Tag: Rick Enrico

Attracting More Visitors for Business

Attracting Visitors

business

Company Reputation

Presentation Agency

presentation design

Rick Enrico

SlideGenius

Jan 17, 2017

In today’s competitive market, attracting more visitors to your business, whether it’s a physical store or an online presence, is crucial for growth and success. Increasing your audience leads to greater brand awareness, higher sales, and the ability to build lasting customer relationships. But how do you effectively draw more people to your business?Here are proven strategies that can help you attract more visitors and turn them into loyal customers.

1. Optimize Your Website for SEO

Search engine optimization (SEO) is one of the most effective ways to attract organic traffic to your website. By optimizing your content to rank higher on search engines like Google, you can ensure that more people discover your business when searching for relevant products or services.

How to Do It:

  • Use Relevant Keywords: Research and incorporate high-traffic keywords related to your industry in your website content, product descriptions, blog posts, and meta tags.
  • Optimize for Mobile: Ensure your website is mobile-friendly, as more than half of web traffic comes from mobile devices. A responsive design improves user experience and increases time spent on your site.
  • Improve Page Load Speed: A fast-loading website enhances the user experience and can improve your search engine rankings.
  • Create High-Quality Content: Develop valuable and informative content that answers questions, solves problems, or provides useful insights for your target audience.

Example:

A fitness studio can write blog posts about workout tips or nutrition advice, using keywords like “best workouts for beginners” or “healthy meal prep ideas” to attract visitors searching for fitness-related content.

2. Leverage Social Media Marketing

Social media platforms like Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and LinkedIn are powerful tools for attracting more visitors to your business. These platforms allow you to engage with your target audience, build a community, and promote your products or services.

How to Do It:

  • Create Engaging Content: Share visually appealing, informative, or entertaining content that resonates with your target audience. Use high-quality images, videos, infographics, or live streams to capture attention.
  • Utilize Paid Ads: Invest in social media advertising to target specific demographics, interests, or behaviors. Ads can drive traffic to your website or increase visits to your physical store.
  • Interact with Followers: Respond to comments, messages, and mentions to foster community engagement and create stronger customer relationships.
  • Run Contests or Giveaways: Encourage users to follow your account, share your content, or visit your website to participate in contests, boosting visibility and engagement.

Example:

A fashion retailer can run an Instagram giveaway where followers must tag a friend and visit the store’s website to browse new arrivals for a chance to win a gift card.

3. Offer Promotions and Discounts

Promotions, discounts, and limited-time offers can incentivize people to visit your website or physical store. Everyone loves a good deal, and offering value through discounts can attract both new and returning customers.

How to Do It:

  • Create Limited-Time Offers: Use urgency to encourage immediate action. Promote flash sales, seasonal discounts, or time-sensitive coupons that push potential customers to visit your business before the offer expires.
  • Bundle Deals: Offer product bundles or service packages that provide more value at a lower cost. This encourages visitors to purchase more items or book additional services.
  • Exclusive Online Offers: Create offers that are only available online to drive more visitors to your website.

Example:

A beauty salon could offer a “buy one, get one free” deal on treatments for first-time customers or create a “members-only” discount that visitors can access by signing up for a newsletter.

4. Utilize Email Marketing

Email marketing is one of the most cost-effective ways to nurture leads and bring visitors back to your website or store. Regularly engaging with your email list keeps your business top-of-mind and provides an opportunity to share promotions, new products, or valuable content.

How to Do It:

  • Build Your Email List: Use signup forms on your website, social media platforms, and during checkout to collect email addresses. Offering a freebie, discount, or exclusive content can encourage sign-ups.
  • Segment Your Audience: Group your email list by demographics, purchase history, or interests, and send personalized content that resonates with each segment.
  • Send Regular Newsletters: Create email campaigns that showcase new products, upcoming sales, or helpful tips. Include strong calls-to-action that guide readers to your website or store.
  • Use Automation: Automate welcome emails, abandoned cart emails, or follow-up emails to engage with visitors at crucial points in their customer journey.

Example:

An online bookstore can send monthly newsletters featuring new releases, staff picks, or upcoming promotions. Including links to specific book categories or genres encourages readers to visit the website.

