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3 Leadership Qualities That Spice Up Corporate Presentations

Posted on by Rick E

Great leaders are the world’s most influential people. Presidents, CEOs and other senior-level executives are chosen for their leadership and charisma. These professionals know exactly how to handle both themselves and their colleagues. Since they understand how people generally behave, they’re able to manage them effectively.

But what do powerful leaders and persuasive presenters have in common?

Speakers Can Be Powerful Leaders

“Every time you have to speak, you are auditioning for leadership.” – James Humes

A good public speaker is also capable of being a good leader. However, it takes proper training and serious practice to be an effective presenter. While it’s true that skills can be acquired, having the proper attitude and behavior can make a bigger difference.

One’s character is more important than his abilities. A speaker can’t be at his best if he ignores proper ethical guidelines. This is why it plays a vital role in any type of communication: to build a meaningful connection and establish a good relationship with your audience.

While everyone can lead, not everybody can lead effectively. Here are three leadership qualities that speakers can apply when giving their presentations:

1. They Are In Control of Their Emotions

Presenters who are deeply conscious about how they behave and address their audience display full understanding and respect. They know what emotions to keep in check and what to project in public.

They’re also trained on how to properly handle negative feedback or ignore distractions that interrupt their performance.

As a speaker, you should learn the significance of being authentic while keeping a sense of professionalism. Playing to your passions also helps you control your presentation’s flow and finish it successfully.

2. They Are Competent

Leaders captivate listeners and possess skills that inspire their colleagues or constituents. They can’t do this alone, so they also have effective management skills. This helps them spread their message farther, and accomplish their goals easier.

Presenters who know their strengths don’t undermine their colleagues. Given their proficiency, they still strive to improve their abilities and learn new skills. As a speaker, find time to develop your potential.

3. They Are Opportunity-Seekers

Presenters who want to be successful don’t settle for what they have. They aim for the best. They don’t hesitate to grab opportunities that’ll help them achieve their main goal – to connect with their audience. This will also allow them to successfully engage them and hopefully improve their lives.

As a speaker, you should know how to give your audience win-win situations to build strong relationships.

Conclusion

Like great leaders, effective presenters know when to be passionate and when to be professional. They are also aware of their skills, yet still drive themselves constantly towards self-improvement. Most of all, they don’t hesitate when given the right opportunities, and can turn any situation to their benefit.

Learning how leaders take advantage can be applied to your performance as a speaker. Use them as inspiration to enhance your skills for more powerful corporate presentations.

To help you with your presentation needs, let PowerPoint experts assist you!

 

References

Spence, Carma. “5 things great speakers and great leaders have in common.” Public Speaking Super Powers, October 12, 2012. Accessed June 9, 2015.

5 things great speakers and great leaders have in common

http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/quotes/j/jameshumes154732.html#higgLr8yW0bcHgQd.99

5 Sales Presentation Tips You Can Learn from Infomercials

Posted on by Rick E

An infomercial is a type of TV commercial used to generate sales and increase a product or service’s demand. It can last from two minutes to thirty minutes, offering a persuasive approach to influence viewers’ purchase decisions. Advertisers use this method to sell and leave its audience with lasting impact, convincing them to take action.

Besides AIDA, you can also rely on infomercial sales methods to capture your client’s attention and turn them into leads. Here are some techniques to include the next time you make your sales pitch:

Understand the Market

This involves presenting your audience with problems for which you have solutions. It’s important to position your product as something that’ll make their life easier and more convenient. People are continuously looking for something that satisfies their needs. This leads advertisers to find ways to take advantage and capture their attention and connect with them.

This is similar to how Alan Monroe’s motivational sequence views fulfillment of needs. Since people avoid the feeling of discomfort, they’re more likely to look for a solution that’ll help them feel at ease.

Show Striking Visuals

There’s nothing more effective than displaying powerful visuals and letting them speak for you. This is an efficient and effective approach that allows sales professionals to demonstrate how a certain product works.

When giving your sales presentation, use appropriate and striking images instead of walls of text to explain important information. Remember, a picture paints a thousand words.

Highlight the Client Benefits

Caring about your audience means prioritizing their needs over yours.

When you deliver your pitch, emphasize your product or services’ benefits to let them think that they need it. Focus on the results provided to generate interest.

