Your Presentation Success Is Our Passion
Present It Right...The First Time!

	PRESENTERS: 10 TIPS FOR INFLUENCING OTHERS
	PRESENTERS: CONQUERING A BAD PRESENTATION HABIT
	DESIGNERS: SETTING UP POWERPOINT WITH THE RIGHT FEATURES
	MONTHLY CHALLENGE

10 TIPS FOR INFLUENCING OTHERS

Do you want to be more influential in your meetings and when you stand up in front of people? Give yourself this quiz.

1. Approval of Content: I have talked to people who know this audience and have told me the interests of the audience. In fact, I checked with two people just to be sure I was getting the right advice.
2. Logical Flow: I have organized my talk in a logical sequence that is easy for this particular audience to follow.
3. Slide Details: I have cut out the details this particular audience does not need to know, or have heard so many times that they would be bored to hear about them one more time.
4. Executive Summary: I have a slide at the beginning that summarizes the major points of my presentation.
5. Summary Slide After Questions & Answers: I have a slide to show after answering questions. This slide summarizes my key points and the vision going forward.
6. Real Rehearsal: I have rehearsed my talk out loud and timed it. I even tried to rehearse in the room or some room similar to the one I will be presenting in.
7. Remote Mouse: I have a remote mouse, so I don't have to stand next to the computer and keep looking down to press the key that advances the slides.
8. Clothes: I look perfect for the role. First, I know the type of dress for this role: the right tie, the right jewelry for my face size, the funky looking pants, the perfectly fitted suit, shoes that are polished or maybe sandals and a pedicure . And I have worn the clothes at least once already so I know they stay buttoned, zipped, etc.
9. Presentation Behavior: I have had someone critique several of my talks and know the types of behaviors I need to enhance. These could include standing still, talking directly to each audience member at least for the count of three, pausing instead of saying "um," talking not too loud or too soft.
10. Attitude: I will get enough sleep and exercise the day before my talk, so I will have enough positive energy stored up for my presentation.

SETTING UP POWERPOINT WITH THE RIGHT FEATURES

I've been noticing that my clients need to turn some features in PowerPoint off or on to improve their presentations.

Edit the slide color scheme
Is the color scheme one you want? Do you like the fill color for AutoShapes? Use variations of color scheme colors for AutoShape images, charts, and tables.

• Go to Design>Color Schemes. Or depending on your version go to Format>Slide Design>Color Schemes>Edit Color Schemes>Custom Tab (PowerPoint 2002)
• The last four colors are the default colors for your charts.
• The fill color is the default color for all the AutoShapes you create.
• The accent and hyperlink color is the color to which your text changes when you create a hyperlink. Make sure it is a color the audience can read.

Put the Eye Dropper Tools on your toolbar

• Go to Tools>Customize>Commands. Under Categories, select Format. From the Commands list, select Pickup Object Style and drag it to a toolbar. Do the same for the Apply to Defaults command.

Set up and use guides
Create at least these guides: vertical center guide, horizontal center guide, margin guides, guide for a text placeholder. When you use these guides for pictures or images, they will all be on the same line or in the center of your slide.

• Go to View>Grid and Guides. Select "Snap objects to grid" and "Display drawing guides on screen." Click OK.
• To create a new guide, hold down the CTRL key, click on a guide and move it to the desired location.
• To move an existing guide, click and drag it.
• To remove a guide, click and drag it off the slide.

Turn on these toolbars, at least

• View>Toolbars. Select Standard, Formatting, Drawing, Picture, Tables, and Task Pane.

Turn off AutoCorrect

• Tools>AutoCorrect Options>AutoFormat As You Type. Uncheck "AutoFit title text to placeholder" and "AutoFit body text to placeholder." Now as you type your text won't keep changing size in the placeholder. I know this is upsetting to some of you to keep seeing your text change sizes as you type.

Use the Office Clipboard

• Go to Edit>Office Clipboard to see images you just pasted. You can then paste them on other slides very easily.

OPEN WITH AN EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

There is a saying we all have heard: "Tell them what you are going to tell them. Tell them. Tell them what you told them." An agenda slide does not tell them what you are going to tell them. You need an executive summary slide that gives the bottom line of the information you are about to share. Lately in my seminars, I rarely see this summary. My clients are always complaining that everyone is looking ahead in the handouts or without the handouts, they are asking questions that are covered later in the presentation. This is because people want to know the total picture of your talk, before the details.

I'm giving you some blank shell executive summaries to adapt to your own use. Remember, this is the high-level, top "chunk" of information you want to convey. It's as if you had only five sentences to convey the totality of your talk. Do this first, and your audience will feel relieved and attentive. They won't be waiting to hear the key results.

Of course, there are times when you don't want to share your results or "story line" until the end. You be the judge. For example, if you are sharing certain results from a survey and you want to build up to the key numbers, don't show them until you get to that point in the talk.