******************************************************************* Dave Paradi's PowerPoint Tip     Issue #166 August 19, 2008 Published & Copyright by Dave Paradi of ThinkOutsideTheSlide.com Circulation over 8,400 ******************************************************************* 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: Reminder: New Slide Makeover Video Podcast available Will you join The Visual Slide Revolution? PowerPoint Tip - What to look for in a web presentation service Best of the Blog - How to become an Olympic champion presenter  Dave's Travel Schedule ******************************************************************* Reminder: New Slide Makeover Video Podcast available A new Slide Makeover Video Podcast based on the ideas in "The Visual Slide Revolution" is available for your viewing through the iTunes Store or online. Just adding a visual to your slides is not enough - it must have context so the audience can understand it.  This makeover shows a visual and how it can be recreated to have a much better impact on the audience.  If you have already subscribed through iTunes or another podcatcher, the new podcast should be automatically downloaded when you next run the program. To subscribe via the iTunes Store or watch online, go to http://www.ThinkOutsideTheSlide.com/podcasts/index.htm .  Forward the link to others who could benefit by seeing this slide makeover. ------------------------------------------------------------------- Will you join The Visual Slide Revolution? Are you a presenter who wants to transform the overloaded text slides you are using into persuasive visuals?  Don't know how to start?  The solution you have been waiting for is here.  I've just released my latest book, The Visual Slide Revolution, and it explains my five-step KWICK method that I use to create persuasive presentations for my clients.  Read chapter 2 and order your copy at http://www.ThinkOutsideTheSlide.com/vsr.htm . ------------------------------------------------------------------- PowerPoint Tip: What to look for in a web presentation service Next month I am presenting at PowerPoint Live on how to design and deliver a web based presentation and the differences from a presentation where the audience is in the room.  I was looking back at the webinar I did for SpeakerNetNews that covered some of these topics and one area I am not going to cover at PowerPoint Live is the area of selecting a web presentation service.  So I'm going to share some of my thoughts on that topic today. The objective today is not to convince you to lean towards one particular service or another.  It is to give you some criteria to consider when you have to make that decision.  With the cost of travel by any means increasing rapidly, we will all be doing web- based presentations in the future.  If you are already using a web conference service, this may help you evaluate if you are getting the best value from who you currently use. Criteria #1 - Cost Structure There seem to be two cost approaches that are most popular.  The first is a fixed fee per month that allows you to hold any number of meetings with a certain maximum number of people.  The other approach is to charge per attendee per minute that they are connected.  Consider how often you will likely be holding meetings and do the math to determine which approach would be best.  And go back to check every 6 months or so to make sure the approach you selected is still the best for your actual usage. Criteria #2 - Audio Options Some services deliver the audio portion of the conference over the web and the participants hear it through the speakers on their computer and some use a regular telephone bridge line for the audio. I prefer the telephone bridge approach as I have found it more stable, but check to see what limitations there may be on the audio line that the service includes.  Sometimes using a separate phone bridge will give you the options you need, like being able to selectively mute all or individual participants, the ability to record the audio portion of the meeting and the ability to have multiple presenters speak while everyone else is muted. Criteria #3 - System requirements Most of the services operate by having the participants download a small browser-based application that enables you to share your screen with them to show a presentation, web site, document, etc. Check whether the service you are considering will support the systems of the people who will attend the meeting.  Check for Mac support, which browsers are supported, what versions of Windows are supported and whether corporate computers that have restrictions on what can be downloaded will be able to connect.  Some of your participants may have old computers and their operating system may not be supported (I've had this happen to me). If you'd like to see my entire presentation at PowerPoint Live and learn from the top designers and experts in PowerPoint, register to attend the conference September 21-24 in San Diego, CA.  Full details are at http://www.PowerPointLive.com . ------------------------------------------------------------------- Best of the Blog - How to become an Olympic champion presenter I don't know about you, but my wife and I love the Olympics. When they are on, as they are now, we devote a number of hours each day to watching the competition. We rejoice at the great performances and feel bad for the athletes who miss a medal by a fraction of a second or point. What is common to every athlete who is competing is that they have trained years to become the best at their sport. They have had great coaching, encouragement from family and friends and access to the best equipment and facilities. So how does this apply to us as presenters? More than you might initially think. Let's apply the approaches of an Olympic gold medallist to each of us as presenters. And I'll use questions to help us think about whether we are measuring up. Training: When is the last time you practiced your presentation? I mean actually stood up and delivered it as if it was the gold medal match? Think you'd do better if you rehearsed under the simulated stress that will be there on the day of the key presentation? Coaching: When was your last presentation coaching session or training course? Years ago? How will you continue to keep up with the competition unless you are always learning from the best there is? Encouragement: Who do you have around you encouraging you on? Is it a team of coworkers, your family? You will be positive if you hang around others who are positive and believe that you can deliver the best presentation ever. Equipment: Do you have the equipment you need to succeed? Like presentation remote, laptop, and projector. Invest in the equipment that gives you the best chance to win. Go for the gold with your next presentation! Other recent blog posts at http://pptideas.blogspot.com : ------------------------------------------------------------------- Dave's Travel Schedule I work with business presenters who want to transform their overloaded text slides into persuasive presentations that effectively sell ideas, products and services to decision-makers. 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: August 22 - Toronto, ON September 5-6 - Kansas City, MO September 21-24 - San Diego, CA for PowerPoint Live, register at http://www.powerpointlive.com September 26 - Cincinnati, OH October 15 - Toronto, ON October 16 - Toronto, ON October 22 or 23 - Chicago, IL (tentative) October 29 - Vaughan, ON November 5-7 - Savannah, GA November 30-December 2 - CAPS Convention in Toronto, ON February 21-23, 2009 - Chicago, IL April 23, 2009 - Toronto, ON IAPA post-conference workshop open to the public, details coming in the fall May 8-9, 2009 - Chicago, IL 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.