Welcome to the June/July edition of PowerPresentations, The Presentation Team's e-newsletter featuring tips and pointers of importance to today's busy business presenter.  Summer is here...and we're turning up the heat with tips on how to organize, develop and present more effectively.  We welcome your comments and suggestions, and encourage you to share this newsletter with your friends or colleagues.

In this Issue
Company News:   Office Move to Delray Beach … Shattering sales records … Alliance with Ambit Marketing … Connecting with clients via static IP Address and Sharepoint
Specials and Promotions:  Free PowerPoint facelifts and $695 custom Template Design packages
PowerPointers:  Start your presentation right to save it from going wrong
Speaking Tips:   What do you do when things go wrong:  Part One
Success Stories:   Restaurant Redesign with Presentation Power: Designline's multimedia Project Management training presentation hits the mark

Company News
Office move to Delray Beach … Shattering sales records … Alliance with Ambit Marketing… Connecting with clients via FTP and Sharepoint

It's time to update to your address book: The Presentation Team is on the move!  The company recently relocated to Delray Beach, Florida.  Just 30 miles north of its previous Fort Lauderdale office, company officials say the new office site provides them with a more robust business climate and an improved quality of life.  The move should be transparent to clients, who are increasingly using to the Internet to work with the presentation graphics firm.  The new address is 1625 NW 22^nd Avenue, Delray Beach, FL  33445.  Phone: (561) 272-2850, and TOLL FREE: (877) 823-5730.

Presentation Team sales for the first six months of 2002 have surpassed all previous records, say company executives.  "This economic growth after the recession is having a positive impact on our business," explained Operations Director Rudy Flugel.  "We’re excited about the opportunities ahead and are working to ensure we stay ahead of the curve to maintain our high levels of client satisfaction."

The Presentation Team has forged a strategic alliance with Fort Lauderdale advertising agency Ambit Marketing.  The alliance helps provide one-stop shopping to clients/prospects seeking comprehensive communications solutions.  The Presentation Team initially partnered with Ambit in April to develop a successful video-based presentation for a local municipality.

The Presentation Team has a new tool in its collection of client connection solutions.  The firm has added an FTP server and Microsoft Sharepoint web-based collaborative development software to help connect with clients.   With over 50% of their client base consisting of "remote clients," the new online connectivity will allow users to more quickly and effectively exchange files and review materials.

Back to Top

Specials and Promotions
Free PowerPoint Facelifts...and the $695 Custom Template Design Package

With the increased prevalence of amateur PowerPoint presentations throughout the corporate market, The Presentation Team has a graphical challenge:  send them your best- or worst- presentation (at least 20 pages) and they'll pick one slide to enhance and improve... absolutely free. The Free Facelift Service is aimed at companies which have existing PowerPoint presentations but are considering an enhancement. "We want to showcase our value, efficiency, creativity and customer service with this challenge that we can improve any standard PowerPoint presentation," explained executive director Kevin Lerner. <Details>

Want your presentation to sizzle without spending a lot?  The Presentation Team's Custom Template Design Package may be the solution. For just $695, clients get 3 uniquely original variations of Title Masters and Body Masters for PowerPoint. The service also includes up to two hours of presentation consultation. Often incorporating existing photography and branding elements, the service is touted as a cost-effective way for companies- especially startups- to quickly and professionally transform their existing presentations.  <Details>

Back to Top

PowerPointers
Start Your Presentation Right to Save It from Going Wrong
By Kevin Lerner, Executive Director of The Presentation Team

Are you a presentation procrastinator?  A PowerPoint put-offer?  A stalled sleepless speaker?  Let’s face it:  most people dread developing presentations.  But with computer-based presentation tools such as PowerPoint, it's easier than ever to start your presentation development correctly- and save it from spinning out of control.  A well-planned and organized presentation can save lots of headaches down the road.  Try these techniques the next time you have to pull a presentation out of thin air:

Content First…Then Visuals:  When starting a new presentation, try not to become distracted by the desire to make it look good.  Rather, focus on creating the content first.  Use the outline view to get your bullets and main points in place.  Talk over the ideas/themes with friends and colleagues.  Draft a storyboard on paper.  Also, the auto content wizards of PowerPoint are helpful in getting the key messages in place.

Design for your Audience:  Select or create a template design that’s appropriate for your audience:  are they young or old…colorful or conservative?  The colors you use should be compatible with the company’s brand/image.  The number of people in the audience affects how large the type should be on screen and how much information should be crammed together.  Look at the presentation through the eyes and ears of your audience.

Use Master Slides:  The slide master's purpose is to let you make a global change — such as replacing the font style — and have that change reflected on all the slides in your presentation.  By creating a master slide (or multiple masters), you can make revisions to the presentation quickly, rather than page-by-page.  (Select View…Master…Slide Master).

Plan ahead of your Deadlines: Before starting your presentation, it's important to have an idea of how much work is involved in developing the presentation...and how much time it will take.  Set benchmarks and goals throughout the development period.  Aim to finish the presentation a day ahead of schedule.

Know your Presentation Venue and Output Medium:  Are you presenting in a large auditorium or in a small group? Will your presentation be shown on paper, 35mm slides, or laptop-based? These questions are vital to help determine the appropriate fonts, sizing, and spacing. Try to preview the presentation venue beforehand to get a better idea of how your show will look.

Back to Top

Speaking Tips
What do you do when things go wrong?  Part One
By Beverly Cohen, Communications Specialist of The Presentation Team

An effective presenter is in tune with the audience.  The audience "talks" to you with their body language. Sometimes, the message they send is, "I''m bored. I'm sorry I came.  I'm not interested." It's your challenge as a speaker to turn that message around so that it becomes, "I am totally involved in what you are saying.  Tell me more!"  How do you do that? How do you turn a hostile, unresponsive audience into motivated involved one? The key is a positive attitude and a flexible style.  Think about what your audience is telling you and be ready to alter your approach.

• Can they hear you? Adjust your volume/rate. Lower your voice. This implies exclusivity and gives the impression that they are included in privileged information.
• Can they see you?  Stand somewhere else. Increase your movement
• Are they bored? Tell a story to emphasize a point. Use humor or a short, uplifting story.
• Are they getting the message?  Preface your statement with, "This is critical to my point." or, "This is absolutely fundamental."
• Have they been inactive too long? Provide a break or an interactive activity.
• Is it time to stop?  Don't talk beyond your time frame or beyond your message.  Stick to your script.

Remember that you set the pace. Your attitude and flexibility can keep you in tune with your audience and turn a potentially disastrous meeting into a memorable one.

 Back to Top

Success Stories
Restaurant Redesign with Presentation Power:   Designline's multimedia training presentation hits the mark.

Back to Top