Monday, August 07, 2006
How do you handle handouts?
How do you handle PowerPoint handouts?
Give your handouts out before or during the presentation, and you'll lose your audience as they read ahead while you present. Or worse, those greedy beggars will grab your handout and bolt before you give your stand-up -- wrongly assuming that your show notes are actually your presentation.
Generally, I don't give out handouts. And when I do, I give them out after the presentation.
Lately, I've been using the most delightful method for dealing with handouts -- I make the audience (aka "those greedy beggars") actually work for their handouts.
Put your audience to work! No more sitting idly back, waiting for you to pass out a polished, neatly printed and bound Cliff Notes version of your presentation.
In other words, no more handouts in the "beggin' for it" sense of the word!
Work for it! At the end of the presentation, instruct your audience to visit a web page that you've created JUST FOR THEM. Here, each audience member can enter their email address and name, and only then they do they get to download your show notes (formerly known as a handout).
This approach lets marketers win -- you can measure the success of your presentation when hundreds of audience members log in, thirsting for mere memories of your information and your amazing stage presence. And of course, you can ask for permission to send them future emails about upcoming speaking events or other marketing information.
Trainers can win, too -- you can find out which students are really into your groove by looking at who downloads... and when.
And let's face it, when you give "handouts" to beggars, you're usually looking to end the conversation.
But when you make your audience work for your handouts, you can effectively continue the conversation. You'll know who's really interested....and who took your material merely to be polite.
(The only print handout I've given out this month is my business card.)
So... how do you handle PowerPoint handouts? ¶ 8/07/2006 05:21:00 PM
How do you handle PowerPoint handouts?
Sidebar. The word "handouts" in regard to PowerPoint is just plain odd. Say "handout" and my mind conjures up images of ratty beggars rattling tin cups.
"Show Notes" is a better phrase....but Microsoft distinguishes between "handouts" and "show notes" and "slides" and "outline view" in its print console.
So for the moment, let us say that you intend to give "PowerPoint handouts" to the greedy beggars that make up your audience...
Most trainers and marketers I know recommend that presenters only offer handouts following the live, stand-up version of their presentations. Never before. Never during.
Only after.Give your handouts out before or during the presentation, and you'll lose your audience as they read ahead while you present. Or worse, those greedy beggars will grab your handout and bolt before you give your stand-up -- wrongly assuming that your show notes are actually your presentation.
Generally, I don't give out handouts. And when I do, I give them out after the presentation.
Lately, I've been using the most delightful method for dealing with handouts -- I make the audience (aka "those greedy beggars") actually work for their handouts.
Put your audience to work! No more sitting idly back, waiting for you to pass out a polished, neatly printed and bound Cliff Notes version of your presentation.
In other words, no more handouts in the "beggin' for it" sense of the word!
Work for it! At the end of the presentation, instruct your audience to visit a web page that you've created JUST FOR THEM. Here, each audience member can enter their email address and name, and only then they do they get to download your show notes (formerly known as a handout).
This approach lets marketers win -- you can measure the success of your presentation when hundreds of audience members log in, thirsting for mere memories of your information and your amazing stage presence. And of course, you can ask for permission to send them future emails about upcoming speaking events or other marketing information.
Trainers can win, too -- you can find out which students are really into your groove by looking at who downloads... and when.
And let's face it, when you give "handouts" to beggars, you're usually looking to end the conversation.
But when you make your audience work for your handouts, you can effectively continue the conversation. You'll know who's really interested....and who took your material merely to be polite.
(The only print handout I've given out this month is my business card.)
So... how do you handle PowerPoint handouts? ¶ 8/07/2006 05:21:00 PM
Comments:
Links to this post:
<< Home
I'm a huge fan of providing written materials because as I've learned, people are only going to remember 3-4 things from your presentation. A handout allows them to "remember" it all. The most important message in my industry is not what I tell my audience, but what my audience tells their boss the next day when the boss asks, "So how was that presentation?"
I encourage people to take as much care crafting your printed materials as you do your presentation, because it's your printed materials that are going to get passed around to all of those that could not attend. This paper represents you as much as your presentation.
Thanks for bringing up this important point, Laura!
Post a Comment
I encourage people to take as much care crafting your printed materials as you do your presentation, because it's your printed materials that are going to get passed around to all of those that could not attend. This paper represents you as much as your presentation.
Thanks for bringing up this important point, Laura!
Links to this post:
<< Home