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Include Testimonials

At first glance, people are more likely to share their opinions if a product is effective or if it’s worth buying. This involves showing your audience how customers share their experience when they began using the product or availing the service.

The Jones Theory is one of the sales impulse factors that convince your client based on others’ opinion of your product or service.

Inspire Action

Providing your audience with incentives shows a sense of urgency, convincing them to act immediately. Once you provide reasons that interest them, they’ll be convinced to act on their impulses.

Including an effective call-to-action takes advantage of the built up desire and increases your chances of positive results.

Conclusion

Applying these selling techniques from infomercials will benefit you and your audience. They allow you to satisfy their needs, while also helping your message get across. Open your presentation with a question that emphasizes their problems to get their attention. Keep their attention and complement your message with interesting and powerful visuals.

Keep them interested by concentrating on your product’s key benefits and unique features. Demonstrate your product’s value by showing them testimonials of satisfied clients. Encourage them to take action and take advantage of what you can offer with a top-notch Call-to-Action.

The next time you present, use these strategies to reel more clients in. To help you craft a more persuasive PowerPoint presentation, let SlideGenius experts assist you!

 

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References

“Monroe’s Motivated Sequence: Perfecting the Call to Act.” Mind Tools. Accessed June 10, 2015.
“The Sales Advice Website for Direct Salespeople.” Door to Door Salesman, 2015. Accessed June 10, 2015.
“Use AIDA for Persuasive PowerPoint Presentations.” SlideGenius, Inc. May 27, 2015. Accessed June 10, 2015.

Count from 6 to 10: A Quick Guide to Great Presentations

Posted on by Rick E

We’ve previously discussed how the numbers one to five can make your business presentations count. This was based off keynote speaker Stephen Boyd’s tips to create a presentation countdown. With our own take on it, let’s continue counting from number six to number ten.

6. Presenting after SIX o’clock P.M.

Business professionals work eight hours on a regular basis. After a long day, only a few stay later than six o’clock p.m. to polish their paperwork, web designs, PowerPoint slides, and the like. After all, we want to get back to our families and our lives, right?

Deliver your presentations as if you’re doing them after six in the evening. Embody the elements of fun, involvement, and learning to keep your audience awake. Treat your audience like close friends and family you’ve been longing to see. Sustain their interest from the beginning to end, no matter how late it is.

7. Seven Means Complete

According to the Bible, the number seven has three Hebrew roots: saba, shaba and sheba. These three biblical ideas are associated with oaths, perfection, and completeness. Whether you’re delivering a pitch to a potential client or discoursing a monthly report with co-workers, your PowerPoint presentation should contain complete data.

Providing evidence supports your argument or main idea. Maximize the use of graphs and charts, statistics, and other visuals for a more comprehensive discussion. Inevitably, your audience will have questions or clarifications which you can tackle in a Q&A session. However, it pays to address all of these possible questions from the beginning to make things easier for everyone.

8. Eight for Affinity

The number eight is drawn with two interconnecting circles. Lacking one circle, either at the top or at the bottom, means you have zero. Presentations are about making connections. Your business speech is useless without an audience.

Command interest by connecting with them on a personal level. You can best engage an audience by exuding a credible aura, by appealing to their emotions, or by challenging their intellect. Building networks after your business pitch is another way to solidify your core message, and get viable results as well.

9. Nine for Anticipation

Where there’s nine, an end is anticipated — nine is followed by ten, ninety-nine makes way for one hundred, and so on. Anticipating unforeseeable circumstances in your talk is a good presentation skill. Don’t make your audience tune out because you panicked or lost your train of thought. Always be prepared for whatever can go wrong in a speaking engagement.

Planning ahead increases your chances of foreseeing or dealing with such problems.

10. Perfect Ten

There’s no denying that the number ten connotes perfection. Ten is a rounded number, which is why our counting system is based on the power of ten. We rate things with one being the lowest and ten being the highest. Striving for perfection is the best mindset for succeeding in your business presentation.

Make sure that your PowerPoint design has the perfect font combo and title slide. Reinforce it with confident delivery and compelling content. Always aim for a deck that will get a perfect ten rating.

To Sum It Up

Use numbers six to ten as your guide for delivering fun, complete, engaging, planned, and perfect business presentations. Remember the importance of connecting to your audience, sharing complete and pertinent data, appealing to emotions, anticipating crises, and striving for perfection.

