Clear and to the Point ... Presentations!

The Fall Conference Committee has started to receive donations for raffle prizes ... (there are going be to LOTS of prizes at the Fall conference on Nov.3rd in Fishkill, NY) and I would like to give you a preview of one of the raffle prizes ....

Stephen M. Kosslyn, chair of the Department of Psychology and John Lindsley Professor at Harvard University, has written a book to elucidate the process [of making Powerpoint presentations].

In Clear and to the Point: 8 Psychological Principles for Creating Compelling PowerPoint Presentations, Kosslyn presents eight simple principles, based on modern science about perception, memory, and cognition, that will make any presentation work.

More information about the book can be found at the publisher's blog...
http://blog.oup.com/2007/08/powerpoint/

Concepts from the book include ...

The Goldilocks Rule: Don’t give people too little or too much – give them just the right amount for the message you want to convey.

The Rule of 4: Don’t expect the audience to keep in mind more than four groups on a slide.

The Rudolph-the-Red-Nosed-Reindeer Rule: As Rudolph knew all too well, what’s different stands out, be it a red nose, a large graphic, or words in bold. Make what’s important stand out by being different from the surrounds. It can be larger, bolder, or a more striking color.

A word of thanks to another blog, Presentation Zen where I first heard about the book and, of course, the publisher, Oxford University Press USA, who provided the District 53 Fall Conference with two copies as raffle prizes !

It is a great book ... well suited to Toastmasters... so be sure to get in on the raffle by signing up for the conference TODAY ! Registration forms are available (click here) ... or visit the D53 conference page for more information.

Submitted by Dave Wheeler, Div.A Governor, 2006-8

18 Tips for Killer Presentations

Lifehack.org had a good post today on their blog titled "18 Tips for Killer Presentations". I especially liked the 14th tip (see below)...

14. Get Practice - Join Toastmasters and practice your speaking skills regularly in front of an audience. Not only is it a fun time, but it will make you more competent and confident when you need to approach the podium.

Click here to see all 18 tips from the original article !

Adding Power to Your Point

Forwarded by: Roger Brown, District 53 Webmaster;

Adding Power to Your Point By Jennifer Openshaw
TheStreet.com Contributor, 12/15/2006 12:29 PM EST
URL: http://www.thestreet.com/newsanalysis/smallbiz/10327484.html

They don't seem to be listening. ...
... electronic communication has become so routine, so automated, so abundant, that once again we miss the important message. Moreover, it's so easy to create electronic communication we don't think enough about its content.

That's what I believe is encumbering today's typical PowerPoint presentation. Same stuff over and over. Same clichés, buzzwords, phrases, bullets and lead-ins, with different animations, backgrounds, shapes and graphics. It all runs together, and the audience is tired. We dutifully applaud each pitch, but the messages pile up in our mental "in tray," never to be fully absorbed.

Now, the point of any presentation is to get a point across and have it retained. But PowerPoint is too easy. We create slide after slide, all with some form of "creeping elegance" designed to "wow" and be remembered. But it doesn't work. What was the main point of that 20-slide pitch?

We rely too much on PowerPoint features, not enough on content. Some complain that PowerPoint really makes it easier for the presenter, not the audience. It becomes a crutch, if not a substitute for crisp, meaningful communication.

[ ... ]

So I ( Jennifer Openshaw) advocate trying a few proven speaking elements of the ancient (business) world. A few favorites:

• One word at a time. Single words stimulate thinking. "Think" "Plan" "Do" "Act," are easy to remember and leave the audience hungry for more. Even a PowerPoint slide with single words -- instead of clichéd phrases -- can be effective. Of course, these words are tied to main points.
• Handcrafted visual aids. Now, I know flip charts are hard to take on an airplane. But how about single words on single sheets of paper taped around a room? Or your own portable "cube" of cardboard, one word on each side, flipped into position at the right time?
• Town meeting format. No PowerPoint, in fact, no visual aids at all! Just arrange the room in a semicircle, set a chair in the center, and talk! People will focus on you, not the slides. Tom Peters did it so well in the mid-80s in In Search of Excellence days, but I've hardly seen it since.

These "old-fashioned" techniques are different, and that's the point. Put them to work and your presentation will also make a difference.

Beyond Bullet Points ... Powerpoint tips!

I came across the following PDF from Cliff Atkinson's Beyond Bullet Points after reading a comment on another blog. (Which reminds me... your comments are welcome and encouraged for this blog too!)

Click here:
http://sociablemedia.com/PDF/atkinson_nov3_05_PDF.pdf

This web site also offers some free tools including a template for laying out a story... which might come in handy when you are developing your Tall Tale contest speech!

The resources page is located at:
http://www.sociablemedia.com/thebook_resources.php4

ADDED BONUS....
Click here to read the first chapter of Beyond Bullet Points !

Please let us know what you think by adding a comment below !