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Your
Presentation Success Is Our Passion
Present It Right...The First Time!
By the end
of 2006 you will have learned:
- 12 habits
of successful presenters
- 12 keys
to compelling presentations
- 12 ways
to save hours creating PowerPoint presentations
- 12 products
you need
- 12 case
studies of companies or individuals and how they improved their
presentations
- 12 design
aids
Presenters: Create a really strong opening -
and say it with enthusiasm!
Designers: Purchase Fixing PowerPoint Annoyances.
DON'T
BE SO SERIOUS!
Before one
of my classes I was talking to some of the participants. We were
all laughing and enjoying ourselves. The class started and when
it came time for one participant to give his introduction talk,
he became very serious. The man who just half an hour before was
laughing and joking now sounded as if he had never laughed in
his life. His voice was monotone, his face lacked expression,
and he never looked anyone in the eye. We were all surprised by
the transformation.
Even before
seeing himself in his presentation video recording, he was aware
of his problem. He said, "My colleagues tell me I should
be myself when talking, but I see I am not. I get very serious,
as if I may lose my job if I don't say just the right word."
Then he had a revelation. He said, "I believe I have to speak
every word just perfectly and make all my sentences be absolutely
grammatically perfect." This was even harder for him as English
was not his first language.
How did he
start looking and acting more like the person he usually is? He
found some places in his talk where he could smile. He blanked
out the screen and told a story to illustrate a particular situation.
He became more conversational and less formal, talking as if he
were sitting across from someone at lunch or coffee. And he took
the sentences off his slides, replacing them with phrases he could
use as speaking guides. Once he stopped reading his slides, he
immediately developed a more conversational presentation style.
His videos
showed the difference, and his colleagues encouraged him by clapping
every time he smiled or talked in an easy, conversational manner.
Letting go of having to "be perfect" in front of a group
gave him permission to smile, tell stories - and engage his audience.
HOW
ABOUT STARTING WITH SOMETHING INTERESTING?
How do you
begin your presentations? Do you open your talk by speaking to
your audience's interests or needs?
The first
problem with most presentations is the opening. Usually presenters
begin by reading an agenda slide on the screen. This is both boring
and insulting to the audience as they have read the points almost
before the speaker reads them. To make matters worse, the presenter
often makes comments like, "I will cover this later in the
presentation." Or, "You heard about this last week and
I just want to review it." Frequently speakers tell the audience
all about the topic while showing their first slide, so when they
actually get to the subject, it has already been covered in the
agenda.
Do not begin
by reading your agenda to your audience. Here are three possible
ways to start a talk:
- Discuss
three benefits the audience will receive by listening to you.
"When you leave today you will experience three benefits.
First, you will go from frustration to ease of use with this
program. Second, you will go from spending hours attempting
to set up a meeting to just minutes. Third, you'll have more
time to do your real work."
- Start with
the three key messages you want your audience to remember and
tell others. "Many of you here are not convinced that preventive
healthcare should be taken seriously. I'm here to tell you that
preventive health saves lives, reduces cost of care, and most
importantly, enables people to live healthier, happier, and
more productive lives."
- Provide
a high-level summary of your talk. "Today we are looking
at making a decision about the next step with Project Talk.
Right now the beta test shows some bugs in the system. Our desired
outcome is to start advertising the product in six months. We
looked at several strategies to reach that outcome, and concluded
that the best strategy is to put some more resources into moving
the project forward faster. Let me show you the rationale for
this decision."
USE
THE GUIDES TO LINE UP OBJECTS
Turn on your
guides:
View>grid
and guides>display drawing guides on screen
Using the
guides makes it easier to place your objects in a consistent location
on the slide. For example, place your images in the upper right
corner, lined up with the guides.
Duplicate
a guide by clicking on it and holding down the CTRL key. Then
set your guides vertically from top to bottom:
- 2.45 for
the title
- 1.97 for
the placeholder
- 1.42 for
the placeholder when there is a subheading on the slide
- 0 for the
center
- 3.33 for
the bottom
Set your guides
horizontally:
- 4.50 for
the left margin
- 0 for the
center
- 4.50 for
the right margin Try not to place text or images outside the
guides.
