Tag: Rick Enrico

Persuasion: The Ultimate Essential Skill in Marketing

Customer Experience

digital marketing

Marketing

persuasion

Rick Enrico

SlideGenius

Nov 13, 2016

You’ve had good sales, and you’ve definitely had bad ones. It’s a facet of a marketer’s life: successes and failures, closes and rejections, profits and losses. Who hasn’t experienced both? But the lesson there lies on the fact that you will do everything to minimize that ratio. Perhaps five yays to one nay? How do you do that?Sales is a game of numbers—and persuasion, the latter more so since you dictate how that whole process goes. When the whole transaction arrives at that part, it’s just you and your potential customer—and ultimately them alone. It’s their choice; you’re there to make them see that choosing you is the correct one.Good marketers will keep talking about what they’re offering non-stop, hoping that the service or product—its features, specifications, and the like—will entice the customer to buy it and letting it do the talk. Great marketers will relate with the following infographic. Let’s study up on persuasion, the ultimate essential skill.https://www.slideshare.net/SlideGenius/persuasion-the-ultimate-essential-skill-in-marketing-68616836There are many psychological effects at play when persuading. Take the scarcity principle and the backfire effect as examples. While one is advantageous, the other will break every bit of work you’ve done—maybe because they weren’t interested enough to begin with or they have a different opinion (even then, you really can’t pinpoint why).This is a simple representation of how and why the human mind is tricky. Psychology, eh? There are a handful of shortcuts here and there, but while those can be a great help, none of them is a guarantee.One reminder you always have to keep in mind is to be honest and genuine. When you say that you want to help, it should be the ultimate goal. It’s not just about closing a sale, not turning a profit, and not making money.An honest marketer is often the best kind. No need for embellishments. No need for sugarcoating. Just genuineness. What maybe the ultimate trait you can have coupled with the ultimate skill you can hone may just be the best combination.

Resources:

Kessler, Doug. “6 examples of insane honesty in content marketing.” Velocity. May 12, 2015. www.velocitypartners.com/blog/6-examples-of-insane-honesty-in-content-marketingKessler, Doug. “7 Ways to Be Insanely Honest in Your Marketing.” Hubspot. May 15, 2015. blog.hubspot.com/marketing/insane-honesty-marketing#sm.0001frknxr3k3dlkqq22lsqtd9h7aLee, Kevan. “How to Win Friends and Influence Your Audience: 10 Theories to Know For Greater Persuasion.” Buffer. April 29, 2014. https://blog.bufferapp.com/social-media-influenceWright Wiley, Kim. “The Persuasion Principle.” Selling Power. n.d. www.sellingpower.com/content/article/index.php?a=7825/the-persuasion-principle&page=1

5 Factors that Affect Your Customers’ Buying Decisions

business pitches

buying decisions

Rick Enrico

sales

SlideGenius

Nov 08, 2016

For a business to be sustainable and successful, every salesperson has two responsibilities: to sell effectively, and look for new prospects.Some focus on emphasizing their brand’s benefits, yet fail to consider how customers make decisions. While doing the former can contribute in convincing your prospects to purchase your offer, knowing what factors that trigger their decision-making is way too different.There’s nothing wrong with focusing on your brand. In fact, this makes it easier to introduce your brand to clients by highlighting its own competitive advantage.But the latter should be your main priority. Understanding the five influencers of consumer behavior allows you to meet their expectations and better improve your marketing strategy. It also increases your chances of building relationships and boosting your sales.Consider the following aspects every customer has in mind:

1. “Is this person trustworthy?”

Selling yourself matters most in sales or business pitches. If people don’t show interest in you, it’ll be difficult to convince them to listen.Expanding your personal brand is crucial to building your professional image, and boosting your credibility in the field. This can be done by providing information about your business, while acknowledging their presence and showing your willingness to listen.Develop a personal connection with your customer base as if you’re wooing them or asking for a date.This also makes yourself likeable and trustworthy by stating your current business standing to impress your clients. Quarterly sales results or latest market shares are good examples to start with.

2. “Is the business credible?”

Once you succeed in making a good impression, time to reassure them of your business’ position in the market and consider other people’s feedback about the brand.Tricks like sharing your company history, experiences, and different awards received are only few of the many ways to establish your brand’s reputation. You can also show your past records, such as sales figures, successful product launch, and increased demands, to strengthen the brand’s image.Include some testimonials from satisfied customers and share how the product or service had helped them to prove your business’ strong points.

3. “Is the product or service beneficial?”

Knowing your customers’ concerns involves aligning their needs with what your brand can offer.It involves asking relevant and open-ended questions like “What particular benefits are you expecting from this brand?” which could motivate them to share their personal concerns. Probing questions also help you think of solutions that meet their expectations and satisfy their needs.Taking time to listen to their questions shows your interest and makes them feel valued. Make sure to know their preferences to help you recognize what would be best for them.

4. “Is it worth buying?”

It’s also common for customers to ask about a product or service’s price and worth.There’s no better solution to this than emphasizing your brand’s benefits and proving it better from any competition.Focus on their needs and present yourself as the only answer to their question, instead of reiterating your competence.Give them reasons to buy from you without being too forceful or aggressive. For instance, you can tell them your offer will help them save twice as much time and effort, compared to the other brand.

5. “Is it the right time to purchase?”

You may be able to instill positive impressions and address their needs in one sitting, but the right timing also matters to make them buy your product or service.Sometimes, you won’t get an immediate decision, that’s why you need the patience to give the impression that you respect them. An article from Boundless recommends telling your prospects that you’ll be conducting follow-ups after the initial transaction. You can say, “After a week or two, let’s meet up and discuss any of your concerns.” This tells the prospect that you respect his decision, and are interested in meeting his needs more than yours.Let them decide and wait until you get that much-awaited feedback.