5. Collaborate with Influencers or Industry Leaders

Partnering with influencers or industry leaders can significantly expand your reach and attract new visitors to your business. Influencers have established audiences that trust their recommendations, and when they promote your products or services, it can lead to increased traffic.

How to Do It:

  • Identify Relevant Influencers: Find influencers whose audience aligns with your target market. Look for micro-influencers who have strong engagement rates within niche communities.
  • Offer Product Reviews or Sponsorships: Send influencers your products for reviews or offer them sponsorship deals in exchange for promoting your business to their followers.
  • Collaborate on Content: Work with influencers to create collaborative content, such as guest blog posts, videos, or social media takeovers. This cross-promotion exposes your brand to their audience.

Example:

A food delivery service can partner with a food blogger or Instagram influencer who creates healthy recipe videos, encouraging their followers to try out the service with a unique discount code.

6. Optimize Your Google My Business Profile

For local businesses, optimizing your Google My Business (GMB) profile is essential for increasing visibility in local search results and driving foot traffic. A well-optimized GMB profile ensures your business appears when people search for related products or services nearby.

How to Do It:

  • Claim and Verify Your Profile: Make sure your business is claimed and verified on Google My Business.
  • Complete All Fields: Provide accurate information, including your address, phone number, website, business hours, and a detailed description of what your business offers.
  • Encourage Reviews: Positive reviews boost your business’s credibility and improve your ranking in local searches. Encourage satisfied customers to leave reviews on Google.
  • Post Regular Updates: Share photos, promotions, or updates about your business through your GMB profile to keep your audience engaged and informed.

Example:

A local restaurant can optimize its GMB profile by adding high-quality images of its menu items, responding to customer reviews, and posting special promotions like “Happy Hour” deals to attract nearby visitors.

7. Use Content Marketing to Educate and Engage

Content marketing, such as blog posts, videos, infographics, and podcasts, allows you to provide valuable information to your audience while showcasing your expertise. By regularly publishing content that addresses your customers’ pain points or interests, you can attract new visitors to your business.

How to Do It:

  • Create Educational Content: Write blog posts, guides, or tutorials that help your audience solve a problem or learn something new related to your industry.
  • Use Video Marketing: Video content tends to attract more engagement. Create how-to videos, product demonstrations, or customer testimonials to draw viewers to your website or store.
  • Share on Social Media and SEO: Share your content across social media platforms and optimize it for SEO to attract more traffic through organic search.

Example:

A software company can create tutorial videos and blog posts explaining how to use its products effectively. This not only drives traffic to the website but also educates potential customers, making them more likely to convert.

8. Host Events or Webinars

Hosting events, webinars, or virtual workshops is an excellent way to attract visitors to your business. These events provide value to attendees while showcasing your expertise or products.

How to Do It:

  • Host Free Webinars: Choose topics that address your audience’s needs and promote your expertise. Encourage attendees to visit your website for more resources or to sign up for future events.
  • Offer In-Person Events: For physical businesses, hosting in-store events, product launches, or workshops can attract local visitors and generate buzz.
  • Cross-Promote with Partners: Collaborate with other businesses or influencers to co-host events and tap into each other’s audiences.

Example:

A graphic design agency can host a free webinar on “Building a Brand Identity” and encourage participants to visit the agency’s website for downloadable resources or service consultations.

Conclusion

Attracting more visitors to your business requires a multi-faceted approach that leverages online visibility, engaging content, social proof, and strategic promotions. By optimizing your website for SEO, utilizing social media, offering compelling promotions, and collaborating with influencers, you can expand your reach and increase the number of people engaging with your business.Remember, consistency is key. Regularly engage with your audience, offer value through content and promotions, and continuously monitor and refine your strategies to keep drawing more visitors over time.

6 Things to Watch Out for During Presentation Q&As

Powerpoint

PowerPoint Design

presentation

Presentation Consultation

presentation q&a

Rick Enrico

SlideGenius

Jan 15, 2017

Handling a Q&A session after a presentation can be both rewarding and challenging. It’s your chance to engage directly with your audience, clarify points, and demonstrate your expertise. However, there are potential pitfalls that could disrupt your flow or cause confusion.Here are six things to watch out for during presentation Q&As:

1. Unclear Questions

Sometimes, audience members may ask questions that are vague or poorly worded, making it difficult to provide a direct answer.What to Watch Out For:

  • Misinterpretation: If the question is unclear, you may end up answering something the audience member didn’t intend to ask.

