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	<title>PPTStar Blog &#187; presentation</title>
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	<link>http://blog.pptstar.com</link>
	<description>All about presentations, tips, tricks for PowerPoint and all around them.</description>
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		<title>What is an original way of making a mindblowing presentation for school?</title>
		<link>http://blog.pptstar.com/?p=476</link>
		<comments>http://blog.pptstar.com/?p=476#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Wed, 21 Oct 2015 13:09:04 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[pptstar]]></dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[presentation tips]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[presentation]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[presentation in school]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[public speaking]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://blog.pptstar.com/?p=476</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[&#160; &#160; Deb Volberg Pagnotta, Founder of Interfacet.inc, Communications consultant, professor, presenter, lawyer, storyteller 1. Choose a topic that relates to something or someone that you LOVE and that you LOVE talking about. If you don&#8217;t care about the subject, it&#8217;s much harder to get the audience to care. 2. Make the topic (and speech) audience relevant [&#8230;]]]></description>
				<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>&nbsp;</p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<p><a href="http://blog.pptstar.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/ppt_slide11.jpg"><img class="alignnone size-full wp-image-478" src="http://blog.pptstar.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/ppt_slide11.jpg" alt="ppt_slide1[1]" width="445" height="335" /></a></p>
<p><a href="http://blog.pptstar.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/05a3bdc1.jpg"><img class="alignnone size-full wp-image-477" src="http://blog.pptstar.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/05a3bdc1.jpg" alt="05a3bdc[1]" width="100" height="100" /></a></p>
<p><strong><a href="https://www.quora.com/Deb-Volberg-Pagnotta" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">Deb Volberg Pagnotta</a></strong>, Founder of Interfacet.inc,<br />
Communications consultant, professor, presenter, lawyer, storyteller</p>
<p><span style="color: #333333;">1. Choose a topic that relates to something or someone that you LOVE and that you LOVE talking about. If you don&#8217;t care about the subject, it&#8217;s much harder to get the audience to care. </span><br style="color: #333333;" /><br style="color: #333333;" /><span style="color: #333333;">2. Make the topic (and speech) audience relevant upfront  &#8211; that is, let the audience know in your opening what their &#8220;takeway&#8221; will be. If it is a particular skill, zero in on HOW/WHEN the audience might be able to use that and why it will be incredibly useful! </span><br style="color: #333333;" /><br style="color: #333333;" /><span style="color: #333333;">3. Use the &#8220;SUCCES&#8221; parameters suggested by Chip and Dan Heath in their great book &#8220;Made to Stick.&#8221; (That is NOT a typo!) Simple, unexpected, concrete, credible, emotional story. Read chapter 1. It&#8217;s well worth it.</span><br style="color: #333333;" /><span id="more-476"></span><br style="color: #333333;" /><span style="color: #333333;">4. Don&#8217;t speak in generic terms: be specific, precise, and &#8220;gritty&#8221;. </span><br style="color: #333333;" /><br style="color: #333333;" /><span style="color: #333333;">5. Make frequent eye contact around the audience. </span><br style="color: #333333;" /><br style="color: #333333;" /><span style="color: #333333;">6. Do NOT use notes &#8211; you should know your topic back and forth. </span><br style="color: #333333;" /><br style="color: #333333;" /><span style="color: #333333;">7. Vary your vocalics: that is, vary your speaking pace, volume, pitch and pausing. </span><br style="color: #333333;" /><br style="color: #333333;" /><span style="color: #333333;">8. Give something of genuine value to the audience: that really will help them at some point. </span><br style="color: #333333;" /><br style="color: #333333;" /><span style="color: #333333;">9. Be authentic. Don&#8217;t pretend to be somebody you are not. But tap into your own experiences, observations, and life.</span></p>
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		<item>
		<title>How to Overcome Nervousness in Public Speaking</title>
		<link>http://blog.pptstar.com/?p=467</link>
		<comments>http://blog.pptstar.com/?p=467#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Mon, 28 Sep 2015 15:09:52 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[pptstar]]></dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[presentation tips]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[presentation]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[public speaking]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://blog.pptstar.com/?p=467</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Brenda Scottsdale Brenda Scottsdale is a licensed psychologist, a six sigma master black belt and a certified aerobics instructor. She has been writing professionally for more than 15 years in scientific journals, including the &#8220;Journal of Criminal Justice and Behavior&#8221; and various websites. &#160; To some people, speaking in public is an exhilarating, satisfying experience. [&#8230;]]]></description>
				<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><a href="http://blog.pptstar.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/09/ppt_slide11.jpg"><img class="alignnone size-full wp-image-468" src="http://blog.pptstar.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/09/ppt_slide11.jpg" alt="ppt_slide1[1]" width="445" height="335" /></a></p>
<div class="image_wrapper" style="color: #2e2e2e;"></div>
<div class="image_wrapper" style="color: #2e2e2e;"><img class="image" src="http://sitelife.studiod.com/ver1.0/Content/images/store/5/8/c5899ee5-f304-4f52-88bd-e97e3dd00d6e.Small.png" alt="author image" data-pin-nopin="true" /><em><span class="author_name">Brenda Scottsdale</span></em></div>
<div class="image_wrapper" style="color: #2e2e2e;"></div>
<div class="about_author" style="color: #2e2e2e;"><em>Brenda Scottsdale is a licensed psychologist, a six sigma master black belt and a certified aerobics instructor. She has been writing professionally for more than 15 years in scientific journals, including the &#8220;Journal of Criminal Justice and Behavior&#8221; and various websites.</em></div>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<div class="about_author" style="color: #2e2e2e;"></div>
<div class="about_author" style="color: #2e2e2e;"></div>
<div class="about_author" style="color: #2e2e2e;">To some people, speaking in public is an exhilarating, satisfying experience. Others become nervous, nauseated and sweaty at just the thought of public speaking. While nervousness can help motivate and energize you, too much anxiety is counterproductive. Often our fears are overblown; an article on the Stanford University website recommends preparing for the worst possible scenario so anything that actually happens on speech day won&#8217;t seem so bad.</div>
<div class="about_author" style="color: #2e2e2e;">
<section class="article-section" style="color: #373737;">
<h2 class="header"><span style="font-weight: 400;" data-dmc="section-headline">Preparation</span></h2>
<h2 class="header"><span style="font-weight: 400;" data-dmc="step-headline">Step 1</span></h2>
<p data-dmc="section">Speak about a topic you feel enthusiastic about, if you get to choose your topic. If your topic is assigned to you, identify an area within this subject area that you can get excited about. Your passion will be contagious and will transform your nervousness into excitement. According to the Dale Carnegie website, &#8220;If your attitude is good &#8212; your talk will be.&#8221;</p>
<h2 class="header"><span style="font-weight: 400;" data-dmc="step-headline">Step 2</span></h2>
<p data-dmc="section">Give yourself weeks to prepare, so you can focus on the material, rather than your feelings of nervousness. Know much more about the topic than what you plan to cover during your speech.</p>
<section class="article-section">
<h2 class="header"><span style="font-weight: 400;" data-dmc="step-headline">Step 3</span></h2>
<p data-dmc="section">Rehearse until you are thoroughly familiar with your speech. Familiarize yourself with the room in which you&#8217;ll be speaking and, if possible, rehearse in that room so there won&#8217;t be any surprises on speech day.</p>
<section class="article-module"></section>
<h2 class="header"><span style="font-weight: 400;" data-dmc="step-headline">Step 4</span></h2>
<p data-dmc="section">Warm up physically before you begin to speak. According to speech experts at Stanford University, physical movements, such as walking or arm circles, will help dissipate your nervous energy.</p>
<h2 class="header"><span style="font-weight: 400;" data-dmc="step-headline">Step 5</span></h2>
<p data-dmc="section">Ensure you get enough sleep and eat nutritious meals in the days leading up to your speech. Taking care of yourself physically will help you be more resilient and feel less nervous.</p>
<p data-dmc="section"><span id="more-467"></span></p>
</section>
<section class="article-section">
<h2 class="header"><span style="font-weight: 400;" data-dmc="section-headline">Facing Your Audience</span></h2>
<h2 class="header"><span style="font-weight: 400;" data-dmc="step-headline">Step 1</span></h2>
<p data-dmc="section">Pretend you are speaking to a group of close friends and colleagues rather than a group of strangers. Your tone will be more conversational and engaging.</p>
<h2 class="header"><span style="font-weight: 400;" data-dmc="step-headline">Step 2</span></h2>
<p data-dmc="section">Greet your audience before you formally begin your speech. After the greeting pause briefly, slowly count to three, and then begin. This tactic will help you calm down and prepare you for the task ahead. Once you start to speak, pause and breathe deeply if you feel your anxiety increase.</p>
<h2 class="header"><span style="font-weight: 400;" data-dmc="step-headline">Step 3</span></h2>
<p data-dmc="section">Realize that your audience most likely wants you to succeed. It wants to laugh and be entertained.</p>
</section>
<section class="article-section">
<h2 class="header"><span style="font-weight: 400;" data-dmc="section-headline">Gain Perspective</span></h2>
<h2 class="header"><span style="font-weight: 400;" data-dmc="step-headline">Step 1</span></h2>
<p data-dmc="section">Imagine delivering the most exciting, engaging and stimulating speech of your entire life. Toastmasters recommends using visual imagery to conquer feelings of nervousness.</p>
<h2 class="header"><span style="font-weight: 400;" data-dmc="step-headline">Step 2</span></h2>
<p data-dmc="section">Remind yourself that your audience is likely unaware of how nervous you feel. Apologizing when you stumble over a word will likely draw attention to an aspect of your presentation that they probably didn&#8217;t think was a big deal.</p>
<h2 class="header"><span style="font-weight: 400;" data-dmc="step-headline">Step 3</span></h2>
<p data-dmc="section">Forget your technique, stance and delivery style. Relax, have fun and be yourself. Focus on what you are saying, rather than preoccupying yourself on minor details such as hand gestures, eye movements and facial expressions.</p>
</section>
</section>
</div>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
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		<title>What is the craftiest way to dodge a question during a presentation?</title>
		<link>http://blog.pptstar.com/?p=458</link>