Need a PowerPoint deck to give you an edge? Check out our portfolio for inspiration, or contact our slide design experts for a free quote.

 

References

Boyd, Stephen. “Public Speaking By Numbers.” Speaking-Tips, August 17, 2011. Accessed June 10, 2015.
“Count from 1 to 5: A Quick Guide to Great Presentations.” SlideGenius, Inc. July 14, 2015. Accessed August 27, 2015.

PowerPoint Slide Design Lessons from Outdoor Advertising

Posted on by Rick E

According to creativity mentor, Luke Sullivan, there’s one requirement to great outdoor advertising, specifically billboards: It needs to be easy for a passing motorist to understand. This minimalist approach is a perfect fit for designing your PowerPoint slides. Reducing your deck to its basic idea gives you more room for creativity, letting you focus on impressing your audience.

Here are three things presenters can learn from outdoor ads:

Billboards Demand Simplicity

Advertising professionals recommend starting with outdoor advertising when planning a campaign. This is because of a recommended length of three to seven words for the whole layout.  The sparseness of text is because that’s all a passing motorist can read. You can make your PowerPoint slide design more understandable if you strip down your message to its core idea. If you do it right, your clients should be able to understand your message within the first two seconds of seeing it.

The short time frame saves you time explaining your content. This lets you get your point across faster and connect with your audience better.

Outdoor Ads Give Creative Opportunities

Depending on how you use them, presentation slide designs can give viewers new perspectives of ordinary stories or creative opportunities for interaction. The limited opportunity for explanation drives advertisers towards more creative ways to demonstrate key product benefits.

One example for this is 3M’s security glass ad, which featured stacks of money protected by the shatterproof glass. This gave pedestrians a chance to test how tough the glass is. As cited by brand communications expert, Carmine Gallo, this kind of interaction was also used when Steve Jobs distributed samples of the new MacBook’s unibody enclosure frame for his audience to see and touch for themselves.

Another example of outdoor ads giving a new perspective was the ambient ad campaign for MINI Cooper. Among the executions, the two themes (its small size and large carrying capacity) were highlighted with elevator stickers, airport luggage ads, and roadside ads.

Your Work Must Entertain Clients

As we said before, making presentations into a story keeps your audience attracted. This approach mirrors how advertisers strive for attention-grabbing installations. If you can apply this to your business or sales presentation, you can keep your clients entertained and avoid a boring pitch.

Doing this from a creative perspective requires you to look to your product, and sometimes, other competitors.  This is similar to how Volkswagen showed the benefits of its cruise control function. If you’re an industry leader or an upstart with a game-changing product, this is a good route to take.

Summing It Up

All these three tips rely on one thing, they need to be simple enough to be understood. Effective outdoor advertising uses as little words as possible to cater for motorists. This limit on text also helps inspire novel and unique ways to explain features and benefits.

To know more about getting great presentation ideas, take a few minutes to talk to a professional presentation design partner for free!

 

References

“Craft Your Corporate Presentations into a Great Story.” SlideGenius, Inc. May 15, 2015. Accessed August 26, 2015.
Gallo, Carmine. The Presentation Secrets of Steve Jobs: How to Be Insanely Great in Front of Any Audience. New York: McGraw-Hill, 2010.
Sullivan, Luke. Hey, Whipple, Squeeze This: A Guide to Creating Great Ads. 3rd ed. Hoboken, N.J.: John Wiley & Sons, 2008.

3 Exercises for Staying Calm During Investment Presentations

Posted on by Rick E

A professional setting calls for a professional approach. During vital investment presentations, you don’t want to seem nervous and fidgety, nor do you want to appear hyper and overbearing. Anxiety ruins your integrity as a presenter, as an uncontrolled wave of emotion could end up expressing the wrong message. What you need is a cool and calm approach that doesn’t get in the way of what you’re trying to say.

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Here are three tips to get you up to the task:

1. Empty Your Mind

You don’t want to be overtaken by your fears and anxieties. You also don’t want to be distracted by your overenthusiasm and excitement. To find a calm middle ground, empty your mind of present thoughts. Imagine an image from nature. Think of the quietly rushing water of a babbling brook or the wind blowing through a field. Imagine a loved one voicing encouragement.

It doesn’t matter which image you use to relax yourself, whether it’s specific or general. What’s important is that you do this well before your presentation. Practice clearing your mind and imagining relaxing thoughts repeatedly so that you’re ready to use these techniques when you need them.