How to Handle It:

  • Politely ask for clarification: “Could you please rephrase your question?” or “Can you clarify what you mean by [specific word or topic]?”

2. Off-Topic Questions

Occasionally, audience members may ask questions that are unrelated to your presentation, leading the discussion away from your main message.What to Watch Out For:

  • Losing Focus: Answering off-topic questions can waste time and distract the audience from the key points you want to emphasize.

How to Handle It:

  • Acknowledge the question but steer the conversation back: “That’s a great question, but it’s a bit outside today’s topic. I’d be happy to discuss that afterward.”

3. Aggressive or Hostile Questions

Every now and then, someone in the audience may challenge your content or present their question in an antagonistic manner.What to Watch Out For:

  • Escalating Tension: If not handled carefully, hostile questions can escalate and create tension in the room.

How to Handle It:

  • Stay calm and composed: “I understand your concern. Here’s how we approached that issue…” Redirect the conversation back to your presentation’s core message.

4. Questions You Don’t Know the Answer To

No matter how well-prepared you are, it’s possible that you’ll be asked a question that you don’t have the answer to.What to Watch Out For:

  • Appearing Unprepared: Not knowing the answer to a question can make you feel caught off guard.

How to Handle It:

  • Be honest and offer to follow up: “I don’t have that information right now, but I can look into it and get back to you.”

5. Long-Winded Questions

Some audience members may use the Q&A session as an opportunity to share their thoughts at length, turning a question into a monologue.What to Watch Out For:

  • Losing Engagement: Long-winded questions can take up valuable time and lead to a loss of engagement from the rest of the audience.

How to Handle It:

  • Politely interject: “That’s an interesting perspective. To clarify, is your question about [summarize their point]?”

6. Running Out of Time

Q&A sessions can easily run over time if not managed properly, which can frustrate both you and your audience.What to Watch Out For:

  • Overrunning Your Allotted Time: Allowing the session to go over time can disrupt the schedule, especially in formal or time-constrained settings.

How to Handle It:

  • Keep an eye on the clock and manage time accordingly. You can say, “We have time for one more question,” and offer to continue the conversation afterward.

Final Thoughts

Navigating a Q&A session can be tricky, but with the right strategies in place, you can handle unexpected challenges and maintain control of the conversation. Stay calm, engage with your audience thoughtfully, and always steer the discussion back to your key message when necessary.

Making Your Presentation Stand Out with Powerful Design

design

infographics

Powerful Design

presentation

presentation design

Rick Enrico

SlideGenius

Jan 10, 2017

Once you’re onstage, the stars are you and your presentation. Of course, your training got you there in the first place: charisma, clear and loud voice, likable aura—public speaking skills polished over and over again until they’re perfect, almost like second nature, and suited to your needs—and appropriate for every crowd imaginable.But what about your presentation? Is it tailored to your audience? There’s a risk you don’t want to take when, despite how good you are as a speaker, your presentation is not as appealing: you don’t get your message across as effectively as you want, vis-à-vis death by PowerPoint.Since humans are visual creatures, our brains process imagistic information faster and more efficiently than text. This is a benchmark you should take advantage of when creating visually appealing and enticing slides, a tip awesome presentation designers always live by. Check this infographic for tips on how to charm your audiences, arrest their attention, and, most importantly, get your message across.https://www.slideshare.net/SlideGenius/making-your-presentation-stand-out-with-powerful-designVisuals play an important role when arresting attention. In a world of eight-second attention spans and faster everything—connectivity, accessibility, and even loading times—people would rather spend more of their time on different, more valuable things.Come to think of it, it’s a cyclical cause and effect: everything is faster, so people expect things to be even faster, ergo the short attention spans. Kind of a messed-up Pygmalion effect, only for things instead of persons.With that happening, there’s now two steps to do: get their attention and retain it. Good, proper, and creative use of visuals can already do the first, and they can certainly take care of the second, especially when your topic goes from “something that makes them curious” to “something that genuinely piques their interest and makes them ask questions.”There’s a beauty that certain senses can solely appreciate. Music to the ears. Caress on the skin. For the eyes, it’s appealing design. Beauty. Make something that both you and your audience will appreciate. In turn, they will appreciate you.

