We can learn a thing or two from Apple

Even if Steve Jobs is no longer the CEO of Apple, we can still learn  a thing or two from Apple, particularly their store. Keep these communication techniques in mind because they will prove to be very effective when speaking and presenting. So what are these things that Apple stores do which we should emulate?

They’re Selling Bold, Life-Changing Ideas

The People are Authentic and Passionate

You get to do stuff in there

Aren’t these basically the very things we should also be doing when sharing our ideas in public?

If you want to learn more about this, please head to:

Public Speaking Tips from the Apple Store

Are you a careful or carefree presenter?

There are two types of presenters — those who are careful and those who are carefree. Which one is better? And which type do you belong?

Do you like to plan and carefully think about the needs of your audience before finally delivering your presentation or are you the type who basically knows what he’s going to say  and just enjoys the entire process of presenting by just going for it?

Let me say that both types have merits and disadvantages. It’s a matter of balancing the two for any presenter to get maximum results from their presentations.

Olivia Mitchell explained it further on her post. Read more details about these two types of presenting by heading to:

The two types of presenter: which are you?

 

Opening Lines You Shouldn’t Use When Speaking or Presenting

OMG! I can’t believe that there are experienced speakers who still do this. Please take note of these opening lines that you shouldn’t use at all because you will either lose the interest of your audience, or much worse, you’ll lose your credibility as a speaker and your audience’s respect.

“Unaccustomed as I am to public speaking “

“I don’t know why I have been asked to speak “

“I haven’t really prepared anything “

Continue reading here:

Bad Opening Lines to Your Speech: 10 Mistakes to Avoid

Can we use humor in our presentations?

Some of us may already be good speakers or presenters and more often than not, we use humor to liven up the discussion so that our presentation would become more interesting and engaging for our audience. For those who are just starting their careers in public speaking and presentation, humor is a great tool you can use IF DONE PROPERLY. But the thing is, not all speakers and presenters are born comedians. If you happen to screw it up or if you’re not naturally funny, then using humor might be a problem for you.

Dr. Jim Anderson discusses on his blog the things you can do if humor seems to be a problem for you. You don’t have to fret though if you really can’t use humor. After all, presenters and speakers are different from comedians. Comedians entertain while presenters inform and communicate important matter.

Head over to Dr. Anderson’s post to learn more about humor and how to deal with it.

The Problem With Using Humor In A Speech

Ellen Finkelstein Gets Interviewed by Indezine.Com

I’ve probably mentioned a couple of times on this blog that Ellen Finkelstein is one of the people I consider guru when it comes to PowerPoint and presentations in general. After all, she is  “a Microsoft PowerPoint MVP and author of several PowerPoint, Flash, and AutoCAD books. Her articles have appeared in numerous magazines, newsletters, and blogs. As a best-selling author, her books have sold over 300,000 copies and been translated into over 14 languages.” 

Indezine.com, on the other hand, is one of the blogs I always follow. I would oftentimes retweet its posts via @Geetesh.

And so I was very happy when I found out that my favorite guru got interviewed in one of my favorite PowerPoint blogs.  On 7 Steps to Great Images: Conversation with Ellen Finkelstein, Geetesh asked two very essential questions:

1.  How do the new features for using pictures in PowerPoint 2010 make it easier to create more visual slides?

2.  Tell us about your 7 Steps to Great Images ebook – and what can a reader take away from this book.

The answers to these questions are crucial for people who create visual slides as part of their livelihood. If you are one of them, you will surely learn a lot from what Ellen has to say.

Go to the link for more information: 7 Steps to Great Images: Conversation with Ellen Finkelstein

What to Do After Becoming a Good Speaker

So you think you’ve reached your goal of becoming a good speaker? What’s next?

You probably still remember those early days when you used to fear being in front of people every time you present or speak. You practiced, listened to feedback, worked on your weaknesses and grew better at your speaking and presentation skills. Now, you’re already there on top of the world. Should you stop learning? Must you stop growing? Good question. That is actually the worst thing that can happen to you in your career. Once you stop growing as a presenter, you will find yourself being included in the “just adequate” speaker category. And I’m telling you, there’ s a huge chance that it could be downhill from there.

So what do you do?

Dr. Jim Anderson discussed this scenario on his blog and I urge you to head to the link below. Dr. Anderson details on his post the reasons why we sometimes stall in our speaking careers; how we can get out of this rut; and what it all means for us. Check out the link for the complete details: Remember What Happens When A Speaker Stops Growing…

How do you know when you need a Presentation Makeover?

Presentations are given because there is something VERY IMPORTANT that you want to say. You may be selling an  idea, sharing the numerous benefits of a product, advocating about women’s rights, and so on and so forth. Whatever your goal is, you know that you have a message that is important to you and your audience. And the way you present whatever it is that you have to say, will greatly reflect on you as the presenter. Hence, you have to make sure that you do your presentations the right way.

If you have been doing this long but aren’t getting the results you expected, it may be high time for you to revamp your presentation. So, how do you know when to make a presentation makeover?

Here are some of the clues:

You might need a Presentation Makeover if you. . .

• Use cheap clipart.
• Use lots of fancy fonts.
• Put your brand on all the slides.
• Use lots of text in your slideshow.
• Use fonts that are less than 32 pt.
• Don’t customize your presentation.
• Don’t Practice – Practice – Practice.

These are just some of the clues you need to watch out for. If you want to get all the details, please head to this post and makeover that presentation of yours!

Your PRESENTATION needs a MAKEOVER If. . .

The Importance of Portable Presentations

There are presenters who like bringing their own laptops when presenting to an audience. However, there are also those who design their presentation slides with portability in mind. When presentations become very portable, you can bring them to any computer, in any place, whether to a large number people or to a few. This way, your presentations are seen by more people, thereby increasing the profitability of your respective businesses.

So what are these practices that you can do to ensure portability of your presentations?

1. Make your own slides.
2. Have all the files you need.
3. Bring your own remote control.
4. Bring your USB.
5. For more detailed information on how to make your presentations portable, please go to:

PowerPoint Tip: Presenting from someone else’s computer

How to Use Google+ for Presentations

At least 50% of people these days have probably been invited to join the very exclusive Google+. Maybe even more. Perhaps many of you are asking how is it any different from the existing and more famous social network we have like facebook? And more importantly for presenters and speakers, can Google + help us with our presentations?

If you still haven’t noticed, Google+ has tools and gadgets presenters can definitely use to improve their next presentation. And because fall is on the way and the next batch of speaking engagements and presentations are about to roll out, there’s no better time than now to get to know these tools and gadgets and incorporate them in your next series of presentations:

Circles

Hangout 

Huddle

Instant Upload

To find out the the significance of these tools and gadgets, head to:

Using Google+ for Presentations

To Speakers: I Know It’s Summer, But Shouldn’t You Prepare?

It’s the middle of summer (it actually began in June 21 this year) here in the U.S. and who isn’t glad? I myself has been hitting the beach and sunbathing myself into a golden tan.  But hold on right there. For serious speakers and presenters, as autumn looms in the horizon, this is also the best time to prepare for this fall’s conference season. How prepared are you?

Below is a checklist of things to do to make sure that you are well-prepared to do the work :

Make a profile on Lanyrd

Refresh your bio, photo and other speaker materials

Reach out

Understand the logistics

There are four more items on this checklist. To know all the details on how you can use the rest of summer to get ready for all your presentations and speaking engagements, head to:

Are you ready for fall conference season? How speakers should prepare