Conclusion

Selling is serious business. You don’t just meet with clients to showcase your brand. You need to carefully understand what influences them to make purchase decisions. Also answering all the questions they have in mind will help you make sales and foster good relationships with them.Making yourself likeable is important to make a good impression and convince them that you’re professional, credible, and trustworthy.Share your exceptional work by highlighting different awards and recognition that your business received to help them know about your brand.Mention how your product and services will meet their needs and bring satisfaction to them. This will help convince clients that their needs are your priority, and you want to give the best.Emphasizing your brand’s benefits and respecting their decisions will enable them to feel that you care about them.To get your clients to agree with you, impress, incentivize, and do follow-ups to stay in contact with them.Let our team help and assist you with your presentation needs by giving you a free quote!

References

“Are You Helping Your Customers Decide To Buy?” Lifestyle Tradie. April 20, 2015. Accessed December 14, 2015. www.lifestyletradie.com.au/helping-customers-decide-buy“Following Up.” Boundless. n.d. Accessed March 11, 2016. www.boundless.com/marketing/textbooks/boundless-marketing-textbook/personal-selling-and-sales-promotion-14/the-personal-selling-process-91/following-up-456-6620“How Do Customers Decide to Buy?” TinderBox. August 24, 2012. Accessed December 14, 2015. www.gettinderbox.com/how-do-customers-decide-buyJames, Geoffrey. “How Customers Decide to Buy.” Inc.com. June 22, 2012. Accessed December 14, 2015. www.inc.com/geoffrey-james/how-customers-decide-to-buy.html Featured Image: “Customer” by 10ch on flickr.com

5 Audience PowerPoint Pet Peeves You Need to Avoid

Powerpoint

powerpoint slides

presentation audience

presentation tips

Rick Enrico

SlideGenius

Nov 06, 2016

Do you feel like your audience is zoning out on you in the middle of your PowerPoint slides?Your deck might not be sitting well with your listeners. Most people identify as visual learners, and are therefore more inclined to watch out for engaging visuals, rather than walls of text and droning explanations. Unfortunately, this is what most presenters are guilty of when they bore people to death.If you fall into this habit often, it’s time to re-evaluate your presentation choices. Find out what audience’s top five PowerPoint pet peeves are and how to avoid them:

1. Talking to Your Slides

Today’s audiences crave authenticity and personal connections with their speakers. The first thing that tunes them out of a presentation is a presenter who mumbles or reads from the slides.Eye contact is essential in establishing rapport with others. It makes you appear more trustworthy and credible, and less nervous and uncertain of your points. While you may want to get all the points right by reading them straight from the screen, the audience might write off your presence as irrelevant if you’re just going to reiterate your entire deck.Step away from your slides and project confidence with your voice. Deliver clearly and loudly as you directly address the audience.Make use of vocal warm-ups to ease your tension and improve your breathing. This will help alleviate your anxiety and sound more sincere in your pitch.

2. Too Much Information

People’s brains aren’t wired to take in information in bulk, as suggested by InfoEngineering’s article. Give them a landslide of data, images, and text, and they’ll be less likely to retain anything you mentioned. Since people’s short term memories constantly make way for new information coming in, all the backlog gets deleted once their minds are full.Applying this on a presentational level, leaving too many slides can also overwhelm your audience. Only include keywords on your deck, not full blocks of text. This improves people’s recall and compresses your points into neat, palatable takeaways.Leave enough room for you to explain things verbally, to further support your connection with your listeners.Raw data can be difficult to process, and often too heavy to understand on its own. Instead of giving the numbers as is, try putting a creative spin to them. Craft a narrative around your material to lighten up the weight of stark statistics.

3. It’s Unreadable

This third point has plenty to do with your deck’s design and layout.Tom Osborne of Viget suggests that poor contrast is one of the culprits of difficult readability, particularly in text. Contrast is essential in highlighting a specific object you want to stand out on your slide. Elements that aren’t well-contrasted tend to be too light, and might not be seen clearly for some viewers.Maximize the element of contrast in your PowerPoint. For example, dark hues tend to stand out more in lighter backgrounds. Use light colored text against a dark background, and vice versa.At the same time, good contrast might still lead to unreadable decks, due to eccentric font size and style choices. Ensure that the words on your slides are visible all the way to the back by selecting an apt combination – this often means a standard sans serif (like Arial or Helvetica) for the heading, and a standard serif (like Times New Roman or Garamond) for the body.In terms of font size, business guru Guy Kawasaki suggests fonts no smaller than 30-points. This definitely ensures their visibility for all types of audience members.

4. Blocking the View

It’s important for your audience to see what’s on the slides. After all, your PowerPoint is a supplement to your presentation. It’s an aid, which means it should reflect all the salient points you want to deliver. That said, blocking the view would be counterintuitive to having this presentation prop to leverage your speech.However, some presenters do tend to walk in front of their projectors or screens, obstructing people’s view. The audience members shouldn’t be straining their necks to get a view of your presentation.To prevent yourself from obstructing your audience’s view, stand beside the projected screen, and be mindful of your blocking on stage. You’ve got a visually engaging deck that’s worth looking at, so let people rest their gaze on your slides.

