Presenting with Twitter - Free Ebook

The Twitter backchannel is changing the way speakers deliver presentations. Twitter is also changing the way conference planners promote and manage events.

What do teachers, trainers, speakers, and conference planners need to know to keep up with these fast-breaking changes?

You can find out in a wonderfully written (and totally free!) ebook written by "Speaking About Presenting" blogger Olivia Mitchell. The comprehensive ebook, How to present with Twitter (and other backchannels) is available today for free download.



Olivia gave me the opportunity to review her ebook earlier this month. I was absolutely blown away by how thorough, enjoyable, and helpful her book is as a guide for preparing a presentation or event. Chocked with great tips, if you are planning a presentation, speech, or conference at the moment, here is my 4-step advice:

1. Drop what you're doing.
2. Visit Olivia's blog.
3. Download & read this amazing 62-page book.
4. Discuss -- how will the Twitter backchannel change the way you plan & present today?

PS - Be sure to follow Olivia Mitchell on Twitter @OliviaMitchell -- she's the engaging lady in New Zealand who frequently shares great ideas about presentation and speaking best practices.

Labels: Presentation, Twitter

¶ 11/20/2009 01:32:00 PM 0 Comments Links to this post

  How to Be a Great Audience Member

When I'm presenting live, I look for a friendly face in the audience. I like to focus on attentive, smiling, thoughtful faces. They give out a good energy that I respond to as a presenter.

Often, just one friendly audience member can make me a better, more confident presenter.

So when it's my turn to be an audience member, I try to pay the good audience vibe forward. I feel that a presenter will do a better job if someone in the audience gives the performer "good face". I try to radiate "positive face energy" to the performer. I make eye contact. I smile and nod at the presenter. If it's supposed to be funny, I'll laugh or giggle.

I like to believe that if I'm a positive audience member, my face and energy will encourage the presenter to give a more enthusiastic performance.

Think about this the next time you're in a deadly dull presentation. We often hear or read about improving our "presentation skills" -- but what are we doing to improve our "audience skills?" How are we helping to co-create the presentation experience with the person who's on stage?

What part can we play -- as audience members-- to improve the performance of any presenter?

Labels: Presentation

¶ 11/11/2009 03:58:00 PM 0 Comments Links to this post

  Two Tips for Curing the "Trailing So..."

Americans find the word "whatever" annoying.

They find it way more annoying than the phrase "you know" and "it is what it is."

This factoid comes courtesy of USA Today, as quoted in a recent Marist Poll.

Really?

As for me, I have trouble with another pervasive verbal tic.

I call it "The Trailing So."

You might hear "The Trailing So..." in interviews and Q&A sessions. Someone asks a question. The subject answers, but instead of ending the sentence in a period, he or she ends with "so..."

You can actually hear the ellipses after the trailing so! For example:

Question: "How did it feel to come back to Michigan after living in Hawaii?"
Answer: "Hawaii is great - beautiful weather. I like the change of seasons in Michigan, though. So..."

The "trailing so" signals a weak answer, or that the interviewee is too bored to complete the thought to a satisfying conclusion. It's often a sign that the mouth has started chattering before the brain has had time to think through the answer!

How to cure the trailing so. The first step to finding a cure for the trailing so is to become aware of it. If you find yourself ending a sentence in a trailing so, there are two common situations for why you might have let this verbal tic slip.

1. Habitual Offender. If you find that you're a repeat "trailing so" offender, it's likely that you have become accustomed to hearing it, and unconsciously let this sloppy habit slip into your vernacular. You'll do well to take a moment or two to think through your answer to completion before activating your voice. Taking these silent moments can make you look more thoughtful and reflective. It sure beats babbling around in circles while you try to figure out how you're going to end your statement!

2. Bored or Tired. Let's say you're giving an answer, and find to your horror, that you've ended with a trailing so. This is so unlike you, and you're mortified! You may have done so because you lost interest in your own idea halfway through your statement. Or you may simply be exhausted. At this point, snap awake and firmly state this phrase "Let me summarize!" After you say, "Let me summarize" - quickly and strongly finish your statement as quickly as possible.

For example, "Hawaii is great - beautiful weather. I like the change of seasons in Michigan, though. So...Let me summarize! I'm enjoying the difference!"

The best cure, of course, is to be aware of the trailing so -- and to avoid it by thinking through your statement before speaking.

What's your cure for pervasive verbal tics you find annoying?

Labels: Presentation

¶ 10/09/2009 03:03:00 PM 5 Comments Links to this post

  How do you EARN attention when presenting?

"No computers or handhelds during my presentation," barks a presenter. "I don't know whether you're playing games or paying attention. For the next hour, all eyes up here, on me!"

photo credit: Ana Marta 7

I ignore this insane outburst, of course. I'm an adult. So is the rest of the audience. I take notes on my notebook PC. If the guy has something pithy to say, I might even rock it out on Twitter, give him credit, and spread his idea further.

After his presentation, the fellow rebuked me for failing to follow his pre-presentation command. I was being rude by typing as he talked, he insisted.

On the contrary, I protested. I was there to learn from him, not to pacify his ego by staring adoringly at him while he ignored the needs of his audience.

In fact, I told him I glanced up from my computer numerous times. I looked at his PowerPoint slides, but the text was too small for me to read, so I looked at him. His body language -- back to the audience as he read the text from the slides -- didn't hold my visual interest, so my eyes went back to my computer screen. Because he was long-winded, he didn't give me any short concepts to Tweet, so his ideas didn't spread beyond the room.

I have an obligation to be a good audience member. It means that my mobile phone is silenced, so that I don't annoy others. It means that I give back energy to the presenter -- I laugh if something's funny, applaud if I am moved, nod quietly with agreement, raise my hand to ask questions, make eye contact at times, or participate in activities or discussions when I am asked courteously. Otherwise, I remain silent and take notes.

As a presenter, I note that my audience is often texting or typing while I talk. They might indeed be playing games or doing something non-work related. They also might be taking notes, learning, and sharing ideas.

It's not about me and my needs, it's about the audience. A modern audience uses modern tools. As a presenter, I need to learn to adapt my style to fit their needs. Why should the audience have to pacify my selfish needs for their attention? Why should I force my audience to stop using tools that let them learn and share information?

As a presenter, I need to EARN attention. If I'm interesting, the audience is more likely to be interested. They might express their interest in a different way: years back, they might have nodded and jotted down a note. Today, they might nod and type.

Get used to it. Don't churlishly tell your audience to PAY attention. Instead, be so phenomenally entertaining or interesting that they can't help but GIVE you their attention!

How do you EARN attention when presenting to a modern, tech-savvy audience?

Labels: PowerPoint Presentation, Presentation, social media, Twitter

¶ 9/04/2009 03:37:00 PM 3 Comments Links to this post

  Just Who Do You Think You Are?


How many times have you heard this three-word bit of useless advice? Yes, you read that right: I wrote "useless". Why useless? Two main reasons:

1. There's nothing "just" about being yourself. You're complicated. You're deep. If you were a rock or a piece of wood, perhaps you could "just" present yourself without thought to your audience.
2. You can only be yourself. Even if you act as if you're someone else, you're being yourself. Apparently, you're an actor. Or a con artist. Hey, acting like someone else might be exactly who you are!

If someone tells you to "just" be yourself, you might think for a second, "OK, then -- who am I?"

You might find that you're rather complicated. You're a thoughtful, intelligent, caring person. You might also be a parent, a dog-lover, a teacher, a business person, a singer, a CEO of a thriving company, a practical jokester, a oenophile, a stamp collector, a martial arts expert, a gardener, a cook -- yes, indeed, you may be all this and more. Or you may be something else entirely...

"It is well known that people don't always 'speak their minds', and it is suspected that people don't always 'know their minds'."
-Quote from the Harvard Implicit Association Test Home Page

So, here you are. You're this fascinating and multi-faceted character, and some vapid goofball thinks you can "just" be yourself, as if you were a bit of plankton or an amoeba.

You can do better. Instead of just being yourself, why not present your very best self to the audience at hand?

For example, let's say you are a fabulous parent to two toddlers. That's a big part of "who you are". When you're with your children, you take on a tone of voice and project an image that is appropriate for your tots.

Now take that same tone of voice and image that you present to your children and use it to give a business presentation to the board of directors. Or lecture to a class of college students. Or to talk to the guy who's fixing your car.

Probably not so effective to be your "exceptional-toddler-parent" self for those particular audiences!

If you think you know yourself, think again. So let's go back to the very essence of "who you are" -- who are you, exactly? (For an eye-opener, I recommend taking some of the online tests at the Harvard Implicit Association Test. You may find out that you know yourself very well -- or maybe not!)

Let's say, for example, that you are "a thoughtful, intelligent, caring person."

No matter which role you take on -- parent, martial artist, teacher, business person, dog lover -- these characteristics describe the essence of "who you are". You carry these characteristics with you, regardless of the audience in front of you.

And because you are intelligent and caring, you might decide that your audience will be more enthusiastic if you decide to act like someone else entirely! Someone smarter, funnier, braver, stronger, sillier, dopier, goofier, angrier, more confident...whatever.

"Pretending to be braver than you are" is also a bit of presentation advice you'll often hear -- almost as much as that crazy bit about "being yourself."

If you have to pick between these two bits of contrary advice -- which would you choose?

And "just" how well do you know yourself-- really?

Labels: Presentation

¶ 8/17/2009 09:29:00 AM 2 Comments Links to this post

  The Days of Talking Heads Are Nearly Over

I ♥ David Byrne.

I even ♥ David Byrne's "I ♥ PowerPoint."

Really, I do.

But the days of the Talking Heads are over.

I'm not talking about the band. I'm talking TV. And presenters. And presentations.

We have social media to thank.


Interactive presentations are in.

Authoritative anchors reading dispassionately from teleprompters are out.

Teachers and professors lecturing from on high? Also on the way out.

Note your TV news shows asking, "What do you think? Talk back. Send us your video. Talk to us at Twitter. Comment on our blog...."

Walter Cronkite, bless his trusted soul, didn't ply his trade in an era of interactivity. He was a talking head, appropriate for the decades he served. A deep authoritative voice coupled with a kind-looking face served him well in his time.

Today, Jon Stewart is the most trusted man in TV news. Well, not really. People just voted him as the most trusted newscaster.

In an online poll.

By Time Magazine.