Resources:

Golden, Felicia. “The Power of Visual Content: Images vs. Text.” eyeQ. February 11, 2015. www.eyeqinsights.com/power-visual-content-images-vs-textMcSpadden, Kevin. “You Now Have a Shorter Attention Span than a Goldfish.” Time. May 14, 2015. www.time.com/3858309/attention-spans-goldfish

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This is How Visual Marketing Grows Your Business

business

design

Marketing

Rick Enrico

SlideGenius

Visual Marketing

Jan 08, 2017

In today’s highly competitive marketplace, visual marketing has become a critical component of any successful business strategy. Visual content grabs attention, communicates messages quickly, and makes brands more memorable. From social media posts to advertisements, websites, and presentations, visual marketing helps businesses stand out, connect with audiences, and drive conversions.Here’s how visual marketing can grow your business and elevate your brand:

1. Captures Attention Instantly

In a world where consumers are bombarded with information, visual content is one of the most effective ways to cut through the noise. People process images faster than text, and a well-crafted visual can grab attention in seconds.How It Helps:

  • Quick Engagement: Visuals, whether they’re images, infographics, or videos, catch the eye and make your audience pause and take notice.
  • Short Attention Spans: In the digital age, attention spans are shorter than ever. Visual content can quickly communicate your message before the audience moves on.

Example: A scrolling social media feed filled with text posts might make users lose interest, but an eye-catching image with a bold headline can stop them in their tracks and lead them to click or learn more.

2. Strengthens Brand Recognition

Consistent and well-designed visual content enhances brand recognition, making your business more memorable and easier to identify. This includes everything from your logo and color scheme to the style of visuals you use across different platforms.How It Helps:

  • Creates a Visual Identity: By using a cohesive color palette, fonts, and design elements, your brand becomes more recognizable to consumers. Over time, this builds familiarity and trust.
  • Increases Memorability: Studies show that people are more likely to remember visual information than written text. Using consistent visuals helps imprint your brand in the minds of your audience.

Example: Think about brands like Coca-Cola or Apple. Their logos, colors, and overall visual identity are so strong that you can recognize them without even seeing the company name.

3. Builds Emotional Connections

Visual marketing appeals to emotions, helping to create a deeper connection with your audience. People are naturally drawn to images that evoke feelings, and emotional marketing can drive engagement, loyalty, and action.How It Helps:

  • Tells a Story: Visuals are powerful storytelling tools. A compelling image or video can quickly convey a narrative, making your message more relatable and impactful.
  • Elicits Emotional Responses: Visuals that tap into emotions—happiness, nostalgia, excitement, or even concern—create a stronger bond between the brand and the consumer, encouraging them to take action.

Example: A nonprofit organization using an emotionally powerful image of people benefiting from their services can inspire donations and support more effectively than text alone.

4. Increases Engagement and Conversions

Visual content, particularly on social media and websites, drives higher engagement rates. Posts and pages with visuals get more likes, shares, and comments, and they often lead to better conversion rates.How It Helps:

  • Boosts Social Media Performance: Social media platforms prioritize visual content. Posts with images or videos tend to receive significantly more engagement compared to text-only posts.
  • Improves Conversion Rates: Landing pages with relevant images or videos can lead to higher conversion rates. Product photos, demo videos, or infographics that explain your offering can guide customers towards making a purchase or signing up.

Example: An e-commerce brand featuring high-quality product images and videos on its product pages will likely see better conversion rates than one with minimal or low-quality visuals.

5. Simplifies Complex Information

Infographics, charts, and diagrams simplify complex ideas, data, and processes, making them more accessible to your audience. This is especially useful when you’re trying to convey technical or detailed information quickly.How It Helps:

  • Enhances Understanding: Visual aids like infographics and charts break down complicated information into digestible, easy-to-understand chunks.
  • Boosts Retention: Audiences are more likely to remember information presented in a visual format than through text alone, making your message more impactful.

