Being in business, I’ve had many meetings with others discussing how we can do business together and what the terms would be. First impressions make a big difference. I’m not judgmental, but if someone comes in with a sharp suit and good material…I’m listening.

One of the presentation items that I personally perfer are business folders. When someone hands me a proposal, the first thing I see is the folder that it is in. If it’s in a plain vanilla folder, I’m not going to be as excited about it. However, if it’s in a sharp looking, well designed folder I’m going to be more excited when I look at the proposal.

Perception is reality. If people perceive your presentations as well put together, they will be more favorable to reviewing it and accepting it. If it looks like trash coming in, there’s going to be a lot more scrutiny and questioning. Be prepared and make sure your proposals look sharp and clean with unique custom folders specific for your proposal.

PowerPoint presentations can be informative and
eye-catching, conveying information in a unique and
memorable way. Unfortunately, most PowerPoint presentations
are also very large files that can cause major sending,
storage and bandwidth issues.

PowerPoint compression tools offer a way to more easily
distribute large PowerPoint presentations without
sacrificing image quality or content. But in how many ways
can a compressed PowerPoint presentation be used? Consider
that most offices in every industry use the Microsoft
Windows operating systems as an integral part of their
day-to-day operations. The Windows operating system package
includes Microsoft Office, of which PowerPoint is a part.
PowerPoint is most commonly used to create presentations
which introduce a new product, explain a company’s method
or spark a brainstorming session. Shortly after 1997 when
the internet went mainstream, many companies adopted an
online presence with the goal of reaching all corners of
the world. Learning institutes are a good example, as
online courses became the norm. Today, instructors can
upload their course overviews, assignments and more to
their institute’s web site for eager students to download
and browse from the comfort of home.

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Copyright © 2006 Deborah Torres Patel

Whether you are an investor, entrepreneur, employee, self-employed or unemployed the ability to present yourself and your ideas powerfully has never been more important than in today’s dynamic information age. Speaking well can influence other’s views, close a deal, motivate your team, enhance your business, and elevate your reputation.

Many people get jitters speaking in public.  Lilly Walters author of “Secrets of Successful Speakers” says 75% of stage fright can be reduced by rehearsal and preparation, 15% by deep breathing, and 10% by mental preparation.   Thorough preparation alleviates anxiety and ultimately provides a consistent structure for achieving extraordinary results.

PREPARE
Create template presentations before you need them. If you use power point, keep text to a minimum with only one idea, no more than six lines per slide, large, readable, and consistent fonts.  Most business people prefer little to no slide animation. Summarize often. Never read from your slides/flipcharts and always face your audience. Remember, you are the star not your visual aids.

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Copyright © 2006 Harrison Monarth

Your next presentation is just around the corner. To ensure devastating impact, just follow these ten steps and watch your career catch fire.

1. Avoid Excessive Research

Research is for geeks and bookworms. Do you really want to bore your audience with a bunch of statistics and facts that they can easily get from the library or from Google?

You want to tell people your version of how things work, not someone else’s ideas that have been posted all over the Internet already.

2. Be Spontaneous

Preparation and rehearsals are for amateurs, or actors. By practicing your presentation you only sabotage your chances for spontaneity. Just scribble down a few notes and stuff them in your pocket in case you need them for reference. This allows you to improvise as you go, keeping your talk lively and interesting. People hate predictability.

Plus, by rehearsing your presentation you run the risk of having a bunch of know-it-alls give you unwanted feedback, which may tempt you to make last-minute changes. Do you really want to start over? Remember, this is YOUR show!

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Copyright 2006 Mike Pniewski

You’ve got a big meeting or a major presentation in front
of people who can make or break you.  You’re feeling
prepared but still the nerves are rattling you.  You walk
into the office, where you’ve never been before, greeted by
the receptionist whom you’ve never seen in your life, and
your heart is pounding out of your chest.  But you have
just minutes before you must be on and at your best—-what
do you do!?

Sound familiar??  Great preparation of your craft is a must
in these types of situations.  But in spite of that, the
new environment, filled with unfamiliar faces can kill the
security of brilliant prep work.  How do you prevent that?

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