What is Normal?

Most presenters:

Use bullet point slides

Fill their slides with text

Use printouts of their slides for conferences

Look more at the screen than at their audience
Start presentations with their company history or detailed bio information

Recycle slidedecks from past presentations

Think that presentations are about giving their audience information

Don't ask themselves why audiences should care about their presentation

Worry more about how they look rather than what they say

Leave all the audience questions until the end

Call their slides their 'presentation'
Are just glad to be done with the presentation no matter the outcome

If most people are doing it does that make it ok?  It makes me think of when I was a kid and I wanted something that 'everybody' else had.  My mother would ask me, 'If everyone else jumped off a cliff, would you do it, too?'.  

My question to you is - if everyone else is approaching presentations this way, does that mean that you should?  Are you too worried about appearing normal?  Do you want to be like most people or do you want to be a presenter that makes an audience think, 'Wow!  That was something different, something better'?  

Don't follow the herd.  Be outstanding!

© 2011 Jeanne Trojan. All rights reserved

Mashup Presentations: Six Tips

I recently attended the fifth Mashup at HUB Prague and I'd like to share some lessons that came out of watching the presentations there.  

Don't know what a 'mashup' is?  It's an event that features presentations that consist of 10 slides with each slide appearing for only 20 seconds.  There are other events that you may have heard of - Ignite, Pecha Kucha, that have similar formats.  This is a very different kind of presentation, but when delivered well it can be fun and a great promotional tool. 

This is obviously a slide-driven presentation.  You are a slave to the number of slides you can use and the amount of time that you can spend on each slide.  Meticulous planning and rehearsal is mandatory!  This is not something to leave until the last minute.

Here are six tips to think about if you plan to present at this kind of event:

1.  This is not the place for bullet-point slides full of text (actually, there is no place for those, but especially here you need to forget about creating slides like this).  Vivid photos, a few words in a huge font, quotations - these are the kinds of slides that fit this event.  

2.  Spending only 20 seconds on each slide does NOT mean that you need to talk really fast.  It means that every word you say needs to be necessary and to absolutely relate to the slide showing at the moment.  Don't make the mistake of talking at Chipmunk speed - you will look like a fool and your audience will be lost.

3.  Have you said everything you wanted to say and the slide is still just sitting there?  DON'T just stand there and look at your slide waiting for it to advance.  DON'T say to the audience 'the next slide will be coming up soon.'  You need to be able to think on your feet and add something more to say that's important to your message.  When you create your presentation, put in extra 'fillers' to add in case you have too much time.  One of the presenters at this event asked the audience some questions when he found that he had extra time until the next slide came up - that's a great example!

4.   Yes, it's a slide-focused event - but that means the AUDIENCE is focusing on your slides -  NOT you!  Demand that the organizers put the computer in front of you so that you can see the slide that is up without looking behind you. 

5.  Don't waste any time on things like your company history, track record, financial results... people really don't care and it's out of place in this kind of event.  Give your audience a reason to listen and a reason to care about what you're saying.  

6.   This is meant to be a fun event.  You need to put enough work into the preparation and practice that you can give the audience the impression that you are having fun with it, too.  Make it look easy (even if it's not) and you'll allow the audience to have a great time and to love your presentation.

Take the next opportunity you can to give a presentation at this kind of event.  There are more and more happening in Prague now.  Used in the right way, you can make a great impression and have the chance to spread your message.  I'm looking forward to seeing the next one!

© 2011 Jeanne Trojan. All rights reserved