillbeyouraudienceslastimpression. Audiencesrarelyrelateverywelltopeoplewhocomeacrossastoopolished.And perfectionshouldneverbeourgoalaspresenters.Wearemostinfluencedbyauthentic peoplewhosharechallengessimilartoourown.Ourgreatestpositionofinfluenceisin comingalongsideouraudiences,notspeakingdowntothemassubjectmatterexperts.

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Personal Influence
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(cont.)

Peoplearegenerallymorepersuadedbywhattheymaylosethanbywhattheymaygain. (RobertCialdini,Influence:Science&Practice)Yetwecontinuetofocusonsellingtheupside ofourideasandsolutions.Understandingandarticulatingthepainaffectneedofanissue (beforeofferingsolutions),createsimportantcontextandisan effectivewaytohelpan audienceinternalizeaneededsolution. WhydidresponseratesgoupdramaticallywhenTVinfomercialschangedtacticsfrom operatorsarewaiting toifoperatorsarebusy,pleasecallagain?(RobertCialdini,Yes) TheansweristheprincipleofSocialProof.Whenmanypeople(justlikeyouraudience)are makingthedecisionwereproposing,theyfeelmoremotivatedtomakeasimilar decision. Inyourpresentations,utilizecasestudiesthatarecloselyassociatedwithyour audiencedemographictomovethemtowardsyoursolution. Tomoveahighlydiverseaudience(jobtitles,personalexperiences,variousindustries) aheadtogetherinitsthinkingordecisionmakingcanbeachallenge.Helppeoplefind commongroundasagroupfirst.Considerusinganaudienceinteractionquestionordata pointthataffectseveryoneintheroomandguidesthemtowardanacknowledgementof sharedexperiences.Thenrelatethattoyourtopicandtheaudiencesdifferenceswill becomelessimportanttothem.

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Better Sales Presentations

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Goodsalespresentationsshouldbemoreabouttheissuesthatkeepyourprospectawake atnightthanyourneedtoarticulateyourproductorservicefeaturesindetail. Prospects careonlyabouthowyoucanhelpthemsolveproblems,notthenewwhizbangattributesof yourproductorservice.Contentwithoutcontextismeaningless. (Seethe7 stepmodelin theMessagesection)Whenyoucansolveacustomerproblemorremoveapain,you becomearesourceinsteadofavendor. SalescallsdonotalwaysrequireaPowerPointpresentation.Anexploratorydiscussion withouttheuseofasinglepresentationslidewilloftenprovidetheinsightneededtoshape awelltargetedsecondcallpresentationthatbuildstrustmorerapidly inrelationships. Seatedpresentationsmaybethenormformanysalescallstoday, butinastudydonebythe WhartonSchoolofBusiness,whenpresentersstoodtointeractwithvisuals,flipchartsor props,buyers inthestudywereoftenmorelikelytobuy. Standingaddsmoreenergy andpresencetoyourinteractionwhenitcanbedonenaturally. Goodelevatorpitchesarentwhattheyusedtobe. First,elevatorsarealotfasterthese daysandsecondly,busyexecutivesareusuallyontheircellphones.Foracrispelevator pitchusethisformula:Personalintroduction.ThenYouknowhow (theissueorproblem companiesexperience),wellwe (yoursolutionanditsvalueproposition)andtheresults are (theimpactyourcustomersareexperiencing).Offeryourcardandasmile.
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(cont.)

