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

What distinguishes your highest performing clients from the rest? What really accounts for their level of success?

I was recently asked these questions. Here's my answer:

My favorite clients know three things. First, they can engage their audiences. They don't just discuss and show data. Instead, they motivate by telling examples and stories, asking questions, and changing a presentation on the spot based on audience comments.

Second, my favorite clients design effective PowerPoint slides. They know when their presentations lack impact and ask for help in creating eye-catching, professional, and image-oriented slides. My clients understand that PowerPoint slides are not the center of the presentation-the presenter is. Most important, the logical structure of their talk enables them to present without slides. They frequently use one-third fewer slides than other presenters, starting and ending a talk with the focus on the person rather than the screen.

Third, my favorite clients practice looking and sounding confident. They say less and do it with more style, enthusiasm, and clarity. My high-performing clients are better than their competition, yet they spend less time preparing because they know exactly what and how to get ready for a talk.

	PRESENTERS: THE INTANGIBLES THAT MAKE A DIFFERENCE
	DESIGNERS: SOME OF MY FAVORITE POWERPOINT SITES
	DESIGNERS:  SLIDE REDESIGN TIPS
	MONTHLY CHALLENGE

THE INTANGIBLES THAT MAKE A DIFFERENCE

Now you have your presentation together and you feel good about it: but, as a presenter, is anything missing? Have you considered all the following issues?

Your clothes
Do you know what your audience will be wearing? Don't waste energy and stress yourself out wondering what to wear the day of your talk. Ask enough people to get the right answer. Are jeans with a fitted jacket appropriate, or a simple pants suit with gorgeous jewelry? Keep outfits assembled in your closet that you can just put on. Most of the time, wear something that fits in but is just a bit more dressed than the audience.

And when traveling, take an extra top or shirt just in case you spill something.

Your posture preventative plan
So many of my clients ask me to help them with their posture, especially after they see themselves on video. I tell them that you have to work on your posture before you stand up in front of an audience. You want to show up looking confident and not having to think about your body posture.

Consistent exercise is the only way to change your posture. I have danced most of my life, but also have done Pilates, yoga, and stretching classes. At the moment, I really am enjoying weight training via the cross fit method. I notice that even for me, my posture is better and I have an easier time sitting in my chair with a nice upright back and head.

Find something that works for you and do it. Consistency is the key to changing your posture. Some ideas you might want to check out are books on weight training and articles at http://www.ssymca.org/quincy/westcott/westcott_fitness_info.htm. For cross fit training, go to www.crossfit.com.

Your posture contingency plan
Here are two tips from a previous newsletter about what you can do when you are actually standing or sitting in front of an audience. This is a contingency plan, but even this you should practice before you present.

Standing and walking: Stand up and notice where you weight is in your foot. Notice how your chest feels. Now push your heels into the floor while keeping some weight on the front of your foot. When I do push my heels into the floor, I engage the back of my legs, my pelvis comes underneath me, my shoulders straighten and my stomach muscles engage. This is amazingly simple. When you do this, it is hard to feel nervous or anxious. Your body is up. Your chest is up.

Do the same thing when walking: use your heels. Feel the back of your legs.

Sitting: Sit the way you usually do and notice that you have to work to keep your chest up and your shoulders back. Now sit on your legs and not your buttocks. You will sit back in your chair and feel your buttocks against the back of the chair and your weight on your legs. At the same time, feel your feet on the floor and your heels pushing, or at least feeling the floor. Notice how your posture straightens up automatically.

Your diet
Every person is different. You know if you eat too many crackers and chips the night before a talk, that your mouth will be dry. You know that if you have a donut the day of a talk, your head will feel fuzzy. Or maybe a couple of glasses of wine the night before your talk will keep you awake.

Once you're on the road, it's hard to eat healthfully; so plan better. Take food that you can eat. Accept that your body has needs and provide them-don't just think about it. There are enough different ideas out there that one or two of them will work for you.

SOME OF MY FAVORITE POWERPOINT SITES

A frequent question is, "How can I learn more about PowerPoint?" I suggest you go to the following sites and click through all their wonderful pieces of advice. This information is from real people doing real designs in the real world. They know the secrets. Even if you spend only 15 minutes a week going to one of these sites, in a few months you will be surprised how much you will have learned.
www.echosvoice.com
www.ellenfinkelstein.com
www.terbergdesign.com and click on Publications for Julie Terberg's excellent articles for Presentations Magazine. She also has a list of resources.
www.indezine.com. Geetesh Bajaj tells you all about the latest products and reviews. And he gives away free templates.

SLIDE REDESIGN TIPS

Jennifer Root, a freelance graphic designer, designed these slides. See her online portfolio at http://www.jenroot.com/portfolio.html

Statements like this one are common on slides, but the way it is shown is hardly appealing.

Now the message stands out with a different graphic and emphasis on key company attributes. The title also stands out against a darker background.

All these arrows and floating text are difficult to read!

Now the process has a beginning and an end. Keeping the graphics all the same color is less busy and shows that all the processes are connected.

There is not enough variety in this slide. It is flat and the eye is not drawn to any one section.

With a different background and color scheme, the points now complement each other.

DESIGNERS
Practice some new tricks from the web sites I mentioned.

ANIMATION WORKSHOP FROM JULIE TERBERG

I have been working with Julie Terberg, a leading presentation designer. She presented again this year at the PowerPoint Live Conference. Julie is a fantastic designer and PowerPoint expert. Here is her announcement about her latest workshop.

Learn How To Animate With Finesse
Have you been struggling to understand PowerPoint 2003's Custom Animation tools? Still using simple wipes and fly-ins? Are you interested in taking your presentations to a whole new level so you can tell a story and not just have all the information on the slide at one time?

Here is what you will get from this one-of-a-kind 2-day workshop.

This is for: presentation designers who want a hands-on workshop.
What you need to bring: laptop and slides you want to animate.
What you'll be able to do when you leave:
Apply the new Custom Animation Effects in PowerPoint 2003.
Create animations that really get the audience's attention.
Use all sorts of tips and tricks for working more efficiently with PowerPoint.
Impress all those people who you make presentations for.
What this course is not: basic how-to-use-PowerPoint course.
Download a preview at: www.terbergdesign.com/animate/

Location and dates: to be announced.
Interested in attending: Please email Julie at info@terbergdesign.com
Interested in hosting a workshop: Julie will customize a session for your company.

What people said about her last workshop:

"I learned so much at the class ...and will be able to apply the techniques to various projects I'm working on. 'L' and I incorporated a few tricks we learned into our Walgreens project!

Thanks again for sharing your unbelievable knowledge with us!"