See what I mean? Online polls. Talking back. Old-school journalism meets citizen journalism. Opinions. Interactivity. It's all the rage.

Burning down the house. Last week, Stewart jokingly called his second-place poll rival (TV news anchor Brian Williams) a "teleprompter monkey."

Does that make the new style of news anchor, a "hyper-interactive monkey?"

And how are you using social media to make your presentations more interactive, compelling, and contemporary?

Labels: fun, Presentation, social media

¶ 7/27/2009 01:08:00 PM 5 Comments Links to this post

  Crowdsourcing Presentation Content with Twitter

Labels: PowerPoint Presentation, Presentation, social media, Twitter

¶ 7/14/2009 08:20:00 AM 1 Comments Links to this post

  Presentation Diet Plan - Or Superstition?

I get a little asparagus happy this time of year. Honestly, Michigan asparagus is at its absolute prime between Mother's Day and Father's Day. So for one month, I cannot seem to get enough of this fresh, local, delicious vegetable. I eat it at least once a day.

After Father's Day, I'm pretty much over it. Until next year, that is!


But between the Michigan asparagus seasons, I eat a much more varied diet. Unless it's the day of a major presentation -- then, I rely on a somewhat ritualized food quirk.

The Presentation Diet Plan. You see, I can't just eat ANYTHING on the day of a major presentation. I need to keep my energy up, so protein and carbs need to be on the menu. And I cannot afford a fit of, em, gastronomic distress during a presentation, so greasy, fatty, spicy, and carbonated items are definitely OFF the menu. And as much as I love a glass of wine with a big carby meal, that combo can leave me prone to sleepiness or drunken rambling -- both highly undesirable to audience members.

My presentation diet? An organic, no-sugar peanut butter sandwich. On whole grain bread. And water. That's it. That's my pre-presentation meal: and has been for years. It gives me energy. It sticks to my ribs. No blood sugar crashing -- and no burping. It also packs easily -- put a few peanut butter sandwiches in a zip lock bag, and they can survive a mean day of travel.


Diet...or Superstition? As much as I'd like to tell you that my presentation diet is a sensible solution to keeping my energy high while avoiding discourteous gastronomical fits and unpleasant metabolism side effects, I now have my suspicions. It seems that performers and presenters are a superstitious lot -- we get into habits that have nothing to do with reason.

Many actors say "break a leg" instead of "good luck" before a performance. Whistling behind the stage or uttering the name of a certain Shakespeare play? This is also supposed to bring bad luck. And let's not forget the good side of luck and performance: athletes and actors are famous for carrying good luck talismans or undergoing quirky little rituals before performing.


So...is my peanut butter sandwich + water pre-presentation diet plan practical and sensible -- or have I veered off into the land of the supernatural?

And what's your presentation diet plan? What foods do you avoid -- or are absolute musts on the day of a performance?

Even if it's not food-related -- what's the oddest ritual or habit you've heard of someone routinely undertaking before a performance?

Labels: Presentation

¶ 5/20/2009 12:25:00 PM 5 Comments Links to this post

  The 4 Most Important Elephants of Presentation

In grad school, a marketing professor insisted on an oral report. One student in class did not speak English as her first language.

When she gave her report, she began talking about "The Most Important Elephants of International Marketing". We all thought, of course, that she mispronounced "elements". After the first time, most audience members, including myself, merely smiled.

But after a few minutes, it became clear that she was going to repeat the word "elephants" -- multiple times -- for the remainder of her presentation! So our professor interrupted the speaker.

"Excuse me," he said kindly. "I hate to interrupt you. Your speech content, so far, is very good. But one small thing is unclear."

He explained that an elephant was a huge animal with a trunk, tusks, and floppy ears. The speaker looked bewildered.

So the professor pantomimed the trunk and made a strange elephant noise. The professor suggested that perhaps the word she wanted was "element".

photo credit: Mara 1

The speaker looked embarrassed. She blushed and stammered. Trying to recover, she asked the laughing audience:

"So elephants are very big, powerful animals, yes?"

Of course, we all agreed with her.

"My ideas are big, powerful ideas. Just like elephants. So please continue to think of my elements as elephants."

For the remainder of her report, she would say the word "elephant", then excuse herself and carefully say "element".

It became clear to me that she had rehearsed her report, and used the word "elephant" in rehearsal . For her speech, the wrong word was ingrained in her brain. It wasn't going away any time soon! Nonetheless, she recovered nicely. She delivered a wonderful presentation, elephants and all!

I learned four unintended lessons from her talk:

1. Practice doesn't make perfect. If you're rehearsing incorrectly, you can count on faulty delivery. Rehearsing alone is fine - but not forever. Get feedback.
   
   
2. Mistakes can be endearing. No one thought the speaker was an idiot for making a mistake. The audience empathized with her, and found her mistake charming.
   
   
3. Preparation pays. Even though the speaker bobbled one word, it was clear she knew her material. She recovered, and delivered a report that likely earned her an "A".
   
   
4. The unexpected can rivet attention. Because of one mispronounced word, I remember a 15 minute speech -- 20 years later. Why not use a homophone -- or other unexpected technique! -- to make your next presentation more memorable?

What's your most important elephant when you deliver a presentation? Or rather, what unexpected technique do you like to employ to make your presentation content stick?

:)

Labels: Presentation

¶ 5/08/2009 10:05:00 AM 0 Comments Links to this post

  PowerPoint Pet Peeve: The Passive Voice

Which sentence do you like better?

• A PowerPoint presentation was given by the CEO.
• The CEO gave a PowerPoint presentation.

Both sentences relay the same information. So why do you like the second one better?

• The first sentence is longer. It uses the passive voice.
• The second sentence is shorter. It uses the active voice.
  

When I listen to speakers who almost exclusively rely upon the passive voice, I go a little bonkers. Why?


The passive voice is mushy and weaselly. It signals that the speaker is trying to hide something. When someone says, "Mistakes were made ," I instantly want to spring up and scream, "By whom?"

If one more benefit shakes out of using Twitter, let it be a giant reduction in people using the passive voice. Active voice is shorter, swifter, and more powerful. It takes responsibility. It's the stronger, nobler choice.

I have no idea why so many presenters use the passive voice. Do you?

And what are your grammatical presentation pet peeves?

(Of course, it might be a fun exercise to write your blog comments, exclusively using the passive voice. That might help me exorcise my peevishness!)

Labels: PowerPoint, Presentation, Twitter

¶ 3/30/2009 01:23:00 PM 2 Comments Links to this post

  How Twitter Can Enhance Your Presentation

Much ado over a Twittering Congress. Last week during the President's address to the joint session of Congress, some members Twittered through the speech. Almost immediately, two basic attitude camps sprang up among pundits:

1. How dare they! Congress should be paying rapt attention, not providing color commentary.
2. Kudos! Now, the public gets to immediately know what's going on in the minds of elected officials.

Labels: Presentation, social media, Twitter

¶ 3/07/2009 04:11:00 PM 3 Comments Links to this post

  How Public Speaking Can Make You Richer, Thinner, and Better in Bed

Labels: Presentation, social media

¶ 2/12/2009 09:39:00 AM 2 Comments Links to this post

  Presentation V. Working the Room

The marvelous social media sommelier Gary Vaynerchuk gives us an excellent 3 minute video outlining the necessity of "working the room" versus "giving a presentation."



If you're still "giving presentations" -- note the distinction. For years, brands became accustomed to "giving presentations" and "controlling" the message. In the age of social media, with blogs and sites like Twitter, FaceBook, YouTube -- merely giving a presentation is less effective than "working the room".

The video you see above is also a fine example of how an audience can talk back. Note the comments that bubble up from the audience as you watch the video. Mr. Vaynerchuk puts himself out there -- inviting feedback and criticism. He's working the room.

How will social media change the way you present your brand?

And when will you stop "giving presentations?"

Labels: Blogging, Presentation, social media, video

¶ 2/06/2009 03:32:00 PM 1 Comments Links to this post

  Social Media Inspired PowerPoint Design for 2009

Labels: design, PowerPoint, Presentation, social media

¶ 1/09/2009 04:09:00 PM 6 Comments Links to this post

  Jing Pro is a Winner!

TechSmith released Jing Pro this week.

It's a winner. A wow.

Like many, I used the free Jing project to quickly create visual voicemails and disposable learning objects. So when I read about the new Jing Pro, I simply wanted it.

Impulse Purchase! Even though I had a 3:00 meeting yesterday, I whipped out my credit card at 2:50pm to impulse purchase Jing Pro online. By 2:54, I bought, downloaded, installed, recorded, and uploaded a 38 second test video to the Screencast server. (I even had time to Tweet about my Jing Pro experience at 2:57pm. And yeah, I made it to my meeting in time!)

Phenomenal Features. So why did I yearn for Jing Pro, when I currently enjoy using the free version?

• Social Media Ready. One button lets you pump your Jing Pro video straight to your YouTube Channel. Or you can "save as" MP4 to your hard drive -- so that you can upload your video to your FaceBook page. You can also use Jing to capture an on-screen image, which you can upload directly to a Flickr set (or save on your hard drive.)
  


• Logo Free. With Jing Free, you see the Jing logo at the beginning and end of each video. Not so with Jing Pro! The new Jing logo has been stripped for a 100% clean video. (Although when I previously sent Jing videos to clients, the logo was often a conversation starter! "What's this thing called Jing? It's neat: can I get it, too?")


• Blazing Fast. All too frequently, I can record & post an online Jing video in less time than it takes for me to leave a voicemail for a client. By avoiding the "voicemail + return phone call maze", everyone saves time. I post the video, email a link, and ask clients to watch a video response. This improves productivity, while creating a better "Show & Tell" presentation experience.
  

Better for you than candy. You can get Jing Pro with a one year subscription. And get this -- it's currently only $14.95 for 12 months. The low price made it a better-than-candy impulse purchase -- but I rather expect this is a non-fattening purchase I will enjoy throughout 2009!

How will you use Jing Pro or Jing Free in 2009?

Labels: Presentation, Presentation Applications, social media, video

¶ 1/07/2009 04:53:00 PM 0 Comments Links to this post

  The Top 5 Reasons Why You Love Bullet Points

So nobody likes bullet point presentations anymore.

Really?

Horse hockey.

Then why do some of the most popular headlines today read:

• "25 ways to..."
  
