******************************************************************* Dave Paradi's PowerPoint Tip     Issue #156 April 1, 2008 Published & Copyright by Dave Paradi of ThinkOutsideTheSlide.com Circulation 8,533 ******************************************************************* Please forward this newsletter to executives and professionals who want to create PowerPoint presentations that sell their ideas, products or services more effectively.  If this newsletter has been sent to you by a friend, sign up to get your own copy at http://www.ThinkOutsideTheSlide.com/newsletter.htm . ******************************************************************* In this issue: Dave interviewed by Sales Expert Chris Lytle PowerPoint Tip - Designing Non-Linear Presentations Best of the Blog -  More support for using visuals Dave's Travel Schedule ******************************************************************* Dave interviewed by Sales Expert Chris Lytle Recently I was interviewed by sales expert Chris Lytle from Chicago. We covered the single biggest mistake sales professionals make when presenting, the three things you can do to immediately improve your sales presentation, and the components to a system that every sales professional can use to create consistently customized presentations.  The 21 minute recording is now available on the web site at http://www.ThinkOutsideTheSlide.com/lytleinterview.htm .  If you sell ideas to colleagues, products to buyers or services to top executives, you will learn valuable pointers from our conversation. ------------------------------------------------------------------- PowerPoint Tip: Designing Non-Linear Presentations Yesterday I posted a new article on the site that gives best practices for designing sales presentations to be delivered over the web.  Web delivery of presentations is growing rapidly and these tips will help your next web presentation be a success.  At http://www.ThinkOutsideTheSlide.com/articles/designwebsalespresentation.htm you can read the full article. (if the link doesn't work because it is too long, just go to the articles page on the web site and you'll see it there) In today's tip I want to expand on one of the ideas I mention in the article: non-linear presentations.  Whenever I discuss this in my workshops it is one of the ideas that my audiences find the most intriguing.  You can deliver a non-linear presentation in person or over the web.  Let me start by recapping what it is before I give you some tips when planning to present this way. A non-linear presentation is one where you give the audience control of the sequence of topics.  Instead of going through the topics in the order you have planned, you give them a menu of topics and you ask them what order they want you to proceed in.  It is totally focused on the needs of the audience at that moment in time and I think it is the future of presentations.  Decision makers are fed up with having to listen to reams of irrelevant data before the presenter gets to the one point that they came to hear. To create a non-linear PowerPoint presentation, there are three different ways you can do it - hyperlinks, slide numbers or link to module files.  If you want to learn how to implement these techniques, get a copy of my Guide to Advanced PowerPoint Techniques e-book at http://www.ThinkOutsideTheSlide.com/guidetoadvppt.htm . Today I want to focus on three design tips before you get to implementation. First, design your presentation in modules that can stand independent of each other.  This means you should collect related information into some logical groupings.  This is similar to creating an agenda for your presentation, but takes more thought because it is not just a list of slides.  Think of how your audience groups the information to decide on the modules (ie. product benefits, pricing, delivery schedule, setup and support, etc.) Second, assume that each module is the first module you present, and that the audience has not seen any preceding information.  This will require you to include a slide at the start of the module that summarizes the key points from other modules that relate to what you are about to present.  If you have not presented some of the points, it gives the audience context for what you are about to say.  If you have covered the material, it serves as a recap and reminder of relevant points. Finally, prepare at least twice as much material as you would normally for the time allotted to your presentation.  Since you are giving the audience a choice of topics, chances are you won't be going through at least half of the material.  Instead of guessing which half they won't need to see, prepare everything and let them choose. Non-linear presentations help you stand out from the crowd and get noticed by decision-makers because it values their time and shows you are prepared to serve their needs. ------------------------------------------------------------------- Best of the Blog - More support for using visuals Lately Dan Roam has been getting some good press about his new book titled "The Back of the Napkin: Solving Problems and Selling Ideas with Pictures" - Fast Company did an article on it recently. The premise is that a simple visual drawing is more effective than the reams of bullet points or the complex professional graphics that invade too many presentations. I agree that we need to move towards visuals that are relevant and easy to understand. As I have been saying for a while now, all we need to do is look back 5,000 years to see how humans communicated back then. We drew something on the cave wall and we told a story. It was effective back then and is effective today. While I agree that being more visual is communicating more effectively, I would suggest that since most of us will have to still present our information using PowerPoint or distribute it via e-mail or the web, we will still want to get our visuals into electronic format. The back of a napkin is a good analogy, but perhaps not to be taken literally. If you are not a great freehand artist - I know I am not - then using the simple tools in PowerPoint will serve you well. They make sure your squares look square and your lines go where they are supposed to go. And you can erase any mistakes easily. Just make sure you have simplified your concept before you start - whether using PowerPoint's drawing tools or the back of a napkin. It is the simplification of the concept and focusing on the key point that will be most important for your audience, not necessarily the format you use. Other recent blog posts at http://pptideas.blogspot.com : ------------------------------------------------------------------- Dave's Travel Schedule I work with business people who struggle with the effectiveness of the PowerPoint presentations they use to sell ideas, products and services to other business people. My research based PowerPoint Presentation Effectiveness System helps my clients achieve greater productivity and deliver presentations that close more sales.  You can save money by booking me to speak to your organization or conference when I am close to your area for other clients.  Here's where I will be in the next few months: April 28 - Toronto, ON May 3 - Chicago, IL May 9 - Ottawa, ON August 1-5 - New York City September 21-24 - San Diego, CA September 26 - Cincinnati, OH E-mail me at Dave@ThinkOutsideTheSlide.com to discuss how my Think Outside The Slide(tm) sessions can help your organization be more productive and improve communication throughout the organization. ------------------------------------------------------------------- Privacy Policy: I will never sell or distribute your e-mail or information to anyone. ------------------------------------------------------------------- Need articles for your newsletter?  Check out my many articles at: http://www.ThinkOutsideTheSlide.com. ------------------------------------------------------------------- Check out the books, e-books and other learning tools at: http://www.ThinkOutsideTheSlide.com/resources.htm ------------------------------------------------------------------- If you want to read back issues of this newsletter, click on the following link to go to the Archives: http://www.ThinkOutsideTheSlide.com/archives.htm ------------------------------------------------------------------- Microsoft, PowerPoint, Windows and other terms are either registered trademarks or trademarks of Microsoft Corporation in the United States and/or other countries.  Microsoft product screen shot(s) reprinted with permission from Microsoft Corporation.  All books, products and seminars are independent publications and are not affiliated with, nor have they been authorized, sponsored, or otherwise approved by Microsoft Corporation.