		<comments>http://blog.pptstar.com/?p=458#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Thu, 18 Jun 2015 12:19:39 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[pptstar]]></dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[presentation tips]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[presentation]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[public speaking]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://blog.pptstar.com/?p=458</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[ Robert Frost, engineer/instructor at NASA Here&#8217;s a little flowchart for how to handle questions during a presentation. You&#8217;re asking for a &#8216;crafty way to dodge a question&#8217;, but that really is one of the stupidest things a person can do.  Audiences can see right through it and will lose confidence in your qualification to be speaking [&#8230;]]]></description>
				<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><a id="__w2_oFSnz8W_link" style="color: #2b6dad;" href="http://www.quora.com/Robert-Frost-1"><img class="profile_photo_img" src="http://qph.is.quoracdn.net/main-thumb-2610890-50-zP1em5XUO0mrkzXNfFKxNJO8eU7FYAuE.jpeg" alt="Robert Frost" width="50" height="50" /></a> <span id="__w2_Odis2xB_answer_user_sig" class="feed_item_answer_user" style="font-weight: bold; color: #333333;"><span id="ld_iobihe_116445"><a id="__w2_hrXIuHf_link" class="user" style="color: #333333;" href="http://www.quora.com/Robert-Frost-1">Robert Frost</a><span id="__w2_wcZuHqA_bio" class="IdentitySig ActorNameSig IdentityNameSig" style="font-weight: 400;">, <span id="__w2_wcZuHqA_link"><span id="__w2_wcZuHqA_sig" class="IdentitySig ActorNameSig IdentityNameSig"><span id="__w2_ZBxEhrc_text_snip" class="expanded_q_text"><span id="__w2_ZBxEhrc_text_snip_content">engineer/instructor at NASA</span></span></span></span></span></span></span> <span style="color: #333333;">Here&#8217;s a little flowchart for how to handle questions during a presentation.</span><br style="color: #333333;" /><br style="color: #333333;" /></p>
<div class="qtext_image_wrapper" style="color: #333333;"><a href="http://blog.pptstar.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/25.jpg"><img class="alignnone size-full wp-image-463" src="http://blog.pptstar.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/25.jpg" alt="25" width="933" height="689" /></a></div>
<p><br style="color: #333333;" /><span style="color: #333333;">You&#8217;re asking for a &#8216;crafty way to dodge a question&#8217;, but that really is one of the stupidest things a person can do.  Audiences can see right through it and will lose confidence in your qualification to be speaking to them and they will lose respect for you.  DON&#8217;T DO IT.</span><br style="color: #333333;" /><br style="color: #333333;" /><span style="color: #333333;">As the presenter, you are in control of the presentation and responsible for ensuring the presentation gets completed as planned and that the audience gets what they needed.  If the question is really getting outside of the objectives of the presentation, you should defer the question by saying you&#8217;ll talk to the individual after the presentation so as to not take up the time of the rest of the audience, because you know they don&#8217;t need that answer.</span><br style="color: #333333;" /><span id="more-458"></span><br style="color: #333333;" /><span style="color: #333333;">But if the question is germane to the topic and of interest to the rest of the audience the decision of what to do next comes down to do you know the answer or not.</span><br style="color: #333333;" /><br style="color: #333333;" /><span style="color: #333333;">If you don&#8217;t know the answer, say &#8220;</span><i style="color: #333333;">I don&#8217;t know.</i><span style="color: #333333;">&#8221;  Immediately follow that with &#8220;</span><i style="color: #333333;">But I can find out for you.</i><span style="color: #333333;">&#8221;  Write down the question.  At the end of the presentation, check back with the individual to ensure that the question you wrote down is what they wanted to know and that they still care (people often figure out by the end of the presentation that they really didn&#8217;t need to know the answer to the question they asked).</span><br style="color: #333333;" /><br style="color: #333333;" /><span style="color: #333333;">A presenter that tries to bull-shit their audience deserves to die a blistering death.  Don&#8217;t do it.  No matter how good you think you are at bull-shitting, the audience can tell.  Be honest.  Admitting you don&#8217;t know something can earn you big points with your audience.  They will acquire more trust in you because they will have learned you are honest with them.</span><br style="color: #333333;" /><br style="color: #333333;" /><span style="color: #333333;">This is a hard lesson for people to learn.  People hate saying &#8220;</span><i style="color: #333333;">I don&#8217;t know.</i><span style="color: #333333;">&#8221; They want to get around that in any way possible. They say things like &#8220;</span><i style="color: #333333;">I&#8217;m not 100% sure.</i><span style="color: #333333;">&#8221;  No.  You either know the answer or you don&#8217;t.  If you aren&#8217;t sure, you risk providing negative training by giving them bad information that you will then have to work hard to get them to unlearn.  In my old group, we used to have a foam ball we called the &#8220;BS Ball&#8221;.  We would throw that ball at people, during their dry-runs, when they began to BS.</span><br style="color: #333333;" /><br style="color: #333333;" /><span style="color: #333333;">In my environment, getting caught BSing can be devastating to your career. The astronauts are putting their lives and careers in our hands when we train them.  They have to have 100% confidence that we can be trusted.  Many years ago, I was teaching a crew member that was known for his sternness.  He asked me a question, I didn&#8217;t know the answer so I immediately said &#8220;</span><i style="color: #333333;">I don&#8217;t know.</i><span style="color: #333333;">&#8221;  We continued and he asked another question and again I said &#8220;</span><i style="color: #333333;">I don&#8217;t know</i><span style="color: #333333;">.&#8221;  He stood up.  For a brief moment I felt panic &#8211; that he was going to walk out of the room because he thought I was a moron that didn&#8217;t know my subject.  To the contrary, he leaned over the table and offered his hand.  He shook my hand and he said &#8220;</span><i style="color: #333333;">Thank you.  You don&#8217;t know how many people are unwilling to say that to me.</i><span style="color: #333333;">&#8220;</span><br style="color: #333333;" /><br style="color: #333333;" /><span style="color: #333333;">It takes a lot of work to build trust, but it can be dissolved in moments.  Don&#8217;t risk it.</span></p>
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		<title>10 things to keep in mind to give a good (PowerPoint) presentation</title>
		<link>http://blog.pptstar.com/?p=453</link>
		<comments>http://blog.pptstar.com/?p=453#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Thu, 04 Jun 2015 15:16:18 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[pptstar]]></dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[PowerPoint use]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[presentation tips]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[presentation]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[public speaking]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://blog.pptstar.com/?p=453</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[  Mira Zaslove I&#8217;ve given many presentations and some have been more successful than others. Even when it&#8217;s the same material. And very similar audiences. Something that I&#8217;ve learned: it&#8217;s easy to overlook one of the most crucial elements of giving presentations&#8211; make sure that your audience can easily focus on you and your slides.  Don&#8217;t be in [&#8230;]]]></description>
				<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><a href="http://blog.pptstar.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/ppt_slide11.jpg"><img class="alignnone size-full wp-image-454" src="http://blog.pptstar.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/ppt_slide11.jpg" alt="ppt_slide1[1]" width="445" height="335" /></a></p>
<p><a href="http://blog.pptstar.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/main-thumb-2358338-50-qbncmyromlwwvsuopzudyuzkygeqassi1.jpeg"><img class="alignnone size-full wp-image-455" src="http://blog.pptstar.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/main-thumb-2358338-50-qbncmyromlwwvsuopzudyuzkygeqassi1.jpeg" alt="main-thumb-2358338-50-qbncmyromlwwvsuopzudyuzkygeqassi[1]" width="50" height="50" /></a>  <a id="__w2_YNscbts_link" class="user" style="font-weight: bold; color: #333333;" href="http://www.quora.com/Mira-Zaslove" target="_blank">Mira Zaslove</a></p>
<p><span style="color: #333333;">I&#8217;ve given many presentations and some have been more successful than others. Ev</span><span style="color: #333333;">en when it&#8217;s the same material. And very similar audiences. Something that I&#8217;ve learned: it&#8217;s easy to overlook one of the most crucial elements of giving presentations&#8211; make sure that your audience can easily focus on you </span><b style="color: #333333;"><i>and</i></b><span style="color: #333333;"> y</span><span style="color: #333333;">our slides. </span></p>
<p><br style="color: #333333;" /><span style="color: #333333;">Don&#8217;t be in competition with your powerpoint for attention. When giving a presentation, audience engagement is critical. When you are talking, you want the attention on your message and not on the mechanics of the presentation.</span><br style="color: #333333;" /><br style="color: #333333;" /><b style="color: #333333;">10 things to keep in mind to give a good (PowerPoint) presentation:</b><br style="color: #333333;" /><br style="color: #333333;" /><b style="color: #333333;">1. Arrive early</b><br style="color: #333333;" /><span style="color: #333333;">Don&#8217;t even think about arriving late or cutting it close. Audiences will lose patience quickly if you waste valuable time at the beginning of the presentation fiddling around. If you are delivering the presentation in a new environment for your audience, arrive even earlier. Get comfortable and familiar with the space. It will help minimize distractions if you can easily answer commonly asked questions, like where the bathrooms and power outlets are. </span><br style="color: #333333;" /><span id="more-453"></span><br style="color: #333333;" /><b style="color: #333333;">2. Check the set up</b><br style="color: #333333;" /><span style="color: #333333;">Make sure the room is set up so everyone in your audience can easily see you and the screen. If some chairs or tables need to be moved to make it easier for everyone to participate, do it. If anything is blocking access for people to see you, move it. When people are uncomfortable trying to see, it will negatively impact your presentation. I&#8217;ve seen key decision makers come late to meetings, and sit in the last seats open. It is awkward and disruptive if they ask other people in the front to switch with them, and negative for your message if they get frustrated and leave because they can&#8217;t hear or see whats going on. </span><br style="color: #333333;" /><br style="color: #333333;" /><b style="color: #333333;">3. Test all technology before going live </b><br style="color: #333333;" /><span style="color: #333333;">Make sure your computer is plugged in or fully charged. If you don&#8217;t need wifi during the presentation, shut it off. If wifi is necessary, connect to the network beforehand. Turn off all notifications, shutdown Skype and all IM services, and close any extraneous webpages. If you will