Example: A company introducing a new software tool might create an infographic that explains its features and benefits in a clear, concise manner. This helps potential customers understand the product quickly without reading through a lengthy explanation.

6. Increases Website Traffic and SEO

Visual content plays an important role in SEO (Search Engine Optimization). Well-optimized images, infographics, and videos can help your website rank higher in search results, driving more organic traffic.How It Helps:

  • Boosts Search Rankings: Search engines favor pages with multimedia elements. Adding optimized images and videos to your website can improve your rankings in search results.
  • Attracts Backlinks: Infographics and other types of shareable visual content often attract backlinks from other websites, which further improves your site’s authority and SEO performance.

Example: A blog post that includes a well-designed infographic is more likely to be shared by other websites, resulting in backlinks that improve your search engine ranking and attract more visitors to your site.

7. Enhances Customer Trust and Credibility

High-quality visual content not only engages your audience but also builds trust and credibility. When your business consistently produces professional and well-crafted visuals, it conveys reliability and expertise.How It Helps:

  • Demonstrates Professionalism: Well-designed visuals reflect the quality and professionalism of your brand, making customers more likely to trust your business.
  • Humanizes Your Brand: Videos, in particular, can show the people behind your brand, building a personal connection and fostering trust among your audience.

Example: A tech company producing how-to videos and tutorials with real employees speaking to the camera can help humanize the brand and build customer trust.

Final Thoughts

Visual marketing is a powerful tool for growing your business. By capturing attention, strengthening brand recognition, building emotional connections, and driving engagement, visual content can significantly impact your bottom line. Whether you’re designing eye-catching social media posts, creating infographics, or producing engaging videos, investing in visual marketing will help you stand out in a crowded marketplace and grow your brand’s reach and impact.

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

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

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: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.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

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:

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!

Presentation Resolutions: 3 Tips to Help You Progress This Year

2014

Business Overview Presentation

Custom Designed Presentations

PowerPoint Agency

PowerPoint Design

PowerPoint design experts

PowerPoint Experts

PowerPoint specialist

Powerpoint tips

Presentation Agency

Presentation Company

Presentation Consultation

Presentation Designers

Presentation Firm

presentation specialist

resolution

Rick Enrico

SlideGenius

Jan 03, 2017

As the new year begins, it’s the perfect time to set resolutions for improving your presentation skills. Whether you want to become more confident on stage, create more impactful slides, or engage your audience more effectively, making a few small adjustments can significantly improve your presentations.Here are three tips to help you progress with your presentation skills this year:

1. Focus on Storytelling

Great presentations aren’t just about delivering information—they’re about telling a compelling story. This year, focus on developing your storytelling abilities to make your presentations more engaging, relatable, and memorable.Why It Works:

  • Creates Emotional Connection: Storytelling helps your audience connect with your message on an emotional level, making it more memorable.
  • Simplifies Complex Ideas: Stories are an effective way to simplify complex information and make it easier for your audience to understand.

How to Apply It:

  • Think of your presentation as a narrative, with a clear beginning, middle, and end.
  • Use personal anecdotes, case studies, or customer stories to illustrate key points and make your presentation more relatable.

Example: Instead of just listing product features, tell the story of how one of your customers used the product to solve a significant problem.

2. Invest in Visual Design

Well-designed slides can elevate your presentation and make it more visually engaging. This year, focus on improving your slide design by keeping things simple, using high-quality visuals, and ensuring that your slides support your message rather than distract from it.Why It Works:

  • Enhances Understanding: Clear, well-designed visuals help your audience understand and retain information more effectively.
  • Keeps the Audience Engaged: Visually appealing slides capture attention and keep your audience engaged throughout the presentation.

How to Apply It:

  • Use a consistent color palette and clean, professional fonts throughout your slides.
  • Limit the amount of text on each slide and use visuals such as images, graphs, or diagrams to convey information.

Example: Replace text-heavy slides with simple, bold visuals that reinforce your key points, allowing you to speak directly to the audience instead of reading from the slides.