5. Random Design Choices

Aesthetics matter in catching the audience’s eye, but there should be a balance between your form and your content. In fact, WritingCommons recommends using your design choices to enhance your core message, even in the subtlest of ways.Don’t put in images that you can’t directly link to your current pitch. Leave out distracting animations and transitions if they won’t contribute to your main points. A balance between digestible simplicity and strategically placed design can make a powerful impression on your viewers from start to finish.To know what’s worth putting in and leaving out in your deck, keep an outlined list of your key points.Since your PowerPoint is supposed to supplement these points, only choose designs that correspond directly to them.

Conclusion

Appealing to your presentation audience means more than just giving them your message directly. Make sure that they’re paying attention to every word by crafting a deck that complements your pitch.Leave your slides on the screen, and talk sincerely to your listeners. Establishing a strong emotional and physical connection with them will make you appear like a more credible speaker worth listening to.Practice using your voice to project confidence and sincerity that will convince your audience. Check your deck’s readability by choosing colors that contrast and highlight each other. Aside from this, select the right font sizes and types that ensure maximum readability for all audiences, and in all venues.Mind where you stand so you don’t block people’s view of your visual aid. Avoid unnecessary deck designs by putting in only the most important keywords you need to expound on, and choose the appropriate slide element to support it.If you need help with your presentation design choices, contact our SlideGenius experts today for a free quote!

References

“Color Contrast for Better Readability.” Viget Blogs. Accessed December 16, 2015. https://viget.com/inspire/color-contrast”The 10/20/30 Rule of PowerPoint.” Guy Kawasaki. 2005. Accessed December 16, 2015. http://guykawasaki.com/the_102030_rule”Your PowerPoint Presentation: Developing an Effective Design.” Your PowerPoint Presentation: Developing an Effective Design. Accessed December 16, 2015. http://writingcommons.org/index.php/open-text/genres/public-speaking/delivering-the-speech/1031-your-powerpoint-presentation-developing-an-effective-design Featured Image: “40+216 Face” by bark on flickr.com

3 Cost-Effective PowerPoint Tips to Enhance Your Deck

artistic effects

Powerpoint tips

powerpoint tutorial

presentation

Rick Enrico

slide elements

SlideGenius

Nov 01, 2016

PowerPoint is designed to be a user-friendly tool. Because of this, anyone can easily access and operate the program to create a basic deck.However, we’ve barely scratched the surface of this diverse presentation program.There’s more to the visual aid than meets the eye.Here are three tips on how to save time with PowerPoint to ease your design process:

1. Edit Your Images in PowerPoint

If you’re struggling with a third party program and you want to see your pictures alongside the actual slide layout, edit your images directly in PowerPoint.Although this won’t give you the same flexibility compared to editing programs like Photoshop, it does give you options to enhance images in your slides. You can use this option for basic formatting, especially if you’re still beginning with design essentials.A Format tab will appear once you’ve selected your desired object. Explore the options on this tab to transform your pictures into attractive slide elements.One of the most common editing tools in PowerPoint is the Crop tool. It cuts your image down to size without adjusting its dimensions.You can also select a number of designs for your image with Picture Styles. This frames your picture, and even changes its shape and angle.Draw attention to key objects without needing to make the rest of your slide too plain. Tick Artistic Effects to make your images stand out from your background.Editing straight in PowerPoint saves you time and money that would have taken to design your images in a separate platform.

2. Adjust Your Slide Size

Most presenters stick with the default slide dimensions on PowerPoint. Earlier versions were in the standard 4:3 square size. There worked best for presentations that will be printed later on.This changed with PowerPoint 2013 onwards, where the default slide size used the 16:9 widescreen format. This configuration was used with visual content reserved only for on-screen presentations.Other than that, these later versions now also let you adjust your slides to whatever size you choose.PowerPoint 2013 users will find this option under the Design tab. Click Slide Size > Custom Slide Size to modify your slide according to the size you want it to be.According to the guide, 4:3 is best used for decks to be printed or presented on different media. On the other hand, 16:9 is best for presentations that are going to stay on screen, particularly for formal conferences or business presentations.Knowing which sizes are compatible with your presentation leaves out the trouble of printing slides that are too small, or presenting a deck that’s too big onscreen.

3. Check Out Their New Features

PowerPoint is a constantly evolving program.Its developers are aware of the criticisms hurled against it, so the presentation aid’s been optimized to respond with even better features.For example, just last year, Microsoft released two new add-ins for Microsoft 2016 – Designer and Morph.Designer eliminates the hassle of customizing layouts and color schemes to fit your chosen background. Just insert an image in PowerPoint and the program will analyze what design goes best with it.Morph also gives you an easier job at crafting transitions and basic animation.Simply drag the object you want to animate along a path after clicking the Morph option, and the slide element will follow that path once you play the Slide Show.Make sure to check the new add-ins for a cost-effective PowerPoint that improves both your experience and deck design.

Conclusion

PowerPoint is a deceivingly simple tool to use, but there are plenty of things yet to be discovered about its functions. Most of these will help you cut back on time and effort, while still producing a winning deck for your presentation.Edit your images directly in PowerPoint using the options in the Format tab.Adjust your slide size to match your presentation type.Always update yourself with the latest PowerPoint add-ins to find out what can make your designing a breeze.Need help with your presentation design needs? Contact our SlideGenius experts today for a free quote!