be sharing your screen or desktop, make it clutter free. If using fancy technology, make sure you are comfortable with it, and it doesn&#8217;t take over. Don&#8217;t overuse the laser pointer. Simply put: eliminate any distractions that could interrupt or distract from your presentation. </span><br style="color: #333333;" /><br style="color: #333333;" /><b style="color: #333333;">4. Mix it up</b><br style="color: #333333;" /><span style="color: #333333;">If your presentation is long and goes all day, or for a few days, consider breaking up the powerpoint to include video, a product demo, or a breakout session where people can talk. Play music before the presentation and during breaks to keep the energy level high. People generally have short attention spans, so jazz it up. I&#8217;ve noticed that most people&#8217;s attention begins to tap out around an hour of straight powerpoint. </span><br style="color: #333333;" /><br style="color: #333333;" /><b style="color: #333333;">5. If another person is going to &#8220;drive&#8221; the slide-show, or if you will be using a remote, make sure to practice</b><br style="color: #333333;" /><span style="color: #333333;">It is distracting and hard to focus when the presenter and the slideshow are out of synch. It also breaks the flow of the presentation if the attention shifts from the audience to the driver / computer / remote to move the slideshow forward. I generally prefer using a remote. Just make sure you are comfortable with the controls and don&#8217;t accidentally go to the beginning or end of the presentation when you just want to move one slide forward. </span><br style="color: #333333;" /><br style="color: #333333;" /><b style="color: #333333;">6. Maintain eye contact as much as possible</b><br style="color: #333333;" /><span style="color: #333333;">Try not to spend too much time looking at your computer, or the presentation screen. Look at your audience. As </span><span class="qlink_container" style="color: #333333;"><a style="color: #2b6dad;" href="http://www.quora.com/Mark-Suster" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">Mark Suster</a></span><span style="color: #333333;"> writes in a great blog post on</span><span class="qlink_container" style="color: #333333;"><a class="external_link" style="color: #2b6dad;" href="http://www.bothsidesofthetable.com/2011/05/15/quick-practical-tactical-tips-for-presentations/" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">Quick Practical, Tactical Tips for Presentations</a></span><span style="color: #333333;">: &#8220;Your goal is to work the room, look people in the eyes, judge people’s responses to your presentation and engage.&#8221; It&#8217;s difficult to effectively communicate your message if you aren&#8217;t engaging with your audience. </span><br style="color: #333333;" /><br style="color: #333333;" /><b style="color: #333333;">7. When standing: If you&#8217;re in a culture that reads left to right, stand to the left of the projection screen</b><br style="color: #333333;" /><span style="color: #333333;">The audience&#8217;s attention and eyes will instinctually go to the left and follow you. If you stand to the right, many people will be following the left side of the screen, and it will be harder for them to follow you. If you&#8217;re presenting in a culture that reads right to left, stand on the right side of the screen. When traveling, bring a remote so you can easily move around if the podium or docking station is in the wrong place.</span><br style="color: #333333;" /><br style="color: #333333;" /><b style="color: #333333;">8. When sitting: Don&#8217;t sit at the opposite end of the table from the presentation! Sit close to the screen</b><br style="color: #333333;" /><span style="color: #333333;">If you sit across the room from your screen, your audience will need to choose between looking at you and looking at the screen. They will spend a lot of unnecessary time whipping their head back and forth, and you won&#8217;t be able to naturally engage with them. </span><br style="color: #333333;" /><br style="color: #333333;" /><b style="color: #333333;">9. When presenting with just your computer or deck: sit where it will be most natural for them to look</b><br style="color: #333333;" /><span style="color: #333333;">If your audience is right handed, it will be easier for them to follow your presentation if you sit to their right. Similarly, when giving the presentation to a left handed person, sit on their left. Left handed people will  naturally gravitate towards looking towards looking to their left.</span><br style="color: #333333;" /><br style="color: #333333;" /><b style="color: #333333;">10. Plan to end 5 minutes early</b><br style="color: #333333;" /><span style="color: #333333;">People are busy. Respect your audience&#8217;s time. Start the presentation promptly, and plan to end a bit early. Watch your pacing throughout the presentation and make sure you aren&#8217;t spending too much time on any one point. By giving yourself a buffer, you&#8217;ll avoid rushing towards the end. If you have a few minutes left, let the audience know you will stick around if they have any follow up questions or comments. Don&#8217;t run late. Even finishing 5 minutes late can inconvenience your audience and leave people feeling rushed and anxious &#8212; not the feelings you want the audience to feel leaving your presentation. Always end on a high note.</span></p>
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		<title>How to Download PowerPoint Free Trial for Windows and Mac</title>
		<link>http://blog.pptstar.com/?p=431</link>
		<comments>http://blog.pptstar.com/?p=431#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Mon, 30 Mar 2015 17:13:37 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[pptstar]]></dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[PowerPoint use]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[presentation tips]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[PowerPoint]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[presentation]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://blog.pptstar.com/?p=431</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[by Savio Kal A slideshow has become the standard component of the majority of presentations around the world. Whether you’re in a business meeting or in a classroom, you probably have seen a slideshow presentation or you have made one or two yourself. When making those presentations you have probably used Microsoft’s PowerPoint. The popular slideshow [&#8230;]]]></description>
				<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><span style="color: #373b41;">by </span>Savio Kal</p>
<p><span style="color: #373b41;">A slideshow has become the standard component of the majority of presentations around the world. Whether you’re in a business meeting or in a classroom, you probably have seen a slideshow presentation or you have made one or two yourself. When making those presentations you have probably used Microsoft’s PowerPoint. The popular slideshow presenter can be downloaded for free with Microsoft’s 365 trial offer for Windows or Macs. I will go over the necessary steps to access and download PowerPoint free trial.</span></p>
<p style="color: #373b41;"><strong>Here is something unique you will learn by reading this article:</strong></p>
<ul style="color: #373b41;">
<li><em>You will find out that you can no longer download old versions of the application online.</em></li>
<li><em>PowerPoint can NOT be downloaded as a single application.</em></li>
<li><em>You will also learn a method to avoid adding/using your credit card when signing up for the trial promotion.</em></li>
</ul>
<h2 style="font-weight: 400; color: #373b41;">What is PowerPoint</h2>
<p style="color: #373b41;">Microsoft PowerPoint is considered one of the most well-known programs that creates slideshow presentations. PowerPoint creates slides with written content, images, videos and graphics. The application is a visual aid tool that can be used to exhibit information in a visually pleasing way.</p>
<p style="color: #373b41;"><a href="http://www.PoweredTemplate.com"><img class="alignnone size-full wp-image-432" src="http://blog.pptstar.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/03/Slides-are-coming1.jpg" alt="Slides-are-coming[1]" width="500" height="375" /></a></p>
<p>The definition above is a technical way of defining the software but most of us know it as the tool we use during class and work presentations. PowerPoint is an application from a suite of apps from what is now called Microsoft 365. You’re more likely going to remember the bundled applications called Microsoft Office which included Word, Excel, Outlook and of course, PowerPoint.</p>
<p>The well-known slide presentation program was created in the early 90’s by Dennis Austin and Thomas Rudkin. Initially, PowerPoint was first called “Presenter” and was originally designed for Macintosh computers. The name was later changed due to copyright issues and the software was bought out by Microsoft for $14 million dollars in 1987. A few years later, the presentation software was launched to the public at the same time Windows 3.0 was released.</p>
<p>Fast forward to 2015 and PowerPoint is still the top searched presenter program online. On top of that, <a style="color: #a87227;" title="PowerPoint on a billion computers" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Microsoft_PowerPoint" target="_blank">according to Wikipedia</a> the program is also installed on over a billion computers worldwide. That’s a lot of slides.</p>
<h2 style="font-weight: 400;">Why use it?</h2>
<p>Users rely on PowerPoint to create a professional presentation. The easy-to-use tools and functions can be used to create visually appealing slides. Each slide can have different attachments of graphics, animations, and multimedia. There are multiple ways you can present your slides to a group of people. Traditionally, a PowerPoint presentation is shown on a video projector but now, it is common to be seen during webinars.</p>
<p><a href="http://pptstar.com"><img class="alignnone size-full wp-image-433" src="http://blog.pptstar.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/03/Funny-Slides1.jpg" alt="Funny-Slides[1]" width="430" height="539" /></a></p>
<p><span style="color: #373b41;">Besides the visual aid add-ons you can start off your presentation with unique templates making the slides stand out. There is no need to make a boring presentation for business meetings or class assignments. There a plenty of free templates you can download </span>directly from Microsoft<span style="color: #373b41;"> or from dedicated PowerPoint enthusiast websites like<a href="http://www.poweredtemplate.com/free-ppt-powerpoint-templates.html"> </a></span><a href="http://www.poweredtemplate.com/free-ppt-powerpoint-templates.html">this one</a><span style="color: #373b41;">.</span></p>
<h2 style="font-weight: 400; color: #373b41;">How much does it cost?</h2>
<p style="color: #373b41;">The PowerPoint application doesn’t come on its own but is part of the Office 365 suite. This suite from Microsoft comes at different price points based on various plans. You can no longer purchase the Office software without paying a yearly or monthly fee, unlike previous versions (2010, 2011, 2012). However, if you want to buy old versions of PowerPoint you can browse on Amazon or eBay. Many sellers list official product keys that can be purchased and redeemed online to download older versions of the suite.</p>
<p style="color: #373b41;"><span id="more-431"></span></p>
<p style="color: #373b41;">There are different versions of MS Office catered towards personal use, school or business. Office 365 is also available on Macs, iPhones and iPads. This is also true for Android devices as well. So not only are they offered for all realms of work/school life but they also have mobile apps which sync up with other devices like your desktop.</p>
