On August 11, I participated in the Spartan Sprint, an obstacle course of a little more than three miles that test the limits of one's endurance. The Sprint is the entry-level race, and if you survive that you can graduate to the Super Spartan, attempt the Spartan Beast, or really indulge your … [Read more...] about What the Spartan Sprint taught me about presenting
You are not the focus of your PowerPoint presentation
The other day, a friend of mine wanted my advice on pricing the redesign of her client’s pitch deck, the initial presentation shown to a prospect to get hired. When I opened the presentation, my jaw literally dropped because it was an 11-page résumé in 16-point type sandwiched between a title slide … [Read more...] about You are not the focus of your PowerPoint presentation
Good presentations start with good scripts
A gentleman once asked me to provide a quote on redoing a PowerPoint presentation. He provided a link to the presentation, which included a voiceover narration. I had to explain to him that he'd be unhappy with the results if I just did the cosmetic fixes he'd asked for. Sure, the presentation … [Read more...] about Good presentations start with good scripts
Six reasons you should pay for PowerPoint design
I make a lot of prospecting calls to tell people about my presentation design services and to ask for their business, so I hear many variations on “We don't want any,” such as, “We already have a template,” “We do all of our PowerPoint in house,” and “My admin takes care of that.” Maybe you are … [Read more...] about Six reasons you should pay for PowerPoint design
Do you read your PowerPoint slides to the audience? Knock it off!
According to a recent survey conducted by PowerPoint designer Dave Paradi, the number-one PowerPoint annoyance is when presenters read their slides to the audience. In fact, "reading from the slides" has been one of the top five most annoying PowerPoint habits since he started conducting this survey … [Read more...] about Do you read your PowerPoint slides to the audience? Knock it off!
PowerPoint vs. Prezi: Which is better?
Throughout history, there have been many great rivalries: Red Sox vs. Yankees, Coke vs. Pepsi, Mac vs. PC. In the battle for the hearts and minds of the presentation community, perhaps there is no greater clash than PowerPoint vs. Prezi. Up-and-comer Prezi brings its A-game to the fight. It's … [Read more...] about PowerPoint vs. Prezi: Which is better?
Three steps to becoming a Thought Leader
Thought leadership is a relatively new term that describes being known for one's expertise on a certain topic. A thought leader is seen as a visionary, someone with ideas that can improve the way things are done. Yesterday I officially became a thought leader. Become a PowerPoint Ninja in 2012 is … [Read more...] about Three steps to becoming a Thought Leader
Should my logo be on each PowerPoint slide? No.
Now, I know you're probably thinking along one of these lines: "We paid a lot of money for that logo, and I want people to see it!" "I'm reinforcing my company's brand by showing my logo on each slide." "That's the way our template was designed." I would counter that if you start and end … [Read more...] about Should my logo be on each PowerPoint slide? No.