• "Ten Reasons Why..."
  
• "Three Secrets of..."
  
• "The Top 100..."
  
• and so forth?

And then, after reading these headlines that promise us some hot bullet point action, what happens?

Why, we read the bullet point articles!


We are seduced by this type of headline. We click on 'em. We pick up magazines with "magic number" headlines on the cover, knowing full well they will lead us to an article filled with bullet points or a numbered list!

Bullet points and numbered list presentations are particularly popular this time of year. End-of-the-year countdowns and top predictions are usually cheap and easy to produce.

And people seem hypnotized by the magnetic "magic number" headline.

Many blog readers cannot help but click on these "Top 10" type headlines when they see them on Digg or on Twitter or in their favorite blog reader. TV viewers cannot seem to resist watching cheaply produced countdown shows on cable channels that begin "The Top 100 Name-Something-Here."

After reading the article or watching the TV show with a headline that promises a bullet point presentation of information, you might feel content or vaguely satisfied. The bullet-point article didn't make you think too much. It was fun & easy to digest. Maybe it confirmed something you already knew. Or maybe you learned some concept, so that you can share your new found knowledge with others.
In a 2006 Copyblogger post titled Little Known Ways to Write Fascinating Bullet Points, Brian Clark writes, "Bullet points are maligned because most people don’t know how to write them."

So why not learn the techniques behind writing compelling headlines? And why not learn to write scrumptious bullet points that are every bit as addictive as a Letterman Top 10 list?

Done well, bullet points can be effective, persuasive, and even entertaining!

Labels: PowerPoint Presentation, Presentation

¶ 1/02/2009 04:23:00 PM 6 Comments Links to this post

  Open Source Webconferencing : Digging the DimDim Experience

Author Ellen Finkelstein and I were collaborating on a PowerPoint presentation design and script the other day. Ellen was in Iowa. I was in Michigan. We needed to show each other our work as we talked through our concepts. What to do?

We decided to give Dimdim a whirl. Dimdim is an open source webconferencing service that promises to host web meetings for up to 20 people -- for free. A number of other compelling features touted at the site convinced us to try Dimdim: we can share a desktop, show slides, collaborate, chat, talk, and even record our session. The site also promises that the service is easy to use -- and no downloads.

All that and free, too? Where do we sign up? :)

So Ellen and I both started accounts at Dimdim -- although I really didn't need to do so. Ellen started the meeting as the leader. As an audience member, I didn't need a Dimdim account -- just an invitation from the meeting leader. I love that Dimdim doesn't force audience members to become Dimdim members -- that's certainly a very courteous and confident feature.

Labels: PowerPoint Presentation, Presentation, Webcast

¶ 11/26/2008 05:53:00 PM 2 Comments Links to this post

  Presentation, Conversation, and Improv

"You don't rehearse a conversation, do you?"

Yes, indeed, that was an objection I heard when I posted earlier about the importance of rehearsing a presentation.

Here's another bit of (edited) push back:

"What about improv comics? Everything they do on stage is spontaneous. Fresh. Unrehearsed."

Both objections are laughable. Laughable!

To answer:

Do I rehearse conversations?

No. No, I don't.

You? Go out with a list of questions and topics on an index card when socializing, do you? ;)

If you have honed social skills, you probably don't rehearse conversations. You probably are filled with great ideas you'd like to share. And you're open to listening to the ideas of others.


photo credit: JoshMcConnell

My preferred presentation style is largely conversational. This means I come prepared to lead a conversation. And it means that I'm open to hearing ideas from the audience.

Out of respect for my audience, I rehearse my presentations. I rehearse because the content of my presentation is often meant to be thought or action provoking. A conversation starter, if you will.

Rehearse answers. Further, I think through questions the audience might ask, so that I am better prepared to answer them. I have rehearsed answers that I was never asked. And I have bumbled through answers that clever audience members were able to ask that I didn't have the imagination to rehearse!


photo credit: JoshMcConnell

As for those improv comics? Everyone can stand to become a much better presenter and conversationalist if they practice like an improv comic. (Yes, improv masters practice relentlessly. They make their performances look effortless after countless hours of practice.)

To experience the fun and work of improv, why not check out the comprehensive Encyclopedia of Improv Games? This is an extraordinary list of warm-ups, icebreakers, and improv exercises. It is a must-bookmark for anyone who presents -- or for parents who want to find new & amusing ways to discipline their children. (Instead of boring time-outs, why not make squabbling siblings play a rousing game of Three Noses? What other improv game can you inflict on whining, misbehaving children? ;)

Good conversations -- and good improv -- are filled with verve and fire. Ideas erupt from skilled people with great thoughts. Ideas themselves are nothing much -- until they are publicly unleashed, bettered and battered by conversational discourse.

Rehearse your conversations? Maybe not.

But consistently practice the art of conversation and improv -- so that you're prepared to test and grow ideas on any stage - social or formal?

Definitely!

Labels: Presentation

¶ 11/05/2008 04:30:00 PM 1 Comments Links to this post

  Presenting to the Twitter Backchannel

“Content isn't king. If I sent you to a desert island and gave you the choice of taking your friends or your movies, you'd choose your friends - if you chose the movies, we'd call you a sociopath. Conversation is king. Content is just something to talk about.” - Cory Doctorow | Boing Boing

The best part of attending conferences is the people you meet. And often, the most exciting content you experience at conferences is not delivered by the keynote speaker. And it's not presented by subject matter experts in the workshops.

The most exciting content is in the conference backchannels. Conference backchannels include conversations in the hallways. Chitchat over coffee in the morning or cocktails in the evenings. Backchannels also include gossip over lunch and deal-making on the golf courses.

In other words, you didn't really come to the conference to hear me deliver an exciting, information-packed keynote! You really came to meet and socialize with other people.

The conference content -- speeches and workshops -- give people something to talk about. And in the old days, people would talk with each other or go back to the office to spread the ideas generated at conferences. To a large extent, that still happens.

Presenting to the Social Media backchannel. But today, many conferences also use a Twitter backchannel to spread ideas and enhance relationships. I have to admit: there are quite a few conferences that I have NOT attended -- but I've followed the Twitter backchannel. It felt like I was there. I was able to glean enough nuance from the real-time conversations in the Twitter backchannel during a webcast presentation -- that I didn't need to actually watch the presenter! To double-check my intuitive abilities, only later did I watch the archived video presentation. No surprise --the presenter gave the speech I thought he did.

As a modern presenter, I learned two important lessons from listening to the backchannel:

• You will be heckled. By listening to the backchannel, I knew when the presenter would overuse a cliche that didn't resonate with his audience. About 10 minutes into his speech, the conference attendees used Twitter to make fun of the speaker's poor word choice. As I watched the archived video, sure enough -- the presenter repeated a cliched phrase ad nauseum. By following the backchannel, I knew the exact phrase -- and how many times he would overstate it.
  
  
• Your ideas will be praised. Conversely, the speaker provided many new ideas and action items for the audience. I knew exactly when he would talk about his great ideas, too -- because those in the Twitter backchannel had been taking notes, and prefacing them with words like "cool" and "great idea".
  

Twitter isn't the only conference backchannel. Audience members have been known to blog about conferences they're attending. But the Twitter conference backchannel use is exploding -- chiefly because it's incredibly easy to use. Audience members don't need to write a fully-formed blog post. They don't even need computer access. They can use their phones to simply post a 140 character or less missive on what they are thinking or experiencing -- and tag their Tweet with a predetermined "conference hashtag".

Conferences planners must take the lead on Twitter use. If conference organizers don't lead -- someone else will! A conference planner "best backchannel practice" is to define and promote a short, unique, and memorable conference hashtag for the conference attendees.

• Short - Twitter only has 140 characters. You don't want the hashtag taking up too much of the commenting space allowed.
• Unique - People will be using Twitter Search to enter in the conference hashtag. If it's not unique, the search is going to generate an irrelevant stream of comments.
• Memorable - I went to 2 conferences where splinter groups broke out over which Twitter hashtags to use. Nerdy, yes -- but the official conference hashtag wasn't memorable, and it splintered the backchannel spread of ideas.
  

Three Hashtag How-tos. So, let's say the conference planner is encouraging attendees to use the hashtag #NAR_midyear as the hashtag for the conference. It's a little long, but it is unique and memorable. What's next?

• Use the pound sign. Conference hashtags are always preceded by a pound sign.
• Promote the hashtag. Encourage conference attendees to use the hashtag in their conference-related Tweets.
• Follow the backchannel at Twitter Search. To find out what others are saying at the conference, visit Twitter Search. Enter the hashtag -- in this example #NAR_midyear -- and see what those at the conference are Twittering.
  

By following the backchannel, you don't need to follow all the people at the conference -- you only need to scan their hashtagged posts at Twitter Search. These posts can be extremely helpful -- covering logistics like "where's the breakout room?" and "Snacks on 3rd floor now" to more meaningful comments about content and ideas.

As a presenter, I'm acutely interested in reviewing the Twitter backchannel. Yes, Twitter commenters can be snarky -- but what a great way to review what's NOT working in a presentation, as well as what IS. And what a great way to spread ideas!

Andy Warhol said "In the future everyone will be famous for 15 minutes." Today, I'm saying that in the future, every presenter will be heckled for at least 15 minutes!

How do you feel about being heckled on Twitter? And how will you use the Twitter backchannel commentary to improve your presentations and spread your ideas?

Labels: Presentation, social media

¶ 10/14/2008 04:22:00 PM 3 Comments Links to this post

  Top 6 Touchy-Feely Presentation Rehearsal Tips

Practice makes perfect, right?

Not really.

What about imperfect practice? If you practice badly, your performance will likely reflect your bad practices. So what components make for a better rehearsal for your next presentation?

The Great Big Technical Rehearsal Checklist. Many folks focus relentlessly on rehearsing what I'll call the technical aspects of the presentation: the room, the PowerPoint. the computer, the back-ups, the video display, the lighting, the remote, the microphone. Don't get me wrong: all of these technical details are crazy important to rehearse. But a technical rehearsal is not enough to deliver an outstanding presentation.

Sweat the Touchy-Feely Stuff. Don't forget to rehearse for humanity! Remember, you want to make an emotional connection with your audience. Here are six teeny tiny touchy-feely tips -- frequently overlooked -- that can enormously improve your rehearsals and your final presentation.