Oftentimesagroupoftechnicalmanagersandexecutiveleadersaretogetherinthesame presentation,makingitdifficulttotargettheirspecificneeds andrespecttheirtime.Start thepresentationbylettingthemknowthatthefirst10minuteswillbeahighleveloverview ofyourproduct/service/ideaandthenyoullbetakingatwominutebreak.Ifparticipants receivedalltheinformationtheyneeded,theycanfeelfreeto leave.Iftheywanttodoa deeperdive,thenext30minuteswillprovideadditionaldetail. Everyonewillloveyou! Toomanysalespresentationsendbecausetheyrunoutofslides. Createasuccinct summaryslidetocloseyourpresentation,andknowitsslidenumbersowhenyour presentationiscutshortbythatdriver decisionmaker,youcansimplytypeintheslide numberofyourconcludingslide(inPowerPoint)andjumptoacrispconclusionandcallto action.Itwillmakeyoulookverypolishedandprepared! Wanttoknowhowtogettheattentionofseniorleveldecisionmakers? Findouthow theyaremeasuredintheirjobs(profitability,marketshare,campaignexecution)then targetyourpresentationtothosemetrics.Thatwillgreatlyincreaseyouroddsofgaininga followuppresentation. Mostsalespeoplehandoutcolorfulbrochures,slickflyers,andglossypostcardsabout themselvesandtheservicestheyoffer.Buttheserarelyprovidevaluetotheaudience,and oftenendupinthecircularfile.Thinkinsteadaboutofferingmaterialsthateducateoroffer insight.Distributewhitepapers,specialreports,publishedarticles,checklists,andtip bookletsthatwillhavealongershelflife,andkeepyouinprospects consciousness. Thinkaboutwaystoextendandrepurposeyourinpersonpresentations.Withtheriseof socialmediaandexpandingweboptions,presentersneedtolookbeyondtheroomwhere theypresenttogettheirmessagestopotentialprospectsandcustomers.Digital technologiesmakeiteasytorecordpresentationsandpostthemonpresentationsharing websites,andyoucanconvertPowerPointintovideotouploaditaswell.Youmightalso blogaboutyourpresentationtopics,thenprovidealinktorelatedpresentationsyouve made. Whenrespondingtoaudiencequestions,seektoturnloaded questionsintoneutral ones. Forexample,someoneinanaudienceofsalesprospectsmightask,TheresalotIlike aboutyourproduct,butwhyisyourpricesohighrelativetothecompetition? Asa presenter,seektochangethatto,Letmetrytoexplainhowwearriveatourprice structureandhowitactuallycreatesgreatervalueforourcustomers. Rememberthatyou andyours aretwoofthemostpleasingwordsintheEnglish language.Researchshowsthatthesetwopronounswillperkyouraudiencesearsasifit wereaGermanshepherdhearingitsbelovednamecalled.Thesewordstendtobeabsentin salesdemonstrationsthattrytoappealtoasbroadanaudienceaspossiblebyusing impersonal,cookiecutterlanguage.Butwhenyousayyou,yoursorevenyourcustomers name,youinvolveanaudienceasifitsparticipatinginthedemo.Insteadofsaying,here arethebenefits, tryhereishowyou benefit, andratherthansayinghereshowitcan boostabottomline, usehereshowitwillboostyour companysbottomline. Itsa simplebutpowerfulchange.
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Rehearsing a Presentation
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Makeadistinctionbetweenpractice andrehearsal.Practicemeanssittinginyouroffice oronanairplanereviewingyourslidesorscript.Rehearsal,on theotherhand,meansbeing uponyourfeet,usingthesamegestures,eyecontact,pacingandinteractionwith supportingvisualsyoulluseinyouractualpresentation.Toooftenpresentersoverwork what theyaregoingtosayduringpractice,andunderworkhow theyaregoingtosayit duringrehearsal.Peoplewhothinktheyneverneedtowalkthroughaspeechphysically usuallyarethosewhofallshortofaudienceexpectations. Spendasmuchtimerehearsingtheinvisibleasvisiblecontent.Mostpresentersspendthe majorityoftheirtimereviewingPowerPointslidesandothervisuals thevisiblecontent audiencescanseeandreadforthemselves.Theyspendfarlesstimepracticingtransitions betweenslides,personalstories,analogiesandelaborationofslidetext theinvisible contentthathasasbiganimpactonpresentationsuccessasPowerPointslidequality. Rehearsewhileyourpresentationisstillinaformativestage togetanearlysenseofwhat contentmightbetrimmed,modifiedorcondensed.Thatwayyoulllimittheamountof panickylatestageeditsorchangesyoullhavetomaketostaywithinatimelimit,switchup slideorderorwhenyourealizeyouveusedthreewordyexampleswhenonewouldsuffice. Consideraseparaterehearsaljustforyournonverbalconversation. Onceyourcontent isingoodshape,determinehowyouregoingtostand,tomove,andwhereduringthe speechyouneedtodowhat.Thisisntaboutgettingthewordsorpositioningperfect,but ratheraboutcreatingafeel forthespeechasanextensionofyourbody. Spend30%ormoreofyourpracticetimeontheopeningfiveminutesandconcludingfive minutesofyourpresentation.Ifyoudontestablisharapidconnectionwithyouraudience basedonpersonalstyleorcontentrelevance,youwilllosethem forthenext55minutes.If youdontwrapupandconcludewellbyleveragingacrispsummaryandframethe thought inarelationalcontext(oftenaconcludingstory),youwillbeforgottenbythetimetheyget backtotheirdesks.Dothosetwothingswellandyouwillbea muchmorememorable presenter. DontconcludeonaQ&Asession. Q&Acanbeagreattimeformessageclarificationand audienceengagement,butitalsorunstheriskofcreatingafinalunfortunateorawkward impression.Ifyouhaveanantagonisticorofftopicquestioner, heorshecantotallyderail theendofanotherwisegreatpresentation.Alwayshaveaprepared30secondwrapup commentafterQ&Athatsumsupthevalueyoudeliveredtoyouraudiencethatday.That wayyouwillalwayshavethelastword.

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Reading recommendations
Distinction Communication, Inc.

PresentationZen SimpleIdeasonPresentationDesignandDelivery GarrReynolds slide:ology:TheArtandScienceofCreatingGreatPresentations NancyDuarte PresentingtoWin:TheArtofTellingYourStory JerryWeissman MadetoStick:WhySomeIdeasDieandOthersSurvive ChipHeathandDanHeath ManagingByStorying Around:ANewMethodofLeadership DavidM. Armstrong ToolsofEngagement:PresentingandTraininginaWorldofSocialMedia TomBunzel TheLeadersVoice Clarke&Crossland BeyondBulletPoints CliffAtkinson TheLeadersGuidetoStorytelling StephenDenning MetaphoricallySelling:HowtoUsetheMagicofMetaphorstoSell,Persuade& ExplainAnythingtoAnyone AnneMiller SpeaklikeaCEO:SecretsforCommandingAttentionandGettingResults SuzanneBates Influence:ScienceandPractice RobertB.Cialdini HowtoMindReadYourCustomers:UsingInsightsfromPsychologytoIncrease SalesandDevelopBetterBusinessRelationships DavidP.Snyder NeverBeBoringAgain:MakeYourBusinessPresentationsCaptureAttention DougStevenson Talkingfrom9to5:HowWomen'sandMen'sConversationalStyles AffectWho GetsHeard,WhoGetsCredit,andWhatGetsDoneatWork Deborah Tannen
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Nationallyrecognizedexpertsin professionalpresentation messaging,advanceddesign, andcriticaldeliveryskillscoaching Formoreinformation on Distinctionsprofessional services www.distinctionservices.com Orcallusat503.554.1203

101 Inside Tips for More Successful Presentations