PPT - Powerful Presentation Techniques

New Book Released - "Why Most PowerPoint Presentations Suck"

Rick Altman has written a new book "Why Most PowerPoint Presentations Suck."  In his press release about the book he describes it in the following manner:

"In his 278-page book and on the companion website full of downloadable presentation files, Altman speaks directly to the root causes of Death by PowerPoint and offers strategies, advice, and commentary on how to avoid inflicting it upon audiences. He takes dead aim at boring bullets, slides that contain entire speeches, poor contrast that inhibits readability, obnoxious animation, and the general sentiment that a PowerPoint presentation can often make a presenter seem less intelligent, not more."

There are 3 sample chapters to help generate interest in the book.

You can order the book at his web site for $24.95 + shipping.

Visit my other Blog - the Web Chef's e-Bytes for Marketing, Communications and Technology Nibblets

Are you enjoying this blog and curious about other developments in marketing, communications and their intersection with technology? 

Why not visit my other blog - the Web Chef's e-Bytes? 

This blog covers some of the news, statistics and happenings in e-business and marketing and provides insights on the latest trends including those commonly labeled as Web 2.0 - podcasts, blogs, user generate media, etc.

Body Language in Presentations

Lifehacker repeats some good tips from Ian's Messy Desk about ineffective body language in communication.  These tips apply equally well for more formal presentations with the possible exception of crossing your legs since typically presenters are standing up.  Among the body motions to avoid due to their potential negative perceptions by the audience include:

• Fiddling With a Watch Pen or Some Other Object
• Watching The Clock
• Crossing Your Arms
• Crossing Your Legs
• Hunching Your Body
• Touching Your Face
• Rubbing Your Nose
• Looking Away

Each of these convey a lack of confidence or discomfort with the topic, audience or your own professional self.

Can you think of any that should be added to his list?

New Column in Wisconsin Technology Network - Outflanking the Google, Yahoo, MSN Juggernaut

I've written a new column for the monthly Buzz Networks series in Wisconsin Technology Network.  The article, "Outflanking the Google, Yahoo, MSN Juggernaut" discusses some of the latest trends in the search engine world.

Taking it Beyond the Article
One trend referenced is the growth of vertical search engines that focus on a particular technology or discipline.  One of the latest ones that I've come across is called Balihoo, a vertical search engine for advertising media.  In other vertical search news, Blinkx, a video search tool referenced in my article is going for an IPO according to Business 2.0 Next Net.  Another new search engine that I've come across is local search engine Oddpath, that appears to have content tagged for geographic search.

Quotes worth sharing

"To be great is to be misunderstood."

Ralph Waldo Emerson

I'm not sure this applies to presenters, since part of our goal is to be understood, yet it intrigued me nevertheless.

Quotes worth sharing

"Is sloppiness in speech caused by ignorance or apathy? I don't know and i don't care."

William Safire

Additional Web-based slide Sharing Programs

Rory over at Learn Learn Learn has a post that references a couple of web-based PowerPoint sharing tools that I wasn't familiar with.  These tools include authorSTREAM and Scribd, a tool that claims its "mission is to create the world's largest open library of documents" (including PowerPoint).  These tools join Slideshare, discussed in an earlier posting on this blog and ZohoShow, also reviewed in a prior posting on PPT.   Another online presentation sharing tool is Thumbstacks.

Rory believes that the intriguing part of these tools is the social networking component which allows the viewer to rate them, post comments, etc.  But as he says the challenge is still to make the presentations worth viewing.

Reader Contribution - Alec Baldwin Rant PPT

"Your blog, particularly the Power Point resources, is very helpful. I work on Wall Street and get stuck doing power points frequently. In my spare time, I write and perform comedy. I decided to see what I could do with Alec Baldwin's rant and created a rant against Power Point and a Power Point ranting against Power Point on my blog."

Cathleen Rittereiser

2.3.4.5.6.7 Mystery...

clock
Originally uploaded by Leo Reynolds.

At three minutes and four seconds after 2:00 am on May 6th this year the time and date will be 02:03:04 05/06/07. This will never happen again.

Hat tip: to my good friend Pat Flanagan

New Article in IABC CW Bulletin - Spreading the Word

The International Association of Business Communicators online publication CW Bulletin, has published my latest article "Spreading the Word" about word of mouth marketing.  The article focuses on describing different word of mouth marketing techniques including videsos, white papers, web pages and blog postings.

Paul J Gibler
the Web Chef