Watch Out When Using Excel Content!

I just read a blog post on Presentation Magazine where they asked several people for their best presentation tips.  There are 37 in total and number 25 is from Max McConnell, Division Director of Prompt Communications.   Max talks about embedding your excel spreadsheets into PowerPoint and the dangers of just cutting and pasting it.  Max suggests the following procedure.Edit->Paste Special and choose ‘Picture (Enhanced Metafile).  This places the excel data as a picture.  Failing to do this will transfer all the excel support files and you may be giving way too much information away.  It reminded me of a a true story. (more…)

There is a relatively new presentation tool out there called Prezi.  It is a different way of organizing your thoughts for presentations and presenting them in an interactive format.  While Prezi is cool because it is different, it is not the solution for bad presentations as some have made it out to be.  I have read some blog posts saying it is impossible to be boring with Prezi.  My answer to that is never underestimate the human potential.

(more…)

PowerPoint is often used when making a presentation.  I have sat through hundreds of presentations at symposiums, meetings, forums and conferences and I see the same template themes come up.  I asked myself why people choose to use the standard templates offered by Microsoft and why wouldn’t they try to be a little more creative?  Is it due to lack of time, training or courage?

(more…)

Conducting a SWOT (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities & Threats) Analysis is a common marketing tool in business today.  A SWOT is often done annually during the planning exercises for the next fiscal year.

(more…)

First things first.  In my opinion, never . . . .NEVER distribute your handout notes before you speak.  NEVER! (Was that clear enough?)  If you do that, you will lose a majority of your audience who will skim through the notes before you even start.  Then they will pull out their Blackberry’s and check their e-mail, play some silly game or tweet on twitter.  They will not be giving you their undivided attention, they will not be engaged.

(more…)

You are in your client’s boardroom and you have just finished giving your corporate presentation.  It went well.  You are feeling good about the meeting so far.  Then their executive V.P. looks at you as says, “That was a great presentation, do you mind if you have a copy of that so we can show other people in our organization?”

(more…)

I have been doing a lot of reading lately. Catching up on what some people are blogging about regarding presentations in general and PowerPoint in particular. While I find there are some great blogs that will give you sound advice on presentation preparation, storytelling, visuals and delivery; there are equally as many that are missing the point.

(more…)

In presentations, nothing makes a statement louder than silence.  If you have a statement that you want to drive home, make a point to cloak the statement in brief moments of silence. 

(more…)

You are making your sales pitch and everything is flowing smoothly.  You are getting great response from your client and they seem to be buying into your viewpoint.  THEN YOUR CLIENT THROWS AN OBJECTION AT YOU.  You stumble, your falter, you panic (just a bit).  You address the objection but the wind is now out of your sails.  Your concluding slides fail to carry the punch that you had hoped for.

(more…)

Non-linear presentations are really a valuable tool for cold calls as discussed in Chapter 2.  However, what about the regular sales call to an existing client? 

(more…)