Reference

“What Slide Size Should You Use?” Presentitude. November 19, 2014. Accessed December 29, 2015. http://presentitude.com/slide-size-use

Black Cats of PowerPoint Presentations

Halloween

Powerpoint

presentation tips

Rick Enrico

SlideGenius

Oct 30, 2016

Sometimes, in the middle of reviewing a PowerPoint presentation, there comes the anxiety wherein people ask themselves if the slides are enough or overdone. Some even come to a point where they struggle critiquing their work because they spent too much time on it. After so much time and effort, you may wonder if you’ve been efficient or just wasteful.If, at the end of the day, despite all efforts to make a great presentation, it still doesn’t feel right to say it’s a job well done, here are some signs to help you make that call.

Unlucky 7

In rare cases, presentation taboos may be excused when necessary but international speaker and presentation skills expert, John Zimmer, says having too many bullets and texts make no sense when crafting a pitch.According to him, PowerPoint presentations that follow the 1-7-7 rule, or slides that consist one heading, seven bullets, and seven words, promise boredom and apathy on the part of the audience. Same point goes for the 1-6-6 rule.Avoid this by using fewer bullet points. When used sparingly, bullets can be effective to communicate ideas and points because they offer convenience to the audience. Bullets help save more time and space to allocate new information. Too many of them, however, does the opposite of that value.Minimize your use of words. Use communicative graphics and pictures that can replace texts. It’s best to do this in slides that contain messages that you would like your audience to remember.In this case, the 4-by-5 rule might just be right for your presentation. Unless you’re enumerating from a list, then four bullets and five words are ideal to keep your presentation informative and snappy.

The Scripture

One way to know if something isn’t easy to understand is when you read it repeatedly. There are several reasons why this happens. Usually, it means you’re having an idle moment or your phrases or sentences need to be simplified.When reading, experts say an average person renders 50 – 300 WPM (words per minute). However, when reading technical content, the statistics go down to 50 – 75 WPM.Sometimes, slides look like pages of ancient text, which contain too much information and take more time to read compared to the normal ones. When comprehending a script, use simpler but appropriate words and sentences to lessen the reader’s strain and lag. If you can’t process your messages easily, then how can you expect your readers to do so? Only use words with deeper meaning when necessary.Pause after a certain amount of words to give time for them to absorb everything.Also, speaking from an active voice welcomes a continuous reading process. Use present or passive tenses instead of progressive tenses. They’re easier to read and make ideas seem more simple.Lastly, though it’s advised to keep one thought in one slide, you can opt to break your sentences in the middle and proceed to the next. Maintain the dominance of the white background. It also pays to maintain a breathing room for your eyes.

Magic Decks

When you present a deck with numerous slides in a considerably long time, do you wonder if your audience recall everything?A research conducted in 2012 by cognitive neuroscientist, Dr. Carmen Simon, examined how many slides people can remember from a text-only, standalone PowerPoint presentation. After 48 hours, results showed that 1,500 participants remembered an average of four slides out of the presented 20.The study revealed that visuals played a significant role in keeping the slides memorable. It was also found that similar-looking slides are easier to remember. The distinctiveness of every other fifth slide in Simon’s presentation were significant help as well.Marks help remember. Use pictures or designs not only to illustrate, but also to keep slides more interesting and easier to recall. It’s best to use them strategically. Use markings on slides that need more emphasis.

Conclusion

Your deck doesn’t have to be all-telling. You can just make books if that’s the case. A good deck must contain all significant points and ideas for the presenter to collaboratively explain with. In a PowerPoint presentation full of information, points become harder to highlight. Use words sparingly so that your audience would actually pay attention to your content.Be strategic when creating your slides to make them more engaging. When making presentations, discover ways to be more conscious on your creative and communicative processes. It pays to understand your audience’s interests with regards to these aspects.Lastly, know that sometimes, complex solutions only solve basic problems. Before you start with another PowerPoint presentation, invest your time in getting to know more about creating effective presentations. This way, you end up creating your presentation in a lesser hassle pace and with more peace of mind.

Resources:

Zimmer, John. “PowerPoint Math: The 1-6-6 Rule. Manner of Speaking.” Manner of Speaking. www.mannerofspeaking.org/2010/03/04/powerpoint-math-the-1-6-6-ruleSimon, Carmen. “The Results Are In: How Much Do People Really Remember from PowerPoint Presentations?” Brainshark. February 12, 2013.Nelson, Brett. “Do You Read Fast Enough To Be Successful?” Forbes. June 4, 2012 www.forbes.com/sites/brettnelson/2012/06/04/do-you-read-fast-enough-to-be-successful/#5d9d3eca58f7Thomas, Mark. “What Is the Average Reading Speed and the Best Rate of Reading?” Health Guidance. www.healthguidance.org/entry/13263/1/What-Is-the-Average-Reading-Speed-and-the-Best-Rate-of-Reading.html

Match Your Market: Knowing the Right Social Network for Your Business

Infographic

Marketing

Rick Enrico

SlideGenius

social media

Social Media Marketing

Oct 25, 2016

Social media has become essential for entrepreneurs. Apart from allowing them to connect with clients and customers, it has also become a tool in expanding target markets and promoting a product or service. According to research, 96 percent of business owners use social media marketing, and 92 percent of those agree with the phrase, “Social media marketing is important for my business.” True enough, the form took the business industry by storm.Using social media, however, isn’t as simple as posting a photo, video, or status update. It takes effort, especially for businesses that wish to target a specific audience and run a special campaign. Many steps are involved in creating a strategy for this kind of communication, including building your audience, determining competition, and, one of the most challenging, choosing a platform to host the tactic.Through the emerging years of social, Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn have proven their worth in reaching global markets. Facebook remains as the most used application, while every second, 6,000 tweets are delivered worldwide. These statistics do sound effective for a marketing strategy, but are they right for your business? Identify the ideal social media platform for your business with the infographic below.https://www.slideshare.net/SlideGenius/match-your-market-knowing-the-right-social-network-for-your-businessDeciding on a social media network can be hard, especially for first-time marketers. Put the above-mentioned tips in mind and gradually build the attention and credibility your business deserves.Whichever platform you choose, remember to use social media as a source of two-way communication with your audience. Posting content online won’t be effective without knowing how to interact with customers and clients alike. Use it as a bridge to many opportunities that can lead your business to major marketing success. Post with an objective and make sure to target the audience you would want to reach long-term.