2. Inhale, Exhale

Don’t forget to breathe. Sounds easy, right? Without even thinking about it, our body already does the breathing for us. However, steady breathing is harder to do when your body is stressing out.

Fortunately, some oxygen can help calm you down, especially when you’re feeling overwhelmed by your emotions or by a bout of the presentation jitters. Similar to when you’re in life-threatening danger, your body releases stress chemicals like cortisol and adrenaline, which increase your heart rate and blood pressure.

They may have helped our more primitive ancestors in outrunning predators, but they inadvertently make modern public speaking harder, increasing your chances of committing mistakes. Controlled breathing, among many things, optimizes your oxygen intake, making it easier for you to focus and think clearly. When you’re feeling nervous or anxious, just take one long breath, stomach out, and you’ll be fine.

3. Move Around

Motion changes your emotion. It’s not just some rhyme – it actually works. When you’re feeling overwhelmed by your responsibilities as a speaker, shift your stance or take a few steps in any direction. Making movements changes your perspective, helping you transition to a different state of mind.

If you’re frequently stiffening up due to nervousness, loosen your body up with some stretching exercises before a pitch, and move around during your pitch. Being mobile also allows you to better convey your message. In addition, effective use of body language communicates to your audience and to your subconscious self that you’re in control.

Conclusion

There are opportunities for you to let your emotions loose and be yourself. However, going overboard will make you look unprofessional and put a dent in your credibility. It can also confuse your audience into remembering your emotion instead of your core message. Freezing with nervousness will make you look even worse.

Don’t be hard on yourself if you find it difficult to present in front of an audience. Some nervousness is normal for important business presentations, but don’t be completely overcome with anxiety.

Instead of panicking even more, relax. Clear your mind of any present thoughts. The less you focus on worrisome possibilities, the more you can focus on actually getting your message across. Don’t forget to take deep breaths to optimize your oxygen intake and calm yourself down.

Lastly, move around, but don’t overdo it. Getting yourself in motion gives you a different perspective on things. Be cool, calm, and collected to ace your pitch and wow your listeners.

 

References

http://www.marionspeaks.com/_blog/Marions_Communication_Tips/post/3_Tips_to_Control_Emotions_When_Presenting/
http://www.pickthebrain.com/blog/3-surprising-ways-a-deep-breath-can-reduce-your-anxiety/
http://scienceblogs.com/neurophilosophy/2010/04/21/motions-influence-emotions/

 

Featured Image: “Relaxing in Maldives” by Nattu on flickr.com

5 Presentation Habits That Skilled Speakers Should Avoid

Posted on by Rick E

Professionals sometimes neglect minor factors while presenting, often thinking that they’re trivial.

However, they forget that these seemingly insignificant habits can make or break their presentation.

Though there are guidelines to remember when speaking in public, there are also negative practices that could ruin your performance.

Here are five practices that presenters should avoid:

  1. Oversmiling

Learn when to smile and when not to.

What are the advantages of smiling?

Smiling helps you build rapport and connect with your audience, while also reducing your anxiety and boosting your confidence as a speaker.

When shouldn’t you smile during your pitch?

Though almost a given, remember not to smile while telling unfortunate stories.

You can also use a neutral expression to show professionalism and respect, especially when you’re discussing sensitive issues.

Knowing your content also lets you identify what part of your pitch requires specific kinds of facial expressions.

  1. Depending on Memory

Know when to depend on your script.

For beginners, it’s advisable to use notes to help them remember their cues.

For experienced speakers, it’s better not to depend on scripts to appear more professional and prepared.

However, there are times when you have to return to your notes. You may need to refer to your references if you’re discussing a particularly complicated topic. This is acceptable, as long as you don’t do this too often.

Try recording your speech and listening to it, watching out for any lines that stand out to you. List down anything from your speech that sounds powerful. You can use these as guideposts for the best times to deliver your strongest lines.

  1. Overacting

You can add humor to your speech to lighten your audience’s mood, making them more responsive. You may use stories that require exaggerated body language that’ll definitely make your audience laugh.

However, when delivering a serious topic, be gentle when you dramatize. This’ll convince your audience to feel the deep emotions you’re portraying and emphasizing.

  1. Overusing Authority

Learn when to be enthusiastic and when to be serious.

You can entertain your audience by telling them irrelevant anecdotes and information, but this doesn’t get you anywhere closer to driving your big idea home.