1. Strike the Pose. I once rehearsed a presentation standing up -- only to be given a chair. When I stood to present, the elderly board president waved me down, saying, "Please, sit. We don't want to have to look up at you." This might seem like nothing, but I lost an edge in my presentation that day. Had I known I was going to deliver a sitting presentation, I would have rehearsed seated. Find out if you'll be seated or standing -- and rehearse in the position you'll be assuming.


2. Wear Your Shoes. Oh, they don't call it "dress" rehearsal for nothing! Don't rehearse in your pajamas -- unless you intend to give your presentation in your jammies ! Instead, rehearse in the actual clothes you'll be wearing during your presentation -- right down to your shoes. You'll be amazed at how much better your performance will be just by understanding how your entire body feels in full "costume and makeup."


3. Get an Audience. When I watch video rehearsals of myself, alone in my office -- I'm often chagrined. Without the audience to buoy my energy, I can sound dull and lifeless. Ideally, rehearse your presentation with people. An audience gives you emotional energy. If you don't have people, hang pictures of friends, family, or colleagues. (I've taped faces over teddy bears, and set them up as an audience. But remember, I'm ridiculous.) Looking at faces of people you know & like gives your voice and body language more oomph and power. (Bonus points if you encourage your people to heckle you.)


4. Video V. Mirror. Yes, hang it, I video record all my presentation rehearsals. And oh, yes indeed, I loathe reviewing these videos! They're painful to watch. But I always find areas to improve or smooth. (In fact, I often long for a complete personality transplant.) Don't have a video recorder? As TJ Walker writes in his excellent presentation rehearsal post, " What year are we in, 1910?" Of course you have access to a video camera! It's 2008! So no excuses: a mirror is NOT an acceptable substitute. You're too accustomed to looking in a mirror, preening quickly, and mentally saying, "Good enough" -- before you walk out the door. A video is merciless: you won't be able to watch yourself and say, "good enough." A video, though horrifying, will truly help you see yourself as others do.


5. Audio Only. Record your presentation without video. Then, listen to it without watching the slides. I like putting my audio on my portable mp3 player -- and taking a walk. While listening to myself on the ellipse machine at the gym last week, I found an area of my presentation that dragged so dismally, I barely registered a heartbeat while chugging along at a high incline! I went back to the office for a rewrite and added more powerful visuals. Listening to "audio only" helps you spot pace and pitch problems -- but it also helps you later recall the words and inflections that work well.


6. Rehearse in Real Time. If you're giving a one-hour presentation: you need to record a one-hour video of yourself. Not 5 minutes here, 20 minutes there. Start at the beginning. Rehearse 'til the end. You don't have the opportunity to chop up your presentation in front of a live audience, so don't chop your video rehearsals into little segments, either. (Bonus points: if you're giving a 7am breakfast presentation, do a full dress rehearsal at 7am, too. Ditto for lunch or dinner presentations. My 7am energy level is quite different than my 12pm energy level. You?)


Those are my top six touchy feely tips. You can also read what other presentation bloggers recommend about rehearsing this month. Over at the "Fortify Your Oasis" blog, RowanManahan explains why he just about loses his mind if people tell him that they don't rehearse because they want to " sound fresh". At "Make Your Point with PowR", presenter William Botha silently seethed as an audience member who was subjected to an un-rehearsed presenter.

Make an emotional connection. Angry? Bored? Frustrated? You certainly want to make an emotional connection with your audience: but not those emotions! A great rehearsal can lead to a great presentation. The technical stuff is important: but so is the emotional content of your presentation. Don't dismiss the value of a full presentation rehearsal!

If you have other rehearsal tips or links, please comment! Love to hear from you!

Labels: PowerPoint, Presentation, video

¶ 9/30/2008 09:47:00 AM 2 Comments Links to this post

  Designing Presentations in the Cloud

Yes, you can design a PowerPoint presentation without using PowerPoint. And you don't need Keynote or OpenOffice, either. With speedy internet access, you can design a presentation "in the cloud".


So, what about the differences in each cloudware program? When I used each of these programs to create a presentation from scratch, I noted a few feature differences in each application.


The above chart is not a comprehensive comparison of features. And I fully expect that feature sets at each service will change and grow. By the time I hit the "publish" button on this blog post, who knows? Another feature can be added at any time. That's what happens in the cloud -- new features can be added and changed more rapidly than they can in the boxed software world.

How are you using cloud presentation applications in your work or school? And how likely are you to design and present "in the cloud" over the next year?

Labels: design, Presentation

¶ 9/10/2008 03:42:00 PM 1 Comments Links to this post

  Record Your Presentation? The Audacity!

I recorded only the spoken part of my presentation the other day.

• Not for posterity.
• Not for posting online.
• Not for anyone to listen to...

...except for me.

I do this a lot, actually.

And it's not because I adore the sound of my voice. Like most people, I don't care for the way my recorded voice sounds. I prefer the familiar, idealized way my voice sounds in my head. After all, I'm more accustomed to hearing my voice through the thick layer of my skull.

photo credit: rayced

But my recorded voice? To me, it sounds repugnant. Like I'm on the verge of hysteria.

Mercifully, my audience hears my voice differently than I do. Ergo, I frequently record my voice to gain audience empathy... but for two other key reasons, as well.

1. As I age, I'm aware that I'm losing the spontaneity of youth. It's too easy for me to slip into a comfortable pace and pitch. The way I hear my own voice may please me and make me feel comfortable and safe -- but may bore the hair off of my audience. When I listen to a recording of myself, I first emotionally divorce myself from my personal dislike for my voice. It's tough. Next, I pay attention to word choice, pace, pitch, and volume. Pace and pitch are my worst vocal demons -- I note where I'm either boring or horrifying myself; editing and correcting my choices in takes 2 and 3.

2. Listening to recorded presentations helps my recall. I don't often use speaker notes or talk from scripts. Instead, I'm more frequently asked to chat about what I know. If it's a formal presentation, I prepare relentlessly. I design PowerPoint in such a way that if I experience a visual technical meltdown on stage, I can usually can continue talking somewhat coherently. Previously listening to my recorded voice and agonizing over every cringe-worthy gaffe helps me remember where I am and what I'm saying. I'm conscious and aware on two different levels at once -- putting the "fully present" into my presentation.

Technically, it's not hard to record and examine your own voice. I'm a long time fan of Audacity, a free, open source sound editor and recorder. Download, install, record, listen -- and you'll even SEE your vocal patterns presented in waves.

• Witness how awfully big and unwieldy "ums" and "ers" look!
• Feel the shame when your voice suddenly goes flat for minutes!
• Furrow your brow when you realize that even you didn't understand a quickly uttered phrase!

Audacity actually lets you SEE your voice -- not just hear it. Too many times, we over-focus on correcting the visual elements of a presentation -- PowerPoint, props, costumes, lighting, and other things-we-see. By focusing solely on your voice, you can find and correct vocal issues before you hit the stage. Further, by recording your voice, you'll find that you'll have better recall of your speech or presentation.

It's an edge. Give it a try!

Labels: Presentation, Presentation Applications

¶ 8/05/2008 02:46:00 PM 0 Comments Links to this post

  The Dynamic Duo and the Wardrobe Malfunction

My partner Oud and I walked into a client's studio. She greeted us with,

"Wow, you two look great. Do you know that show on TLC called "What Not to Wear"? Well, you two should be on it!"

Oud and I were not familiar with the show. So we simply stared at her, startled at how frank she was about her disapproval of our attire. And yet she had also said we looked great...

Judging our puzzled looks, our beloved client re-thought what she said and looked mortified. She stammered,

"Oh, no. Oh, geez, I mean, you two should host the show, because you always look so nice."


Meet the Non-Dynamic Duo. We all shared a laugh as our client explained that the show's hosts were fashion experts who advised others how to dress. I said something self-deprecating like, "Nice save! Next time, we'll dress more appropriately!"

Oud was wearing a dark suit. I was business-casual in a sweater and slacks. While we both dressed aptly for a meeting with our client, we were nonetheless a little mismatched.

Japed Crusaders. You see, Oud and I had both come from different meetings, and were subsequently leaving to go to different business engagements. Oud was a smidge more formal because he was going to a loftier appointment afterward. I was dressed for several meetings with established clients on a very cold, snowy day in February. Had either of us showed up independently, our attire would have escaped notice.

We both dressed for our most business-formal meeting of the day. And in sub-zero Michigan weather, slipping into different suits as you four-wheel it from office to office isn't feasible.

Our client sympathized. Michigan folks know that weather profoundly impacts fashion choices. Oud and I were a bit off, but not far out.

Lesson learned. Co-presenters need to match dress styles. As a dynamic duo, we blew it.

To complement Oud's style, I should have dressed more formally.

But as wardrobe malfunctions go, this was not my worst! Lee Potts covers my most heinous presentation wardrobe mistake in "The World's Worst Wet T-Shirt Contest."

But tell me - what do you think? Do you make sure to coordinate wardrobes when you co-present?

And what's YOUR worst wardrobe malfunction?

Labels: Presentation

¶ 7/18/2008 03:07:00 PM 0 Comments Links to this post

  The Presentation Grand Finale: 3 Ways to Close with a Bang!

Most fireworks presentations feature a super-explosive Grand Finale. After 45 minutes or so of eliciting audience oooohs and ahhhhs, a fabulous fireworks show ends with an overwhelming sensory display that excites and mobilizes the crowd.

The masses rise, stamp their feet, cheer wildly -- and go home feeling invigorated.

And maybe even a little hard-of-hearing!

photo credit: empressofdirt

What do you do for your own presentation grand finale? Let's say your presentation has achieved the equivalent of garnering ooohs and aaahs. Your audience may not have actually said "oooh" or "aaaah" during your talk, but you recognize other emotional cues:

• You see nodding. And smiles.
  
• You recognize eyebrows raised in that "aha" moment.
• You witness furious note-taking.
• And yeah, maybe you've actually heard ooohs or ahhhs!

You can tell. Your talk has sparked a synapse or two. You've inspired interest and attention. All the signs are there...

You've made an emotional connection. Now what do you do to bring it on home? Close with a whimper or a bang? (Link & credit to "The Hollow Men" by TS Eliot.)