Resources:

Pick, Tom. “47 Superb Social Media Marketing Stats and Facts.” Business2Community. January 19, 2016. www.business2community.com/social-media/47-superb-social-media-marketing-stats-facts-01431126#Kq740lvQJvMD3E83.97De Mers, Jayson. “The Top 10 Benefits of Social Media Marketing.” Forbes. August 11, 2014. www.forbes.com/sites/jaysondemers/2014/08/11/the-top-10-benefits-of-social-media-marketing/#250ab8682a4dEdgecomb, Carolyn. “Social Media Marketing: The Importance of a Two-Way Conversation.” Impact. June 7, 2013. www.impactbnd.com/blog/social-media-marketing-the-importance-of-a-two-way-conversation

3 Tips to Powerful Logos Based on Design Principles

Brand Recognition

design principles

logo design

Rick Enrico

SlideGenius

Oct 23, 2016

A company logo is crucial in representing your brand. An excellently made logo will increase your brand recognition and help to make your business easily identifiable, representing your brand professionally and encapsulating its image.  For this reason, we’ve collected three points you need to remember in creating your brand’s logo:

1. Design Appropriate with Your Message

Your logo is a crucial customer touchpoint, and will form the initial impression people have about your brand before they even make a direct transaction. Choosing the right design means giving your logo your brand’s identity. For instance, are you aiming to be serious and formal? Or fun and approachable?Tailor your logo to your message and mission without being too direct or obvious. You can include your company name in your logo, or just leave powerful icons that matter to your brand.For example, Apple uses an apple as their brand logo. Attributed to graphic designer Rob Janoff, the Apple logo has undergone numerous changes through the years, but has remained consistent in one thing – the iconic apple. A feature on Janoff’s page shows his creative process in visualizing the company logo around the symbolic fruit it’s become known for.Janoff’s original design, which was a rainbow-striped apple, meant to humanize the products, emphasize the product’s ability to show colored images, and make it more attractive to the eyes, especially to children. Similarly, use an appropriate design to achieve a distinct identity that sets you apart from the competition.

2. Simplicity is Key

Keep your design as simple as possible without being extremely clean and minimalistic all the time, since a design that’s too bare may also bore people. Having a very intricate logo tends to be confusing, and will be more difficult to reproduce on your products. By definition, a cluttered logo is one that has extraneous elements in its design.Too many colors, characters, or embellishments that aren’t related to your company’s overall message are considered superfluous elements, and should be left out of your logo.To get the right balance of character and minimalism, maximize your use of white space. White space, or negative space, is the absence of any objects or elements. You don’t have to saturate viewers with too much glamor to get your message across. Applying white space lets people’s eyes rest and focus on the most important parts of your logo. Leave the backdrop of your logo free of extra elements to help it stand out and grab attention effectively.If you’re aiming for a powerful impact, an image that summarizes your business identity will suffice. For example, social media platform Twitter’s logo, credited to freelance designer Simon Oxley, features a blue bird. Its latest design is rounded, simple, and unembellished, but it manages to explain what Twitter stands for in a single image, which just goes to show that “show, not tell” applies to logo-making as well.

3. It Should Stick

Like a good tagline, your logo needs to be timeless and memorable. To attract and keep people’s attention, consider tapping into the psychology of shape and color. Different colors affect people in different ways, so knowing which ones to use can give your brand a leverage.Some of the most common colors used, especially in the food industry, are red and yellow. These warm colors command attention because of their vibrancy. In the same way, shapes can stir certain ideas in your viewers. Those with soft edges, like circles or ovals, project positivity and unity. On the other hand, pointed shapes with more defined edges, like squares and triangles, portray stability and formality.For a logo that doesn’t intend to use images, shape psychology can still come in handy with the fonts you use. Fonts with softer edges have the same effect as circular shapes, while sleeker, more angular fonts evoke similar reactions as sharp shapes.Some logos also manipulate negative space to create a clever and striking design. The famous WWF logo designed by British conservationist and ornithologist, Sir Peter Scott, mixes white space and strokes of the color black to create an image of a panda. This play with space and color both effectively encapsulates the organization’s ideals, and serves as a visual treat.

In Conclusion: Logos Can Make or Break Your Brand

Logos need to be catchy and relevant to your business so people can easily associate them with your brand. Remember: find the right logo design by having it reflect your message, and use white space to draw attention to the main parts of your logo. Similarly, tap into shape and color psychology to be both noticeable and unforgettable.Follow these simple design principles to help your logo stand out in the market.

