******************************************************************* Dave Paradi's PowerPoint Tip     Issue #150 January 8, 2008 Published & Copyright by Dave Paradi of ThinkOutsideTheSlide.com Circulation 8,505 ******************************************************************* 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: PowerPoint Sales Videos PowerPoint Tip - Identifying Possible Visuals Dave's Travel Schedule ******************************************************************* PowerPoint Sales Videos In case you missed the special e-mail I sent just before Christmas, I want you to know about a new article on the web site.  If you are in sales (and we all are if we were honest about it), using videos is a great way to present your proposal.  This new article talks about how we can use PowerPoint to create customized videos that can be e-mailed to others and viewed by anyone who has PowerPoint (which is just about everyone these days).  Check it out at http://www.thinkoutsidetheslide.com/articles/pptsalesvideo.htm ------------------------------------------------------------------- PowerPoint Tip: Identifying Possible Visuals This is a milestone issue for the newsletter as it is the 150th issue.  And I'll take this occasion to announce that my next book is scheduled to be ready mid to late February and will be available in both e-book and printed formats.  The topic is how to create persuasive visuals.  More on the book in future newsletters, but today's tip is one of the topics I discuss in more detail in the book. One of the biggest obstacles I hear to creating visuals instead of text on PowerPoint slides is that people don't know what visual to create for the point they are making.  They think that you need a degree in graphics or need to be a really creative person to come up with the appropriate graphic for different situations.  I disagree. I suggest you listen carefully to the language you use to describe the point that you are making.  The words or phrases you use will give you all the clues you need.  No degree required.  Anyone can do it.  Let's look at some examples. Example #1: The product features slide "The ABC widget can be used in 14 different applications, while competing widgets can only be used in 5 or 6 situations." The key word to listen for is "while".  This indicates comparison and suggests that a visual such as a diagram of photos showing the number and type of applications would show both numeric advantage and scope advantage. Example #2: The financial update slide Typically, these slides include imported Excel tables of numbers and the presenter talks about how the current results indicate a potential trend in the marketplace or in operations.  The key word here is "trend".  The numbers may show a trend to the trained person, but most executives would prefer to see a graph that shows the direction and magnitude of the trend so they can decide whether it is important or not. By listening for the words or phrases that explain the point we are making, a visual will become clear almost every time.  When you are struggling to find the right visual in your next presentation, go back to how the point is explained.  The words and phrases will usually provide all the clues you need.  In the upcoming book, I will include an extensive list of key words and phrases to look for and what type of visual they suggest. In the upcoming weeks, I'll be sharing more of the current thinking that is going in to the book and will let you know when it is ready. My workshops are now including all of this new material, so now is a great time to contact me and book the session that will help your staff create persuasive visuals.  E-mail me at Dave@ThinkOutsideTheSlide.com or call me at 905-510-4911. I could not have written 150 issues without the support of you, my subscribers, so Thank You for your questions, comments and for recommending the newsletter to others.  I look forward to serving you for many more information packed issues to come. ------------------------------------------------------------------- Check out 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: January 23-24 - Cincinnati, OH February 23 - Las Vegas, NV February 25 - Chicago, IL March 1 - Sawgrass, FL March 3 - West Palm Beach, FL 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.