Whimper! Too many presentations end without a grand finale. Some wander off-topic with a closing statement that has nothing to do with the content of the presentation. And quite a few end with these stinkers:

• Wimpy. "I see my time is up. Thank you and goodnight."
• Whimper. "Are there any questions?"
• Whimpiest. "Well, if there aren't any more questions, thank you and good night." (Mike Aoki clearly explains why ending with Q&A is a terrible way to close a presentation.)

No fireworks are necessary for your grand finale! Ending a presentation with a call to action, summary, or final story are three of my favorite ways to end a presentation with a bang.

Labels: Presentation

¶ 7/03/2008 09:05:00 AM 4 Comments Links to this post

  Top 2 Reasons to Love Technical Difficulties

Here are two reasons to rejoice over technical difficulties:

1. How can you be mad when you are presented with such a charming picture? A whale and several tweety birds, struggling together? This image represents that Twitter is experiencing stress -- thousands of individual peeps are taking down the system. And a dedicated team of Twitter folks are working to make the system strong again. My, it does my heart good! Power to the Peeps!
2. Hey, we all experience technical difficulties from time to time. Growth can be painful. (Remember adolescence?) I don't know how Twitter is making any money at the moment, but they currently enjoy a fabulous and growing fan base. And they greet their audience with a sense of humor. I can be patient while they grow. I empathize.

There's something to learn from Twitter technical difficulties. The next time you're giving a presentation and something goes technically wrong -- do you have the emotional and/or intellectual equivalent of a whale and a dozen tweety birds in your back pocket?

(Over the next few months, I can pretty much guarantee I'll be experiencing technical difficulty here at the Maniactive blog! I'm shaking things up and switching stuff around -- but I hope you'll bear with me while I grow and change.)

If you need to get hold of me -- and I'm experiencing technical difficulties -- why not try a social media approach? Feel free to follow me at Twitter -- or friend me at FaceBook!

Labels: Presentation

¶ 6/07/2008 09:05:00 PM 1 Comments Links to this post

  Find Odd Sound Effects

Sometimes, you need a special sound effect for your PowerPoint presentation.

Earlier this year, I needed a horse whinny to help tell my story.

Really! (Don't ask.)

However, I didn't have fast access to a horse. So what to do?

Where to find an unusual sound effect for your presentation?

I found my horse whinny -- and many other odd sound effects -- at FindSounds. This website scours the internet and finds all kinds of animal and human noises, as well as vehicles, tools, mayhem, and more.

When you find your sound -- be mindful of the copyright if you choose to use it!

Labels: Presentation

¶ 5/14/2008 10:05:00 AM 3 Comments Links to this post

  Jott Yourself a Reminder

I love the online service called Jott. Currently in public beta, Jott is free, and oh, so useful!

With Jott, I send email to friends and colleagues - without typing. Here's how Jott works:

I call a toll-free number. The automated Jott bot asks, "Who do you want to Jott?"

I mention a name in my email address book, which I've already uploaded to Jott. Then I leave a 30 second (or under) message.

Now, get this -- Jott types up my message, and emails it to the person I mentioned -- and gives me a CC email. Hands-free is lovely!

Perfect for when I'm on the road. You can be sure that the Jott toll-free number is programmed into my computer. I use it oodles. So do quite a few of my friends...

But we use it for more than friendly emails and IMs. I use it for reminders and to-do lists. (Seems I get more ideas when I'm on the road than when I'm in front of the computer.) I also use Jott to Twitter: and some folks use Jott to post blogs or Google calendar content. You can also choose to send yourself a reminder or a to-do list: a terrific feature for project managers.

Sometimes, Jott bobbles a word or two -- especially proper names. (I've found that it absolutely massacres Polish surnames -- and offers a hilarious interpretation of the Michigan town "Saugatuck".) So while Jott's not perfect, it's incredibly useful and utterly enjoyable.

You might want to try Jott while it's still in Beta.

Labels: Presentation, social media

¶ 2/13/2008 05:11:00 PM 0 Comments Links to this post

  SnagIt 7 is Free: TechSmith is at it again!

Free SnagIt 7 Offer. You can now get a free copy of SnagIt 7. (SnagIt 8.2 is the most recent version.) Here are the "how to get it" details >>> (courtesy of Microsoft MVP Marc Liron.)

In case you missed it... Last month, TechSmith began giving away Camtasia Studio 3. Camtasia 3 is an older version of an advanced screen recorder that you can use to create online video demos, tutorials, and presentations. It may be an oldie, but like SnagIt 7, it's a goodie!

And don't forget: TechSmith is also currently offering the freely available Jing Project. With Jing, you get to capture an image of what's on your screen, record a video and share your presentation online.

That's three for free. These are three great presentation tools from TechSmith. If you haven't checked them out yet...

...whatcha waiting for?

Christmas?

Labels: Presentation

¶ 12/11/2007 03:49:00 PM 0 Comments Links to this post

  Funny PowerPoint - Halloween Dogs

I know the Halloween Dogs make the email rounds every October -- but for some reason, the pictures always seem to make me laugh. And I like dogs (really!)

This year, you can see and share the latest round of sadly funny dogs in a PowerPoint presentation at Slideshare. No need to email the images and choke up your friends' inboxes - just point them to Slideshare:


Personally, I would never dress up a dog in a Halloween costume. Would you?

Labels: fun, images, Presentation

¶ 10/04/2007 04:19:00 PM 0 Comments Links to this post

  Crazy Cocktail Party Question For August...

Boy, is it ever hot and humid! It's hard to look fresh and composed in the August heat.

So when I whimsically asked a group of drooping American audience members,


I wasn't surprised by the 100% response.

Absolutely nobody wants to smell bad. Given a choice between the two, most people opt for looking bad over smelling bad. Here's the reasoning --

"Hey, if I look bad, only the people who look at me suffer my appearance. But when I smell bad -- everyone suffers."

Of course, this could be an entirely American opinion. We may seem obsessed with appearances, but we're hyper-vigilant about odors.

But really: what's worse -- looking bad or smelling bad? Take the poll, or leave a comment. ;)

Labels: Presentation

¶ 8/24/2007 05:50:00 PM 0 Comments Links to this post

  Bag Boring Brainstorming Meetings

Ah, the corporate brainstorming meeting fantasy. An enthusiastic moderator, a blank white board, a group of experts eager to share their ideas -- what could be better for generating a host of creative problem solving ideas?

Ah, the brainstorming reality. It turns out that solitude is a better approach to creative thinking. According to a study team at Indiana University, groups come up with far fewer and much less creative problem-solving approaches. Individuals working alone have more ideas.

Instinctively, you already knew this. This is old news. Brilliant creative artists seldom offer their best newly-formed ideas for group consideration or consensus. And you've witnessed the glazed looks of bored team members in the departmental brainstorm meeting.

Consider the rule: there's no such thing as a bad idea. You've heard, "yeah, that sounds good" voiced at the mention of the most mediocre idea. The ever-positive brainstorming moderator reminds us, "There's no criticism at a brainstorm meeting. The point is to get as many ideas on the board as possible. There's no such thing as a bad idea, so let your ideas flow!"

Of course, that's a fantasy, too. We've all heard loads of bad ideas at brainstorming meetings. I am often so intrigued by the mere idea of no bad ideas, that I make a point of voicing the worst ideas possible. When people start to look uncomfortable, I have to remind the moderator to write my lousy idea on the board.

Often, I am ignored. But at least I am highly internally amused -- before I get fired.

The plus side of brainstorming meetings. Of course, some will argue that brainstorming isn't all about creativity. Socialization and team-building is important, so the brainstorm session fosters that feel-good group interaction that people crave. But without an atmosphere of honest conversation and true accomplishment, the feel-goodness factor is a brainstorm fantasy, too.

A better approach to brainstorming. Instead of group brainstorm sessions, why not try virtual brainstorming? With virtual brainstorming, you can generate more creative ideas -- and still offer your team the socialization they crave. Here's how v-brainstorming works:

1. Use email. The perky coordinator asks the brainstorm team to email him or her at least 10 ideas by a certain date. The rules: no offline collaboration with others. Team members are to come up with their own ideas, and email them by the (short) deadline.
   
   
2. Create a presentation. The coordinator collates emailed responses. He or she creates a presentation to share at a brainstorm results meeting. Categories can include "Five Most Popular Suggestions", "Four Most Unusual", "Most Expensive", "Least Effort" -- you get the idea. The coordinator creates a number of categories that stimulate thought, conversation -- and maybe even a little fun.
   
   
3. Share results. The coordinator leads the results meeting. Transformed from a chirping drone who mindlessly copies down sparse ideas, the moderator is now able to effectively lead an interesting conversation about the ideas the team generated independently.

Conversations shift from, "Yeah, that sounds good" to :

• "Wow! Ten of us had the same idea - but the most popular idea is the worst!"
  
• "Hmm. The 'least effort' idea is also the most expensive. That's a problem."
  
• "Customers will love the wackiest idea. The CEO will hate it. We should explore it further."

Better ideas. Group interaction. Conversation. Criticism. Analysis. Of course, a v-brainstorm meeting is more work for the coordinator -- but it's better for everyone else. Why not try one the next time you need ideas + interaction?

After all, the truth -- and creativity -- does not depend upon a consensus of opinion.

Labels: Presentation

¶ 8/24/2007 03:40:00 PM 2 Comments Links to this post

  Clichés, Buzzwords, and Jargon. Oh, my!

What's the difference between clichés, buzzwords, and jargon?

It doesn't matter. They're all related. They alienate your audiences. How?

Clichés bore. Buzzwords cloud the truth. And industry jargon confuses.

These three devils have become so omnipresent, all businesses need to hire outside copy editors to review their most important pieces of outbound communication. Seriously. Those who don't often inadvertently end up with what author David Meerman Scott calls "Gobbledegook".

You might have a jargon problem...and not know it. Get a third pair of very critical "outsider" eyes to review your most important copy and presentations. And be prepared for brutal honesty! I'm often surprised that many companies don't know they're using jargon and clichés -- they think they sound "smart"!

Can't afford an editor? Try this eye-opening exercise. It may tip you off that your copy has a jargon, cliché, or buzzword problem:

1. Take every instance of your company name in your suspect copy and replace it with your competitor's name. Ditto any product names. Replace 'em with a competitive product.
2. Read the copy to your CEO, board of directors, key customers, PR, or marketing people. Ask if they think your competitors are ripping off your unique benefits or sense of style.