3. Practice Your Delivery

Effective delivery is just as important as the content of your presentation. This year, focus on practicing your delivery to become more confident, articulate, and engaging when presenting. Practice helps you refine your timing, tone, and body language, all of which contribute to a more polished performance.Why It Works:

  • Builds Confidence: The more you practice, the more comfortable you’ll feel when presenting in front of an audience.
  • Improves Timing: Practicing your delivery ensures that you stay on time and maintain a steady pace throughout your presentation.

How to Apply It:

  • Rehearse your presentation multiple times, either in front of a mirror or by recording yourself to assess your performance.
  • Focus on maintaining good posture, using hand gestures naturally, and varying your tone and pace to keep the audience engaged.

Example: Set aside time to practice your presentation with a friend or colleague who can provide feedback on your delivery and suggest areas for improvement.

Final Thoughts

Improving your presentation skills takes time and effort, but by focusing on storytelling, investing in visual design, and practicing your delivery, you can make significant progress this year. These resolutions will not only enhance your presentation performance but also help you connect more effectively with your audience and leave a lasting impression. As you set your goals for the year, remember that small, incremental improvements can lead to substantial growth over time.

2017 Checklist: What Your Business Needs to Do to Start the Year Wisely

business

Business Checklist

gif

Gifographics

New Year

Presentation Agency

Rick Enrico

SlideGenius

Jan 03, 2017

It’s already the third day of 2017. My, how time flies, doesn’t it? With the new year, though, how much have you done? Or, perhaps, a better question would be, “How far are you willing to go this year?”Past the fireworks and new year’s feast lies an unknown. The uncertainty of the future. But then again, it’s a brand-new start… isn’t it? Blank slate, anyone?New beginnings can be looked at in a myriad of ways: positively, negatively, pragmatically, stoically, and so on. If you’re one who holds new years in a high note, then you’re sure to hope for the best in 2017—like the past years as they started. Others can be unconcerned, at worst be apathetic, and just go on with their daily grind. Not saying this is wrong, mind you.No matter how you look at it, the new year is about to give another set of challenges—other chances to grow, opportunities to take, and lessons to learn. But before that, you have to be prepared for them. Check out the infographic below to know how you and your business can have a fresh start to be wiser.Business Checklist for 2017If you hold on to the thought that how you start your year will affect the rest it, then stop. It doesn’t work that way. Just stop. You may start the year in a good mood, but someone or something may ruin parts of it. Or the other way around: 2017 may start in a bad way, but someone or something will turn all of it around. When you begin your day, does it always stay good or bad?And there’s the lesson there: don’t just wait for your year, or day, to be magically fixed. It’s your effort that will get you through the day or through the year.You decide your own future. A more familiar version of that is, “Life is what you make it.” This presentation design agency made it because of hard work. You can too. “Decide my own future.” How’s that for a New Year’s resolution?

Resources:

Evans, Lisa. “4 Ways to Get into a Positive Mindset for the New Year.” Entrepreneur. December 18, 2013. www.entrepreneur.com/article/230427Ratliff, Joseph. “The Myth of The New Year’s ‘Blank Slate.’” Medium. December 31, 2013. www.medium.com/challenging-the-status-quo/the-myth-of-the-new-years-blank-slate-11b342611a36#.e7dl0fmf6

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Season of Giving: Making Your Audience Happier with Gifts

audience

business

Christmas

gif

Gifographics

infographics

presentation

Rick Enrico

SlideGenius

Dec 20, 2016

Ah, the Yuletide season. Nothing like the cold winter nights, all snuggled up in a blanket and drinking hot chocolate or eggnog—or any hot drink at all. Perhaps alone, if you so choose, or with loved ones. A cozy thought, especially for those looking to make the most out of this time of the year.And by “make the most out of this time of the year,” let’s define it as “going out and spreading the message of the holidays.” Or, you know, “the season of giving.” This group of PowerPoint presentation professionals would like to think that, aside from the above statement, we consider that every day should be like Christmas—and in turn, every presentation should be just as giving as the last, if not more.But what are you actually giving to your audience? Do you have to be a secret Santa to do that? Let’s take a step back and have a look from the observer’s perspective with this gifographic.Making Your Audience Happier with GiftsThere’s no season like Christmas. For many, it’s a time of cheer and splendor, while for some, it’s a time of charity and selflessness.For each and every one, it’s about merrymaking. Parties with officemates, friends, family, and relatives all make the holidays worthwhile. Get-togethers from distant beloveds and reunions with people you seldom see but often miss. Getting into the spirit of the season with decorations, fetes, and gift-giving truly make it a joyous part of the ending year.And there’s no feeling better in the world than the merriment spent with those close to you.It’s not as if your audience shouldn’t be treated as such. They’re an integral part of your task—as small as a group of company executives or as big as a jam-packed auditorium as it may be. Your audience is one of the reasons you’re onstage; they’re there to cheer you and to make sure you’re not doing this in vain.Don’t take for granted that kind of support. You and your audience are playing your parts. Make the best out of it.