<p style="color: #373b41;">The breakdown of each plan and key features can be reviewed in more detail at the Microsoft Store. Or, if you want to review Office for Mac you can find more information here: http://www.microsoft.com/mac/buy.</p>
<h2 style="font-weight: 400;">Trial Offer Details</h2>
<p>The free PowerPoint trial offer is for a 30 day period. Once the trial ends you will be charged a fee based the plan you chose. If you are unsatisfied with the PowerPoint or anything you can cancel your subscription at any time. Make sure to cancel your subscription before the 30 day trial ends if you don’t want to be charged the monthly fee.</p>
<h2 style="font-weight: 400;">How to download PowerPoint free trial</h2>
<p>PowerPoint is available online to download for free with their trial offer. To download the program you must sign up for Office 365 Home or Business trial. The offer will last for one month in which you will not only have full access to PowerPoint but also the full set of applications that come with it, such as: Microsoft Office, Skype and online versions of the suite.</p>
<p>The steps are the same regardless if you want to download PowerPoint for Windows or for Macs. Just make sure to select which operating system you want the free trial on.</p>
<p>Here are the necessary steps to take to download the program for free.</p>
<p><strong>Requirements</strong>: <em>Microsoft account (email) and a Credit Card or <span style="color: #3366ff;">PayPal account</span>.</em></p>
<ol>
<li>Head over to the <a style="color: #a87227;" title="Office 365" href="https://products.office.com/en-us/home" target="_blank">official Office 365 website</a>. The page has a large amount of information on their applications. You can read in more detail about their services, applications and help section but if you want to jump into the trial offer then click on either the “Home” or “Business” button. <em>In this case I will go through the process of downloading and installing the Home version.</em></li>
<li>Once you have clicked on Home you will land on the “Choose your office” page. Here you will see a breakdown of the different plans that are offered. You will have to select Home, Personal or Online. Both Home and Personal plans come with a monthly cost and a free trial offer. Select either the “Home” or “Personal” plan by clicking the button that reads “try it free”.</li>
<li>From this point you will be directed to the sign in page for your Microsoft account. Go ahead and login with your existing account or create one. <strong>This is a mandatory step and cannot be skipped.</strong></li>
<li>Once you have logged in you will have to enter in your billing information. To continue with the process of downloading PowerPoint free trial you will have to enter in your credit card information. If you don’t have a credit card on hand you can also use PayPal to continue with the billing process. It’s also important to remember that your credit card or PayPal account will NOT be charged during the 30 day trial period.</li>
<li>Now that you have added your billing information you can continue to the installation page. Here you will download Microsoft Office 365.</li>
</ol>
<p>Installing the software is straightforward and not much of a guidance is needed.</p>
<p>After you have downloaded and installed Office 365 you will have access to all the applications in the suite, including PowerPoint. You can now use the latest PowerPoint (2015) for a full month. If you are satisfied with the suite I would highly recommend that you continue the subscription.</p>
<h2 style="font-weight: 400;">Alternate programs</h2>
<p>If you have read the guide above and thought it was too much of a tedious task to complete then you should know that there are other alternatives that are just as good. One of them is Google Docs. With Google Docs you can create the same documents such as spreadsheets, presentations, and written documents, all for free.</p>
<p>With Google Docs you won’t need to download any software or application because the applications are web-based. Simply log into your Google account and start creating. You can also access, edit and share your documents anywhere from both Macs and Windows.</p>
<p>Did I mention that you can also collaborate on documents in real-time? This is certainly a neat feature but the cherry on top is that they give out perks, like <a style="color: #a87227;" title="Get 50GB of Free Storage on Google Drive If you have a Moto X or Moto G Phone" href="http://meoble.com/get-50gb-of-free-storage-on-google-drive-if-you-have-a-moto-x-or-moto-g-phone/" rel="nofollow">extra storage space</a> when you purchase a Google product. The drawback is that the Presenter does not have the premium features that PowerPoint does and lacks in creative tools.</p>
<p>If you are looking for something that outshines PowerPoint then I would suggest you look into Prezi. More than 50 million people use it including 50% of big-brand companies. They claim it to be “the successor to the throne” when compared to PowerPoint. I haven’t done a thorough review on them but it’s worth to mention.</p>
<h2 style="font-weight: 400;">Want to just view a PowerPoint presentation?</h2>
<p>If you are looking for a way to just view a PTT file then you won’t need to download a full version of PowerPoint. Your best option is to download a program called PowerPoint Viewer from Microsoft. <a style="color: #a87227;" title="PowerPoint Viewer" href="https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/download/details.aspx?id=13" target="_blank">This free program allows you to view PTT files</a>, however, it is limited to just viewing. You will not be able to edit or make any changes to the presentation.</p>
<p><strong>Any Questions?</strong></p>
<p>If you have any trouble downloading PowerPoint on your Windows or Mac computer or if you have any inquires regarding the free trial please leave a comment below and I’ll try to help.</p>
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		<title>How can I present myself for a job interview using PowerPoint?</title>
		<link>http://blog.pptstar.com/?p=429</link>
		<comments>http://blog.pptstar.com/?p=429#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Fri, 27 Mar 2015 16:14:06 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[pptstar]]></dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[PowerPoint use]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[presentation tips]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[presentation]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[public speaking]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://blog.pptstar.com/?p=429</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[&#160; by Joanna Miller It&#8217;s easier than you can think.First of all if you are not perfect in PowerPoint presentations DO NOT EVEN TRY to present yourself by PowerPoint. :) If not, go to any PowerPoint templates sites to find an appropriate template which is perfect to describe your CV. For example, if you wanna be the [&#8230;]]]></description>
				<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><span style="color: #333333;"><img class="alignnone size-full wp-image-338" src="http://blog.pptstar.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/ppt_slide111.jpg" alt="ppt_slide111" width="445" height="335" /></span></p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<p><a href="https://www.facebook.com/joanna.miller.395">by Joanna Miller</a></p>
<p><span style="color: #333333;">I</span><span style="color: #333333;">t&#8217;s easier than you can think.</span><br style="color: #333333;" /><span style="color: #333333;">First of all if you are not perfect in PowerPoint presentations DO NOT EVEN TRY to present yourself by PowerPoint. :) </span><br style="color: #333333;" /><span style="color: #333333;">If not, go to any PowerPoint templates sites to find an appropriate template which is perfect to describe your CV. </span><br style="color: #333333;" /><br style="color: #333333;" /><span style="color: #333333;">For example, if you wanna be the snowplow operator find something like this</span><span class="qlink_container" style="color: #333333;"><a class="external_link" style="color: #2b6dad;" href="http://www.poweredtemplate.com/08314/0/index.html" target="_blank" rel="nofollow" data-tooltip="attached">Snow Shovel PowerPoint Template</a></span><br style="color: #333333;" /><br style="color: #333333;" /><span style="color: #333333;">But not like this </span><span class="qlink_container" style="color: #333333;"><a class="external_link" style="color: #2b6dad;" href="http://www.poweredtemplate.com/04954/0/index.html" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">Curriculum Vitae PowerPoint Template</a></span><span style="color: #333333;"> or this </span><span class="qlink_container" style="color: #333333;"><a class="external_link" style="color: #2b6dad;" href="http://www.poweredtemplate.com/04724/0/index.html" target="_blank" rel="nofollow" data-tooltip="attached">Job Interview PowerPoint Template</a></span><span style="color: #333333;"> </span><br style="color: #333333;" /><span style="color: #333333;">Try be as specific as possible.</span><br style="color: #333333;" /><br style="color: #333333;" /><span style="color: #333333;">Show all your achievements using multimedia options of PowerPoint: does your potential  employer is  interested in your song? Just insert media file with your perfect aria in a shower.</span><br style="color: #333333;" /><br style="color: #333333;" /><span style="color: #333333;">Does he need to get perfect decorator? Just show him a video with you in your inspirational pose.</span><br style="color: #333333;" /><br style="color: #333333;" /><br style="color: #333333;" /><span style="color: #333333;">Use all 100% of your potential and fantasy to represent the most valuable person on Earth: you! </span><br style="color: #333333;" /><br style="color: #333333;" /><span style="color: #333333;">Have a nice day <img src="http://blog.pptstar.com/wp-includes/images/smilies/icon_smile.gif" alt=":)" class="wp-smiley" /> </span></p>
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		<title>The Art Of Making A Brilliant Presentation</title>
		<link>http://blog.pptstar.com/?p=417</link>
		<comments>http://blog.pptstar.com/?p=417#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Mon, 16 Mar 2015 13:01:44 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[pptstar]]></dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[PowerPoint use]]></category>
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		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://blog.pptstar.com/?p=417</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[by Srininvasan R You never get a second chance, to make a first impression! The same rings true for presentations. As a leader, you have to deliver your messages with laser guided precision. So how do you ensure that you You never get a second chance, to make a first impression! The same rings true for [&#8230;]]]></description>
				<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p style="color: #4d4f51;"><a href="http://www.poweredtemplate.com/11757/0/index.html"><img class="alignnone size-full wp-image-418" src="http://blog.pptstar.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/03/ppt_slide11.jpg" alt="ppt_slide1[1]" width="445" height="335" /></a></p>
<p style="color: #4d4f51;"><a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/rsrinivasan2?trk=pulse-det-athr_prof-art_hdr" rel="nofollow">by Srininvasan R</a></p>
<p style="color: #4d4f51;">You never get a second chance, to make a first impression! The same rings true for presentations. As a leader, you have to deliver your messages with laser guided precision. So how do you ensure that you</p>