References

Simon Oxley Idokungfoo for You Illustration. Accessed January 6, 2016. www.idokungfoo.com”Sir Peter Scott.” WWF UK. Accessed January 6, 2016. www.wwf.org.uk/about_wwf/history/sir_peter_scott.cfm“The Apple Logo Story.” Rob Janoff. Accessed December 11, 2015. www.robjanoff.com/the-apple-logo-story”The Psychology of Logo Shapes: A Designer’s Guide.” Creative Bloq. Accessed December 11, 2015. www.creativebloq.com/logo-design/psychology-logo-shapes-8133918“Twitter_logo_blue.png.” Twitter. Accessed December 11, 2015. https://g.twimg.com/Twitter_logo_blue.png”WWF Logo – Design and History of WWF Logo.” Logo Design Blog. Accessed January 6, 2016. www.famouslogos.us/wwf-logo“WWF Logo.”“WWF Logo.” Pixel Logo. Accessed December 11, 2015. www.pixellogo.com/sites/www.pixellogo.com/files/wp-content/uploads/2014/04/WWF-Logo.gifFeatured Image: “Basic Logos” by Armando Sotoca on flickr.comwww.flickr.com/photos/criterion/4693090982

Choose and Customize View Panes in PowerPoint 2013

custom ppt

customize powerpoint

powerpoint 2013

powerpoint basics

powerpoint tutorial

presenter

Rick Enrico

Slide Show

SlideGenius

view

Oct 18, 2016

PowerPoint 2013 offers several view panes that help streamline the presentation creation process by giving you different perspectives and tools for editing, organizing, and managing your slides. Each view serves a specific function, whether you’re working on content, structure, or design. Understanding how to choose and customize view panes can enhance your workflow and make it easier to build professional presentations.Here’s how to choose and customize view panes in PowerPoint 2013 to optimize your slide creation experience.

1. Choosing View Panes in PowerPoint 2013

PowerPoint provides several different views, each designed to help you with specific tasks like editing, organizing, or reviewing your slides. You can easily toggle between views using the View tab in the PowerPoint ribbon.

Key View Panes:

a) Normal View

  • Purpose: This is the default view in PowerPoint, allowing you to edit and design your slides. It includes three main sections: the Slide Thumbnails pane on the left, the Slide pane (where you edit the current slide), and the Notes pane at the bottom.
  • When to Use: Ideal for building and editing slides one by one.

How to Access:

  • Go to the View tab and click Normal.

b) Slide Sorter View

  • Purpose: Displays thumbnails of all your slides in a grid, allowing you to rearrange, delete, or reorder them easily.
  • When to Use: Best for organizing and rearranging your slide order or getting an overview of the entire presentation.

How to Access:

  • Go to the View tab and click Slide Sorter.

c) Reading View

  • Purpose: Lets you view the presentation as the audience would see it, but within the PowerPoint window. It’s helpful for reviewing your presentation without entering full screen mode.
  • When to Use: Use this view to preview animations, transitions, and overall flow.

How to Access:

  • Go to the View tab and click Reading View.

d) Slide Show View

  • Purpose: Runs the entire presentation in full screen, showing slides as they will appear to your audience.
  • When to Use: Use this view to rehearse the timing of your presentation or to present it live.

How to Access:

  • Go to the View tab and click From Beginning or press F5.

e) Outline View

  • Purpose: Displays only the text of each slide in outline form, making it easier to focus on the structure and content.
  • When to Use: Ideal for working on slide content, especially when you want to ensure clarity and consistency in text flow.

How to Access:

  • Go to the View tab and click Outline View.

f) Notes Page View

  • Purpose: Shows each slide along with the notes you’ve added. You can add speaker notes here that are visible only to you while presenting.
  • When to Use: Best for preparing and reviewing speaker notes for your presentation.

How to Access:

  • Go to the View tab and click Notes Page.

2. Customizing View Panes in PowerPoint 2013

You can adjust and customize view panes in PowerPoint to make your workflow more efficient. Here’s how to modify each pane based on your needs:

a) Slide Thumbnails Pane

  • Purpose: Located on the left side of the Normal View, the Slide Thumbnails pane displays mini versions of all slides, allowing for easy navigation and rearrangement.

How to Customize:

  • Resize: You can adjust the size of the Slide Thumbnails pane by hovering over the right edge of the pane until your cursor turns into a double arrow. Click and drag left or right to resize the pane.
  • Collapse or Expand: Click the small arrow at the top of the pane to collapse or expand it as needed. Collapsing it gives you more room for slide editing.

b) Notes Pane

  • Purpose: The Notes Pane, located below the Slide pane in Normal View, allows you to add notes for each slide.

How to Customize:

  • Resize the Pane: Click and drag the top edge of the Notes pane to make it larger or smaller based on how much space you need for notes.
  • View Notes on a Larger Scale: If you need to focus more on your notes, switch to Notes Page View for a more detailed view.

c) Zoom Feature

  • Purpose: Allows you to zoom in or out on your slides in the Slide pane.

How to Customize:

  • Adjust Zoom: Use the Zoom Slider at the bottom-right corner of the PowerPoint window to zoom in or out. You can also access the Zoom button in the View tab to manually set the zoom percentage.
  • Fit to Window: To reset the view and fit the entire slide into the window, click the Fit Slide to Current Window button in the View tab.

d) Gridlines and Guides

  • Purpose: Gridlines and guides help you align objects on your slides more precisely.

How to Customize:

  • Show or Hide Gridlines/Guides: Go to the View tab, and in the Show group, check or uncheck Gridlines and Guides.
  • Add More Guides: Right-click on an existing guide, then choose Add Vertical Guide or Add Horizontal Guide to increase the number of guides.
  • Snap Objects to Grid: If you want objects to align perfectly to the grid, select Snap objects to grid under the View tab.

e) Presenter View (When Using Slide Show Mode)

  • Purpose: Presenter View offers a dual-screen setup where you see speaker notes, upcoming slides, and a timer, while the audience sees only the current slide.