Resources:

Dorfman, Jeffrey. “Twenty Quotes And Verses On Giving For Christmas.” Forbes. December 25, 2014. www.forbes.com/sites/jeffreydorfman/2014/12/25/20-quotes-and-verses-on-giving-for-christmas/#54867dde1e17Mack, Lloyd. “Christmas is the season for giving.” Kenora Daily Miner & News. December 1, 2016. www.kenoradailyminerandnews.com/2016/12/01/christmas-is-the-season-for-giving

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How to Handle Questions in a Presentation Open Forum

presentation

presentation etiquette

presentation tips

Q&A

Rick Enrico

SlideGenius

Dec 19, 2016

Your pitch doesn’t end with your last slide.After delivering a successful presentation, you’ll often face a question and answer portion. For many presenters, this is a source of anxiety. Key points can be memorized and outlined, but you can’t do the same to other people’s inquiries.Q&As are spontaneous, as the University of Leicester’s presentation guide indicates, so it’s best to prepare for any question. Although outlining your points can help you identify possible questions your audience might ask, you still need to expect the unexpected and know your topic inside out.That said, you need to maintain proper presentation etiquette when addressing your audience’s comments.We’ve compiled three things to help you during an open forum:

1. Accommodate Questions

Since questions supplement your presentation, take those that are directly related to your points as an opportunity to expound on your pitch.Instead of restraining audience questions, welcome them – especially if they’re valid. People ask questions when something is unclear to them, or when they’re interested to learn more. Answering the ones they bring up in your Q&A allows you to fuel their interest by providing the information they need.Of course, unrelated or unnecessary questions can’t be helped. A member of the audience may misunderstand you, and give you a question that doesn’t directly match your core message, but is still somewhat related to what you were saying.Taking that kind of question still lets you explain your points better.

2. Be Honest and Polite

Although most inquiries can strengthen your presentation, sometimes, you’ll come across some inappropriate questions. These may be about a different topic entirely, or an unnecessary comment.When dealing with rude audience members, remember to maintain your composure. The negative image of losing your temper will reflect on you, not your listeners. Handle inappropriate questions with honesty and politeness. You can briefly inform the person that their question threw you off, and ask for other questions.Being honest and polite will help you keep your integrity as a speaker in front of everyone. You’ll stay on your intended topic without hurting any feelings.

3. Say ‘I Don’t Know’ – Without Saying It

In line with being honest, it’s alright to admit that there’s a limit to what you can answer. On the other hand, directly saying ‘I don’t know’ can send the wrong message by making it seem like there wasn’t enough effort on your part.In her Forbes article, women’s leadership speaker and Forbes contributor Selena Rezvani provides five alternatives for those times when you’re stumped for an answer. Thank the person for their question. This can serve as valuable input in improving your pitch for future reference.Promise the audience that you’ll find an answer to their query instead, but state that at the moment you don’t have it yet. A simple statement like, “I haven’t encountered that yet. Thank you for your output, I will work on it.” can mean a lot to your listeners.Doing this saves you from giving away incorrect information and losing credibility. People will appreciate this humility rather than a forced façade of expertise in something you’re unsure of.

Conclusion

Dealing with the audience’s questions can be a tricky task, but given the right answers, you can use these to your advantage.Welcome any question that can help improve your pitch. These queries are a sign of interest, and you could be able to convert your leads just by answering them.Be diplomatic with inappropriate questions, but be honest in telling your audience that you’d prefer not to answer it. Admit the limits of your current knowledge, but always promise an answer in the future.Face up to the challenge of a good question. Take it as a chance to improve your presentation and generate sales.