<p style="color: #4d4f51;">You never get a second chance, to make a first impression! The same rings true for presentations. As a leader, you have to deliver your messages with laser guided precision. So how do you ensure that you ace that presentation? Well, for starters, you leave nothing to chance. But, that&#8217;s perhaps, easier said than done. Here are a few key pointers that could help you make that brilliant presentation.</p>
<p style="color: #4d4f51;"><span id="more-417"></span></p>
<h4 style="color: #333333;"><strong style="font-weight: bold; font-style: inherit;">Open with something completely unexpected</strong></h4>
<p style="color: #4d4f51;">The first 30 seconds to one minute, are crucial in a presentation. That&#8217;s when your audience is sizing you up and you set expectations. If you are unable to capture the attention of the audience during that critical time, you have an uphill task of redeeming your presentation.</p>
<p style="color: #4d4f51;"><a href="http://blog.pptstar.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/03/1bd6cb61.jpg"><img class="alignnone size-full wp-image-419" src="http://blog.pptstar.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/03/1bd6cb61.jpg" alt="1bd6cb6[1]" width="494" height="350" /></a></p>
<p style="color: #4d4f51;">Here is how Steve Jobs, started at the 2005 Commencement Address at Stanford University:</p>
<p style="color: #4d4f51;">&#8220;<em style="font-weight: inherit; font-style: italic;">Truth be told, I never graduated from college, and this is the closest I&#8217;ve ever gotten to a college graduation. Today, I want to tell you three stories from my life. That&#8217;s it, no big deal—just three stories. The first story is about connecting the dots. I dropped out of Reed College after the first six months, but then stayed around as a drop-in for another eighteen months or so before I really quit. So why&#8217;d I drop out? It started before I was born</em>.&#8221;</p>
<p style="color: #4d4f51;">Please see link to the video of the speech- http://vimeo.com/7976699</p>
<h4 style="color: #333333;"><strong style="font-weight: bold; font-style: inherit;">Create a strong story line and use pictures to tell your story</strong></h4>
<p style="color: #4d4f51;"><em style="font-weight: inherit; font-style: italic;"><strong style="font-weight: bold; font-style: inherit;"><a href="http://blog.pptstar.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/03/05458d31.jpg"><img class="alignnone size-full wp-image-420" src="http://blog.pptstar.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/03/05458d31.jpg" alt="05458d3[1]" width="466" height="350" /></a></strong></em></p>
<p style="color: #4d4f51;"><em style="font-weight: inherit; font-style: italic;"><strong style="font-weight: bold; font-style: inherit;">A picture is worth a thousand words.</strong></em></p>
<p style="color: #4d4f51;">The human brain has remarkable abilities to craft stories out of personal experiences and relate it to visual cues.</p>
<p style="color: #4d4f51;">That&#8217;s why when you have a story to share, audiences can relate to it, instantly.</p>
<p style="color: #4d4f51;">The picture here says it all. You don&#8217;t have to describe &#8216;<strong style="font-weight: bold; font-style: inherit;">Loyalty</strong>&#8216;; the image does it for you.</p>
<h4 style="color: #333333;"></h4>
<h4 style="color: #333333;"><strong style="font-weight: bold; font-style: inherit;">Less is More</strong></h4>
<p style="color: #4d4f51;"><a href="http://blog.pptstar.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/03/17c63731.jpg"><img class="alignnone size-full wp-image-421" src="http://blog.pptstar.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/03/17c63731.jpg" alt="17c6373[1]" width="499" height="318" /></a></p>
<p style="color: #4d4f51;">There is a term in the corporate world called- <strong style="font-weight: bold; font-style: inherit;">&#8216;Death by Slides&#8217;</strong>. It refers to a surfeit of slides that were unnecessary in the first place.</p>
<p style="color: #4d4f51;">Nothing dampens a presentation, as much as unending slides.</p>
<p style="color: #4d4f51;">When in doubt, keep your presentation shorter than you would, otherwise.</p>
<h4 style="color: #333333;"><strong style="font-weight: bold; font-style: inherit;">De-clutter your slides</strong></h4>
<p style="color: #4d4f51;"><a href="http://blog.pptstar.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/03/2f0fe9a1.jpg"><img class="alignnone size-full wp-image-422" src="http://blog.pptstar.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/03/2f0fe9a1.jpg" alt="2f0fe9a[1]" width="400" height="249" /></a></p>
<p style="color: #4d4f51;">Nothing kills a slide, as much as clutter. If you try and cram all that you can fit into it, you will lose the audience instantly. People use fonts as small as 10 or 11 on their slides.</p>
<p style="color: #4d4f51;"><em style="font-weight: inherit; font-style: italic;"><strong style="font-weight: bold; font-style: inherit;">Try projecting it.</strong> </em>You will need to walk up to the screen and then use a magnifying glass to see what&#8217;s on the screen. Remember, you are not there to antagonize the audience! A font size of over 20 usually works, depending on the size of the room.</p>
<h4 style="color: #333333;"><strong style="font-weight: bold; font-style: inherit;">Engage your audience</strong></h4>
<p style="color: #4d4f51;"><a href="http://blog.pptstar.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/03/03904361.jpg"><img class="alignnone size-full wp-image-423" src="http://blog.pptstar.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/03/03904361.jpg" alt="0390436[1]" width="276" height="183" /></a></p>
<p style="color: #4d4f51;">Sharing information alone is not enough. You need to engage the audience. If you have people asking you questions, responding to what you say, your impact would be significantly higher than if they were sitting with deadpan expressions and not saying anything.</p>
<p style="color: #4d4f51;"><em style="font-weight: inherit; font-style: italic;">Ask questions, show pictures, engage the audience, in your own way.</em></p>
<p style="color: #4d4f51;">Your objective is not to say your piece and exit. It is to achieve the purpose of making the presentation, in the first place.</p>
<h4 style="color: #333333;"><strong style="font-weight: bold; font-style: inherit;">Appeal to emotions</strong></h4>
<p style="color: #4d4f51;">Emotions get our attention and audiences tend to retain <strong style="font-weight: bold; font-style: inherit;"><em style="font-weight: inherit; font-style: italic;">emotionally charged content</em></strong> long after the presentation. Audiences seldom identify with a presentation devoid of emotional appeal. Find the right emotion to appeal to and make your pitch accordingly.</p>
<h4 style="color: #333333;"><strong style="font-weight: bold; font-style: inherit;">Don&#8217;t let the means become the end</strong></h4>
<p style="color: #4d4f51;"><a href="http://blog.pptstar.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/03/24dd6661.jpg"><img class="alignnone size-full wp-image-424" src="http://blog.pptstar.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/03/24dd6661.jpg" alt="24dd666[1]" width="400" height="224" /></a></p>
<p style="color: #4d4f51;">No matter how slick your presentation slides are and how attractive you have made them, <em style="font-weight: inherit; font-style: italic;"><strong style="font-weight: bold; font-style: inherit;">sometimes participants just won&#8217;t buy in.</strong></em></p>
<p style="color: #4d4f51;">So what do you do then? <em style="font-weight: inherit; font-style: italic;">Change what you have to say on the spot to quickly address what key participants are looking for and minimize reliance on the slides.</em></p>
<h4 style="color: #333333;"><strong style="font-weight: bold; font-style: inherit;">Maintain eye contact</strong></h4>
<p style="color: #4d4f51;"><a href="http://blog.pptstar.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/03/3a4dd2c1.jpg"><img class="alignnone size-full wp-image-425" src="http://blog.pptstar.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/03/3a4dd2c1.jpg" alt="3a4dd2c[1]" width="400" height="300" /></a></p>
<p style="color: #4d4f51;">A great presentation is like a one on one conversation where each participant feels that the speaker is directly talking to him. And, the only way this can happen, is with continuous eye contact.</p>
<h4 style="color: #333333;"><strong style="font-weight: bold; font-style: inherit;">A good presentation is all about preparation and inspiration</strong></h4>
<p style="color: #4d4f51;">As <em style="font-weight: inherit; font-style: italic;"><strong style="font-weight: bold; font-style: inherit;">Thomas Edison</strong> </em>once said, ‘<em style="font-weight: inherit; font-style: italic;"><strong style="font-weight: bold; font-style: inherit;">Genius is one percent inspiration and 99 percent perspiration</strong></em>&#8216;. <em style="font-weight: inherit; font-style: italic;">In a presentation, inspiration gives you the perspective while preparation gives you the edge</em>. But, no matter how good you are at presentations, there is no substitute for rigorous preparation and multiple rehearsals.</p>
<p style="color: #4d4f51;">&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8211;</p>
<p style="color: #4d4f51;"><em style="font-weight: inherit; font-style: italic;">Many of you would have made some brilliant presentations yourself. It would be interesting to know your experiences and what worked for you. Please feel free to share your thoughts.</em></p>
<p style="color: #4d4f51;"><em style="font-weight: inherit; font-style: italic;">Picture courtesy: Stanford University;</em><em style="font-weight: inherit; font-style: italic;"> Walter Isaacson</em></p>
<p style="color: #4d4f51;">&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8211;</p>
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		<title>Five Tips for Planning a Presentation</title>
		<link>http://blog.pptstar.com/?p=414</link>
		<comments>http://blog.pptstar.com/?p=414#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Mon, 09 Mar 2015 14:24:27 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[pptstar]]></dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[PowerPoint use]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[presentation tips]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[presentation]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[public speaking]]></category>

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		<description><![CDATA[Jill Robbins Editor&#8217;s note: When teaching public speaking, Professor Charles Lebeau divides presentation into three aspects. The three aspects of a presentation are: the physical message, the visual message, and the story message. In this article, we will look at the visual and story messages. English is the language of many international conferences.  Sometimes a speaker might use a kind of “World English” that audience members do not understand. This can be true even for listeners who are native speakers of English. For this reason, Professor Charles Lebeau says the visual message is important. The visual message includes pictures, charts and other aids a speaker presents during the talk. A non-native speaker ofEnglish can understand a picture. It can help  carry the message when the [&#8230;]]]></description>
				<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p style="color: #000000;"><a href="http://www.pptstar.com/powerpoint/template/presentation-at-the-business-meeting-room/"><img class="alignnone size-full wp-image-415" src="http://blog.pptstar.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/03/ppt_slide12.jpg" alt="ppt_slide1[2]" width="445" height="335" /></a></p>
<p style="color: #000000;"><a href="http://learningenglish.voanews.com/" rel="nofollow"><span class="w">Jill</span> <span class="w">Robbins</span></a></p>