FIXING POWERPOINT ANNOYANCES
Julie Terberg,
a wonderful designer, told me about this book. I just received
it. There are so many things I love about this book. The author
talks about going from one version of PowerPoint to another and
the problems you will encounter. She sets up the "annoyance
question" and then gives an answer in a simple, clear understandable
manner. She has screen shots of PowerPoint so you can see what
she means. You will love this book if you have to use PowerPoint.
Fixing
PowerPoint Annoyances: How to Fix the Most Annoying Things about
Your Favorite Presentation Program
by Echo Swinford, paperback
GETTING
OVER PRESENTATION STAGE FRIGHT
Situation:
Days before his presentation, Joseph's stomach was in knots. He
could not sleep the night before. Sometimes he thought he would
pass out or throw up talking in front of his audience, only making
it through by reading his PowerPoint slides.
Real problem:
Joseph never gave enough presentations or took enough presentation
classes to get over his stage fright. He confessed that he also
did not practice out loud with colleagues before his talk. He
also never considered taking an improvisational acting class to
move beyond his fears.
First step:
Joseph took a class where he had to present seven times during
the two days. By the last presentation, he realized that he could
actually stand up and talk to people without feeling physically
ill. He also realized that when his content was logically organized
he could talk confidently and coherently.
Second
step: Joseph found a group in his town where he could go and
give mini-presentations on different subjects. In his company
he signed up to present at the lunch-and-learn sessions.
Third step:
Joseph signed up for a class on improvisational acting and was
surprised to find freedom in improvising in front of a group.
He realized that if he could get up, relax, and follow the flow
in acting class, he could do the same in a business setting.
Result:
A year has passed and Joseph is able to sleep all night before
a presentation. He actually looks at the audience as he talks.
He feels calm, yet energetic enough not to sound monotone or nervous.
Joseph realized that he just needed lots of practice in a variety
of supportive environments.
3D
TITLES MAKE YOUR POINT
Sometimes
you want to make a point visually, or make your key message slides
a bit more eye-catching. Look at 3D titles by CrystalGraphics.
They are easy to use and can give you that extra "change
of pace" you're looking for.
http://www.crystalgraphics.com/presentations/3dtitles.main.asp
Simply pick
a 3D animation, type your title (and optional subtitle) text and
voila! - you're done. Your personalized 3D title, along with other
artistic elements, will automatically animate together smoothly,
just like you see on TV.
Winning
Presentations Seminar. Public offering: November 7-8, 2006
Bring a presentation, redo it during class, learn to deliver it
with confidence, and convince your audience that you know the
subject inside out.
Creating
PowerPoint Presentations That Get Your Point Across
One-day seminar in companies.
This seminar is open to those who both create and deliver presentations,
or just to those who create. There is no delivery practice in
this class. Here is what you take away from this one day:
- Leave with
a redone presentation, backgrounds, formats, company template,
and company color scheme.
- Learn how
to create PowerPoint slides that enhance your presentation's
objective.
- Redo the
structure of a presentation using a format.
- Use the
"Total" Visual Checklist and the "Single"
Visual Checklist to improve presentation slides and content.
- Analyze
slide examples and understand the rationale for using and not
using certain PowerPoint features, such as animations and builds.
- Change
the pace of the presentation using images, graphical shapes,
and appropriate animations.
- Learn specific
PowerPoint features that create powerful visuals.
- Redo three
slides following the suggested conventions and standards.
Visual
Makeovers
Do you want your slides to be more professional looking? Do you
want your slides to convey the key messages of your talk? Learn
how to create slides that enhance your ability to present with
confidence and enthusiasm.
Corporate
Consulting: Presentation Performance Process for Your Company
or Division
Save days of time creating a presentation. Guarantee: put my process
in place and save at least 1/3 of the time you used to spend putting
together a talk.
My clients
include: The Gillette Company, Genzyme Corporation, CVS, Harvard
Medical International, State Street Global Advisors, Mercury Computer
Systems, Harvard Medical School, Blue Cross Blue Shield, Avid
Technology.
Presentation
Points may be forwarded via e-mail, printed for circulation,
and quoted free of charge. No permission is required,
but please mention where you got this information. Also,
it's perfectly acceptable to post Presentation Points
on your company's intranet. To subscribe to Presentation Points
or visit my website, go to www.wilderpresentations.com.
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