Resources:

“Responding to Questions Effectively.” University of Leicester. Accessed December 8, 2015. www2.le.ac.uk/offices/ld/resources/presentations/questionsRezvani, Selena. “Five Alternatives to Saying ‘I Don’t Know’.” Forbes. August 8, 2014. Accessed December 8, 2015. www.forbes.com/sites/work-in-progress/2014/08/08/five-alternatives-to-saying-i-dont-knowFeatured Image: “Questions” by Derek Bridges on flickr.com

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Finding the Perfect Topic for Your Business Presentation

business presentation

Powerpoint

presentation

Rick Enrico

SlideGenius

Dec 18, 2016

Finding the perfect topic for a business presentation is essential to engage your audience and communicate your message effectively. Here are steps and considerations to help you select the ideal topic:

1. Understand Your Audience

  • Why it matters: Knowing your audience’s needs, interests, and level of knowledge helps you choose a topic that resonates with them.
  • How to apply:
    • Are you presenting to investors, colleagues, or clients? Investors might be interested in financial projections, while clients may care about product benefits.
    • What is their level of familiarity with the topic? Tailor your subject matter to ensure it’s not too basic or overly complex.

2. Identify the Purpose of Your Presentation

  • Why it matters: Defining your objective guides you toward a relevant topic. Are you informing, persuading, educating, or inspiring?
  • How to apply: If the purpose is to persuade investors, focus on a topic like market trends or growth strategies. If it’s to inform employees, you might choose process improvements or new product launches.

3. Align the Topic with Your Expertise

  • Why it matters: Presenting on a topic you know well builds credibility and confidence.
  • How to apply: Choose a subject within your field of expertise, where you can provide valuable insights, data, and practical solutions. For example, if you’re a marketing expert, presenting on customer acquisition strategies might be ideal.

4. Focus on Relevance and Timeliness

  • Why it matters: Relevant topics address current challenges, trends, or opportunities within your industry, keeping the presentation fresh and impactful.
  • How to apply: Look at industry trends, emerging technologies, or new regulations affecting your business. For example, a presentation on sustainability in business could be timely in the context of global environmental concerns.

5. Explore Common Business Presentation Themes

  • Popular Topics:
    • Financial Analysis and Forecasting: Investors and stakeholders often want insights into financial growth, projections, and performance.
    • Innovation and Technology: Discussing how emerging technologies like AI, blockchain, or automation are shaping your industry can spark interest.
    • Customer Experience: Addressing how to improve customer satisfaction and retention is highly relevant across industries.
    • Leadership and Organizational Change: Presenting on how leadership strategies drive growth, or how organizations can manage change effectively, can appeal to business leaders.
    • Sustainability and Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR): With increasing focus on ethical practices, presenting on how businesses can integrate sustainability into operations can attract a wide audience.

6. Solve a Problem or Address a Challenge

  • Why it matters: Offering solutions to pressing challenges can make your presentation highly valuable and actionable for your audience.
  • How to apply: Identify a common pain point your audience faces. For example, if speaking to a group of startups, a topic like bootstrapping strategies or scaling a business on a budget may be highly relevant.

7. Incorporate Data and Case Studies

  • Why it matters: Presentations supported by real data, trends, and case studies add credibility and help illustrate key points.
  • How to apply: Select a topic where you can back up your arguments with statistics, industry reports, or case studies. If you’re discussing the impact of digital marketing, showcase successful campaigns or data-driven results to support your points.

8. Brainstorm and Evaluate Ideas

  • Why it matters: Exploring multiple ideas allows you to compare and select the most compelling topic.
  • How to apply: Write down a list of potential topics. For each one, ask yourself:
    • Is it relevant to my audience?
    • Does it align with my expertise?
    • Can I support it with data and real-world examples?

9. Test Your Topic

  • Why it matters: Testing the idea helps you gauge audience interest and make necessary adjustments.
  • How to apply: Share your topic idea with a few trusted colleagues or peers. Get feedback on whether it seems engaging, relevant, and informative.

By following these steps, you’ll ensure that your business presentation topic is not only engaging but also aligned with your audience’s needs and the purpose of your presentation.