Microsoft Power Point Design Template

Most business presentations are intended to persuade, inform, motivate or entertain. Some are meant strictly to sell -- which means they must persuade, inform, motivate and yes, entertain.

No matter what your purpose is, if you want your audience to sit up and take notice, you'll need to stop reading a script from from the screen. The reason is simple:reading interferes with the listeners' ability to connect with you. And it's that connection that allows you to persuade, inform, motivate and entertain.

If you want your audience to hear what you have to say, they need to focus on you -- and that means you must avoid the 6th fatal flaw.

You read your script from the screen.

True, your eleven year old nephew may be a wizard at playing a computer game while listening to rap and doing his homework, but few adults are capable of that sort of cognitive multi-tasking. Our adult brains are selective -- paying attention to only one cognitive task at a time. We have learned to focus on a single "thinking track" and tune out everything else.

As soon as you start reading, I stop listening. In fact, I start reading too. But when you read aloud, you read more slowly than I do as I read to myself. I begin to get irritated with the dissonance. My irritation often escalates to annoyance, at which point, I may start looking for mistakes in the text -- to prove to myself that my annoyance is well-founded.

If I am a detail person, I may identify lack of parallelism in the lists you have on screen, or find grammatical errors, or points you have missed or muddled. I begin to ask questions that throw you off your flow. I shuffle in my seat and start writing my shopping list.

And that's not all. The instant you start reading, you stop looking at me. If I look at you, I receive nothing in return and I lose that nice human connection I was hoping to find with you.

Like all potential buyers, I know you are not the only vendor in the marketplace. And when all is said and done, I am looking for a "friend in the business" which means I need to feel a connection with you to find you likeable. If you and I can't make eye contact, either because your eyes are focused elsewhere or because I am now deeply engrossed in editing your written work, I may begin to feel that I am trapped in an airless room listening to a robot read.

Presentation is a performance. That doesn't mean you are pretending or deceiving or feigning interest. It does mean you are playing a role --the role of friendly, trustworthy advisor. And it's your job to keep my attention. It's your job to be likable -- because people buy from people they like.

When you insist on reading endless screens of dense and deadly text, I lose interest. I don't like you and you lose. When your screen highlights a keyword or two, or when it enhances your performance with a clever or creative touch, I am free to focus on you -- so I am persuaded, informed, motivated or entertained.

P.S. In the next article, find out more about the fatal flaws you must avoid and profit from it.

Fern Lebo is president of FrontRunner Communications, adjunct faculty at Auburn University, consultant, trainer and frequent keynote speaker. A respected communications expert, Lebo focuses on presentation and writing for sales. For nearly 20 years, she has helped Fortune 500 companies create and deploy star sales performers. Lebo's clients learn the secrets that set them apart and discover the professional techniques they need to achieve outstanding success. Find out more at http://FRcommunications.com

Here are the top 10 ways that PowerPoint 2007 helps you increase your productivity and improve collaboration with others.

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Many of us use PowerPoint to convey a message to both small and large groups. Too often we see death by powerpoint in the corporate environment where people dont use it effectively. Get clever when using your PowerPoint this article has 20 tips for becoming a more engaging presenter when you use this tool.

Only use a maximum of six (6) words on each line. Too many words is too much clutter and hard for your audience to read.

Only use a maximum of six (6) lines of text on each slide. If you have too many lines of text your audience will spend their time reading your slides and not listening to you speak.

Keep slides clear and uncluttered. Avoid using many graphics or too busy with information - make your message clear.

Use animation where relevant but dont overdo it. This feature can really highlight a key message... or distract your audience if not done correctly.

Use sound effects and movie clips to enhance your presentation. This is a great technique when it works! Be sure to test your presentation in the live environment before you show your audience. Just because it worked at home or your office... doesn't always mean it will work when your audience appears.

Dont talk to your Powerpoint remember you have an audience that can read. Don't insult the intelligence of your audience and assume they can't read your slides. Use different words to the ones on your slides.

Keep your slides to a minimum people want to hear your message not be distracted by too many slides. They have come to hear a real person, not an electronic presenter. Only use slides to enhance and reinforce your message.

Dont use dark coloured backgrounds - this makes it hard to read from the back of the room. Be aware of the effects of different background colours.

Use large font only as small font is too hard to read from a distance.

Change the font size of words on the same slide to emphasize key words. Don't make every word the same font - if you want to make words stand out, use different colours and fonts.

Dont rely on your PowerPoint technology can sometimes fail us know your content and also have a hard copy of your presentation with you at all times.

Get creative with photos and images <- use your own photos rather than existing clipart. Most people are aware of the clipart available, show them something they haven't seen before.

Dont use Italic font - it is too hard to read.

Avoid using all capital letters as it is also difficult to read. In email etiquette this is seen as shouting, PowerPoint could be interpreted the same way.

Test the colours on a large screen as some may change from your laptop to the large projection.

Create a master slide - this might include your logo and in your corporate colours to reinforce your brand.

Use a remote controlled mouse or plan your movement and slide design so that you are not bound to your keyboard location.

Know how to navigate Powerpoint - in the event you press your mouse incorrectly or your system falters it is important to look like you know how to use this tool.

Learn how to insert tables, graphs, graphics and photos to enhance your presentation rather than just using text.

Attend a course to increase your Powerpoint skills and learn creative ways to use this tool.

Don't kill your audience with 'death by PowerPoint' - find creative ways to use this tool and you will become a more engaging and on-purpose presenter.

Neen is a Global Productivity Expert: by looking at how they spend their time and energy and where they focus their attention Neen helps people to rocket-charge their productivity and performance. A dynamic speaker, author and corporate trainer, Neen demonstrates how boosting your productivity can help you achieve amazing things. With her unique voice, sense of fun and uncommon common-sense, Neen delivers a powerful lesson in productivity. Subscribe to Neens free monthly ezine at http://neenjames.com/

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