How many people will need to see the screen? A 42" plasma screen is the most common size and will usually be sufficient for a smaller meeting ? up to 20 people. Several other sizes, bigger and smaller, are available, including 32, 37, 40, 50, 61 inches and now up to 81". Remember that these screen sizes are a measure of the diagonal dimension of the screen, so a small variation in this vital statistic can make a big difference... Read More
Converting PowerPoint to Flash would be absolutely a good choice to distribute your bulky PowerPoint Presentation. You can do the whole PowerPoint-to-Flash conversion manually or by related softwares.First, you'll need to prepare the PowerPoint document. Make sure you are not using any complicated gradients or animations. These will be interpreted poorly when they are brought into Flash. Also, make sure there are no objects that fall outside the confines of the slide area.This will ensure that all the slides align... Read More
Are poor presentations costing you business?The ability to deliver a presentation to potential investors or clients is an essential skill for any budding entrepreneur, sales professional or consultant.Whether it's a '15-second elevator pitch' or a more extensive presentation, winning over and persuading audiences is vital in today's competitive capital raising and sales environment.Learning the art of making powerful and persuasive presentations in any business situation and you will win more work.My premise is every start-up entrepreneur, seasoned business operator or... Read More
How many times have you attended a meeting where the only thing that gets decided is the date of the next meeting? Or where one person dominates the meeting? Or the meeting is swamped with trivia or unrelated information?It is a commonly held assumption that chairing a meeting is simply a matter of reading out the agenda ? that is assuming there is an agenda and that the addenda actually covers the topics which are most pertinent to the matter... Read More
Audiences around the world are all different. Cultural, social and religious differences impact on how people learn, take in information and interact with presenters.After delivering three presentations to managers and franchisees from the largest fast food company in the Philippines, these are my thoughts on how to make an impact.This is the result of extensive feedback and practical knowledge of what works and what doesn't after delivering business presentations throughout Asia.Here are 10 Tips on Delivering Better Business Presentations to... Read More
Communication is vital for survival in an age of information that is undergoing a "shock-wave" of changes. Nationally and globally, we remain in a crisis in traditional literacy. Literacy, according to most dictionaries, is an unmoving term -- the ability to read and write.According to National Institute for Literacy:? American businesses are estimated to lose over $60 billion in productivity each year due to employees' lack of basic skills -- translated, means -- reading, writing, math and interpersonal skills all... Read More
"I'm not an expert on this topic, but . . .""This isn't exactly an exciting topic, but . . .""I hope you'll find this interesting.""Had I more time to prepare . . ."These expressions all have the same thing in common. They cause your audience to wonder why you ? and especially they ? are there. Each statement communicates the same message: "This isn't going to be a very good use of your time ? get a seat close to... Read More
One of the biggest mistakes most presenters make is in not considering or respecting their audience when preparing their talks. Showing respect means not boring them to tears with a data dump of information which is meaningless to them.1. Respect your audience. Make sure your talk is relevant to them, not just to you. Focus your talk on what benefits the audience and you will keep their interest.2. Do not memorize your presentation. It will sound like and feel like... Read More
Calling a projector hire company will often get you confused as they ask: What lumens do you need? (Lumens is the brightness of the projector) What resolution do you need? (Resolution is the number of pixels at which the display device does not have to expand or compress the input signal) What type: install, desktop or portable? (Install projectors tend to be larger and heavier, desktop ones are small and light and portable are somewhere in between!) What you should... Read More
In recent years, companies have recognized the need to expand their businesses in the international arena. Breakthroughs in communications and transportation have facilitated this move and have enabled these companies to trade in various countries all over the globe. It is now easier for company representatives to travel armed with business proposals and tap or create connections in remote places.An obvious downside is the expenses attendant to air travel as well as the general difficulty of coordinating seminars and promotional... Read More
Have you ever had to give a speech?Do you remember that feeling? A knot in the stomach, sweaty palms and a panic attack!Not a very pleasant experience. And yet, I'm sure your speech was a success because 90 % of a typical audience want the speaker to succeed.Yet according to the Book of Lists, speaking in public is one of our greatest fears.Much of this anxiety is due to a lack of confidence in writing and preparing a speech rather... Read More
The query letter is simply a business letter that serves a dual purpose. It is an introduction of you to an agent, and an inquiry as to whether the agent would be interested in seeing a particular piece of your work. The query letter is the first "picture" an agent will have of you and your work; and is perhaps your strongest selling tool.Why the query letter? Basically it serves to save time. Agents and publishers simply do not have... Read More
I had been working on a logo idea for several weeks before I finally realized that it would take from several months to never before I came up with something that would work for me. Scanning the Internet for sites that resembled Logos 'R Us, I found one that had a portfolio that I liked. I contracted for 10 logo ideas figuring that there would be at least one that would suit me.Presto, just like the site said, I had... Read More
Once upon a time there was a businessperson who had the task of convincing an audience of the need for the business to plan better for the future. Instead of starting out with a spreadsheet and a long list of numbers he started with a story we all know, "The Three Little Pigs." He engaged his audience with the brilliance of the little pig who built his house out of brick then used that metaphor to segue into his discussion... Read More
MORE and more corporations in Malaysia have awoken to the necessity of training and developing their people these days. Hence, many local speakers have emerged in recent years just as many foreign ones have already been flocking to Malaysia as far back as two decades ago. With so many speakers available in the market, the success of your event lies in selecting the right speaker who would make a big difference in your conference or seminar.Here are some tips.First, discard... Read More
What is stage presence? Can it be learned?There are, undoubtedly, some 'naturals' in this field. The fine Welsh actor Richard Burton, for example, on his debut performance at 16, playing an extra scrubbing steps, was said to distract the audience from the Shakespearean play! Many actors commented on Burton's extraordinary stage presence, in particular his stillness ? the audience were drawn to him even when he was apparently doing nothing.And herein lies a lesson. We never do 'nothing'. Every moment... Read More
First and foremost, you must deal effectively with your own emotions, ego, hang-ups, inhibitions, and fears. This will release you to focus on the audience is their attention level. A trainer must prepare thoroughly, believe in the message behind the words, and be committed to attaining his or her objective. But most important is a continual awareness of the audience members as individual persons, and not as merely a faceless mass.There is only one way to find out whether or... Read More
A major cause of trainers being unreceptive to their audience is stage fright. Being so self-involved the trainer has very little energy to devote to making personal contact. It is not unusual for this to happen, and there are ways to avoid it. You can capture and hold an audience's attention if you begin by giving your listeners your attention first.Never in the course of the presentation lose sight of the fact that you are speaking to people. Keep what... Read More
If you really aware and alert, your audience's behavior - faces, bodies, and their hands, will literally transmit scores of "messages." It is possible to judge how well you're being received, how much attention your audience is paying to you, and often how close your objective is to accomplishment. For example, shuffling feet, yawns, general restlessness, glances at watches -- or rapt attentiveness -- all are things which should be consciously noted by the trainer. Some trainers ramble on despite... Read More
Regardless of what response technique may be convenient in a given situation, one thing is certain for the aware trainer: different techniques will drive you deeper and deeper into the realm of subtlety, which is precisely where the art of using response points belongs. For most trainers, these direct questions will be the best method to determine how well the idea presentation is progressing.If possible, have a friend or associate sit in on the presentation for the express purpose of... Read More
