Tag: custom powerpoint

Tour of California 2017 and the Seven Stages of the Business Cycle

business

Business Cycle

CEO Tips

custom powerpoint

pitch deck

Rick Enrico

SlideGenius

Tour of California

May 15, 2017

The Tour of California is a professional cycling race that has been dubbed as America’s Tour de France. Debuting in 2006, the event is considered as one of the most important cycling races in the United States. Although it’s now held every year in May, it was originally a February affair. The change was made back in 2010 when organizers wanted to make the race a preparatory event for the Tour de France. The Tour of California typically covers 700 miles through the U.S. state of California.

This year, the cycling race will start on May 14 and cap off on May 21. It’s only a few days before the event officially starts, and excitement is already building around the cycling community. Kristin Klein said, “As the sport of cycling continues to bloom in America, the Amgen Tour of California men’s and women’s events are both part of the UCI World Tour for the first time, a privilege and designation reserved for the world’s premier’s races. This means the competition will reach an all-time high, with the best racers and best teams in the world lining up to take part.”

All this hype will surely attract the public’s eye. Indeed, as Klein noted, “The Amgen Tour of California is America’s greatest race, and this year more than ever, the world will be watching.” Cycling enthusiasts, athletes, health junkies, and casual fans alike will all be there to support the cause. But there should be one more group that ought to jump on the bandwagon: businessmen. That’s right—men in suits may seem like the odd-ones-out in a crowd of Lycra-shorts-wearing people, but they’re not far removed from the spirit of this occasion. In fact, the Tour of California cycling race may just be the new business metaphor that entrepreneurs, like you, need.

https://www.slideshare.net/SlideGenius/tour-of-california-2017-and-the-seven-stages-of-the-business-cycle

Resources:

Chen, Sheen. “What Are the Stages of a Business Lifecycle and Its Challenges?” Business 2 Community. March 4, 2014. www.business2community.com/strategy/stages-business-lifecycle-challenges-0798879#osr2aRkspuuKlDE5.97

Griffiths, Andrew. “If You Want a Solid Future You Need to Know Where You Are in the Business Life Cycle.” Inc. April 19, 2016. www.inc.com/andrew-griffiths/which-part-of-the-7-stage-business-life-cycle-are-you-in.html

Janssen, Thierry. “The 7 Stages of Business Life Cycle.” Just in Time Management. n.d. www.justintimemanagement.com/en/The-7-stages-of-business-life-cycle

Schilken, Chuck. “Amgen Tour of California Announces Routes for 2017 Race.” LA Times. January 31, 2017. www.latimes.com/sports/sportsnow/la-sp-tour-of-california-route-20170130-story.html

“2017 Tour of California Routes Announced.” Cycling News. January 31, 2017. www.cyclingnews.com/news/2017-tour-of-california-routes-announced

“Where Are You in the Seven-Stage Cycle?” Addison and Company. n.d. www.addisonandco.co.uk/the-7-stages-of-business

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Using Humor During a Pitch

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humor

Humor During Presentation

pitch

pitch deck

presentation

presentation tips

Rick Enrico

SlideGenius

May 08, 2017

Using humor during a pitch can be an effective way to engage your audience, lighten the mood, and make your presentation memorable. However, humor must be used carefully—it needs to be relevant, appropriate, and well-timed to avoid detracting from the professionalism of your pitch. When used correctly, humor can build rapport, ease tension, and make your message more relatable.

Here’s how to use humor effectively during a pitch:

1. Break the Ice and Build Rapport

Humor can be a great way to start your pitch by breaking the ice and creating an immediate connection with your audience. A light, non-controversial joke or humorous observation can set the tone and make your audience more receptive.

How It Helps:

  • Eases Tension: A little humor at the beginning of your pitch helps calm nerves (yours and the audience’s) and makes the environment more relaxed.
  • Builds a Connection: A well-placed joke or witty comment can establish a connection with the audience and make you appear more relatable.

Example: Starting a sales pitch with a humorous comment like, “I promise I’ll keep this short—shorter than my grocery list, anyway,” can set a friendly tone and make the audience more comfortable.

2. Use Humor to Illustrate a Point

Humor can be used to highlight an important point or concept, making it more memorable. A funny story or metaphor can simplify complex ideas and help your audience better understand your message.

How It Helps:

  • Makes Points Memorable: Humor sticks in people’s minds. If you tie a joke to a key message, your audience is more likely to remember that point.
  • Simplifies Complex Ideas: Humor can turn a complicated idea into something more digestible by using relatable, funny examples or analogies.

Example: If you’re explaining a technical solution, you could use a humorous analogy like, “Our software is like a GPS for your data—it tells you where you’re going, and it never asks for directions.”