How to Customize:

  • Enable Presenter View: Go to the Slide Show tab and check the Use Presenter View box.
  • Customize Screen Layout: During the presentation, you can move or resize the panes in Presenter View to suit your preferences, showing more or less of the notes, timer, or slide preview.

3. Other Customization Options

a) Ruler

  • Purpose: Helps you align text, shapes, and objects on your slide.

How to Enable:

  • Go to the View tab and check Ruler in the Show group.

b) Multiple Windows

  • Purpose: If you’re working on multiple presentations, you can view them in separate windows to easily compare or copy content between them.

How to Open Multiple Windows:

  • Go to the View tab and click New Window to open another instance of the current presentation in a new window. You can arrange them side-by-side using the Arrange All button.

Final Thoughts

Choosing and customizing view panes in PowerPoint 2013 is a powerful way to improve your workflow, helping you focus on specific aspects of your presentation. Whether you’re editing content, organizing slides, or preparing notes, PowerPoint’s flexible views and customization options give you the tools to work more efficiently and design professional presentations with ease.By mastering these view pane options and making them work for your needs, you can streamline your presentation-building process and ensure that your final output is polished and effective.

Improve Your Presentation with Dan Pink’s Types of Pitches (Part 1)

pitches

presentation

presentation techniques

presentation tips

Rick Enrico

SlideGenius

Oct 17, 2016

Pitching isn’t just about selling – at least not directly. Our daily conversations during work, and personal matters all involve communicating. We try to influence others with our opinions, sentiments, and preferences everyday.This means that delivering a pitch involves getting your message across to your listeners.In his book, To Sell Is Human: The Surprising Truth About Moving Others, author and speaker Daniel Pink introduced the six successors to the elevator pitch: the one-word pitch, the question pitch, the rhyming pitch, the subject line pitch, the twitter pitch, and the Pixar pitch.These modernized types of pitches can be used by sales professionals to communicate with the audience better. This achieves a clearer, more convincing sales presentation.In this post, we’ll cover the first three types of pitches that you can use to enhance your content.

1. The One-word Pitch

The idea of one-word pitch or “one-word equity” was conceptualized by Maurice and Charles Saatchi, founders of Saatchi & Saatchi, one of the world’s top advertising agencies. By condensing your brand in one word, it can help your audience remember what you’re planning to convey.Nowadays, people have limited attention spans. Microsoft‘s study explains that the human attention span has declined from eight seconds to twelve in 2013. Given this limited timespan, presentations become more effective when they’re shorter.This means every presenter’s message needs to be clear and more direct, if only because clients will have an easier time remembering your main points.Some large firms incorporate this to their slogans to promote a more comprehensive way of presenting their brands to customers. For example, the word “search” is often associated with Google.

How to Get Started:

Pink advises presenters: “Write a 50-word pitch. Reduce it to 25 words. Then to six words. One of those remaining half-dozen is almost certainly your one-word pitch.”Ask yourself: If there’s one word you can use to describe your brand, what is it? Identify your objectives to guide you in crafting a more focused pitch. Decide what you want your audience to remember after hearing your brand name, or after letting them visualize your marketing campaign.This will help you come up with a powerful word that fits your desired plan. It can also instill a catchier, more memorable name you can associate with your business or brand.

2. The Question Pitch

There’s nothing more effective than questions that’ll motivate audiences to take action. Though you shouldn’t rely on this all the time, Pink’s research suggests certain questions become more persuasive when they possess a strong argument.For example, when Ronald Reagan was running for president in 1980, he chose to ask: “Are you better off now than you were four years ago?”, instead of mentioning America’s then-current economic recession and proving his point with numbers.Rhetorical questions like these are used to compelling the audience to resolve the point being discussed, while letting them absorb the message you want to deliver.Probing questions are also effective when convincing your listeners to share their stories and experiences, while voicing their concerns. Asking “Does this product interest you?” is way too open-ended from “Will this product provide convenience and solution to your concern?” The latter emphasizes the benefit and convinces your prospect to consider the offer.

How to Get Started:

Pink suggests: “Use this if your arguments are strong. If they’re weak, make a statement. Or better yet, find some new arguments.”If a statement won’t work, add a question to your pitch. This will prompt your listeners to answer it silently in their minds.When crafting your pitch, gather all the facts and resources needed, and organize relatable details or information to prioritize them. This lets you pinpoint what particular argument is more effective in a question form. It also ensures your listeners or prospects will understand the entire topic to make it more convincing.

3. The Rhyming Pitch

Pink states that “pitches that rhyme increase processing fluency.” This makes the message easier to digest and internalize.The following example shows how rhyming and non-rhyming words differ:

  • Woes unite foes. (original rhyming version)

  • Woes unite enemies. (modified non-rhyming version)

You’ll notice that the first sentence is much more interesting to hear than the second one. Incorporating rhyming words in your speech also improves audience recall as it produces a pleasant sound when they’re pronounced.Another example would be: “Videos can sustain what text can’t explain” has more impact than plainly saying it as “Videos can sustain text that lacks explanation.”

How to Get Started:

Pink states: “Don’t rack your brain for rhymes. Go online and find a rhyming dictionary.” Use the Internet to look for a rhyming dictionary. This will help you restructure plain and simple statements into rhyming sentences.Before applying it to your presentation, start by identifying your main points. Try out rhyming words to see if they’d work well together in one statement. You can also ask one of your colleagues for his opinion towards your pitch and give you his feedback.Be careful not to overdo it. Choose among and focus only on the ideas relevant to your subject for greater emphasis and easier retention. This will generate more interest among your listeners and draw attention to your performance.