Don’t use your authority to overly engage your audience with stories that have nothing to do with your main message. You might get them into a better mood, but they’ll fail to recall what you want them to learn and understand.

If you want to use stories, tell only those that support your core message.

Always get back to your presentation’s main objective.

  1. Asking Unplanned Questions

People often end up asking unplanned questions when they make a mistake or when an unexpected event arises.

This is most presenters’ last resort in regaining their audience’s attention, but this often causes them to neglect their original plan for their pitch.

Understand that you have different types of audiences; some are expressive, while others are straight-faced.

While asking questions is important, only include relevant queries to save time and avoid boring your audience.

Start by asking the right questions, that is, those that clarify important points so that your listeners can better understand you.

Conclusion

Great presenters often overlook some practices that disrupt their presentation’s success.

However, understanding these negative presentation habits lets you avoid them and develop a more effective presentation. 

Know when it’s appropriate to smile during your presentation. It’s usually fine if you’re talking about something lighthearted, but it’s better to put on a neutral expression when discussing controversial topics.

Though reciting your pitch from memory makes you look like a professional in your field, there’s no harm in referring to your notes in case you forget what to say next. It’s better to have a back-up plan than to fumble and be unable to recover at all.

Using different facial expressions can add an emotional punch to your points, but don’t overdo it or you’ll only look like you’re forcing it.

You may be tempted to tell your audiences all the interesting stories you have in your head, but only share those that actually have something to do with and support your core idea.

Finally, don’t ask unplanned questions or you’ll drive your discussion off-track. Always be prepared to ask the right questions to regain your audience’s attention.

Removing all these unproductive habits are guaranteed to make better, more engaging pitches that convert into sales.

To help you with your presentation needs, let SlideGenius experts assist you!

References

Genard, Gary. “For Public Speaking Success, Ask the Right Questions!” The Genard Method, February 24, 2013. Accessed June 9, 2015. http://www.genardmethod.com/blog-detail/view/69/for-public-speaking-success-ask-the-right-questions#.VXcdKs9Viko
Mitchell, Olivia. “The 5 Bad Habits of Experienced Speakers.” Speaking about Presenting, June 2, 2011. Accessed June 9, 2015.  http://www.speakingaboutpresenting.com/presentation-skills/bad-habits-experienced-speakers/
 

Featured Image: “Break” by Got Credit

3 Reasons Why Introverts Can Become Presentation Experts

Posted on by Rick E

Presentations aren’t only for extroverts who relish in collaboration and social encounters with the outside world. According to CRM specialist Russel Cooke, introverts are just as suitable for delivering a winning pitch. They have more processing time before they act, which can make for powerful presentations.

If you think you possess these traits, nourish them so that your business pitches produce positive results.

1. They Have Quiet Time

Introverts possess a different level of personal energy. Contrary to popular belief, they aren’t all antisocial hermits. Being an introvert simply means that you prefer to withdraw and recharge after a long day of interacting with others. This healthy amount of quiet time lets them reflect on events and opportunities, so they can more confidently execute tasks.

Challenge yourself to find alone time, like introverts do. Enjoy a little peace and quiet so you are in the right space to carefully plan your business pitch. This helps you prepare how to best convey your presentation idea to your intended audience.

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2. They Challenge Themselves

Since introverts are contemplative, they often recognize and accept their own weaknesses and limitations. They’re more likely to work on self-improvement because of their insightful nature. Follow the introvert way and achieve your biggest breakthroughs by challenging yourself to overcome adversity.

A speaker who faces challenges and improves his presentation skills has a big advantage over those who don’t. Presentation experts didn’t reach their full potential overnight. It requires great effort and deliberate practice. The good news is that anybody can do it, with enough determination.

3. They Listen Closely

This inherent trait is closely connected with having quiet time and challenging themselves. Introverts have a calm and meditative attitude, making them good listeners. They keep the balance of quiet time and self-improvement through attentive listening.

While quiet time works well when listening to an audience’s response, the desire for growth also happens after receiving clever insights or negative feedback that drive you to push your limits.

Conclusion

Just because extroverts are more outgoing and comfortable in a group doesn’t mean they’re superior presenters. Introverts are able to focus more because they’re comfortable with planning in silence. They’re also more introspective, ready to admit areas they can improve in, and willing to challenge themselves into becoming better people.