<p style="color: #000000;"><em>Editor&#8217;s note: When teaching public speaking, Professor Charles Lebeau divides presentation into three aspects. The three aspects of a presentation are: the physical message, the visual message, and the story message. In this article, we will look at the visual and story messages.</em></p>
<p style="color: #000000;"><span class="dict_parse_word"><span class="w">English</span> is the <span class="w">language</span> of <span class="w">many</span> <span class="w">international </span><span class="w">conferences</span>.  <span class="w">Sometimes</span> a <span class="w">speaker</span> <span class="w">might</span> <span class="w">use</span> a <span class="w">kind </span>of “<span class="w">World</span> <span class="w">English</span>” that <span class="w">audience</span> <span class="w">members</span> <span class="w">do</span> not <span class="w">understand</span>. This <span class="w">can</span> be <span class="w">true</span> <span class="w">even</span> for <span class="w">listeners</span> <span class="w">who</span> are <span class="w">native</span> <span class="w">speakers</span> of <span class="w">English</span>.</span></p>
<p style="color: #000000;"><span class="dict_parse_word">For this <span class="w">reason</span>, <span class="w">Professor</span> <span class="w">Charles</span> <span class="w">Lebeau</span> <span class="w">says</span> the </span><strong>visual</strong><span class="dict_parse_word"> <span class="w">message</span> is <span class="w">important</span>. The <span class="w">visual</span> <span class="w">message </span><span class="w">includes</span> <span class="w">pictures</span>, </span><strong>charts</strong><span class="dict_parse_word"> and <span class="w">other</span> <span class="w">aids</span> a <span class="w">speaker </span><span class="w">presents</span> <span class="w">during</span> the <span class="w">talk</span>. A <span class="w">non-native</span> <span class="w">speaker</span> of<span class="w">English</span> <span class="w">can</span> <span class="w">understand</span> a <span class="w">picture</span>. It <span class="w">can</span> <span class="w">help</span>  <span class="w">carry</span> the <span class="w">message</span> <span class="w">when</span> the presenter’s <span class="w">words</span> are <span class="w">hard</span> to <span class="w">understand</span>.</span></p>
<p style="color: #000000;"><span id="more-414"></span></p>
<p style="color: #000000;"><span class="dict_parse_word">“The <span class="w">visual</span> <span class="w">message</span> <span class="w">becomes</span> a <span class="w">central</span> <span class="w">part</span> of the <span class="w">communication</span> <span class="w">process </span><span class="w">because</span> <span class="w">everyone</span> <span class="w">can</span> <span class="w">understand</span> a </span><strong>graph</strong><span class="dict_parse_word">; <span class="w">everyone</span> <span class="w">can</span> <span class="w">understand</span> a <span class="w">flow</span><span class="w">chart</span>; <span class="w">everyone</span> <span class="w">can</span> <span class="w">see</span> the <span class="w">words</span> on the <span class="w">slide</span>.”</span></p>
<p style="color: #000000;"><span class="dict_parse_word"><span class="w">When</span> <span class="w">you</span> <span class="w">prepare</span> a <span class="w">presentation</span>, <span class="w">you</span> <span class="w">might</span> <span class="w">want</span> to <span class="w">show</span> <span class="w">how</span> <span class="w">much</span> <span class="w">you </span><span class="w">know</span> <span class="w">about</span> a <span class="w">subject</span>. But <span class="w">does</span> the <span class="w">audience</span> <span class="w">care</span> <span class="w">how</span> <span class="w">much</span> <span class="w">you</span> <span class="w">know</span>?</span></p>
<p style="color: #000000;"><span class="dict_parse_word"><span class="w">Listeners</span> <span class="w">more</span> <span class="w">likely</span> <span class="w">want</span> to <span class="w">understand</span> the <span class="w">main</span> <span class="w">point</span> of <span class="w">your</span> <span class="w">presentation</span>.<span class="w">So</span>, <span class="w">how</span> <span class="w">do</span> <span class="w">you</span> <span class="w">organize</span> <span class="w">your</span> <span class="w">talk</span> to <span class="w">get</span> that <span class="w">point</span> <span class="w">across</span>? <span class="w">Professor</span> <span class="w">LeBeau</span><span class="w">says</span> this <span class="w">can</span> <span class="w">depend</span> on the <span class="w">culture</span> of <span class="w">your</span> <span class="w">audience</span>.</span></p>
<div style="color: #000000;"><strong>Cultural styles of presenting ideas</strong></div>
<p style="color: #000000;"><span class="dict_parse_word"><span class="w">American</span> <span class="w">language</span> <span class="w">expert</span> <span class="w">Robert</span> <span class="w">Kaplan</span> <span class="w">studied</span> <span class="w">different</span> <span class="w">cultural</span> <span class="w">thought</span><span class="w">patterns</span> in the <span class="w">mid</span> 1960s. He <span class="w">helped</span> <span class="w">English</span> <span class="w">language</span> <span class="w">teachers</span> <span class="w">understand </span>the <span class="w">differences</span> <span class="w">between</span> <span class="w">English</span> </span><strong>rhetoric</strong><span class="dict_parse_word"> and that of <span class="w">Arabic</span>, <span class="w">Chinese</span>, <span class="w">Japanese</span>, <span class="w">Spanish</span>, and <span class="w">Russian</span>.</span></p>
<p style="color: #000000;"><span class="dict_parse_word"><span class="w">English</span> <span class="w">speakers</span> <span class="w">prefer</span> a ‘<span class="w">linear</span>’ <span class="w">style</span>, <span class="w">which</span> has <span class="w">one</span> <span class="w">main</span> <span class="w">idea</span>. The <span class="w">speaker </span><span class="w">supports</span> that <span class="w">idea</span> <span class="w">with</span> <span class="w">details</span> or <span class="w">arguments</span>, and <span class="w">then</span> <span class="w">closes</span> the <span class="w">talk</span> by <span class="w">restating</span> the <span class="w">idea</span>. In <span class="w">other</span> <span class="w">cultures</span>, <span class="w">however</span>, <span class="w">speakers</span> <span class="w">may</span> <span class="w">bring</span> in <span class="w">other </span><span class="w">ideas</span> <span class="w">before</span> <span class="w">returning</span> to the <span class="w">main</span> <span class="w">point</span>.</span></p>
<p style="color: #000000;"><span class="dict_parse_word"><span class="w">Charles</span> <span class="w">LeBeau</span> <span class="w">says</span> <span class="w">some</span> of <span class="w">his</span> <span class="w">students</span> <span class="w">prepare</span> a <span class="w">speech</span> <span class="w">without</span> <span class="w">thinking </span>of the <span class="w">main</span> <span class="w">idea</span>.</span></p>
<p style="color: #000000;"><span class="dict_parse_word">“<span class="w">Sometimes</span> the <span class="w">bigger</span> <span class="w">problem</span> is the <span class="w">point</span> that <span class="w">they</span> <span class="w">want</span> to <span class="w">make</span> is not <span class="w">clear</span>. <span class="w">They</span> are not <span class="w">thinking</span> <span class="w">clearly</span> <span class="w">about</span> “<span class="w">What</span> is the <span class="w">key</span> <span class="w">point</span> in <span class="w">my </span><span class="w">presentation</span>? And <span class="w">how</span> <span class="w">do</span> I <span class="w">want</span> to <span class="w">say</span> that, <span class="w">where</span> <span class="w">do</span> I <span class="w">want</span> to <span class="w">say</span> it?”</span></p>
<p style="color: #000000;"><span class="dict_parse_word">For <span class="w">presentations</span> in <span class="w">English</span>, the <span class="w">best</span> <span class="w">time</span> to <span class="w">make</span> that <span class="w">point</span> is at the <span class="w">beginning</span>. <span class="w">Speakers</span> <span class="w">should</span> <span class="w">make</span> a <span class="w">plan</span> to <span class="w">present</span> <span class="w">their</span> <span class="w">ideas</span> in the <span class="w">order </span>that is <span class="w">common</span> in <span class="w">English</span> <span class="w">rhetoric</span>. <span class="w">When</span> we <span class="w">write</span> <span class="w">our</span> <span class="w">ideas</span> <span class="w">down</span> <span class="w">without </span><span class="w">such</span> a <span class="w">plan</span>, <span class="w">they</span> are not <span class="w">clear</span> and <span class="w">our</span> <span class="w">presentation</span> will not be <span class="w">well</span> <span class="w">organized</span>.</span></p>
<p style="color: #000000;"><span class="dict_parse_word">“I <span class="w">think</span> <span class="w">they</span> <span class="w">prepare</span> the <span class="w">presentation</span> <span class="w">kind</span> of as a </span><span class="w">stream</span> of consciousness activity<span class="dict_parse_word">, <span class="w">then</span> <span class="w">finally</span> at the <span class="w">end</span> of this <span class="w">process</span> <span class="w">they</span> <span class="w">figure</span> out, <span class="w">oh</span>, <span class="w">what</span> <span class="w">do</span> I<span class="w">want</span> to <span class="w">say</span>, <span class="w">what</span> is the <span class="w">key</span> <span class="w">point</span> in this? And it <span class="w">ends</span> <span class="w">up</span> <span class="w">being</span> at the <span class="w">end</span> of the <span class="w">presentation</span>.”</span></p>
<p style="color: #000000;"><span class="dict_parse_word"><span class="w">Professor</span> <span class="w">LeBeau</span> <span class="w">says</span> he <span class="w">often</span> <span class="w">sees</span> the <span class="w">engineers</span> he <span class="w">works</span> <span class="w">with</span> <span class="w">give</span> a <span class="w">lot </span>of <span class="w">technical</span> <span class="w">information</span> in <span class="w">their</span> <span class="w">speeches</span>. <span class="w">They</span> <span class="w">want</span> to <span class="w">tell</span> <span class="w">everything</span> <span class="w">they </span><span class="w">know</span>. But, the <span class="w">audience</span> <span class="w">may</span> <span class="w">have</span> <span class="w">trouble</span> <span class="w">understanding</span> <span class="w">which</span> <span class="w">information</span> is<span class="w">related</span> to the <span class="w">speaker</span>’s <span class="w">main</span> <span class="w">point</span>. We <span class="w">can</span> <span class="w">tell</span> the <span class="w">story</span> <span class="w">with</span> <span class="w">facts</span> and <span class="w">numbers</span>, <span class="w">if</span> <span class="w">they</span> <span class="w">help</span>, and <span class="w">then</span> <span class="w">repeat</span> the <span class="w">point</span>.</span></p>
<p style="color: #000000;"><span class="dict_parse_word">“In an <span class="w">English</span> <span class="w">language</span> <span class="w">presentation</span>, <span class="w">what</span> we <span class="w">try</span> and <span class="w">do</span> is <span class="w">make</span> it <span class="w">more </span><span class="w">linear</span>. And by that, I <span class="w">mean</span>, it’s <span class="w">more</span> of a <span class="w">story</span> - we <span class="w">use</span> </span><strong>data</strong><span class="dict_parse_word">, and we <span class="w">use </span></span><strong>evidence</strong><span class="dict_parse_word">, we <span class="w">use</span> <span class="w">numbers</span>, but <span class="w">only</span> to <span class="w">help</span> us <span class="w">tell</span> the <span class="w">story</span> <span class="w">more</span> <span class="w">clearly</span>.”</span></p>