3. Keep It Relevant and Audience-Appropriate

When using humor in a pitch, it’s important that it aligns with your message and is appropriate for your audience. Misjudging the audience’s humor preferences or making inappropriate jokes can backfire, damaging your credibility.

How to Do It:

  • Know Your Audience: Consider the demographics, background, and context of your audience. Tailor your humor to suit their sensibilities.
  • Keep It Professional: Avoid controversial, inappropriate, or offensive humor. Keep your jokes light, non-political, and non-offensive.

Example: In a business pitch, stick to industry-related humor, like, “This is the kind of solution that even your IT guy will love—and they never love anything.”

4. Time Your Humor Wisely

Humor is most effective when it’s well-timed and delivered naturally. Don’t force it into your presentation at random moments—use humor strategically to add emphasis or lighten the mood when necessary.

How to Do It:

  • Use Humor as a Break: After presenting a series of complex or dense points, a well-placed joke can give your audience a mental break and re-engage their attention.
  • Practice Delivery: Practice your timing and delivery to make the humor feel natural. The more naturally it flows, the more effective it will be.

Example: If your pitch covers a complex financial model, you could insert a light-hearted comment afterward like, “I know that’s a lot of numbers—don’t worry, there’s no pop quiz at the end.”

5. Use Self-Deprecating Humor Sparingly

Self-deprecating humor can make you appear humble and approachable, but it needs to be used sparingly and strategically. It’s important not to undermine your own expertise or the seriousness of your pitch.

How to Do It:

  • Keep It Light: If using self-deprecating humor, focus on small, harmless jokes that make you seem relatable without damaging your credibility.
  • Balance with Confidence: Make sure your humor doesn’t overshadow your message or make you seem unprepared.

Example: A gentle self-deprecating joke, such as “I’m no mathematician, but I promise these numbers add up,” can make you seem more approachable without undermining your competence.

Final Thoughts

Humor can be a valuable tool during a pitch, helping to break the ice, engage your audience, and make your message more memorable. When used effectively, humor can ease tension, simplify complex ideas, and build rapport with your audience. Just remember to keep your humor appropriate, relevant, and well-timed to ensure it enhances your pitch rather than distracts from it.

How Stage Presence Can Boost Your Presentation

custom powerpoint

pitch deck

presentation

public speaking

Rick Enrico

SlideGenius

stage presence

May 01, 2017

Stage presence is the combination of confidence, energy, and control that a speaker exhibits during a presentation. It’s not just about what you say—it’s about how you say it, how you move, and how you connect with your audience. Great stage presence can captivate and energize your audience, making your message more impactful and your delivery more memorable.

Here’s how stage presence can boost your presentation:

1. Builds Confidence and Credibility

When you present yourself with confidence, your audience is more likely to trust your message. A strong stage presence conveys that you are in control and knowledgeable about your subject matter, enhancing your credibility as a speaker.

Why It’s Effective:

  • Increases Trust: Confident speakers are seen as more trustworthy and authoritative.
  • Sets a Positive Tone: A speaker who appears confident sets a positive, professional tone for the presentation.

How to Do It:

  • Maintain good posture by standing tall with your shoulders back.
  • Use a calm, steady voice and make deliberate movements to exude confidence.
  • Rehearse your presentation multiple times to feel more in control of your material.

2. Engages the Audience

A presenter with strong stage presence is more likely to capture and maintain the audience’s attention. By using purposeful gestures, facial expressions, and eye contact, you can create a more engaging and dynamic presentation.

Why It’s Effective:

  • Captures Attention: Body language and facial expressions can make your message more interesting and engaging.
  • Creates Connection: Eye contact helps you build a connection with individual audience members, making your message feel more personal.

How to Do It:

  • Make regular eye contact with different sections of the audience to engage them.
  • Use hand gestures to emphasize key points and add energy to your delivery.
  • Smile or use facial expressions that match the tone of your message to convey enthusiasm or seriousness.

3. Conveys Energy and Enthusiasm

Your energy level on stage directly influences how engaged and excited your audience feels. If you appear passionate and enthusiastic about your topic, your audience is more likely to share that enthusiasm.

Why It’s Effective:

  • Increases Audience Excitement: Enthusiastic speakers can make even mundane topics feel more exciting and important.
  • Keeps Attention: High energy helps maintain the audience’s focus and prevents them from losing interest.

How to Do It:

  • Vary your tone of voice to keep your delivery dynamic and engaging.
  • Move around the stage with purpose—use the space to interact with the audience and convey energy.
  • Show passion for your topic by smiling, using animated gestures, and expressing genuine excitement in your voice.