A big problem with using "smart" sounding industry jargon is that it sounds "dumb" to customers. Companies that use jargon miss an opportunity to distinguish themselves from their competition. And of course, they confuse or bore their audiences.

Do you have a buzzword problem? Find out for sure. Visit these four (fun) links to get some insight on how you can improve communication.

The Encyclopedia of Business Cliches - Seth Godin's Squidoo lens puts light-hearted focus on the growing problem of clichés in business speech. You can vote on the most grating, or add your own. (I had fun adding jargon I heard as I sat in on a teleconference. I added Industry Standard, net-net, Best Practices, Push the Envelope, and core competencies -- in less than 9 minutes!)

Netlingo.com - What are the kids talking about? IM shortcuts and acronyms are crawling into speech. So is tech-industry jargon. I used the Netlingo site to look up quasi-familiar tech-ish terms like ladder pass, Valley Washout, Mystery House, Flypaper Meeting, and Frendor. If you know what these terms mean, you must live in California. Or be 12.

Buzzword Bingo - This is one of my favorite game sites ever. Print randomly generated buzzword cards, pass them out to meeting attendees. When you mark five buzzwords in a row, you win!

Visual Clichés - It's not just words that get clichéd. We all get sick of seeing the same boring images that represent an abstract concept. Are you using visual clichés in your PowerPoint presentations, web copy, or company literature? What image can you live without seeing ever again?

Labels: Presentation

¶ 8/15/2007 04:01:00 PM 0 Comments Links to this post

  Regional Presentations: Check the Facts!

If you are presenting in an unfamiliar city, please do some regional fact-checking. It's easy to find some basic city info online: demographics, key industries, sports teams, colleges -- just a few basic factoids can really help you tailor your presentation and connect with your audience.

Plus, it can prevent you from opening your mouth and saying something regionally insensitive!

Here's the latest presentation horror story: Last week, I went to a Microsoft Conference -- a traveling road show here in beautiful Grand Rapids, Michigan. The MS presenter actually said (paraphrase),

"No one really needs office furniture. With the advent of wireless networking, no one needs a desk or a workspace. How many people here have worked from home or from a cafe on their wireless devices?"

Everybody raised their hands.

His next PowerPoint slide was a desk littered with post-it notes and coffee stains.

"The office desk is simply a useless space that accumulates clutter. It isn't a real productive place. Thank goodness you don't need to waste your money on expensive office furniture any more."

And then the presenter went blithely on with his MS Productivity software pitches. He seemed unaware that we were cringing uncomfortably in our ergonomic chairs.

The problem: Grand Rapids, Michigan is the home of the office furniture industry. Just about everybody in the audience has a stake in the success of the city's key industry. I don't think the guy made any friends denigrating the importance of office furniture in Grand Rapids, Michigan.

Microsoft would do well to have their employees fact-check cities before they go on the road!

But then again -- maybe MS programmers in Redmond, WA do their best work from backyard patios, noisy cafes -- and even tree houses. I wonder how a haphazardly organized approach to programming affects the quality of work.

In the interest of increasing productivity and shareholder value, do you suppose Microsoft will rid itself of desks in its cushy Redmond, Washington offices? And do they really encourage their best programmers to go work in trees? ;)

Try doing creative and inspiring work in an uncomfortable, drab, gray office. Try maintaining a professional demeanor on a cell phone in a cafe while teenagers practice their swear words in the background. Try programming cohesively when you're swinging from a tree branch!

Good luck! Let me know how that works out for you!

I know I am way more productive and creative when I work in a beautiful, quiet, well-designed office space. You?

Labels: Presentation

¶ 8/15/2007 07:39:00 AM 0 Comments Links to this post

  Taking the Twitter Challenge...

This month, I have made a commitment to testing Twitter. At my other blog, I am writing a series called "Take the Twitter Challenge". Now, Twitter isn't new, and by now, it may have already jumped the shark.

And I must admit that the recent net buzz about Twitter leaves me befuddled. Why would anyone be interested in reading -- or writing -- sporadic, 140 character missives? And what's the point of making these missives public?

Because that's all Twitter does! You sign up for a free account. You answer one question: "What are you doing right now?". You have to answer in 140 characters or less. Your response is instantly posted online. People decide (or not) to "follow" what you have to say. You decide who you want to "follow".

I'm not kidding. That's about all there is to it. And thousands of people, even campaigning politicians and celebrities, are twittering away. What about you?

As for me, I can't know it until I've tried it. Experience comes before knowledge. So for one month, August 2007, I will emerge myself in the Twitter culture. I will:

• Explore the PR aspect- is Twitter a viable media channel for quickly and easily letting the public know what you're up to?
  
• Contemplate the metaphysical aspect - will focusing on "what are you doing right now?" put me in the moment and help raise consciousness?
• Consider the artistic aspects - can Twitter give rise to a new, Haiku-like art form of profound simplicity?
• Wonder about educational implications - will the 140 character limit help make me a better, more concise writer?
  
• Report on my successes and failures - You can follow along -- or take the Twitter challenge yourself.
  

Now -- am I overthinking Twitter entirely? Why don't I instinctively grasp the importance of Twitter, when just about everyone else seems to? Witness these quotes that I found in my Twitter Invite:

• "Twitter is on its way to becoming the next killer app." - TIME Magazine
• "It's one of the fastest-growing phenomena on the Internet." - New York Times
• "Suddenly, it seems as though all the world's a-twitter." - Newsweek

Is Twitter a quick, easy, cheap fix that will flash & fade? Or am I a hopeless dinosaur that just doesn't get the hub-bub?

I just started my Twitter Journey, and I am amazed to find that I have four followers. I will continue my Journey, and keep interested parties updated in my "Twitter Challenge" series.

If you're an experienced Twitterer and would like to share your insights or follow along with me, please do! I'd love to hear from you.

PS - my friend Ursel points me to the above painting by Paul Klee - the Twittering Machine. At the moment, this painting looks exactly how I feel. Does engaging in Twitter make one a twit?

Labels: Presentation

¶ 8/03/2007 03:06:00 PM 0 Comments Links to this post

  Fear of Public Speaking is Not Real

While walking in the forest with a friend, a pretty green snake slithered across our path. I let out a yelp of surprise, which caused a number of birds to shriek and flutter, as well.

"I didn't know you were afraid of snakes," teased my friend.

"I'm not," I denied, embarrassed. "I was startled."

Hand me a snake, and I wrinkle my nose. I don't particularly care for the feel of the creatures. And I don't get much of an opportunity to interact with them on a daily basis, either.

Instead of fear, my negative reaction to snakes has more to do with that one-two punch: lack of familiarity coupled with a lack of preference.


Is it really fear? People often state that their number one fear is "speaking in public". But are people really terrorized by public speaking -- or is it simply that they prefer not to give presentations to large groups? Or that they don't speak in front of groups on a regular basis?

Or is it because it is considered socially acceptable to live in fear?

Consider the two prerequisites that make people thoughtlessly say they're afraid of public speaking when they really aren't:

1. Lack of preference: Perhaps people don't like the "feel" of public speaking. After all, speaking to friends in a conversational manner "feels" right and natural. Speaking in front of a group can "feel" forced and unnatural. Why?

2. Lack of familiarity: Many folks don't get an opportunity to practice public speaking on a daily basis. If these folks spoke in public regularly, perhaps the creepy feeling associated with presenting would dissipate.

Add some negative programming. Now, add to this one-two punch the repeated drumming of years of socially acceptable negative storytelling. My friend instantly tagged my negative reaction to the snake as "fear" -- but it only looked that way. Imagine all the times you may have been amazed or startled by the unfamiliar -- your eyes widen, your heart races, your knees buckle, you may even scream -- and your friends and family label this as "fear".

What about excitement? What about surprise? What of wonder? Amazement? Why call it fear? Why repeat the myth?

Fake fear is easy to spread. The physical manifestations associated with fear can be contagious! When I yelped at the snake, the birds fluttered and squawked in reaction to my outburst. Even my friend jumped a little when I screeched -- even though she didn't even see the snake. She wasn't "scared" of me -- she reacted to my reaction!

Preference is a harder story to sell. I still don't like snakes. And I don't care for chocolate-covered Graham crackers (yuch)! But when I wrinkle my nose and say "Ewwww!!!" at the offer of a cracker, no one labels me "afraid" of crackers! Spreading the myth of the "fear of snakes" is easy. It's a popular phobia. But spreading a story about "doesn't prefer crackers" is hard. It isn't very emotional or dramatic.

You are not afraid! Most people who claim to be afraid of public speaking -- aren't really. They don't get on stage and start screaming in terror. No, they just don't like to speak in public -- so they avoid it. And when they do, they are out of practice and nervous -- and don't know to interpret or effectively use their adrenaline. They get the shakes. Their voice quivers. This gives them the perfect excuse to parrot the socially acceptable "I'm afraid of public speaking".

Don't be a parrot! So, if you claim to be afraid of public speaking, find moments in your life when you didn't show it. For example, how scared were you in first grade, when "Show and Tell" was a regular part of your curriculum? You told an engaging story to the class using props. And you probably did it often and enthusiastically. What changed from then to now? What or who convinced you that you feel "afraid"? And why did you repeat this myth as if it were the truth?

Face the real truth. Find out what convinced you that you were afraid, and bravely face it. Make it socially unacceptable to thoughtlessly parrot "fear" as a valid label for something unfamiliar, unknown, or unlikeable.

Labels: Presentation

¶ 7/30/2007 04:17:00 PM 1 Comments Links to this post

  Are Black Backgrounds Green?

Going green. Being eco-friendly. Getting LEED certified. Saving the environment.

Many organizations are touting the latest eco-friendly buzzwords on recycled paper with acid free ink. But what can these organizations do to make their websites more earth friendly?

If your site has a predominantly white background with dark lettering (most do)... read this post about Black Google. Blog author Mark Ontkush states that if Google used a black background instead of white -- the planet would save 750 Megawatt hours a year. The idea is that light backgrounds use more energy than dark backgrounds -- and that Google gets hundreds of millions of global searches.

So why aren't more eco-friendly company websites light-on-dark?

Designers often argue that dark text on a light background is more readable -- but I found the darker palette (at ecoIron, for example) to be incredibly eye-friendly. Further, after reading at the site for a few minutes and then switching to an all-white site -- I found the contrast to be alarming.