Finally, they can more fully engage audiences because, being naturally quieter, they’re able to attentively listen to what the crowd has to say. People with introverted traits can also make a name in the presentation industry.

Got a presentation requirement you need to work on? SlideGenius will be pleased to help you. Email us at info@slidegenius.com and we’ll contact you ASAP.

 

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References

Cooke, Russel. “Quiet Confidence: Why Introverts Make Great Leaders.” Small Business Heroes, October 13, 2014. Accessed August 24, 2015.
“No ‘I’ in Team: 5 Tips for Successful Team Presentations.” SlideGenius, Inc. August 24, 2014. Accessed August 24, 2015.

3 Ways USPs Make for Successful Business Presentations

Posted on by Rick E

Big ideas are important in business-to-business presentations. The stakes are higher, with both capital and profits on the line. Also called major selling ideas, they act as your pitch’s cornerstone, condensing your offer’s features, advantages, and benefits into an easily understandable and repeatable concept.

A Unique Selling Proposition (or USP) is a marketing concept that allows advertisers to demonstrate a product’s key effectiveness and guides their advertising campaigns’ tone, message, and overall execution. It’s the core that makes any big idea successful. Before stepping into the spotlight, take a step back and analyze if your product is memorable and unique enough to present itself. They may even guide you into becoming a better public speaker.

Here are three ways to use USPs to improve your business presentation technique.

1. It Demonstrates Appreciable Value

People tend to invest in or buy something that either has proven value or improves their daily lives. Examine your potential customers and, if possible, find out their priorities and motivations. Use this information to determine how to best package what you’re selling.

Similarly, focus on figuring out the ideal way of convincing them to buy in or invest. Knowing how your product improves lives is an important part of fine-tuning your message. During your pitch, assert how your product can make your customers’ lives better to grab their attention.

2. It Reveals an Inimitable Quality

Your audience has probably listened to countless unmemorable pitches. If you don’t play your cards right, you could be one of the many failed proposals, especially if you’re presenting to an established business. Pitch yourself as someone who can offer something that no one else can.

Advertisers research on possible competitors to determine their USPs validity and sustainability. Similarly, check out your rivals and figure out how you can get a leg up on them through presentation design. Having a unique and professional-looking deck is a surefire way to impress and engage.

3. It Displays a Strong Hook to Reel Them In

As we’ve discussed before, having the facts is only one part of getting your pitch done. It’s the same with your USP. Flex your creative muscles to craft what you bring to the table into a communicable, understandable, and sellable business proposal.

Package what you must share with your potential investors into a novel idea, and you’ll have the main ingredients to success.

Conclusion

Before you start selling your product, make sure that your product can sell itself.

Pinpointing your USP and fleshing it out requires some intensive research and inspiring creativity. Fortunately, it makes an untold amount of difference in making a simple collection of facts and sentences into an effective marketing strategy.

First, find out how your offer improves your target market’s lives. Second, show them what only you can do, which competitors can’t replicate. Lastly, present your product or service in a creative way. Start applying the concept as an approach to business presentations now and reap the rewards.

References

Belch, G., & Belch, M. (2001). Advertising and Promotion: An Integrated Marketing Communications Perspective (5th ed.). Boston, Mass.: Irwin/McGraw-Hill.
“Fine-tuning Your Presentation’s Core Message.” SlideGenius, Inc.. November 11, 2014. Accessed August 24, 2015.
Reeves, R. (1961). Reality in advertising. New York: Knopf.
“Unique Selling Proposition (USP).” Entrepreneur. Accessed August 24, 2015.

Featured Image: “Apples-Stand-Out” by Flazingo Photos on flickr.com

3 Things to Remember When Disaster Attacks Your Presentation

Posted on by Rick E

Most presenters’ initial response when accidents happen is to worry. They think that there’s no way out when they make mistakes. The same things apply to business presentations.

While some presenters prepare well before they speak in front of their audience, they may fail to account for accidents or delays in their presentation.

When Disaster Strikes

You’re now in front of your prospective clients, ready to deliver your most outstanding pitch. Suddenly, your laptop shuts down, or your PowerPoint slides freeze.

What will you do?

Continue.

It’s been said that “When the going gets tough, the tough gets going.” This means that when certain problems arise, don’t stop. Continue with what you’re doing and focus on your main objective. When you concentrate on delivering your presentation, you’ll eventually set aside your negative thoughts and feelings, allowing you to achieve your desired outcome without being distracted.