4. Enhances Persuasiveness

Stage presence helps you deliver a persuasive message by making you appear more confident, credible, and passionate. These elements combine to make your arguments more convincing.

Why It’s Effective:

  • Strengthens Arguments: A confident, passionate speaker is more likely to persuade the audience to agree with their point of view.
  • Inspires Action: When you appear fully committed to your message, your audience is more likely to follow your lead.

How to Do It:

  • Use strong, assertive language to reinforce your points and show conviction.
  • Incorporate powerful gestures and movements to emphasize your most persuasive arguments.
  • Maintain an open, approachable posture to invite the audience to engage with your message.

5. Maintains Control of the Room

Speakers with good stage presence have the ability to command the room, keeping the audience focused and managing any distractions or disruptions that may arise. When you’re in control, you can steer the presentation back on track even if things don’t go as planned.

Why It’s Effective:

  • Reduces Distractions: A strong stage presence helps minimize audience distractions and keeps their attention on you.
  • Improves Flow: Speakers who remain calm and composed, even during interruptions, can smoothly navigate challenges and keep the presentation moving forward.

How to Do It:

  • If disruptions occur, address them calmly and professionally without losing your composure.
  • Use pauses effectively to regain control of the audience’s attention.
  • Stand firmly on the stage and project your voice to maintain authority over the room.

6. Makes the Message More Memorable

Stage presence enhances the delivery of your message, making it more memorable for the audience. Dynamic speakers who use expressive body language, varied vocal tones, and purposeful movement create a lasting impression that helps their message stick.

Why It’s Effective:

  • Leaves a Lasting Impact: Strong stage presence makes your presentation more engaging and memorable.
  • Amplifies Key Points: Using body language and voice modulation can help emphasize and reinforce the most important parts of your message.

How to Do It:

  • Use pauses, gestures, and movement to highlight key points in your presentation.
  • Incorporate storytelling, humor, or personal anecdotes to make your message more relatable and memorable.
  • End your presentation with a confident, memorable conclusion that leaves a strong final impression.

Final Thoughts

Stage presence is a vital element in delivering an impactful presentation. It boosts your confidence, engages your audience, and makes your message more persuasive and memorable. By mastering body language, voice modulation, and purposeful movement, you can elevate your stage presence and take your presentation skills to the next level.

Marketing Through LinkedIn: Tips and Tricks

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digital marketing

LinkedIn

Marketing

online marketing

pitch deck

Rick Enrico

SlideGenius

Apr 24, 2017

LinkedIn has become an indispensable tool for professionals and businesses alike. Whether you’re looking to network, promote your brand, or generate leads, marketing through LinkedIn offers unique opportunities to connect with decision-makers and grow your business. Here are some tips and tricks to help you make the most of LinkedIn’s marketing potential.

1. Optimize Your LinkedIn Profile

Your LinkedIn profile is often the first impression you make on potential clients, partners, or employers. Ensuring your profile is professional, complete, and optimized for LinkedIn’s search algorithm is crucial for effective marketing.

Why It’s Important:

  • Builds Credibility: A well-optimized profile establishes you as a credible and trustworthy professional or brand.
  • Improves Visibility: Optimizing your profile increases the likelihood of being found by people searching for your expertise or services.

How to Do It:

  • Use a professional profile picture and a custom banner that reflects your brand.
  • Optimize your headline with keywords related to your industry or services, and fill out the summary section with a concise description of what you offer.

2. Leverage LinkedIn Groups

LinkedIn Groups provide an opportunity to engage with professionals in your industry, share knowledge, and demonstrate your expertise. Participating in groups can help you build relationships, share valuable content, and promote your services in a less promotional and more organic way.

Why It’s Important:

  • Increases Engagement: Active participation in groups helps you connect with potential clients or partners.
  • Showcases Expertise: Sharing your knowledge and insights positions you as an authority in your field.

How to Do It:

  • Join groups relevant to your industry and participate in discussions by answering questions, sharing articles, or offering advice.
  • Avoid overtly promotional content—focus on adding value to the conversation and building relationships.

3. Use LinkedIn Ads

LinkedIn Ads allow you to reach a highly targeted audience based on job title, industry, company size, and other professional criteria. This makes LinkedIn Ads an effective tool for B2B marketing, lead generation, and brand awareness.

Why It’s Important:

  • Targets Decision-Makers: LinkedIn’s ad platform allows you to reach key decision-makers in specific industries or companies.
  • Increases Lead Generation: LinkedIn Ads can drive high-quality leads to your website, product, or services.