<div style="color: #000000;"><strong>Five tips for preparing your presentation</strong></div>
<p style="color: #000000;"><span class="dict_parse_word"><span class="w">Preparing</span> the <span class="w">story</span> <span class="w">message</span> <span class="w">helps</span> <span class="w">speakers</span> <span class="w">give</span> a <span class="w">successful</span> <span class="w">presentation</span>.<span class="w">Professor</span> <span class="w">LeBeau</span> <span class="w">gives</span> <span class="w">these</span> <span class="w">five</span> <span class="w">tips</span> for </span><strong>academic</strong><span class="dict_parse_word"> <span class="w">presentations</span>, <span class="w">such</span> as<span class="w">those</span> <span class="w">given</span> at <span class="w">professional</span> <span class="w">conferences</span>.</span></p>
<p style="color: #000000;"><span class="dict_parse_word">1. <span class="w">Understand</span> the <span class="w">difference</span> <span class="w">between</span> a </span><strong>title</strong><span class="dict_parse_word"> and a </span><strong>topic</strong><span class="dict_parse_word">. A <span class="w">topic</span> is <span class="w">general</span>, but a <span class="w">title</span> is <span class="w">more</span> <span class="w">specific</span>. <span class="w">Make</span> <span class="w">sure</span> the <span class="w">title</span> <span class="w">explains</span> the <span class="w">benefit</span> of <span class="w">your </span><span class="w">subject</span>.</span></p>
<p style="color: #000000;"><span class="dict_parse_word">2. <span class="w">Provide</span> an <span class="w">image</span> for <span class="w">those</span> <span class="w">who</span> are not <span class="w">experts</span> in <span class="w">your</span> <span class="w">subject</span>. <span class="w">Explain </span><span class="w">how</span> <span class="w">your</span> <span class="w">research</span> <span class="w">relates</span> to <span class="w">other</span> <span class="w">fields</span>.</span></p>
<p style="color: #000000;"><span class="dict_parse_word">3. <span class="w">Work</span> on </span><strong>transitions</strong><span class="dict_parse_word"> (<span class="w">linking</span> <span class="w">words</span> or </span><strong>phrases</strong><span class="dict_parse_word">) as <span class="w">you</span> go from <span class="w">image</span> to<span class="w">image</span>. <span class="w">These</span> <span class="w">should</span> <span class="w">make</span> the <span class="w">connections</span> <span class="w">between</span> <span class="w">your</span> <span class="w">ideas</span> <span class="w">clear</span>.<span class="w">Professor</span> <span class="w">LeBeau</span> <span class="w">says</span> <span class="w">transitions</span> <span class="w">serve</span> as <span class="w">bridges</span> to <span class="w">each</span> <span class="w">new</span> <span class="w">image</span>.</span></p>
<p style="color: #000000;"><span class="dict_parse_word">4. <span class="w">Look</span> at <span class="w">each</span> <span class="w">image</span> from the <span class="w">audience</span>’s <span class="w">point</span> of <span class="w">view</span>. <span class="w">What</span> <span class="w">questions </span><span class="w">might</span> <span class="w">they</span> <span class="w">have</span> <span class="w">about</span> <span class="w">each</span> <span class="w">image</span>? <span class="w">Prepare</span> an <span class="w">extra</span> <span class="w">image</span> that <span class="w">would</span> <span class="w">help </span><span class="w">explain</span> the <span class="w">most</span> <span class="w">difficult</span> <span class="w">question</span> <span class="w">you</span> <span class="w">expect</span>.</span></p>
<p style="color: #000000;"><span class="dict_parse_word">5.</span><strong><span class="dict_parse_word"> <span class="w">Rehearse</span></span></strong><span class="dict_parse_word"> <span class="w">your</span> <span class="w">presentation</span> <span class="w">with</span> a <span class="w">timing</span> <span class="w">device</span>. At <span class="w">most</span> <span class="w">conferences</span>,<span class="w">there</span> is a <span class="w">time</span> <span class="w">limit</span>. It is <span class="w">disrespectful</span> to <span class="w">take</span> <span class="w">more</span> <span class="w">than</span> <span class="w">your</span> <span class="w">share</span> of the <span class="w">time</span>.<span class="w">Cut</span> <span class="w">your</span> <span class="w">presentation</span> to <span class="w">fit</span> the <span class="w">time</span> <span class="w">you</span> are <span class="w">permitted</span>.</span></p>
<p style="color: #000000;"><span class="dict_parse_word"><span class="w">Professor</span> <span class="w">LeBeau</span> <span class="w">understands</span> the <span class="w">difficulty</span> <span class="w">many</span> <span class="w">students</span> of <span class="w">public</span> <span class="w">speaking</span><span class="w">face</span>.</span></p>
<p style="color: #000000;"><span class="dict_parse_word">“<span class="w">Learning</span> a <span class="w">new</span> <span class="w">culture</span> for <span class="w">presentation</span> is <span class="w">really</span> <span class="w">really</span> <span class="w">tough</span> for <span class="w">many</span> <span class="w">people</span>, as it is <span class="w">with</span> <span class="w">all</span> <span class="w">language</span> <span class="w">learning</span>. <span class="w">Presentation</span>, or <span class="w">course</span>, is a <span class="w">part</span> of<span class="w">language</span> <span class="w">learning</span>. <span class="w">There</span>’s <span class="w">culture</span> in <span class="w">everything</span> we <span class="w">do</span> in <span class="w">English</span>, as <span class="w">well</span> as in<span class="w">presentation</span>.”</span></p>
<p style="color: #000000;"><span class="dict_parse_word"><span class="w">Using</span> <span class="w">these</span> <span class="w">tips</span> for <span class="w">improving</span> <span class="w">your</span> <span class="w">presentations</span> in <span class="w">English</span> <span class="w">should</span> <span class="w">help</span> <span class="w">make </span>the <span class="w">process</span> <span class="w">easier</span>. </span></p>
<p style="color: #000000;"><span class="dict_parse_word">I’m <span class="w">Jill</span> <span class="w">Robbins</span>.</span></p>
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		<title>How to Make a Presentation that stands out?</title>
		<link>http://blog.pptstar.com/?p=402</link>
		<comments>http://blog.pptstar.com/?p=402#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Tue, 03 Mar 2015 13:05:09 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[pptstar]]></dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[presentation tips]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[uncategorized]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[presentation]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[public speaking]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://blog.pptstar.com/?p=402</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[by Caya There’s a lot going into creating a compelling presentation. From planning to creating and delivering, and you should tackle each process accordingly. Planning your story A good exercise is to sketch your story as a timeline. I’d say 99% of presentations tell a story, either if it’s a sales deck, a startup pitch, [&#8230;]]]></description>
				<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p style="color: rgba(28, 28, 28, 0.901961);"><a href="http://blog.slidebean.com/?author=519eacb9e4b0f33a07487b66" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">by Caya</a></p>
<p id="yui_3_17_2_1_1425386899398_625" style="color: rgba(28, 28, 28, 0.901961);">There’s a lot going into creating a compelling presentation. From planning to creating and delivering, and you should tackle each process accordingly.</p>
<h2 style="color: #201713;">Planning your story</h2>
<p style="color: rgba(28, 28, 28, 0.901961);">A good exercise is to sketch your story as a timeline. I’d say 99% of presentations tell a story, either if it’s a sales deck, a startup pitch, a business report or even a thesis; you are always walking your audience through a story.</p>
<p style="color: rgba(28, 28, 28, 0.901961);">Once you sit in front of your presentation software and start adding slides you will be terribly distracted from the story; this is why paper, I believe, works best. This is a great guide that you can follow, I often use it for my investor and sales decks.</p>
<p style="color: rgba(28, 28, 28, 0.901961);"><a href="http://blog.pptstar.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/03/makeapresentation_story1.jpg"><img class="alignnone size-full wp-image-403" src="http://blog.pptstar.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/03/makeapresentation_story1.jpg" alt="makeapresentation_story[1]" width="1200" height="671" /></a></p>
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<p id="yui_3_17_2_1_1425387032252_662">Notice how presentations can adapt to this structure easily. All throughout your deck you are building up to a climax, which is the moment when you can sell your product, say how much money you are raising, or do what I call ‘The Ask’, whatever that may be.</p>
<h3 style="color: #ff8b38;"></h3>
<h3 style="color: #ff8b38;">FIRST ACT: ORIGIN/PROBLEM</h3>
<p>It all starts with connecting with your audience. Humans are emotional beings and empathy is a weapon(?) you should use to your advantage. Find that thing that you have in common, a pain point, a shared interest. If you don’t have anything in common (unlikely), then make sure that they can connect with you personally, that your passion for whatever what you are doing is reflected here. <strong>If you don’t empathize with your audience at this point, you probably won’t be able to do it later.</strong></p>
<p>&nbsp;<br />
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<h3 style="color: #ff8b38;">SECOND ACT: STORY DEVELOPMENT</h3>
<p>The second act of any story starts with a the <em>Turning Point </em>and ends with the climax. This is when Don Corleone gets shot in the street in <em>The Godfather (</em>if you haven’t seen this movie, please, stop reading and go watch it), or when Jack meets Rose in <em>Titanic. </em><strong>It completely changes the direction of the story.</strong></p>
<p>For you, this is when you introduce your product, your company, your solution or again, whatever it is that you are presenting about.</p>
<p>Now you get to talk about what you are doing, who is/was the team behind it, and why your solution is the best. Start with facts/metrics/breakthroughs (if you have any) and as you build towards the climax move into your vision, what you expect this to become and especially how can that change the <em>status quo </em>for your audience, or for the world.</p>
<h3 style="color: #ff8b38;"></h3>
<h3 style="color: #ff8b38;">THIRD ACT AND CLIMAX</h3>
<p>This is it. <em>The Baptism scene </em>or the <em>Titanic </em>sinking. It’s the absolute moment when your audience is at their top excitement and if you’ve handled the storytelling correctly, the perfect moment for The Ask. This is when Steve Jobs used to announce the price of the new iDevice and everyone’s hand was already on their wallets.</p>
<p>The third act concludes with wrapping up your story, questions and such. You and your audience are back with their feet on the ground, just finalizing the last details.</p>