Reading on a white background after reading on dark is actually painful. It's like staring intently at a bare light bulb that is arm's length from my face. (And I have an LCD monitor!)

Reading on a darker palette is definitely more soothing for me. Easier on the eyes.

Is the black-on-white standard a holdover from the print world? By using an eco-friendly palette for our websites -- are we possibly being even friendlier to our health?

Which do you prefer to read online? Light on dark -- or dark on light?

Labels: Presentation

¶ 7/27/2007 05:38:00 PM 1 Comments Links to this post

  Delivering Bad News: The Ultimate Template

Sometimes, there's no way around it. Sometimes, you have to be the bearer of bad news.

I'd rather be the bearer of delightful news -- but that's not always possible.

Oh, there's a core contingency of die hard Pollyannas out there -- "Always tell people what they want to hear, and you'll never go wrong."

But that approach is irresponsible. One must tell the truth.

Of course, using the infamous "Communicating Bad News" PowerPoint template isn't the answer. But the template does have one element right --

To begin communicating your bad news, just say it. No couching it with "There's no easy way to put this, but..."

No, you must lead clearly and concisely with the bad news. This is your lead story, so you must state it up front. Let's look at a classic example:

"Yesterday, December 7th, 1941 - a date which will live in infamy - the United States of America was suddenly and deliberately attacked by naval and air forces of the Empire of Japan."

It's clear and precise. Who, what, where, and when.

You can use this one sentence as the only template you'll ever need for delivering the lead line of any bad news. For example:

• "Last quarter, our company lost our biggest client to a competitor."
• "Mrs. Jones, your son will be repeating the 5th grade next year."
• "I will not be serving spinach salad tonight because of E. Coli concerns."

In fact, the entire text of FDR's famous "infamy" speech could be the ultimate template for delivering bad news....in just about any situation. What do you think?

Labels: Presentation

¶ 7/25/2007 01:24:00 PM 0 Comments Links to this post

  On Emmy Nominations and Industry Awards...

Today's Emmy Nominations got me thinking... just how important are awards and award shows to industries and individuals, anyway?

Like me, you've probably got some awards littering up your office, lobby, or display case. And so do your suppliers, customers, and students. There isn't a single industry that doesn't give out an award for excellence.

And there isn't a single company that hasn't won at least one award! If you have yet to win, why, you can always scrounge for a high-profile award on eBay and often buy one for less than the contestant's original entry fee. What a bargain!

Award shows can be huge publicity events. And they bring attention to the industries they serve. But do the pieces of metal and neatly framed certificates really impress anybody? I've got to admit -- my own awards look a little dusty. I tend to set 'em and forget 'em -- choosing to focus on the work at hand instead of lovingly polishing and reminiscing about my past. And over the years, I've thrown a bunch of awards away.

Should I have done that? Or will my little pieces of gold sustain me in my old age? And will seeing them delight my clients? Do awards help convince prospects that I'm brilliant? How long do you keep awards? And do you throw the silver and bronze ones away immediately? What's the protocol?


I'm thinking -- sell the award on eBay after a year! Why? Well, the publicity hub-bub that surrounds the award is the real value of the award. After all, you can't have an award show without entries and nominations -- and the press releases that accompany them. And then there's the pre-show parade of spectacular outfits and make-up. More publicity.

Don't forget: it's all about presentation! And of course, who can forget the actual award show presentation? In this blog, I am rather fond of saying, "It's all about presentation..." and in the case of award shows, this is particularly true. There's the presentation of the nominations. The pre-show presentation of gowns and tuxes. The presentation of awards. The post-show presentation that summarizes the feelings of everyone involved...

And it doesn't stop there. The marketing maelstrom surrounding the award can live on and on. How many times have you read web copy that asks you to "see our award-winning such-and-such"? Never mind that the product won the award in 1982...

But wait -- there's more! When you win an industry award, you also get a little more post-presentation publicity when you distribute your own press release. This is where you present your own spin on how excellent you are, and how "proud and pleased" your CEO is. You reach far beyond your industry, and tout your award-winning brilliance to a broader audience.

Awards can be a horribly addictive substance. Once you have one, you might feel compelled to enter your work again and again, craving that praise and publicity! I don't know why, but lately I feel mostly embarrassed by my awards -- except for the ones I lie about. When people ask (they usually don't) "What's that award for?" -- I usually lie and say,

"Street fighting. Yep. Used to be a street fighter. Undefeated. Quit while I was ahead. I keep the trophy up to remind me of the violent life I used to lead, and to look to a more peaceful future."

Don't take me too seriously. I'm just a little burned out on award shows right now. I continue to advise them for my clients -- but the parade of award shows for the entertainment industry is getting to be a little much for me. When contestants win and don't even espouse the values of the competition -- many award shows seem to have lost their luster. And many great artists who don't have a giant publicity machine aren't included, making the award shows look scammy.

Seems celebs spend more time accolading than acting lately...

Labels: fun, Presentation

¶ 7/19/2007 02:05:00 PM 3 Comments Links to this post

  Email Signatures Your Clients Hate

Today, the Wall Street Journal weighs in on evil email signatures -- and why evil email sign-offs are poised to get worse.

For the record -- I like to see a simple, consistent approach to email signatures.

But I actually like some of the add-ons that the WSJ hates. Logos, graphics, banners, and other promotional sign-offs do not necessarily have to be overbearing or tacky bandwidth hogs. Used with discretion, some of the fancier email signature techniques can be quite useful...and have a positive promotional impact, as well.

Of course, you can always vote or comment your opinion on email sigs...and see what others think immediately.

So tell me...what do you think about promotional email sign-offs? Or in other words, what do you think about "Email Bling"??

Labels: Poll, Presentation

¶ 5/18/2007 01:00:00 PM

  Email Signatures Your Clients Love

This year, I find myself receiving emails from people in the HR, Finance, Marketing, and Sales departments of a huge corporation. But by the look of their emails, I would never guess that they all work for the same company.

• The fonts and sizes are different.
• The background colors vary.
• Even the signature formats are woefully inconsistent.

Consistency is Key! As part of my internet marketing consulting practice, I often recommend that corporate clients "get it together" with regard to presenting a consistent email image. And oddly, the humble but powerful email signature is frequently overlooked in corporate brand guides.

But what medium do organizations use more abundantly than email? And what medium is more ripe for a marketing message to "go viral"? A company with only 10 employees can easily send out over 100 emails every day -- and each email can get forwarded to dozens if not hundreds or thousands of other people.

Humble But Powerful! Even though an email sig is humble bit of corporate communication, do not dismiss its potential to make a powerful impact.

I recommend that corporations adopt at least a simple, consistent sig format...

However, some of the stuff you see in email signatures can be a bit much...

• Email address: When you send an email, your recipient already has your email address, right? So why be redundant and include it in the sig?
• A confidentiality notice: I doubt this lengthy bit of copy really has any legal teeth. But I am not a legal expert, so I could be wrong. However, it IS ugly and takes up bandwidth. And just about everyone I know ignores it entirely. If you really MUST have one, why not just link to it in your sig?
• Logo and Picture. I am on the fence about using a logo and/or picture in the signature. A Realtor I know includes his head shot in his sig, and I think it's nice to see his grinning mug from time to time. But others have told me that it creeps them out to have a face embedded in their emails. And while your logo belongs on real world letterhead, do you really need it in your email signature?

But that's just me. I like to see simplicity, consistency, and useful information in corporate email signatures.

What about you? What do you like to see in a signature file? And what items need to be tossed in the trash?

And what about your organization? Does your organization's corporate brand guide provide a standard for the email look and feel and the signature? Why or why not?

Labels: Presentation

¶ 5/18/2007 10:53:00 AM 0 Comments Links to this post

  Presentation Contest - Part 2

Labels: Blogging, PowerPoint, Presentation

¶ 4/19/2007 09:17:00 AM 0 Comments Links to this post

  Where are the women of presentation design?

I like Slideshare, the presentation-sharing Web 2.0 play.

This year, I used it to upload a short, prophetic PowerPoint presentation on New Year's Day. I even felt honored when Slideshare featured my little presentation on their front page under "most popular" on January 2.

But here is something I don't like to see:


Yup, that is an actual screenshot from a contest that Slideshare has been running at its site for a while now. It looks like Slideshare is taking the current Apple approach to marketing: you know, where only the opinions of men seem to matter.

Please note the phrase: "it looks like".

In a design contest, appearance matters!

And social responsibility matters, too. It's a key part of corporate valuation.

Or it should be.

And hey -- it's not like there aren't any women in the fashion or design industries that would make competent judges of a presentation contest. Talented and opinionated women with excellent fashion sense aren't exactly hard to find!

Now, I like the reputations of the fellas you see in the above screenshot, all right. Guy Kawasaki often provides action-provoking insight at his "How to Change the World" blog. Garr Reynolds offers his unique perspective on presentation and design at his Presentation Zen blog. Both men will likely make superb presentation judges.

But Where Are the Women?

The current state of women in technology marketing is decidedly woeful. Let's go on a brief historic journey:

Remember the Macintosh 1984 commercial? A strong, powerful, vibrant woman breaks through a grey, droning, male-dominated environment to make a striking impact on the way we all conduct business. How uplifting! How inspiring!

Now look at how low Apple has sunk. In its current TV advertising campaign, Apple initially casts two white guys to represent competing technologies. Later, the campaign features a woman as a mere peripheral device to hold hands with one of the men. Next, Apple employs a pouty supermodel -- as an example of stellar design from the male-centric, Mac-centric world view.

Exclusion, stereotyping, objectification -- what can women expect next from technology marketing?

Yech.

I don't understand why this marketing approach has yet to receive a far greater public outcry.

The plain white backdrop featured in every "I'm a MAC" ad is a chilling reminder of the pervasive grey that was pre-1984. The very lack of color in current Apple advertising is in itself regressive and highly suspect.

The Danger of Drinking Too Much Apple Juice

Slideshare is a young-ish company. I can forgive it for making rookie blunders with its first online contest. And Slideshare has already publicly apologized at its blog for excluding many people from participating.

Good for Slideshare. As youngsters, they can be forgiven for initially drinking too much apple juice! I hope those in leadership positions at Slideshare will learn that the Apple style may have been cool in the 1980's -- but that was over 20 years ago.

In the 21st century, diversity and respect should be important.

Heck, it should even be cool.