How to Do It:

  • Use Sponsored Content to promote blog posts, whitepapers, or webinars to engage your target audience.
  • Create Sponsored InMail campaigns to send personalized messages directly to prospects’ LinkedIn inboxes.

4. Share High-Quality Content

Consistently sharing high-quality, relevant content is one of the most effective ways to engage your LinkedIn audience and establish your brand as a thought leader. Posting insightful articles, industry news, and company updates keeps your network engaged and positions you as a go-to resource.

Why It’s Important:

  • Builds Authority: Regularly sharing valuable content helps establish your brand’s authority in your industry.
  • Engages Your Audience: High-quality content encourages likes, comments, and shares, increasing your reach and visibility.

How to Do It:

  • Post industry-relevant articles, how-to guides, and thought leadership pieces regularly.
  • Use LinkedIn’s Publishing Platform to write longer articles or blog posts directly on LinkedIn, showcasing your expertise to a broader audience.

5. Network with Decision-Makers

LinkedIn’s advanced search filters allow you to find and connect with decision-makers at specific companies, industries, or locations. Building relationships with these individuals can open doors to new business opportunities.

Why It’s Important:

  • Drives Business Opportunities: Connecting with decision-makers increases your chances of securing partnerships, clients, or job offers.
  • Expands Your Network: The more relevant connections you make, the more opportunities you’ll have to grow your network and business.

How to Do It:

  • Use LinkedIn’s advanced search to filter for professionals by job title, company, or industry.
  • Send personalized connection requests and follow up with a message introducing yourself and explaining how you can help.

6. Post Consistently

Consistency is key when marketing on LinkedIn. Posting regularly keeps you top of mind with your connections and increases the chances that your content will be seen by more people.

Why It’s Important:

  • Builds Visibility: Regular posting ensures that your profile and content remain visible in your connections’ feeds.
  • Increases Engagement: The more often you post, the more opportunities you have to engage with your audience and grow your influence.

How to Do It:

  • Aim to post at least once or twice a week, sharing a mix of content such as articles, videos, and company updates.
  • Use LinkedIn’s Analytics to track which posts perform best and adjust your strategy accordingly.

Final Thoughts

LinkedIn is a powerful platform for building professional relationships, promoting your brand, and generating leads. By optimizing your profile, sharing high-quality content, and engaging with your network through groups and ads, you can leverage LinkedIn’s full potential to enhance your marketing strategy. Consistency and authenticity are key—focus on adding value to your network, and the results will follow.

Pointers for Planning a Successful Webinar

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pitch deck

presentation tips

Rick Enrico

SlideGenius

webinar

Webinar Presentation

Webinar Tips

Apr 17, 2017

Preparation is a critical step in any type of campaign, including hosting webinars. To produce a successful one, you need to lay out all the steps leading to the actual event. It might be tempting to jump straight to the promotion stage, especially if you have a winning topic and a celebrated speaker, but no excuse can justify skipping the planning part. Without a solid plan in place, you may run the risk of delivering a lackluster presentation that will only prove to be a waste of time, effort, and money.

Planning a webinar may seem like a daunting task, but it’s necessary if you want a worthwhile output. Part of the process is creating a checklist that will solidify your strategy. You don’t have to worry about the technicality of it all. With the abundance of tools you have at your disposal, you can plan an online seminar even with limited technological expertise. And besides, every bit of effort you make will be worth the rewards you’ll reap in the end.

Can a Webinar Help Reach Your Business Goals?

You’d think the answer to that question is an unwavering yes, but it actually depends on the goals you aim to achieve. While it’s true that webinars are an effective marketing tool, they only work in certain contexts. So, before planning one, make sure it will leave a positive impact on your business.

What exactly are webinars for? For one, they’re a good training and outreach tool. You can use them to share your expertise to your target audience. Webinars are also effective for getting the word out to your customers when rolling out a new product. When done right, it can help you move customers further down the sales funnel and reposition yourself as an industry thought leader.

Resources:

Berdeal-Skelly, Michelle. “6 Tips to Planning a Successful Webinar.” Find and Convert. October 14, 2014. www.findandconvert.com/2014/10/6-tips-to-planning-a-successful-webinar

Gilbert-Knight, Ariel. “10 Steps for Planning a Successful Webinar.” TechSoup. September 2, 2016. www.techsoup.org/support/articles-and-how-tos/10-steps-for-planning-a-successful-webinar

Sibley, Amanda. “10 Things That Take a Webinar From Good to Great.” HubSpot. January 3, 2014. blog.hubspot.com/marketing/webinar-planning-list#sm.0000w6nx4vstbcwkqnc12umt2kzcx

“15 Tips for a Successful Webinar.” MegaMeeting. n.d. www.megameeting.com/15_Successful_Webinar_Tips_Part1.html

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Why Listening Is the Most Important Communication Skill

communication

Communication Skill

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Listening

Marketing

pitch deck

public speaking

Rick Enrico

SlideGenius

Apr 10, 2017

In the realm of communication, listening is often overlooked, but it is arguably the most crucial skill to master. While speaking clearly and effectively is important, active listening fosters better understanding, builds stronger relationships, and enhances overall communication. Whether you’re leading a meeting, giving a presentation, or engaging in a casual conversation, listening is essential to effective communication. Here’s why.