<h2 style="color: #201713;">Creating the Presentation</h2>
<p>Now to slide creation. Once you have a story that makes sense and that actually feels exciting, it’s time to move on to creating.</p>
<p>What you are (or should be) doing now is just moving your sketches and dribbles to your computer. Here are a few tips so that your slides look great.</p>
<p>Your slides should reinforce your message</p>
<p>Remember, you are the one telling the story, not the slides. Your presentation should be there only to support and reinforce what you are saying. <strong>Do not type everything on the slides</strong>, rather, use only keywords to help the audience (and yourself) keep up with your story.</p>
<blockquote><p>“If your slides stand by themselves, then why the heck are you in front of them?” — Garr Reynolds, Presentation Zen</p></blockquote>
<p>If the presentation you are making needs to be sent out by email (you would not be able to walk your audience through it), then avoid ending up with a <em>Presdoc</em> instead of a presentation. <em>Presdocs</em> are a non-ideal way to send information, they are neither documents nor presentations and don’t fulfil either task very well; in that case, you are better off creating one pager or an executive summary. It will take far less time to create than a presentation and be significantly more understandable.</p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<h3 style="color: #ff8b38;">ONLY ONE IDEA PER SLIDE</h3>
<p>The slide on the left is an actual slide from the NSA. Look at the (useless) logo decoration on the top right, and notice how unreadable the text becomes.</p>
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<p>The world seems to have become accustomed to overcrowded presentations, where people literally cram everything they can into one single slide. Please, don’t. There’s also no need to ‘decorate’ them; remember your audience will probably be reading from afar, and anything that’s too small will just become noise.</p>
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<h3 id="yui_3_17_2_3_1417914037738_17085" style="color: #ff8b38;">USE IMAGES. A LOT.</h3>
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<div id="yui_3_17_2_1_1425387032252_234" class="image-block-wrapper   has-aspect-ratio" data-description=""><a href="http://blog.pptstar.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/03/makeapresentation_images1.jpg"><img class="alignnone size-full wp-image-407" src="http://blog.pptstar.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/03/makeapresentation_images1.jpg" alt="makeapresentation_images[1]" width="500" height="390" /></a></div>
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<p>People don’t really like reading that much anyway. Many messages are transmitted much better with imagery or visual aids like charts.</p>
<p>You can add short sentences or titles on top of your images, just make sure that the color of the text is clearly readable over the image itself.</p>
<h3 style="color: #ff8b38;"></h3>
<h3 style="color: #ff8b38;">QUOTES ADD CREDIBILITY</h3>
<p>Using somebody else’s words to support your message is another great tactic to make your content more compelling. If it’s either a quote from your customers, your co-workers or Einstein, it helps, trust me.</p>
<p>Use a quote that really relates to you. If you pull it off, it will prove that you actually read and listen to other people’s advice to perform your work better.</p>
<h3 style="color: #ff8b38;"></h3>
<h3 style="color: #ff8b38;">COLOR AND DESIGN</h3>
<p>Most of the people that make presentations are not graphics designers.</p>
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<div id="yui_3_17_2_1_1425387032252_251" class="image-block-wrapper   has-aspect-ratio" data-description=""><a href="http://blog.pptstar.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/03/makeapresentation_coloranddesign1.jpg"><img class="alignnone size-full wp-image-406" src="http://blog.pptstar.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/03/makeapresentation_coloranddesign1.jpg" alt="makeapresentation_coloranddesign[1]" width="700" height="438" /></a></div>
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<p>If you still choose to go the traditional presentation route, make sure that you pick a simple template and a font other than the Windows default Calibri. I hate Calibri. As for the colors, I recommend that you find a palette in <a style="color: #ff8b38;" href="https://color.adobe.com/explore/newest/?time=all">Adobe Color</a>. Once you pick one, stick to it and you’ll be fine. Promise.</p>
<h3 style="color: #ff8b38;"></h3>
<h3 style="color: #ff8b38;">AVOID THE -THANK YOU- SLIDE</h3>
<p>It’s absolutely unnecessary and cliché. You don’t need it; you can actually speak the words yourself.</p>
<p id="yui_3_17_2_1_1425387032252_688"><strong>Ready to get started?</strong></p>
<p><a href="http://www.pptstar.com/"><img class="alignnone size-full wp-image-405" src="http://blog.pptstar.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/03/MakeAPresentation1.jpg" alt="MakeAPresentation[1]" width="600" height="109" /></a></p>
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		<title>4 Easy Tips to Manage Your PowerPoint File Size</title>
		<link>http://blog.pptstar.com/?p=391</link>
		<comments>http://blog.pptstar.com/?p=391#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Wed, 25 Feb 2015 16:07:10 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[pptstar]]></dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[PowerPoint use]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[presentation tips]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[PowerPoint]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[presentation]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://blog.pptstar.com/?p=391</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[SlideJenius You finally finished your PowerPoint deck! Following all the best PowerPoint practices, you were able to incorporate interesting visuals and make use of minimal but creative animations. You’re confident that it looks great, and you’re sure that your slides will definitely enhance the message you want to deliver. After some final adjustments, you’re ready [&#8230;]]]></description>
				<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><a href="http://i.poweredtemplates.com/i/pp/09/167/s.jpg" target="_blank"><img class="alignnone size-full wp-image-396" src="http://blog.pptstar.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/02/ppt_slide11.jpg" alt="ppt_slide1[1]" width="445" height="335" /></a></p>
<p><a href="http://www.slidegenius.com/" rel="nofollow">SlideJenius</a></p>
<p>You finally finished your PowerPoint deck! Following all the best PowerPoint practices, you were able to incorporate interesting visuals and make use of minimal but creative animations. You’re confident that it looks great, and you’re sure that your slides will definitely enhance the message you want to deliver. After some final adjustments, you’re ready to share your PowerPoint file online, transfer it to another device, or run a test drive.</p>
<p>And then your laptop starts to lag. The program starts to crash. If you’re sharing the presentation online, you’re met with an upload that’s expected to run for hours. The culprit? A PowerPoint file that is too large. If you want a seamless presentation experience, you need to learn how to shrink your PowerPoint file to a manageable size.</p>
<p>Lucky for you, there are 4 simple ways you can fix PowerPoint file size issues. Take note of the following tips and find the most applicable solution to your dilemma:</p>
<p><span id="more-391"></span></p>
<p><strong>Convert PowerPoint file to PDF</strong><br />
You can convert your PowerPoint file to a PDF if you’re planning to share your slides via SlideShare or email when the actual presentation is over. This will strip your presentation of any animation and transition effects, so make necessary tweaks to your PowerPoint first. After that, all you have to do is head to the ‘File‘ tab and click ‘Save As‘. From there, just choose ‘PDF‘ under ‘Save as type‘.</p>
<p><a href="http://blog.pptstar.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/02/powerpoint-file-pdf1.png"><img class="alignnone size-full wp-image-392" src="http://blog.pptstar.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/02/powerpoint-file-pdf1.png" alt="powerpoint-file-pdf[1]" width="894" height="448" /></a></p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<h4 style="font-weight: 400; color: #333130;"></h4>
<p><strong>Skip ‘Compatibility </strong>Mode<strong>’</strong><br />
For the presentation itself—if you’re planning to simply hook up your laptop to the projector in the venue, you don’t need to save your PowerPoint file in compatibility mode. Keep your filed saved in the latest version of PowerPoint by making sure the file extension is .pptx. Head to the folder where your PowerPoint file is stored, right-click, and then choose ‘Properties‘.</p>
<p><a href="http://blog.pptstar.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/02/powerpoint-file-pptx1.png"><img class="alignnone size-full wp-image-393" src="http://blog.pptstar.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/02/powerpoint-file-pptx1.png" alt="powerpoint-file-pptx[1]" width="356" height="88" /></a></p>
<p><strong>Compress</strong> <strong>high-resolution pictures</strong></p>
<p>Using pictures with incredibly high resolutions will definitely have an effect on the size of your PowerPoint file. You’ll definitely want to use clear and crisp images, but you don’t have to opt for anything that’s too large. Try to edit and re-size the pictures that have resolutions that might be way too large.</p>
<p>If you don’t want to sacrifice your PowerPoint design, you can also compress all the images in your deck. Simply select any image in your PowerPoint file and head to the Pictures Tools Format tab. Click on ‘Compress Pictures‘ under the ‘Adjust‘ group. When the dialogue box appears, choose from the different target output options.</p>
<p><a href="http://blog.pptstar.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/02/powerpoint-file-compress-pics1.png"><img class="alignnone size-full wp-image-394" src="http://blog.pptstar.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/02/powerpoint-file-compress-pics1.png" alt="powerpoint-file-compress-pics[1]" width="363" height="248" /></a></p>
<p><strong>Avoid embedding fonts if you can</strong><br />
As we’ve discussed before, customized and unique fonts can help enhance your PowerPoint designs. However, they can also be a contributing factor to why your PowerPoint file size is too large. Try to minimize your use of unique fonts as much as you can. To avoid embedding too much data into your PowerPoint file, you can limit your use of unique fonts for headers or section breaks.</p>
<p>Head to the File tab and click on ‘Options‘. Go to ‘Save‘ and check to see the options enabled under ‘Preserve fidelity when sharing this presentation‘. When you embed fonts to your PowerPoint file, make sure you always choose the first option.</p>
<p><a href="http://blog.pptstar.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/02/powerpoint-file-embed-fonts1.png"><img class="alignnone size-full wp-image-395" src="http://blog.pptstar.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/02/powerpoint-file-embed-fonts1.png" alt="powerpoint-file-embed-fonts[1]" width="645" height="103" /></a></p>
<p><strong><span style="color: #333130;">You don’t have to sacrifice great presentation design to make sure your PowerPoint file is kept at a manageable size. Ease the presentation process and use these methods to make sure your PowerPoint file isn’t unnecessarily too large. For more PowerPoint design insights, click here and browse through our blog!</span></strong></p>
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