Welcome to the September edition of PowerPresentations, The Presentation Team's monthly e-newsletter featuring tips and pointers of importance to today's busy business presenter.

It’s the middle of Hurricane Season...and the wind is blowing around great 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: New Flash-enabled Web Site nears completion…Newsletter mass mailing causes spam madness...New templates from alliance partner Studio F
Sizzling Summer Promotions: Free PowerPoint facelifts and custom Template Design packages
PowerPointers: Have a Fontastic Presentation
Speaking Tips: Dismissing the Myths of Public Speaking
Presentation Tools:  A Brilliant Presentation
Success Stories: Motorola’s public safety radios showcased in dynamic presentation.

Company News
New Flash-enabled Web Site nears completion…Newsletter mass mailing causes spam madness...New templates from alliance partner Studio F

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Sizzling Summer Promotions
Free PowerPoint facelifts...and the $695 Custom Template Design Package.

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>

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PowerPointers
Have a Fontastic Presentation
By Kevin Lerner, Executive Director of The Presentation Team

Next to graphics, type and fonts are the most effective way for communicating your message.  Fonts add emotion and impact to your presentation.  They also can create variety and help to keep the attention of your audience.  Here are 10 tips for using fonts in your next presentation:

1.       Include/Embed Your Fonts.  If you don’t save your presentation with the fonts, the end computer may substitute a default font that could destroy the perfect presentation you’ve created.  As an added safety factor, copy/save the actual font files directly to a disk.

2.       Employ weight contrast for visual interest.  Tahoma and Arial are good fonts with added impact in Bold style.

3.       Use script-based fonts sparingly and only to project an informal image.

4.       Limit Serif Fonts (Times Roman, Garamond) to Headlines. They often look busy on screen.  Sans Serif Fonts (Arial, Helvetica) are easier to read when projected.

5.       Avoid High Tech and Modern Typefaces.  They’re difficult to read and detract from the message.  They may be okay for the opening slide, but audiences will grow tired of them if they’re forced to read lots of text.

6.       Investigate Slab Serif Typefaces like Lucida and Tahoma. Often overlooked, these sturdy fonts reflect a no-nonsense feeling of strength.  They hold up well when projected.

7.       Restrict stylized typefaces to titles and opening slides.  Never sacrifice emotion for legibility. 

8.       Maintain maximum foreground/ background contrast.  Be sure there is sufficient difference in tonal value between type and the background it appears against. 

9.       USE CAPITALIZATION WITH CARE. It’s harder to read and takes up more space.   Caps are sometimes okay for titles, but better to emphasize with Bold and Underline.

10.   Fine-tune the details. Typographic detail includes choosing the right bullets and their color, size and distance from text. Line spacing should be adjusted with a space between paragraphs.  Force a line break with Shift + Enter.  And of course, double check the punctuation. 

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Speaking Tips
Turning Platform Panic into Personal Power: Harnessing the fear of Public Speaking
By Beverly Cohen, Communications Specialist of The Presentation Team

Of all the unproven collective ideas about Public Speaking, none is more commonly accepted than the belief that speaking in public causes death by embarrassment.   Nothing can be further from the truth! It’s a myth. No coroner has ever been called upon to examine an embarrassed corpse at a lectern. Most people know intellectually that they won’t really die if they speak in front of a group, yet this irrational fear persists.

Here are 9 other myths that, if believed, can cripple the effectiveness of your public speaking style. Dismissing these myths will enable you to have a greater impact on your audience by delivering a more memorable, powerful presentation

1.       Introductions aren’t important. Introductions are too critical to leave to chance. They prepare the audience for your message. Write your own introduction, and be sure the person who is introducing you pronounces your name correctly.

2.       Everyone wants to hear what you have to say. You know your message is important, but not everyone in your audience is there by choice. Some are there to fulfill an assignment. Many would rather be somewhere else. You need to give them a reason to stay and hear what you have to say.

3.       You don’t have to prepare if you’ve given the speech before.  No presentation is ever the same. Each audience is different.  Review your notes, practice and refine your information. Over confidence can lead to a sloppy delivery.

4.       They’ll listen if you are an expert or their boss. Probably they will…initially.  But unless your style is interesting and your information meaningful, their attention will begin to drift within the first 15 minutes of your talk.

5.       A commanding speaker uses the lectern. You’ll have better rapport and interaction with the audience if there is nothing between them and you. The lectern can be a barrier. It causes you to rely on notes and blocks your gestures. Step out and connect!

6.       Your attire should match the occasion. The speaker should always be dressed a bit more formally than the audience. The first impression is generally a visual one.

7.       The facility is prepared to accommodate your equipment. Don’t assume anything, and don’t leave anything to chance. Be prepared. Ask the staff. Check the equipment before you use it. Bring your own things and have back up discs, batteries, bulbs, electric cords, etc. Be prepared for the unexpected.

8.       You don’t have to prepare if your presentation lasts less than 10 minutes. The shorter the presentation the more preparation is needed. You don’t have the luxury of time with a short speech. Your message needs to be succinct, precise and clear.

9.       You’ll be nervous forever. Nervousness usually goes away within the first few minutes of your presentation. This is especially true if you know your material and you are prepared. Perfect practice makes perfect.  Things really do get easier.  

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Presentation Tools
A Weighty Subject:  Picking a Portable Projector
By Daphne Jongejans-Bousquet of International Audio Visual

This is the second in a three part series of three factors that will determine the best projector for your presentation: Brightness, Portability and Resolution.  This month we explore Portability, and why the weight of a projector is an important consideration when you select a projector.

5 Pounds and under

 If you travel a lot, you need an ultra-portable projector of 5 pounds or less.  Right now, the smallest projectors are less than 3 pounds and don’t take up much room in a briefcase. 

5-10 Pounds

If you need more performance and don’t mind carrying a little extra weight, the portable projectors of 5-10 pounds are a good choice. 

10-20 Pounds

At the next level, the projectors are still portable and are fine to carry from conference room to conference room or from classroom to classroom. These projectors are generally brighter than their smaller counterparts as well. 

20 Pounds

At over 20 pounds, the projectors are typically mounted in a room and then weight is not much of a consideration at all.  In this case, concentrate on brightness and resolution to make your decision.

International Audio Visual has friendly, knowledgeable people standing by to help you find the right projector.  With over 150 models from more than 20 manufacturers, you can also expect the right price. www.iavi.com

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Success Stories
Motorola’s public safety radios showcased in dynamic presentation

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Coming in October

PowerPointers: Working with Bitmap and Vector Graphics
Speaking Tips: Body Language Myths
Presentation Tools:  The Resolution Solution

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