1. Builds Trust and Rapport

When people feel heard, they are more likely to trust and respect you. Listening actively—without interrupting or jumping to conclusions—demonstrates that you value the other person’s thoughts and opinions.

Why It’s Important:

  • Encourages Openness: People are more likely to share their honest thoughts and feelings when they feel genuinely listened to.
  • Fosters Stronger Relationships: Listening helps build rapport, which is crucial in both personal and professional relationships.

How to Do It:

  • Focus fully on the speaker, making eye contact and giving them your undivided attention.
  • Use verbal and nonverbal cues (like nodding or brief affirmations) to show that you’re engaged.

2. Improves Understanding

Listening carefully allows you to fully understand the speaker’s message. Without active listening, you may miss key details, misinterpret the speaker’s intent, or make incorrect assumptions.

Why It’s Important:

  • Prevents Misunderstandings: By truly listening, you can avoid confusion and ensure that you understand the message as intended.
  • Leads to Informed Responses: Listening helps you respond thoughtfully and accurately, rather than giving off-the-cuff remarks.

How to Do It:

  • Summarize or paraphrase what the speaker has said to ensure you’ve understood their points correctly.
  • Ask clarifying questions if something is unclear.

3. Enhances Problem-Solving

In collaborative environments, effective listening is key to identifying issues and finding solutions. When you actively listen to all perspectives, you gain a broader understanding of the problem, which helps you come up with more effective solutions.

Why It’s Important:

  • Gathers All Perspectives: Listening to various viewpoints helps you consider all aspects of a situation before making decisions.
  • Fosters Creative Solutions: Hearing others out allows for collaborative brainstorming, leading to more innovative problem-solving.

How to Do It:

  • Encourage others to voice their opinions and ideas.
  • Withhold judgment or counterarguments until you’ve fully understood everyone’s perspective.

4. Encourages Respectful Dialogue

Active listening can de-escalate tensions and create a more respectful conversation. By listening rather than dominating the conversation, you create an environment where everyone feels comfortable sharing their views.

Why It’s Important:

  • Decreases Conflict: Listening can help defuse misunderstandings or disagreements before they escalate.
  • Promotes Mutual Respect: Respect is cultivated when people feel that their views are acknowledged and valued.

How to Do It:

  • Practice patience by letting the speaker finish before responding.
  • Avoid interrupting, even if you disagree with what’s being said.

5. Strengthens Leadership Abilities

Strong leaders are often those who listen the best. By listening to your team’s concerns, ideas, and feedback, you demonstrate empathy and foster an environment of collaboration and mutual respect.

Why It’s Important:

  • Builds Team Morale: Team members feel valued and respected when their input is genuinely considered by leadership.
  • Improves Decision-Making: Leaders who listen gain valuable insights that can inform better decisions.

How to Do It:

  • In meetings, give everyone an opportunity to speak and ensure you listen attentively to their input.
  • Make it a habit to seek feedback regularly and act on the insights you gather.

6. Boosts Emotional Intelligence

Listening is a key component of emotional intelligence (EQ). It helps you understand not only the words being spoken but also the emotions and underlying needs of the speaker. High EQ is essential for successful communication, conflict resolution, and leadership.

Why It’s Important:

  • Enhances Empathy: By listening closely, you can better understand how the other person is feeling, which strengthens your ability to empathize.
  • Improves Interpersonal Relationships: People with high EQ are more effective in their interactions because they can connect on both intellectual and emotional levels.

How to Do It:

  • Pay attention to the speaker’s tone, body language, and nonverbal cues to fully understand their message.
  • Respond with empathy by acknowledging their emotions and validating their feelings.

Final Thoughts

Listening is the cornerstone of effective communication. Whether in a professional setting or personal relationships, listening improves understanding, builds trust, and strengthens connections. By practicing active listening, you can enhance your communication skills and become a more empathetic, effective, and respected communicator.