Unfortunately, if you upload a presentation at Slideshare today, your work product is automatically entered in the contest. There is no way to opt out that I can see -- other than to not upload your presentation until after the contest is over.

(Uh-oh! No easy opt-out of a contest with an all-male judging panel: oops again!)

Here's hoping Slideshare much success -- for their next contest!

Labels: Presentation

¶ 4/18/2007 03:30:00 PM 2 Comments Links to this post

  Could PowerPoint Be...Satan?

You have heard it all before. And today, a news story from the Sydney Morning Herald is making the internet rounds, trotting out the "PowerPoint is bad" theme yet again.

This time, Professor Sweller from the University of New South Wales is using "PowerPoint Bad" as a platform for promoting his old "cognitive load" theory.

Here is the Professor's spin (I paraphrased it considerably):

Your audience learns more when you speak to a compelling graphic than when you read aloud the words on a slide.

Huh. How about that.

I guess that's why people like to watch actors act instead of read from their scripts. Or why children who are too young to read like to look at pictures while listening to you read the words aloud.

Anyway, the picture attached to the story is ironic. Professor Sweller is quoted as saying that PowerPoint is a disaster and should be ditched.

The picture?

Professor Sweller is gesturing broadly in front of a projected PowerPoint slide of a bar chart.

Holy Cognitive Dissonance, Professor!

So you see, it's not that PowerPoint is bad. It's more likely that OPP (Other People's PowerPoint) is bad!

That's why other people should stop using PowerPoint.

You? You're terrific. You're good. You can keep using PowerPoint.

And you can use "PowerPoint Bad" as a platform for generating good publicity! People never seem to tire of the old "PowerPoint is Evil" theme.

Actually, PowerPoint is morality-neutral. There is no good or evil when it comes to PowerPoint.

But you know that.

Labels: Presentation

¶ 4/05/2007 10:53:00 AM 1 Comments Links to this post

  When is PowerPoint Like a Cow?

• does not trust their salespeople to communicate persuasively or professionally?
• hires obedient followers instead of thoughtful leaders?
• is not be willing to be flexible or adjust communications to client needs?

The case AGAINST the corporate PowerPoint template. Most small businesses cannot afford to model inflexible, non-creative attributes! Rather, small businesses thrive on delivering customized, personalized, thoughtful approaches. That is why tailoring each sales presentation to the specific needs of the prospect is much more important than insisting that salespeople present within a rigid corporate PowerPoint template.

With a customized, tailored presentation, customers realize they are special.

The case FOR the corporate PowerPoint template. Now, many large businesses can effectively use the "jam a logo on every slide" approach to set customer expectations. Sign with a big corporation, and you will be expected to follow their rules, fit into their mode of doing business. And customers of large businesses have come to expect the same robotic, thoughtless customer service post-sale.

With a "logo on every slide" sales presentation, prospects can rightfully expect to be treated like another cow in the company's herd of customers.

Labels: PowerPoint Templates, Presentation

¶ 3/07/2007 02:02:00 PM 4 Comments Links to this post

  How crazy does high tech make you look?

My mom and I walked together slowly through an icy mall parking lot. A well-dressed woman walked past us briskly, shouting into the frosty air.

"I see a lot more of that lately," mused mom after the woman passed. "So many mentally ill people at the mall and at the store."

I explained to mom that I did not think the woman was mentally ill. The woman most likely had a Bluetooth device on underneath her woolly hat. The woman was probably having a heated phone conversation as she strode purposefully though her day.

"I don't know about Bluetooth," said Mom. "But if you are screaming in public at people no one else can see, you have mental problems."

Good point, Mom!

When we fail to make eye contact, when are out of touch with our surroundings, when we scream at invisible people...we have problems.

And the way many people use new technologies in public, why, they do look mentally infirm!

It's not just Bluetooth. Talking loudly into a cell phone in a public place does not acknowledge or respect the presence of other people. When a man stares blankly into space or bops his head as he walks toward me on the sidewalk, I must uncomfortably assess whether he is listening to the music on his iPod earbuds...or whether he might be a dope addict.

A sub-par approach to using new technologies in public can undermine reputation. A less than civil presentation affects public perception of a person's very competence.

Labels: Presentation

¶ 2/12/2007 07:14:00 PM 0 Comments Links to this post

  When animals give presentations...

What does it mean an animal makes an appearance in your life?

Many cultures believe that spirit guides use animals to give important messages to humans. That is why it is important to notice when different animals or animal images enter your life. Paying attention to animals can give you timely, important messages.

In his book Animal Speak: The Spiritual and Magical Powers of Creatures Great and Small , Ted Andrews outlines techniques for interpreting the secret messages that animals present to you.

For example:

• For a number of months, I would hear a red hawk scream...but only when I worked on a website for a particular client. The hawk has great vision. Could it be that the hawk was telling me to extend the vision for this client, and to pay closer attention to the site's details?
  
• One summer, I was giving a presentation in a beautiful Michigan boardroom with a floor-to-glass ceiling that faced an old forest. As I spoke, a groundhog waddled out of the woods, hauled its fat body up onto the sunny patio in front of the glass, and passed out on its back. Was this a sign that I was boring my audience, to pep things up a bit?
  
• At an extremely busy time of my life, a squirrel ran between my legs as I walked. The squirrel is a hard worker, always gathering nuts; but is also a very playful animal. By running between my legs, was the spirit of the squirrel reminding me to find a better balance between work and play?

This month, the image of the groundhog will enter the public consciousness. So what does it mean when the groundhog image enters your life? I checked Ten Andrews book, and was relieved to discover that I might not having been boring my audience after all.

According to Mr. Andrews, the groundhog is known for its digging and tunneling ability. Symbolically, the groundhog might have been telling me go deeper with my topic. Groundhogs are also hibernators and can slow their heartbeats down to 4 or 5 per minute: another sign to slow down and allow the depth of dreams enter the conversation.

At the very least, animals remind us to stay present, to stay in the moment. And that's an important message when you are a presenter!

Labels: Presentation

¶ 2/01/2007 01:42:00 PM 0 Comments Links to this post

  PowerPoint and the Poddy Mouth

I signed up to be an audience member for a webconference. The presentation was a PowerPoint sales pitch for a fairly well known software product. I reckon there were about 30 of us listening on the phone while viewing the online PowerPoint presentation via WebEx.

I was rather taken aback when the saleswoman sprinkled mild profanity throughout her presentation. To her, it was no big deal. Now, the presenter wasn't upset about anything -- it was just part of her vernacular.

But her choice of language made me question how seriously and respectfully the company would treat me if I became a client.

And it wasn't that I was offended or shocked by her words -- believe me, I've heard far worse.

Rather, I made a connection between two thoughts:

1. It is highly unprofessional for a presenter who is looking to make a positive impression to use profanity to a general business audience.
   
2. Her language made me wonder about the wisdom of corporate management -- because profanity flowed so effortlessly from her lips, the company simply HAD to know that Ms. Poddy Mouth would spray her colorful comments all over new prospects, and make a less-than-stellar impression.

I didn't buy her product. I went with a competitor.

It's simply too risky to buy a product from a corporate culture that recklessly and needlessly risks offending its clients.

Now I'm not a prude. And yes, I use profanity myself.

But I save it for special occasions and audiences. A general business audience filled with people I don't know very well simply isn't one of those special occasions.

As the brilliant poet Ogden Nash wrote in his poem "Oh Shucks, Ma'am, I Mean Excuse Me"...

"...naughty words scream out like sirens
When uttered in the wrong environs."

To further quote Mr. Nash about cussing (from the same wonderful poem)

1. ...know when to leave the stuff alone.
2. ...circumstances alter cusses.

So tell me: under what business circumstances is it proper to use profanity?

Labels: Presentation

¶ 3/22/2006 11:19:00 AM 1 Comments Links to this post

  Valedictorian or Salutatorian: What's the Difference?

Labels: Presentation

¶ 6/02/2005 01:06:00 PM 0 Comments Links to this post

  Before your present...

...get the facts straight.

I know: it is tempting. Someone sends you a fascinating story via email, or an amazing picture... and you want to use it in your speech or PowerPoint presentation. But before you include it (or worse, email it to dozens of your friends, family, and colleagues); find out the original source. So much of what gets emailed to us by well-meaning friends and family members turns out to be in the category of urban legend, scarelore, or glurge.

One of my favorite sites to get started on the "search for the truth when something seems too strange to be true" is http://www.snopes.com . This site categorizes many of the late-breaking stories that end up in your inbox: you can easily find out what is true and what is not.

Labels: Presentation

¶ 3/06/2005 06:48:00 PM 0 Comments Links to this post

  Cosmopolitan PowerPoint

The next time you are at the grocery store, take a critical look at the magazines that assault your senses as you stand in the check out line. Which one did you pick up, and why?

You might have been critically interested in the topics the magazine covers. But most of the time, something else drew you in and made you rifle through it for a few moments. Chances are, it was either a compelling headline or a stunning visual -- or a combination of both.

Magazines are masters of direct response headline writing. In particular, take a look at Cosmopolitan, Reader's Digest, and Prevention. What words or phrases did they use to arrest your interest? Here are four time-tested eye and mind-catchers:

• "How To...."
• "The Top 5 Reasons Why...."
• "Amazing...."
• "Exclusive...."

What other headline techniques grab attention? Take a tip from magazines -- even if you are giving a presentation to your church members or school children, think about re-writing your the headlines of your PowerPoint slides as if they were on the cover of Cosmopolitan (minus the saucy pictures, of course!). But think about it:

• How to Feed 500 with 1 Loaf, 1 Fish
• The 5 Most Relevant Advent Adverbs
• Amazing Joy -- How Sweet the Sound of Laughter

Pick ONE relevant picture to accompany each new headline. This creative exercise can lead to a presentation that more readily engages audience imagination. Give it a try!

Labels: Presentation

¶ 2/28/2005 05:28:00 PM 0 Comments Links to this post

  How Does PowerPoint End?

How do you end your PowerPoint presentations? Many people finish simply with a black PowerPoint slide, others with a Q&A slide or corporate logo. Some simply end and show whatever distracting or embarrassing view may be available in today's wireless world (not very professional, but I've seen that a lot lately).

What image do you display at the end of your presentations, and how do you use your grand finale to drive your point home and look super-professional?

Labels: Presentation

¶ 2/23/2005 11:33:00 AM 1 Comments Links to this post