******************************************************************* Dave Paradi's PowerPoint Tip     Issue #174 December 9, 2008 Published & Copyright by Dave Paradi of ThinkOutsideTheSlide.com Circulation over 8,200 ******************************************************************* 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: Don't create your own slides, copy and customize Transform your text slides into persuasive visuals PowerPoint Tip - Take time to update your slides Best of the Blog - The danger of gradient fills Dave's Travel Schedule ******************************************************************* Don't create your own slides, copy and customize Would you like to cut hours off your preparation time for each presentation?  Now you can with pre-designed slides that allow you to copy, paste and customize visuals such as graphs and diagrams. All the colors, positioning and even animation has been done for you.  Check them out at http://www.PPtContentTemplates.com . ------------------------------------------------------------------- Transform your text slides into persuasive visuals Don't know how to start transforming your overloaded text slides into persuasive visuals?  The solution you have been waiting for is here.  My latest book, The Visual Slide Revolution, explains my five-step KWICK method that I use to create persuasive presentations for my clients.  The Globe & Mail said, "This is a very strong book in an area where most of us are very weak."  Read chapter 2 and order your copy at http://www.ThinkOutsideTheSlide.com/vsr.htm . ------------------------------------------------------------------- PowerPoint Tip: Take time to update your slides In the next few weeks as my travelling starts to slow down and I have more time in the office, I'll be doing something that I suggest you do as well.  I'll be reviewing and updating the slides that I use in my workshops.  Today's tip is about why you should update your slides and how to do it. In my book, The Visual Slide Revolution, and in my teaching, I suggest that you can cut your preparation time dramatically by using a library of standard slides that will cover about 70-80% of the material you normally deliver.  But you can't just create the slides once and assume that they will last forever.  I suggest at least every six months you freshen the slides with new ideas.  This way, it keeps your material current and it keeps your delivery fresh because you are always integrating new ideas. Where will these new ideas come from?  From your experience.  In the past six months, go back and see what slides you have created to customize a presentation and ask yourself if they should be incorporated into the slide library because the message can be applied to many situations.  Add these slides to the library. Then, go back to your notes and e-mails and see what questions were asked about the content you deliver.  If a question was asked two or three times in the last few months, create a slide to answer that question and note in what circumstances it would be appropriate to add this slide to a presentation. Finally, look at the slides you have been using and take a critical viewpoint when assessing whether you could do a better job with each slide.  Most will be fine, but you'll take a fresh look at a point and a more effective visual will pop into your mind.  Revise those slides.  If you are always improving, your competition will never catch up. As an example, here are some of the slides I'll be working on in the next few weeks.  Twice this year I have had to address the issue of vector graphics causing a slide file to grow very large.  I'll add a slide on how to address this issue.  I'll also use some of the slides from my new PowerPoint Content Templates as illustrations of some of the types of visuals that can be used.  And I'll also be updating my slide on how you can hyperlink to content outside PowerPoint with better graphics. As we get closer to the end of the year, it is a time to reflect and look back.  Take the time to revise your standard slide library to make your presentations in the new year even more effective.  If you haven't created a slide library yet, now's the time to start. If you want to learn more about my new PowerPoint Content Templates that can kick start your slide library, go to http://www.PPtContentTemplates.com . ------------------------------------------------------------------- Best of the Blog - The danger of gradient fills At a presentation last week I saw the danger of using gradient fills demonstrated in a way that illustrated loud and clear the potential for misuse. A gradient fill is one where the color gradually moves from one color to another. It can be done from top to bottom, side to side or in more complex patterns. What this presenter did was to fill every shape with a gradient fill that moved from black at the top to white in the middle and back to black at the bottom. Then he put text in the shape. Of course it was impossible to select a text color that had enough contrast with both the black and the white background, so most of the text was almost impossible to see. Am I suggesting we never use gradient fills? No. I use them in the background of my own slides. But here is the way I think they work best. The two colors should be fairly close to each other so that when the color changes, there is no significant difference in contrast with any text or shape that may be on top. For example, having a gradient from black to navy blue would work well. I also suggest only one gradient, i.e. go from one color to the next but don't go back to the first color again, it is too busy. If you are going to use gradient fills, keep them simple and maintain the ability to see whatever is placed on top of the fill by selecting appropriate colors. 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 (type of client is in brackets): December 9 - London, ON (Manufacturing) February 21-23, 2009 - Chicago, IL (MBA students) February 26, 2009 - Quebec City, QC (Association) March 2-3, 2009 - Cincinnati, OH (Healthcare) April 8, 2009 - Ottawa, ON public half-day workshop, details coming in early 2009 April 22, 2009 - Toronto, ON IAPA post-conference workshop open to the public, details coming early in 2009 May 8-9, 2009 - Chicago, IL (MBA students) 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, videos 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.