WWE and Marketing: Exploring the Common Ground Between

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Marketing

marketing tips

pitch deck

presentation science

Rick Enrico

SlideGenius

WWE

WWE and Marketing

Apr 03, 2017

The WWE (World Wrestling Entertainment) may seem like a world away from traditional marketing, but the reality is that the two share significant common ground. WWE is a masterclass in branding, storytelling, and audience engagement—core elements that are also essential to successful marketing campaigns. By looking at how WWE captivates its audience, brands can gain insights into how to build loyalty, create compelling content, and establish a strong market presence.

Here’s how WWE and marketing share common principles and what businesses can learn from the wrestling giant:

1. Storytelling is at the Heart of Both

WWE’s success is built on its ability to tell captivating stories. Each match is part of a larger narrative, often featuring ongoing rivalries, character development, and plot twists. Similarly, in marketing, storytelling is essential to engaging customers and creating emotional connections with brands.

How WWE Does It:

  • Character Development: WWE creates larger-than-life personas for its wrestlers, allowing the audience to invest in their stories. The backstories, motivations, and conflicts keep fans engaged.
  • Ongoing Storylines: WWE’s storylines continue over time, with matches building on past events and foreshadowing future ones. This keeps fans hooked and eagerly awaiting the next development.

Marketing Takeaway: Build a compelling brand story. Just as WWE develops characters, companies should craft brand identities that resonate with their audience. Whether it’s through product development or content marketing, brands should create an ongoing narrative that customers want to follow.

Example: Nike’s “Just Do It” campaign isn’t just a tagline—it’s part of an ongoing narrative about perseverance, excellence, and pushing limits, much like WWE’s stories of overcoming adversity.

2. Build and Leverage Brand Loyalty

WWE has an incredibly loyal fanbase, with fans who continue to support the brand and its superstars year after year. This loyalty is a result of WWE’s ability to create emotional connections through its content and consistent engagement with its audience.

How WWE Does It:

  • Fan Engagement: WWE keeps its fans engaged through regular content across multiple platforms, including live events, TV shows, social media, and merchandise.
  • Fan Participation: WWE encourages fan participation through live chants, fan votes on match outcomes, and opportunities to interact with superstars at events.

Marketing Takeaway: Engage with your audience consistently and offer them opportunities to participate in your brand. By creating two-way communication and making your audience feel involved, you can build deeper connections and brand loyalty.

Example: Brands like Starbucks use social media to engage with customers, solicit feedback, and even crowdsource ideas for new products. This involvement helps strengthen customer loyalty.

3. The Power of Consistent Branding

WWE’s brand is instantly recognizable—from its logo and color scheme to the distinct personalities of its superstars. Everything WWE does is consistent with its core identity of entertainment, action, and drama. In marketing, consistent branding is key to creating a strong and memorable brand image.

How WWE Does It:

  • Visual Consistency: WWE’s logo, fonts, colors, and ring designs are always consistent across platforms, reinforcing the brand’s identity.
  • Character Branding: Each superstar has a distinct brand—whether it’s John Cena’s patriotic persona or The Undertaker’s dark, mystical character. These brands extend to merchandise, social media, and appearances.

Marketing Takeaway: Develop a consistent brand identity across all touchpoints. From your website to social media, your branding should be cohesive to create a strong and recognizable image.

Example: Coca-Cola has maintained consistent branding for decades. From its logo to its red-and-white color scheme and iconic bottle shape, Coca-Cola’s brand is instantly recognizable worldwide.

4. Create Spectacle and Memorable Moments

One of WWE’s strengths is its ability to create spectacle. Whether it’s a dramatic entrance, an unexpected plot twist, or a climactic title match, WWE knows how to deliver moments that fans will talk about for years. In marketing, creating memorable experiences can elevate your brand and leave a lasting impression.

How WWE Does It:

  • Big Events: WWE builds up to its major events, such as WrestleMania, creating hype and excitement leading up to the spectacle.
  • Surprises and Twists: WWE is known for its unexpected moments—returns, betrayals, or surprise victories—that create buzz and excitement among fans.

Marketing Takeaway: Create memorable moments in your marketing campaigns that stand out. Whether it’s through experiential marketing, a viral social media moment, or a creative product launch, brands that deliver spectacle capture attention.

Example: Apple’s product launches are legendary for their spectacle, often featuring new innovations that are unveiled in dramatic fashion, creating a sense of excitement and anticipation.

5. Leverage Multiple Platforms for Maximum Impact

WWE understands the importance of being present across multiple platforms. From television and live events to social media and streaming, WWE ensures its content is accessible everywhere, keeping its audience engaged across all channels. Similarly, in marketing, using an omnichannel strategy allows brands to reach their audience where they are.