Conclusion

Pink’s first three techniques not only offer a new approach in making your pitch more powerful and memorable. Applying these types can guide you in presenting your ideas creatively.Think of a word that’ll give your brand or business much exposure, and make it catchier enough to increase audience recall.For greater impact, make sure to deliver a strong argument. Ask questions that convince them to take action. Turn simple sentences into rhyming statements to let your listeners be more attentive to what you’re conveying.Try it yourself and you’ll be amazed by how it positively affects the way people better understand your message. Master these three approaches to allow for a better and more focused presentation that your audience will remember.To craft a more direct presentation, contact our team of professional designers today and ask for a free quote! 

References

“3 Ways to Pitch Your Idea.” Inc.com. April 11, 2013. Accessed January 19, 2016. www.inc.com/thebuildnetwork/3-ways-to-pitch-your-idea.htmlGabrielsen, Jonas, and Tanja Juul Christiansen. The Power of Speech. Copenhagen: Hans Reitzel, 2010.“How does digital affect Canadian attention spans?” Microsoft. n.d. Accessed February 1, 2016. http://advertising.microsoft.com/en/cl/31966/how-does-digital-affect-canadian-attention-spansPink, Daniel H. To Sell Is Human: The Surprising Truth about Moving Others. New York: Riverhead Books, 2012.“Practice Your 6 Pitches.” To Sell Is Human: The Surprising Truth about Moving Others, 2012. Accessed January 19, 2016. www.danpink.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/sixpitches.pdfSnider, Emma. “6 Types of Sales Pitches Every Seller Should Know.” HubSpot. January 6, 2015. Accessed January 19, 2016. http://blog.hubspot.com/sales/sales-pitches-every-seller-should-know Featured Image: “Dan Pink 1” by Ethan Beute on flickr.com

High Cost: Avoiding the Price of an Ineffective PowerPoint

deck prices

Powerpoint

ppt cost

presentation

presentation cost

presentation price

Rick Enrico

slide deck

SlideGenius

Oct 16, 2016

One PowerPoint presentation gone bad can cost more than you think, according to this Think Outside The Slide article: almost as much as $250 million because of wasted resources and manpower.Aside from the time invested by the audience, your sales, company decision-making, and even reputation are affected by your pitch’s impact.Create a deck that will maximize your time and save you the effort and money.Find out how to avoid an ineffective PowerPoint with these three tips:

1. Set a Goal

Knowing what you want to achieve is important in planning out how you’re going to get there.Is it to move the audience to action? Is it to make a sale? Or is it simply to deliver information?Not having an objective for your presentation can lead to a cluttered slide deck and disorganized speech.To avoid this, you need to choose from these goals for your pitch.Once you’re sure of what you want, enumerate the steps to achieving this goal.Create an outline that lists down your course of action. Will you quote your latest sales figures? Will you highlight your product’s benefits? Doing so can also serve as your guide in creating more palatable content.Craft a winning deck by determining what type of response you want to elicit from your listeners.

2. Simplify Your Points

Abstract ideas can be difficult to process, especially if they come in bulk.Information overload, like spreadsheets overflowing with statistical data, can affect how much of your presentation the audience will recall once you’re finished.Remember that your listeners don’t know your presentation as well as you do, so keep things simple.Break down your ideas into key points so you can focus on discussing as you go along. These can include going straight to how much clients could save or earn if they approve your proposal, or the superior benefits of your product over the competition.You also need to make sure that this is reflected in your slides to make it clearer and more concise.Stick to one major topic per slide, but don’t give it to the audience as it is.Explore a number of ways to creatively present difficult data, or to show your key points as a single text or image per slide for easier retention.

3. Engage the Audience

The downfall of many presentations, particularly sales pitches, is lack of audience engagement.According to a 2015 study by Microsoft Canada, people’s attention spans have dropped to an average of eight seconds, writes Leon Watson of The Telegraph. But presenters seem to forget to consider this.Either they go beyond their intended time limit, or they saturate their slides with too much information for the audience to handle.Engage the audience by treating your PowerPoint only as a visual aid, rather than a replacement for your actual presence.Interact with your listeners using expansive hand gestures and maximizing your physical space. Exude confidence and inspire trust in your body language.Use social psychologist Amy Cuddy’s suggestion about applying a power pose to display self-assurance and certainty in your pitch.People are more likely to listen to someone who knows what he’s doing, rather than someone who sounds unsure of his topic.

Conclusion

You can save the time, money, and further effort with one perfect presentation, so why not aim for that?Set a goal for your current pitch, and know what you want to achieve to guide you in reaching it.Break down complex ideas into easily understandable ones by selecting key points instead of whole paragraphs.Engage the audience by stepping away from your PowerPoint and interacting with them through your body language and your speech.The price of PowerPoint shouldn’t be too high. If you find yourself in need of some expert help, contact our SlideGenius professionals today for a free quote! 

References

Blodget, Henry. “This Simple ‘Power Pose’ Can Change Your Life And Career.” Business Insider. May 3, 2013. Accessed December 21, 2015. www.businessinsider.com/power-pose-2013-5Watson, Leon. “Humans Have Shorter Attention Span than Goldfish, Thanks to Smartphones.” The Telegraph. Accessed December 21, 2015. www.telegraph.co.uk/news/science/science-news/11607315/Humans-have-shorter-attention-span-than-goldfish-thanks-to-smartphones.html”What is the REAL Cost of Poor Presentations?.” Think Outside the Slide. Accessed December 21, 2015. www.thinkoutsidetheslide.com/what-is-the-real-cost-of-poor-presentations