Being mentally present also helps you to focus on your audience and avoid getting interrupted by unexpected circumstances. Here are three things to recall when you experience unavoidable situations:

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1. Your Client Understands

When mistakes or accidents happen, it’s normal to feel bad about it. However, remember that your audience feels the same way, too. Understand that this can happen to anyone at any time. After all, there are no perfect presentations.

What’s important is that you’re able to maintain your composure during the pitch.

2. Your Client Still Wishes to Listen.

The reason why your audience attends your pitch is because they want to listen to what you have to say. There may be distractions that will prevent them from getting your message.

However, it’s your job to capture their attention and keep them interested.

3. Your Client Wants You to Continue

Your audience is on your side. Even if you make a mistake, they still want you to continue.

Don’t let these negative thoughts hinder you from delivering your message effectively.

Conclusion

Understanding these three things will help you attain your main goal: the audience’s attention. However, these shouldn’t stop you from planning ahead. Being well-prepared and staying focused allow you to properly manage possible disasters.

When that happens, remember: don’t stop. Just continue. You’ll feel better when you do.

To help you with your presentation needs, let SlideGenius experts assist you!

 

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References

Dlugan, Andrew. “The Only Thing to Do When Disaster Strikes Your Speech.” Six Minutes, March 18, 2010. Accessed June 8, 2015.

3 Ways Simplicity Gives Better PowerPoint Presentation Ideas

Posted on by Rick E

We’ve mentioned before that giving a presentation is similar to marketing and advertising. This is why you need a simplistic deck for better PowerPoint presentation ideas.

But what exactly makes what Cutting Edge Advertising author Jim Aitchison calls the “less is more” principle effective enough to make ad agency gurus and professional presenters rely on them? Why do professional presenters like those who give the TED Talks make better impressions?

There are three reasons why simplicity gives better presentations.

According to ad veteran Luke Sullivan, all of them rely on a principle made by one of the founders of the ad agency behind the famous Volkswagen ads: “…they won’t listen to you if you’re not interesting, and you won’t be interesting unless you say things imaginatively, originally, freshly.”

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1. Simplicity Gets Your Point Across

Aside from being able to sell effectively, Aitchison suggests that an ad needs to be understandable. This is the same requirement that every professional PowerPoint presentation needs in order to sell.

With simplicity, your sales pitch becomes more understandable, accurate and concise, letting you state your main point and tell your clients what they get out of your proposed product from the start.

2. Simplicity Cuts Through The Competition

Everyday, people are being bombarded with a clutter of advertisements. Clients face a similar situation with presenters. With all the other pitches to sit through, they need to sort through every potential partner’s gimmicks and extra bells and whistles.

With simplicity, you get to state what you can do, what clients get out of your offer and what advantages you have to outsell the competition.

3. Simplicity Gives More Creativity

With a simplistic strategy, you have more room to be creative and interesting. Once you know your product and your position in the market (be it an industry leader, an upstart underdog or a company playing second fiddle), start crafting your PowerPoint slide designs and your speech around highlighting your current strengths.

For example, do you want to highlight your achievements as the best company in the industry? Do you want to feature your advantages over the top companies? Do you want to introduce a new product’s advantages and benefits to the client?

It all depends on how you want to present your company to your client. One effective way to do this is to keep it simple enough to be interesting.

The Main Ingredient: Look To Your Product

Those questions are simple strategies that give room to let your presentation visual design ideas do the talking, a specialty of PowerPoint design professionals. The answer to doing all this lies in finding that one thing that makes your product interesting.

To know more about how to highlight your best ideas, take a few minutes to get in touch with us, all for free!

 

SlideGenius Blog Module One

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References

“Ad Agency Tricks: Outsell Competitors in Sales Presentations.” SlideGenius, Inc. 2015. Accessed August 21, 2015.
Aitchison, Jim. Cutting Edge Advertising: How to Create the World’s Best Print for Brands in the 21st Century. 2nd ed. Singapore: Pearson Prentice Hall, 2004.
Great Volkswagen Ads. Accessed August 21, 2015.
Sullivan, Luke. Hey, Whipple, Squeeze This: A Guide to Creating Great Ads. 3rd ed. Hoboken, N.J.: John Wiley & Sons, 2008.

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