How WWE Does It:

  • Multi-Platform Content: WWE creates content for TV, YouTube, social media, and its own streaming service, WWE Network. Each platform has unique content tailored to that audience.
  • Fan Interaction on Social Media: WWE uses social media to interact with fans, share exclusive content, and build anticipation for upcoming events.

Marketing Takeaway: Ensure your brand is present and consistent across multiple platforms. Tailor your content for each platform, but maintain a unified message and brand identity across all of them.

Example: Brands like Nike and Adidas create different types of content for Instagram, Twitter, and YouTube while maintaining a cohesive brand message. This approach allows them to engage with their audience in different ways across platforms.

Final Thoughts

The common ground between WWE and marketing lies in their shared focus on storytelling, audience engagement, and consistent branding. WWE’s ability to build strong fan loyalty, create memorable moments, and leverage multiple platforms offers valuable lessons for marketers looking to connect with their audience. By adopting WWE’s approach to storytelling, brand consistency, and engagement, marketers can create campaigns that are just as powerful and captivating as a main event match.

Top Problems Presenters Face (And How to Avoid them)

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pitch deck

powerpoint presentation

Powerpoint tips

presentation design

presentation problems

presentation tips

Presenter Problems

Rick Enrico

SlideGenius

Mar 27, 2017

Presenting can be a nerve-wracking experience, especially when faced with common challenges that can disrupt the flow of your presentation. From technical difficulties to audience engagement issues, these problems can derail even the most well-prepared presenter. Fortunately, with a little preparation and foresight, many of these issues can be avoided.

Here are the top problems presenters face and how to avoid them:

1. Technical Difficulties

One of the most common problems presenters face is technical issues, such as malfunctioning equipment, incompatible file formats, or connection problems. These can cause delays, stress, and a loss of audience attention.

How to Avoid It:

  • Test Equipment Ahead of Time: Arrive early to test the projector, microphone, and any other equipment. Ensure your laptop connects properly to external displays and that sound and video work as expected.
  • Have Backups: Always have a backup of your presentation on a USB drive and email a copy to yourself. This ensures that you have access to your presentation even if your primary device fails.
  • Bring Necessary Cables/Adapters: If you’re presenting in a location with different equipment, bring any necessary adapters (HDMI, VGA, etc.) to ensure compatibility.

Example: Before presenting at a conference, test your laptop’s connection to the projector and sound system, and have a backup copy of your slides saved in multiple locations.

2. Losing Audience Attention

Another common challenge is losing the attention of your audience, especially during longer presentations. People tend to zone out if a presentation becomes monotonous or lacks engagement.

How to Avoid It:

  • Engage with the Audience: Ask questions, invite participation, or incorporate live polls to keep the audience engaged and make them feel involved in the presentation.
  • Use Visuals: Incorporate images, videos, and infographics to break up long stretches of text and keep the presentation visually stimulating.
  • Keep It Dynamic: Change your tone, pace, and energy levels throughout the presentation to maintain interest.

Example: During a 30-minute sales pitch, ask the audience for their thoughts on a key point, or incorporate an engaging video that illustrates your message.

3. Running Over or Under Time

Presenters often struggle with managing their time, either running over and having to rush through the final points, or finishing too quickly, leaving awkward gaps.

How to Avoid It:

  • Time Your Rehearsals: Practice your presentation multiple times and time yourself to ensure you stay within the allotted time. Adjust your content accordingly if necessary.
  • Use a Timer: Use a timer or a clock (such as the one available in Presenter View in PowerPoint) to keep track of time as you present. This helps you stay on pace.
  • Prioritize Key Points: If time starts to run out, make sure you know which points are the most important and focus on them, skipping or shortening less crucial sections.

Example: If you’re scheduled for a 15-minute presentation, time yourself during rehearsal and trim content to ensure you can comfortably cover everything within that time frame.

4. Nervousness and Stage Fright

Many presenters experience anxiety, stage fright, or nervousness, which can negatively impact their performance. Nervousness may lead to filler words, shaky hands, or a quavering voice.

How to Avoid It:

  • Practice Relaxation Techniques: Practice deep breathing exercises before your presentation to calm your nerves. Visualization and positive affirmations can also help reduce anxiety.
  • Practice Your Presentation: The more familiar you are with your material, the less nervous you’ll feel. Practice in front of friends, family, or a mirror until you feel confident.
  • Start with a Smile: Smiling at the beginning of your presentation can help you feel more relaxed and confident, and it sets a positive tone with your audience.

Example: Before stepping on stage, take a few deep breaths and visualize yourself successfully delivering the presentation. Smile as you begin to set a confident tone.

