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PowerPointer #3 Don’t Suck the Life Out of the Room
Want to suck the life out of a crowded room that is waiting to hear you speak?
All you have to do is start your presentation by clicking on the projector. Hopefully, masks will drop from the ceiling and your audience can be revived!
If you MUST use PowerPoint, then open your presentation without the slides. Don’t even turn on the projector until after you’ve opened with a story, anecdote, or powerful statement. You have a much better chance of engaging your audience from the start and giving your presentation a chance for success.
© 2010 Dan Weedin. All Rights Reserved
Oops.
You may have seen or heard about this by now. MSNBC host Contessa Brewer introduced the Reverend Jesse Jackson by the wrong name. You can see Jackson seething as he’s called the Reverend Al Sharpton. I found this on Alan Weiss’ blog and Alan made an excellent point about “being in the moment.” Here’s mine…
Did she not read the copy before she started speaking? Could she have done something other than throw her copywriter under the bus? This is about being in the moment as Alan says. It’s also about being prepared. It’s also about taking responsibility for your mistakes. Have our television anchors, hosts, and politicians all become so dependent on scripts and teleprompters that they are not focused on us?
Have you become so dependent on your proposal, your speech, your notes, your outline, your report, that you are not focused on the job at hand?
Take a lesson from Ms. Brewer and focus on what’s in front of you…
New Humorous Speech
Check out the humorous speech I gave on Friday night at the Toastmasters District 32 Comedy Showcase. I apologize for the poor lighting. That is Rule #1 for video recording! Let me know what you think…
Obama State of the Union
I’m interested to see the State of Obama as a presenter. Will it be the sizzle of the Inauguration or the thud of the teleprompter wooden man?
I will watch tonight and report tomorrow. Stay tuned.
Cheers,
Do’s and Don’t's for Visual Aids for your Presentation
I attended my Toastmasters club last night and witnessed an excellent presentation using visual aids. The young lady giving the presentation was discussing personal cash flow management and used a creative visual to help us understand her message. She used a simple flip chart which was already pre-filled. Here’s why it was so good:
- She kept it simple. Money issues can be complex these days. She used simple language and simple concepts. I guess that helps simple people like me!
- Her flip chart was more graphics than text. She used symbols of buckets and arrows to help us visual learners. The only text were limited to one o two words.
- The visual aid advanced her message instead of giving it. Like PowerPoint, if the flip chart tells you everything, then all you need is Vanna White to flip the pages. She led the presentation; the flip charts were simply great aids to strengthen her story.
- She was prepared. She didn’t use the flip chart as a crutch or outline.
Visual aids can be a powerful tool to enhancing your next presentation. If you commit to following the strategies my Toastmasters friend did, you will also give a superb presentation.
P.S. If you are a Toastmaster in Region 1, plan on joining me at the annual conference on June 19-21. I will be one of the educational presenters at the Oakland Hilton. For more information, click on the link on this post-script.