5. Overloading Slides with Information

Some presenters try to cram too much information into their slides, resulting in cluttered, text-heavy slides that are difficult to follow. This can overwhelm the audience and make it hard for them to focus on key points.

How to Avoid It:

  • Stick to Key Points: Use bullet points or short phrases to highlight the key takeaways on each slide. Avoid adding large paragraphs of text.
  • Use White Space: Ensure your slides have enough white space to avoid looking cluttered. This makes your presentation look cleaner and more professional.
  • Explain, Don’t Read: Your slides should act as visual aids, not scripts. Avoid reading directly from your slides, and instead use them to supplement your spoken words.

Example: Instead of a slide with a long paragraph of text, break it into three concise bullet points and explain the details verbally while using the slide as a visual cue.

6. Handling Difficult Questions

Presenters may face difficult or unexpected questions from the audience, which can throw them off if they aren’t prepared. Mishandling questions can diminish your credibility.

How to Avoid It:

  • Prepare for Common Questions: Anticipate possible questions the audience might have and prepare answers for them in advance. This will make you feel more confident during the Q&A session.
  • Take Your Time: If you’re unsure of how to answer a question, it’s okay to take a moment to think. If you don’t know the answer, offer to follow up after the presentation.
  • Stay Calm and Polite: Even if faced with tough or critical questions, maintain a calm and polite demeanor. This helps you maintain control of the room and preserves your professionalism.

Example: After presenting a new product, you might be asked about a feature that hasn’t been fully developed yet. Acknowledge the question, and offer a general timeline for when more information will be available.

Final Thoughts

Presenters face a range of challenges, from technical difficulties to managing time and nerves. However, with proper preparation, practice, and foresight, you can avoid these common pitfalls and deliver a smooth, confident presentation. By focusing on audience engagement, using technology effectively, and preparing for potential obstacles, you’ll set yourself up for success.

Revamping Visuals: Elevating PowerPoint Clip Art in the Digital Era

custom powerpoint

pitch deck

powerpoint clip art

powerpoint template

Rick Enrico

SlideGenius

Jan 07, 2017

We believe there’s still a case to be made for PowerPoint Clip Art. In his article for Slate, The New York Times’ Farhad Majoo cites several criticisms hurled against the PowerPoint feature. To some extent, we agree.

Clip Art looks dated and campy. Using them makes your presentation deck look clueless and unprofessional, especially when there’s a wealth of sources for high-quality images available today.

But did you know that PowerPoint gives you the ability to customize clip arts and completely change how they look? Check the image above and notice how we’ve turned a standard clip art to a trendy geometric drawing. As you can see, using PowerPoint Clip Art isn’t always a mistake.

Here’s a quick tutorial on how you can take PowerPoint clip art designs to the year 2017:  

Step One: Open the PowerPoint Clip Art gallery

powerpoint clip art edit 00

Open the Clip Art gallery by going to the Insert tab and selecting the Clip Art icon. From there, you can choose any image you’d like to edit. For this tutorial, we’re going to edit the clip art highlighted above to make a hand-drawn lightbulb.

Step Two: Break the clip art apart

powerpoint clip art edit 01

Right-click the image, select Group, and then click Ungroup. This action will prompt a dialogue box asking if you’d like to convert the graphic into a Microsoft Office drawing object. Choose Yes.

Repeat the steps one more time, and then you’ll see something that looks like this:

powerpoint clip art edit 02

From here, you can start deleting the elements of the clip art that you don’t want. For this tutorial, we have to delete everything except the light bulb.

powerpoint clip art edit 02.5

This step will take some time, especially if you chose to work with a PowerPoint clip art that looks a bit complex. Just work on it patiently and click Undo if you end up deleting a part you want to keep.

Step Three: Edit clip art by using PowerPoint’s Drawing Tools

powerpoint clip art edit 04

Once you’re left with the bit that you want to work with, click on the Drawing Tools Format tab. Customize your clip art design by choosing any of the options in the Shape Styles group.

Much of this step involves trial and error, plus a bit of experimentation. Don’t be afraid to go crazy. You can always click on Undo if you’re not happy with how the effects look like.

After a bit of tinkering, our light bulb ended up looking like this:

lightbulb clipart

The Takeaway

Once you put your mind to it, even the most taboo of PowerPoint features can be transformed into something visually acceptable. ClipArt is one such redeemable feature.

The steps may seem rather daunting and tedious at first, but once you get the hang of it, you’ll be able to come up with interesting results. However, if you don’t have enough time on your hands, there are always professional PowerPoint designers ready to help you with your deck.

Our SlideGenius experts can help you whip up an attractive deck in a quick, efficient manner. Contact us today for a free quote!